who saw this in the cinema back in 89?

Who saw this back in the day? What are your memories - the anticipation of seeing it in the weeks/days before, the actually seeing it and how much a big deal was it where you were back then, the crowds, audience etc and after coming out of the cinema what were your thoughts and in the days/weeks that followed.

In UK BTTF2 came as a sort of afterthought for me after the summer onslaught of Batman/Indy (and Star Trek V as was big trekkie). 1989 was such a big year for movies (but I couldn't see Bond or Lethal Weapon 2 as was too young) and after all the summer films it was BTTF2 and GB2 in nov/dec. I wasn't the biggest BTTF fan (saw Part 1 in 85. Thought it was ok, nothing more) so wasn't looking forward to it anything as much as Batman/Indy/Trek but was still intrigued by the futuristic looking sequel. I remember there was a kind of 'eh? Why?' in the media as it seemed so long since the first one (although wouldn't be much of an issue today) but there hadn't seemed to be much indication of a sequel for years (unlike todays sequels which get announced even before the current one has hit theatres) plus even though the first ended in a cliffhanger no one really expected a sequel and kind of knew it was just a jokey thing to end the film with (I think the film makers felt the same way)

So anyway I managed to convince my dad to take me (he didn't want to see it - he wasn't too fussed on having to see Batman/Indy/Trek but thought they were ok..well the first 2 anyway). I remember it was way strange seeing the end of BTTF1 leading on directly into the future (I didn't realise they'd refilmed that scene until years after). A direct continuation. Who'd have thought they'd ever do this!? (similar vibe to Crystal Skull and Force Awakens). The future looked incredible and then it started to get pretty crazy, difficult to keep up with it all (I remember thinking a serious WTF!? when they got back to 1985 and it was all different. Remember this was before alternate timelines/realities was the norm even in stuff like Star Trek). And when they went back to 1955 I thought it was abit of a copout revisiting the first film (but think its ingenious now). The cliffhanger left me with a 'what?!..no way they can't end it like that! WTF is he going to do!?' feel (really felt shocking when the lightening struck the doc and the Delorean vanished. They'd been through all that and resolved everything only for the unthinkable to then happen.). Then there was the BTTF3 preview which cleared up any doubts of how they'd resolve it (I don't think I knew they'd filmed both movies back to back so it was another shock. Only a 6month wait! Normally you'd have to wait 2-3 years for a cliffhanger to be resolved a la Empire/Jedi, Wrath of Khan/Search For Spock etc). It was the kind of film that messed with your head, not straightforward, got you thinking etc. As I expected my dad did not like it at all (but remember he took me to see Part 3 the following year which he liked!). I remember buying the novel (which helped in understanding it more) and poster magazine which folded out into the film poster, dunno where they are now :(

I think its got an Empire Strikes Back/Temple of Doom vibe to it where at the time it had mixed reviews and audiences didnt really get it and wernt too fussed on the darker tone, repeating sequences, the cliff-hanger end etc.. but as time went on most people realised its the best one (the original is still the classic like Star Wars77/Raiders, but these days it all seems to be about Part 2..the hoverboard, the almanac, the cliffhanger end etc)