May 9, 2002
E.T. the Extra Terrestrial (1982)
by Julianne Maine, SUNY Fredonia
United States. Color. 115 minutes. Available on VHS.
Crew
Director: Steven Spielberg
Screenplay: Melissa Mathison
Producers: Kathleen Kennedy, Steven Spielberg (Producers)
Melissa Mathison (Associate Producer)
Cinematography: Allen Daviau
Editing: Carol Littleton
Original Music: John Williams
Production Design: James D. Bissell
Costume Design: Deborah Lynn Scott
E.T. Operators: Robert Avila, Eugene Crum, Frank Schepler, Bob Townsend, Steve Willis,
Richard Zarro, Robert Zarro
Cast
Dee Wallace-Stone (Mary)
Henry Thomas (Elliot)
Peter Coyote (Keys)
Robert MacNaughton (Michael)
Drew Barrymore (Gertie)
K.C. Martel (Greg)
Sean Frye (Steve)
C. Thomas Howell (Tyler)
Pat Welsh (E.T. Voice) (Uncredited)
Debra Winger (E.T. Voice) (Uncredited)
Synopsis
E.T the Extra-Terrestrial is the story of an abandoned alien and the young boy who befriends him.
E.T has been left behind on Earth after his ship, manned by a group of aliens sent to study our
plant life, is forced to take off because the local officials are close to discovering them. Lured by
a trail of ReeseÆs Pieces, the frightened alien comes in contact with Elliot, the middle child of a
torn family. ElliotÆs father has recently left the family for another women, a fact that haunts his
mother throughout much of the film. Elliot hides the alien in his closet, and soon introduces him
to his older brother Michael and his young sister Gertie. He names his new friend E.T, after
extra-terrestrial, and they soon become connected in an extraordinary way. Elliot begins to feel
what his alien friend is feeling. For example, when E.T. mistakenly drinks a beer, Elliot, who is at
school, becomes drunk. After watching TV, looking at comic strips, and listening to Gertie, E.T.
learns language, and is able to communicate to his new friends that he is homesick. He expresses
in his very primitive way that he wants to ôphone home,ö and he begins to construct a device that
will connect him to his ship. All the while, the government, who has been on his trail since his
ship abandoned him, is closing in on E.T. fast. After a failed attempt to contact the ship with his
homemade device, E.T. succumbs to the EarthÆs harmful atmosphere, and Elliot, who shares a
unique connection to the alien, falls ill as well. Both near death, they are finally found by a group
of scientists sent by the government, who make ElliotÆs home into a makeshift lab and
emergency room. As E.T.Æs life fades, Elliot loses the connection they once shared and he
recovers as E.T. seems to slip away. But he refuses to see his friend dissected by scientists, so he
kidnaps E.T., who eventually becomes rejuvenated by the prospect of going home, and with the
help of Michael, Gertie, and their neighborhood friends, he returns him to the spot where he
began his journey on Earth. The ship arrives to take E.T. home, and he and Elliot say their
goodbyes, though Elliot feels that they will always be connected.
Summaries of Reviews and Criticism
Clark, Mike. ô20 years later, 'E.T.' still heavenly.ö USA Today 22 March 2002,
LIFE: p. 5e.
Mike ClarkÆs review of E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial can be summed up in his final sentence.
ôWhat a pity Oscar voters didn't have E.T. necks, because it would have been a lot easier to
wring them.ö Though this article was written twenty years later as a response to the re-release of
this film, Clark canÆt seem to let go of the fact that Gandhi took home the Oscar for Best Film in
1982. Clark points out that this film avoided being ôanother trendy space yarn,ö and instead
offered audiences a profound plot that not only focused on a lost alien, but also on
ôfriendshipàcommunication, the pain of marital separation,ö and the torture of being a middle
child surrounded by annoying siblings. Though he states often, and in many different ways, that
he loves this film, Clark does point out what he believes is a flaw in the re-release. He reports
that Spielberg ôregrettedö the use of guns in his film, and that he had always planned on digitally
removing them if the film were ever released again. For the filmÆs 20th anniversary, Spielberg
made good on his promise, replacing all guns with walkie-talkies, but Clark claims that he is ônot
crazyö about this alteration. Unfortunately, he didnÆt find it necessary to explain to readers
exactly why he opposed the change. However, despite the fact that Clark found SpielbergÆs
change to be unnecessary, he maintains that the filmÆs ôsoul is intact.ö
I completely agree with ClarkÆs point that this film avoided being ôanother trendy space yarn.ö
Of all the reviews I read of this film, Clark is the only one who realized, or at least pointed out,
that the success of this film could possibly be based on the fact that it offers a new twist on an the
old ôaliens on Earthö plotline. However, I disagree with the author on his negative view of
SpielbergÆs changes to the film. In the original version, the guns were not prevalent. They are
not in any way useful to the story. They are simply part of the scenery. Clark says that he is ônot
crazyö about the fact that Spielberg tampered with the film and took them out. Had the guns
been vital to the plot, and had their removal been obvious, I could see why Clark would be upset.
