British Academy Film Awards — 2 wins, 1 nominationAcademy Awards — 1 nominationKids' Choice Award — 1 nominationSaturn Award — 1 nominationAll 2 wins · 4 nominations on record
British Academy Film Awards: Best Special Visual Effects
Scholarship
Named in the title of 1 peer-reviewed work
Examples
Sources: Wikidata · OpenAlex · Library of Congress. The record of the motion picture, not an assessment of this cell.
FILM NOTES
Back to the Future Part II arrived in 1989 from Universal Pictures, the middle chapter of Robert Zemeckis's time travel trilogy and a direct continuation of one of the decade's most successful releases. Bringing back Michael J. Fox and Christopher Lloyd, the sequel pushed the story forward and backward across decades, expanding the mythology with its vision of 2015 and its darker alternate 1985. It remains a touchstone of late eighties studio filmmaking, prized for its ambition and craft.
This cell centers on Mr. Strickland, the stern disciplinarian whose presence threads through multiple timelines in the series. Strickland's recurring authority, especially in the altered Hill Valley sequences, makes him a favorite among collectors tracking the character across the trilogy's shifting realities. A single-character reel like this one offers a clean, focused piece of the production, suited to those assembling a study of the film's supporting cast or its treatment of time and consequence.
Authentication Findings8 checks
Consistent with a 35mm colour release print of Back to the Future Part II (1989).
Gauge
35mm, four perforations per frame on both edges; the strip holds three frames.
Perforations
Four per frame on both edges; spacing appears even and the punched holes appear cleanly cut with no visible tearing.
Soundtrack
A variable-area optical track is visible running along one edge beside the picture area.
Edge print
Top edge reads 'E H H' (mirrored); bottom edge reads 'M3 28 69 15' (mirrored); 'SAFETY' designation not fully legible in this capture.
Base & colour
Base shows a slight blue-cyan tint typical of colour print stock; dye image appears warm and well-saturated with no visible fading.
Projection history
No splices, cue marks or prominent scratches are visible in this capture.
Picture
Positive colour image; all three frames appear to be consecutive frames from a single continuous shot, consistent with a theatrical release print of the film on record.
Era check
The variable-area optical track, colour dye-coupler positive image, blue-tinted safety base, and key-number format are all consistent with a late-1980s to early-1990s theatrical release print.
Read from the original intake capture shown below. Observations only — film is authenticated, not graded.
This original motion picture film element has been examined and authenticated by Crown Grading in partnership with National Film Vault, and encapsulated for archival preservation.
Why so little survivesRelease prints were leased to theaters, not sold. When the run ended they went back to the distributor to be destroyed, and most were. What collectors hold today came from the prints that escaped that order, and no new 35mm prints of these films are being struck.
CROWN SERIAL 000064279
Original Film CaptureAs received
Photographed on the light panel at intake, before encapsulation — tap to open full size
Tap to enlarge
