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Back to the Future Part II (1989)

Back to the Future Part II Movie Poster
E

ver seen a bunch of tangled up Christmas lights?

Well, that's what you have with "Back to the Future Part II", a multi-layered, busy little adventure that requires you to really pay attention (and have definitely seen the first film).

It begins with the closing moments of part I, as Marty and his girlfriend, Jennifer, are whisked away by Doc Brown to the future.

It seems Marty's kids are in trouble and, after clearing up the problem, new ones crop up when Jennifer ends up at the future McFly family home. While retrieving her, Marty and Doc leave the DeLorean unoccupied for our favorite bully, Biff, now a hunchbacked 77-year-old. He uses the machine to wreak havoc in the past and, after returning to 1985, Marty and Doc are confused by some changes, as probably are some viewers.

Things are soon figured out and it's back to 1955 to get things right, thus creating one of the more ingenious sequel ideas ever. Marty and Doc end up doing some work "behind themselves" on the same night that Marty went back to 1985 on in the first film. It's a chance for the filmmakers to re-shoot familiar scenes from new angles and alternate perspectives as Fox tries to avoid running into various characters.

Just as you think things are settled, we're left hanging once again as we get a teaser for "Back to the Future Part III"...

Don't forget that Back to the Future Part II is now available to order on Widescreen DVD using our special 80s Retro Assistant...

Written By: Ryan Hopper [Contact]
 

Though well-paced and creative, "Back 2" is not as great as it's predecessor.

It lacks the genuine human emotion and fun from the first film and at times is shot very dark and with a sinister tone (the alternate 1985 is NOT a friendly place). And again, the business in the middle of the film may throw many folks off. But the characters are still engaging and the performances just as great as the first go-round.

The effects, for 1989, are terrific and still hold up well in this day and age of endless CGI. Kids and adults alike are sure to fall in love with hoverboards and the multi-character-by-the-same-actor-shots look really seamless.

Overall, an entertaining story with plenty of eye candy for audiences to get into.


Rewind Factor: 9
  
Did you know?

Michael J Fox plays Marty McFly as a teenager, Marty McFly at 40 years old, Marty McFly Jr, and his own daughter, Marlene McFly in part 2. -Thanks to Lindsey D.


The River Road tunnel in part two was also used in Roger Rabbit. It was used as the entrance into Toon Town. -Thanks to Lindsey D.

When old Biff returns the DeLorean to 2015 after giving his 1955 counterpart the sports almanac, he appears to be in pain and falls out of the driver's side door. Moviegoers were confused by this for a long time until it was revealed that a scene, in which the younger Biff shoots the older Biff, was cut from the movie. Spielberg and Zemeckis cited complications to the plot as the reason for the edit. -Thanks to Phantom Planet

Michael Balzary (AKA: Flea) of the Red Hot Chili Peppers, played the character "needles" in the film. -Thanks to Michael J.Walters

I was watching "Back to the Future Part II" the other night with my two boys. Anyway, in the scene where Marty is walking through the alley leading to the Hill Valley square of the future you can see various posters on the walls on either side of him. My youngest son noticed a familiar logo on a yellow poster: DVD, along with its trademark disc underneath. Upon further investigation there are other yellow dvd posters on the alley walls. A bit of digital prophecy perhaps? Has anyone else noticed this? -Thanks to Joe

When Marty first arrives in the future the cinema is playing 'Jaws 19'. It is directed by a Max Spielberg- the name of Steven Spielberg's eldest son. -Thanks to Gem

The 'Blast from the Past' antique store in the town square has different relics in it, including Marty's denim jacket he left behind in 1955, his Super-VHS camera, an Apple Macintosh, and a Roger Rabbit doll and lunchbox (both movies made by Robert Zemeckis) -Thanks to Alex Sahounov

"Lord of the Rings" star, Elijah Wood, appears in Back to the Future Part II. He is in the Cafe 80's and attempts to use the Wild Gunman arcade game with Marty. -Thanks to Diego Diaz

The actor who played "Bruce Lee" in The Bruce Lee story played Biff's chinese friend. -Thanks to Mike Ferrara

The actor playing the old man who asks Marty for a donation to save the clock tower is Charles Fleischer, who was the voice of Roger Rabbit in Who Framed Roger Rabbit. The villain in the film was played by Christopher Lloyd. Fleischer is also the mechanic who repaired Biff's car after the first manure incident. He's seen later in Part II. In fact, it's the same character, named Terry. -Thanks to Alex Sahounov

One of the cars that look "futuristic" when Marty first goes into the future is a 1990 Ford Probe! (the black and red car) The car that Griff and his friend get into after they meet Marty in the cafe 80's is actually a 1990 Ford Mustang convertible! -Thanks to Domenick Shaget

Biff is watching "A Fistful Of Dollars" when Marty walks in on him. In that movie, Clint Eastwood uses a piece of metal to stop himself from being killed by bullets. In BTTF III, Marty does a similar trick with the plate off of a boiler to stop himself from being shot by "Mad Dog" Tannen. -Thanks to Alex Sahounov

The 2015 hologram saying the Chicago Cubs swept "Miami" in the World Series is a jab at the Cubs' expense. The last time the Cubs won the Series was in 1908. -Thanks to James

When Marty travels to the future and is confronted by Griffs gang, one of the members is a young Jason Scott Lee. -Thanks to Christopher F Smith

The two cops that take Jennifer home are the same cops who arrest Griff and his gang.