However, since they are such a small part of the film, I donÆt find it necessary to make a big deal
over their loss.
Linck, David. ôE.T. the Extra-Terrestrial (1982).ö Boxoffice Online. Retrieved 7 Mar. 2002 <
http://www.boxoffice.com/scripts/fiw.dll?GetReview >.
David Linck considers this movie to be a ôsmall filmö compared to Steven SpielbergÆs previous
works; yet, he sees this as a plus. He states that Spielberg ôoverload(ed)ö his earlier films with
special effects, and praises him for abandoning that in favor of a story with ôheart and
imagination.ö Linck writes that the cast is ônatural and believable,ö and singles out the excellent
performance of Henry Thomas, who plays Elliot. He also commends Carlo Rimbaldi, the designer
of E.T., for his beautiful work in creating a believable and lovable character. All in all, David
Linck, like almost everyone who has seen it, loved everything about this movie. He finishes by
saying that it was not just a movie, but also a ôgiftö to audiences, and predicts that E.T. the
Extra-Terrestrial would be the ôsummer movie to beat in 1982.ö
Linck is right when he says that this is a ôsmall film.ö He is also right in commending Spielberg
for making it a ôsmall film.ö I think that had Spielberg intended this to be a film that wowed the
audience with its visual effects, the story would have been lost. Linck is the only reviewer I came
across to mention the craftsmanship of the E.T creators, and I praise him for that. Even though
E.T. was designed to be a bit ugly, he was beautifully built, and many viewers find themselves
getting lost in the film, and believing in him. Carlo Rambaldi, the creator of E.T., deserved more
recognition that he received for creating such a believable character.
Lyons, Kevin. ôE.T. the Extra-Terrestrial Review: Ouch!ö Retrieved 7 Mar. 2002
< <http://www.eofftv.com> >.
Kevin Lyons, a critic for The Encyclopedia of Fantastic Film and Television, was one of the very
few who did not like E.T the Extra-Terrestrial. He begins by saying that this film is evidence that,
although Steven Spielberg can be great, he can also be a ôsentimental old foolö who created this
movie as a ôcynical exercise in emotion wrangling.ö While most people praised Spielberg and
Carlo Rimbaldi for their amazing work in creating the lovable E.T., Lyons argues that the
character is unrealistic and ôfake looking.ö He sees the entire plot, especially the ending, as
ônauseating.ö Lyons also points out what he believes to be obvious plot holes, such as E.T.Æs
inability to fly to his spaceship in the opening of the movie even though the ending shows that he
obviously can fly, and the fact that the aliens showed up only after E.T. called them, even though
they should have already noticed that he was missing. And though many critics praised Spielberg
for presenting this movie from the point of view of a child, Lyons claims that he is simply ôplay
[ing] on the fears and fantasies of young children.ö But even after all of this Spielberg-bashing,
Lyons finds something nice to say. He says that the film, overall, is ôbeautifully crafted,ö but, in
the end, he is upset that Steven Spielberg may very well be remembered for this film rather than
some of the others that he deems more worthy.
Unfortunately, it seems as though Kevin Lyons didnÆt get it. While most people were able to get
lost in the story and believe in E.T., at least for the hour and a half that they watched him come to
life on the screen, Lyons seems as though he was on the outside, looking in. Because he
couldnÆt allow himself to let go of reality for just a little while and believe in the film he was
seeing, he was, instead, in the position to find fault in every little aspect of the movie.
