E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial (1982)
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Family,
Sci-Fi
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11 June 1982 (USA)
A troubled child summons the courage to help a friendly alien escape Earth and return to his home world.
Director:
Writer:
Stars:
After a gentle alien becomes stranded on Earth, the being is discovered
and befriended by a young boy named Elliott. Bringing the
extraterrestrial into his suburban California house, Elliott introduces
E.T., as the alien is dubbed, to his brother and his little sister,
Gertie, and the children decide to keep its existence a secret. Soon,
however, E.T. falls ill, resulting in government intervention and a dire
situation for both Elliott and the alien.
Official Sites:
Country:
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Release Date:
11 June 1982 (USA)
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Also Known As:
E.T.
Filming Locations:
Box Office
Budget:
$10.500.000
(estimated)
Opening Weekend:
$11.911.430
(USA)
(11 June 1982)
Gross:
$434.949.459
(USA)
Company Credits
Production Co:
Jaws. Close Encounters of the Third Kind. Raiders of the Lost Ark. And now, E.T., The Extra-Terrestrial. Steven Spielberg has done it again. He has created another instant American classic.
As director and co-producer (with Kathleen Kennedy), Spielberg has
crafted with warmth and humor a simple fantasy that works so superbly on
so many levels that it will surely attract masses of moviegoers from
all demographics. At the heart of the story line, E.T. is really My Favorite Martian, with a bizarre-looking but disarmingly lovable alien (designed by Carlo Rambaldi, who designed the creature in Close Encounters).
However, the film goes past the myth of a marooned spaceman trying to
figure out a way back home. While E.T. is being befriended, hidden and
protected (from the adults) by his Earth buddies, the picture conveys a
relationship story, an adventure, a mystery, and ultimately, the
time-worn but always timely message that no matter how different God's
creatures may be, there's a common bond between the thinking ones —
because they're also capable of love. Sometimes, kids are always the
ones to recognize this on a more immediate level than adults.
Sound sappy? Yes. But Spielberg's magic as a director is to take
these themes and weave them into a straight-forward tale so delicately
that you are never sledge-hammered and come to perceive screenwriter
Melissa Mathison's intent through the exquisite subtlety of this
beguiling fairy tale.
Amid the wonder, excitement and joy that virtually every frame of
this picture elicits — swept along by John Williams' playful and
uplifting score — one really does fall in love with the delightful
little alien, and indeed, finds oneself reaching for the handkerchief
(and realizing but not minding upon later reflection) right on cue.
Never mind that certain plot leaps of faith are necessary to advance
this fantasy along, the characters (mostly kids) are so compelling and
endearing that you're easily pulled in.
When young Elliot (Henry Thomas) discovers E.T. out in his backyard
one night, at first no one believes him. But after he stakes out his
turf the following evening on a lawn recliner; armed with a flashlight,
the somewhat shy alien makes a gentle peace offering of M&Ms. The
bond is instantaneous. Elliott hides his space buddy in the house, and
through a few subsequent poignant scenes, the two come to understand one
another. Elliott introduces his brother (Robert Macnaughton) and sister
(Drew Barrymore) into the newly formed fraternity, which excludes
adults: "Only kids can see him," they pretend.
But as E.T.'s earthbound education develops, and he puts together a
makeshift transmitter, it becomes apparent that he longs for home.
Though the charming trio of siblings evades detection of E.T. by their
mother (Dee Wallace), scientists are apparently spying on their every
action and lie in wait to move in.
Ultimately, their intentions come through as benign, as their leader
(Peter Coyote) tells Elliott he's glad that it was the young boy who
first encountered the alien. Nevertheless, the scientists intend to
study E.T., and that would interfere with the little creature's plans.
The kids, however, smitten as they are with their new friend, are
determined that if he wants out — he's getting out. What ensues is one
of the most delightful chase and escape scenes in recent memory.
Brilliant cinematography, production design and editing not
withstanding, with all the special effects of getting E.T. to appear so
lifelike, creating a dazzling spacecraft a la Close Encounters and breathtaking aerial excursions (credit Industrial Light & Magic), perhaps the greatest wonder involved in E.T. is
that it was reportedly brought in for around $10.3 million.
Thanks for reading, happy weekend and have fun watching movies.
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