The college football scores Biff hears on the radio toward the end of the movie are the actual scores for games played on Saturday, November 12, 1955. -Thanks to Patrick Fleming

Marty spends a lot of time trying to get back the Gray's Sports Almanac. The book supposedly contains results of every sporting event for 50 years, but the book itself is about the size of a comic! -Thanks to Kasey

After Old Biff brings back the DeLorean and Doc is entering their desired time, you see at the bottom of the time circuits that said: LAST TIME DEPARTED: 1955. This tells us Old Biff just returned from 1955. -Thanks to Lindsey D.

The flight sequence seen at the start of the film was recycled from the Clint Eastwood movie "Firefox."In the scenes set in 2015 there is an ad for "US Air to Vietnam." This is an allusion to "Apocalypse Now."
Also, a Roger Rabbit stuffed animal can be seen in the window of the antique shop. -Thanks to Jonathan Lim

In BTTF Part I, during the scenes when Doc is working on the DeLorean next to the clock tower, watch for a man in an overcoat riding around on a bicycle, you will know it's coming because you will hear a bike bell ring twice. Foreshadowing the future??? You be the judge.
In Part II, when Doc and Marty go back to 1955, Doc eventually buys an overcoat, a hat, and a bicycle. As the movie continues he meets himself from the first movie, wearing those items and riding around on the same Bike looking for Marty. -Thanks to Ernie

« Click here to add some Back to the Future Part II trivia

Find much more great trivia in the filmmaker's commentary on the Back to the Future Part II DVD.


Rediscover your favorites! If you like Back to the Future Part II or 80's Sci-Fi / Fantasy classics, then be sure to check out this list: ..... Empire Strikes Back ..... Night of the Comet ..... Aliens ..... Back To The Future ..... Last Starfighter ..... Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home ..... Circuitry Man ..... Brazil ..... Blade Runner ..... Thing ..... Star Trek 2: The Wrath of Khan ..... Return to Oz ..... Starman ..... Somewhere In Time ..... Strange Invaders ..... Short Circuit .....[More]




 


Crispin Glover wanted "Michael J. Fox-type money" and outpriced himself from participating in the sequel. He ended up suing Steven Speilberg for using footage of him from "Back to the Future Part I" without permission. Glover said: "They put a false nose, chin and cheekbones and a wig on. -Thanks to Another Actor

Shooting began in February 1989, and was completed in June 1989. The movie was made under the working title of "Paradox". -Thanks to David Jones

Claudia Wells was the original Jennifer, but it's always been cited that she didn't reprise the role due to "personal reasons".

The hoverboard sequences were shot with actors on dolleys or sometimes hung by wires. In other shots, they had their shoes screwed into the board to give the illusion of the boards hugging their feet.

Biff's hotel was actually a model of the Plaza Hotel in Las Vegas.

The duplicated Johnny B Goode scene took two days to film. Michael J Fox said it was a lot harder doing the same moves four years after the first film. -Thanks to Lindsey D.

(Allegedly) Michael J. Fox forgot how to ride a skateboard in the four years since the first film.

As you said earlier, Claudia Wells played Jennifer in "Back to the Future" in "Back to the Future 2" it was Elizabeth Shue. At the end of the first movie Jennifer (Claudia Wells) goes to see Marty in his garage while he is looking at the black pick up. At the start of "Back to the Future 2" they start off where they left off in the first movie. As Elizabeth Shue is now Jennifer they have had to re-shoot the whole scene. They didn't quite get it right though! Marty has longer hair in the second movie, he is also wearing a watch but isn't in the first movie. There is also a car in the background but it's a slightly different car with different wheels. There are also noticable differences to when he waves his hand in from off doc's face! Quite funny and can't believe I only just noticed these mistakes! -Thanks to Damien

While Marty and the Doc are trying to get Marty's girlfriend in the year 2015, Biff steals the time machine and travels back to 1955 to give himself the sports almanac. He then returns to 2015 to leave the time machine in its place for the Doc and Marty to travel to 1985. This is not possible, as Biff would have travelled to the alternate 2015, where he is rich and owns the entire town. How is this possible? He could not have made it back to the 2015 that Marty and the Doc are in, and thus it would not be possible to return the time machine to them. And finally this would make the second half of BTTF 2 and BTTF 3 impossible - just on the basis of a sensible story line.