Thomas, Bob. ôAt the Movies: E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial.ö Lexis-Nexis Academic Universe. Reed Library Online. Retrieved 7 Mar. 2002 < http://web.lexis- nexis.com/universe/ >.
This review, written at the time of E.T.Æs release, is short and to the point. Bob Thomas claims
E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial it is ôquite simply, a great movie.ö He praises everything from the
excellent direction to the cast, which he declares is ôperfect,ö right down to five-year-old Drew
Barrymore. Thomas affirms that that Spielberg has succeeded in creating a ôreal movie,ö
complete with what he sees as the fundamentals of great film: ôlaughter, tears, involvement,
thrills, and wonderment,ö and he lets his readers know that Spielberg was able to include these
fundamentals all while keeping his underlying message intactàthat ôhuman beings and spacelings
should learn to co-exist.ö He claims that this movie was the first to bring the ôhardboiled
audienceö at the press preview to its feet as they filled the theater with shouts of ôbravo!ö Bob
Thomas ends his review by predicting that E.T.would surpass SpielbergÆs previous blockbusters
in the theaters, and by offering his own personal ôbravoö to the director.
Some people may scoff at Bob ThomasÆs statement that with E.T., Spielberg created a ôreal
movie,ö after all, it is about aliens from outer space. However, I agree with Thomas. Although
the main character is the stuff of science fiction, the emotions are real. When Thomas points out
that this film provides ôlaughter, tears, involvement, thrills, and wonderment,ö he is listing exactly
what it is about E.T. the Extra Terrestrial that makes it a ôreal movie.ö
Background Information
Awards and Nominations
E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial was nominated for many awards following its 1982 release. It took
home Academy Awards in the following categories: Best Sound Effects, Best Visual Effects, Best
Sound, and composer John Williams took home the award for Best Original Score. It was also
successful at the Golden Globes, winning Best Motion Picture (Drama) and, again, Best Original
Score < us.imdb.com/Tawards?0083866 >.
Although the film was very successful, it didnÆt win everything it was nominated for. At the 1983 Oscars, it was nominated for Best Cinematography, Best Director, Best Film Editing, Best Original Screenplay, and Best Picture. At the Golden Globes, it was nominated for Best Director and Best Screenplay, and Henry Thomas, who played Elliot, was nominated for New Star of the Year in a Motion Picture
< us.imdb.com/Tawards?0083866 >.
Production Notes
E.T. was made out of polyurethane (Daly, 1).
Director Steven Spielberg shot many of the filmÆs scenes from a childÆs eye level. He did this
to ôfurther connect with Elliot and E.Tö < us.imdb.com/Trivia?0083866 >.
This entire film was shot in chronological order. Spielberg did this to enhance the actorsÆ
emotions during the final scene, when E.T. reunites with his ship and finally goes home. He
wanted the actors to really feel the sadness that each character should be feeling as they say
goodbye, and he felt this could only happen if the scene were shot last <
us.imdb.com/Trivia?0083866 >.
The song ôSomeone in the Darkö was recorded for this film. Spielberg intended it to be the
theme song for the film. It was sung by Michael Jackson, but Spielberg later changed his mind,
and it was never added to the final version < us.imdb.com/Trivia?0083866 >.
E.T.Æs voice was actually two voices: Pat Welch and actress Debra Winger. Pat Welch was
discovered in a camera store by Ben Burtt, the man hired to design E.T.Æs voice. He overheard
her raspy voice, caused by years of chain smoking, and asked her to audition. Her voice was used
simultaneously with Debra WingerÆs, to create E.T.Æs voice. Neither woman is credited <
us.imdb.com/Trivia?0083866 >.
Steven Spielberg considered a few different titles before settling on E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial.
They were: A BoyÆs Life, E.T. and Me, Night Skies, and simply E.T. <
us.imdb.com/title?0083866 >.
Each of the children, Drew Barrymore, Robert Macnaughton, and Henery Thomas, were paid
$15,000 each for being in the film. Through the years, each has collected over $50,000 in
residuals from television runs and video sales. They are not, however, entitled to any of the
profits that are made from the 20th anniversary re-release, although Spielberg sent each actor a
basket full of ôelectronic goodies,ö including a DVD and a palm pilot, with a note that reads: ôI
can't believe it's been 20 years. Thanks so much for all you have done to make the re-release so
special. Happy anniversary. Love, Stevenö (Cunneff et al, 2).