While Marty and Doc are dealing with the Jennifer issue, Biff sneaks into the DeLorean and goes back to 1955, to change history, right? HOWEVER, Biff returns to the "old" or "normal" time line, where he never had big amounts of money or a big hotel, when he shouldn't have returned where Marty and the others were, as THEY did when they "returned" to 1985. Capisce? -Thanks to Felipe Lema

When Marvin Berry leaves the stage to call his cousin Chuck Berry, in Back to the Future II he stops and walks around a ladder that Mary climbed to get on the catwalk over the stage. Watch Back to the Future I and, when he is talking on the phone, there is no ladder behind him. In fact, that whole scene is different. The desk is different and the phone, and Marvin has his back to the stage in II whereas in I he is facing the stage. -Thanks to Emily

You have to listen carefully but, when the Doc says "Griff's gonna ask you about tonight", he says "Biff" by accident. -Thanks to Emily

As the DeLorean lands in 2015 at the start, the car has silver center caps (between the wheel nuts) in the front and back wheels, but in the next shot, they have changed back into the original black center caps. -Thanks to Emily

In the original BTTF, the band leader's hand is injured when he calls his cousin, but right after Marty climbs up the ladder, you can see that both of his hands are fine. -Thanks to Emily

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S. California Locations
Back to the Future Part II Movie Locations
 Back to the Future Part II Locations
 
The house at the beginning is the same house from the first film located in Arleta, CA.

Strickland's house is located just a block shy of the high school from the first film in Whittier, CA.

The cemetary is located in Wilmington, CA.

The tunnel where Marty gets the book back from Biff is located in Griffith Park near Los Angeles, CA.

The scene where Marty races against Flea's character is in Oxnard, CA. It is on a road that stretches across many agriculture fields. You can see the power plant in the background and a housing development that is still there. Not much has changed there since the movie was filmed. [Thanks to Melissa]

Jennifer's house is located at 161 N Magnolia Ave, Monrovia, CA

Marty McFly's House in the year 2015 was filmed at: 3793 Oakhurst St. El Monte, CA. 91732
Hilldale in the year 2015 was filmed on Somerset St. & Oakhurst St. in El Monte, CA. 91732
Mr. Strickland's House was filmed at: 12511 Bailey St. Whittier, CA
[Thanks to Dylan Tyler]


Featured Link: BTTF Locations Tour

Can you help? Do you know any of the S. California (or any other) filming locations used for Back to the Future Part II? [Please send them in]

Back to the Future Part II DVD
 
 Back to the Future Part II on DVD?
Back to the Future Part II DVD Extras
Back to the Future Part II DVD help / More info
Back to the Future Part II DVD -USA
[16:9 -Widescreen Enhanced][5.1 CH SURROUND]Trailer, Commentary, Featurette, Notes, OutTakes
Our Comments: Excellent for a movie sequel
Back to the Future Part II UK / Europe or Region 2 DVD
[16:9 -Widescreen Enhanced]
[5.1 CH SURROUND]
Trailer, Featurette, OutTakes
Our Comments: Only as part of box set
 
 
The soundtrack is simply comprised of the instrumental score by Alan Silvestri and does not feature any of the pop songs heard in the film, but is still great work. Track listing:

1. Main Title Listen Listen
2. Future Listen Listen
3. Hooverboard Chase
4. Flying Delorean? Listen Listen
5. My Father! Listen Listen
6. Alternate 1985 Listen
7. If They Ever Did
8. Pair O'Docs
9. Book
10. Tunnel Chase
11. Burn the Book
12. Western Union
13. End Title

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Soundtrack Available:
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Back to the Future Part II Picture
Marty & The Doc are back!
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Mom's not looking so good...
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Old Biff
Back to the Future Part II Picture
Biff as he might have been...

Back to the Future Part II Movie Details
Year:
1989
Studio:
Universal Pictures
Director:
Robert Zemeckis
Starring:
Michael J. Fox, Lea Thompson, Christopher Lloyd, Thomas F. Wilson, Elizabeth Shue, Billy Zane, Jeffery Weismann
--
Genre:
Sci-Fi / Fantasy
  
+
Complex, involving story, terrific effects.
-
Dark emotional tones, plot could be complicated for some.

Back to the Future Part II Links
The best links we've found for Back to the Future Part II.
IMDb page for Back to the Future Part IIThe IMDb page for Back to the Future Part II
Trailer for Back to the Future Part IITrailer for Back to the Future Part II

Back to the Future the website
Excellent. The definitive source for all three films. Includes everything you could think of.



 

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Back to the Future Part II and all movie images are ©1989 Universal Pictures.
All original content is ©1999, 2008 Fast Rewind WebSites. Page Written By: Ryan Hopper