E.T. Turns 20
-2002 is the 20th anniversary of E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial. A special edition was re-released in
theatres in March, and soon after will be released on DVD.
Some changes were made to the film for its 2002 release. It was reported that Steven Spielberg
spent $100,000 to digitally change every gun in the film into a walkie-talkie. In his review of the
filmÆs re-release, Mike Clark reported that Spielberg ôregrettedö putting guns in the film, and
always vowed to remove them if he ever re-released it. (Clark, 1) (Daly, 1).
The dialogue of the Special Edition has changed a bit too. In a scene where Elliot, his siblings,
and E.T. are about to go trick-or-treating, ElliotÆs mom says that she doesnÆt want him to go
out dressed like a ôterrorist.ö Spielberg has decided that the line is no longer appropriate, so in
the new version, the word ôterroristö has been changed to ôhippie.ö Melissa Mathison, the
screenwiter of the film, wasnÆt involved in any of the changes for the re-release. She disagrees
with this line change, saying, ôthat [it] doesn't make sense. The mom is a hippie, for God's sakeö
(Daly, 1).
Two and a half minutes of extra footage was added to E.T. for the re-release. When making the film, Spielberg shot a scene in which Elliot and E.T. were in the bathtub. It ended up on the cutting room floor because ôpuppeteering limitationsö made E.T. look phony. After removing the puppet, and replacing him with a computer generated twin, the scene was put back in the film (Daly, 1).
Another scene, which shows ElliotÆs mom out searching for him on Halloween after she realizes
he is missing, was added as well (Daly, 1).
Spielberg felt that, in some of the shots, E.T. looked ôwobbly or inexpressive.ö To fix this for the
re-release, he replaced the polyurethane E.T. with a digital one (Daly, 1).
To celebrate the re-release, America Online and Universal Pictures created an event called ôE.T.
Owns Home.ö On March 18th only, the famous image of Elliot and E.T. on his bicycle could be
seen flying across the welcome screens of Moviefone.com, AOL Instant Messenger, People.com,
EW.com and AOL's Kids Only Channel each time someone signed on (Business Wire, 1).
E.T. Trivia
When Carlo Rambaldi created E.T., he modeled him after poet Carl Sandburg, Albert Einstein,
and a pug dog < us.imdb.com/Trivia?0083866 >.
The screenplay for E.T. was written by Melissa Mathison. The role of ElliotÆs principal was
given to MathisonÆs husband, Harrison Ford. The part was small, but the scene was eventually
cut from the final version because Spielberg felt that Ford was getting more attention than the
scene was < us.imdb.com/Trivia?0083866 >.
The communicator that E.T. builds to contact his ship actually worked. It was built by Henry
Feinberg, ôan expert in science and technology interpretation for the publicö <
us.imdb.com/Trivia?0083866 >.
When Elliot first discovers E.T., he lures him to his house with ReeseÆs Pieces. It has been
reported that ReeseÆs outbid M&MÆs to gain the spot in the movie, yet rumors circulated that
M&MÆs were used in the scene, but then removed and replaced with ReeseÆs Pieces after the
company backed out of the film, thinking that it would fail in the theatres <
us.imdb.com/Trivia?0083866 >.
Throughout the film, references to George LucasÆ film Star Wars (1980) are made. In the
Halloween scene, where the children dress E.T. up and take him trick-or-treating, a child dressed
as Yoda can be seen in the background. E.T. spots him and turns in his direction, and as he does,
composer John WilliamsÆ Yoda theme can be heard. Also, some Star Wars action figures can be
seen in ElliotÆs room. George Lucas ôreturns the favorö in his film Star Wars: Episode I-The
Phantom Menace (1999), by adding E.T.Æs to his cast of extras < us.imdb.com/Trivia?0083866
>.
E.T. the Extra Terrestrial played at the Cannes Film Festival as an unofficial entry, and when it
finished, it brought about a standing ovation that most official entries have never seen <
us.imdb.com/Trivia?0083866 >.
Analytical Essay: E.T. as a Classic Film
A classic film is a "distinguished or unique work of cinema that has transcended time and trends,
with indefinable quality (Dirks, 1)." It is a movie that audiences can watch over and over again
and never get bored. Every so often, a film comes around that fits the description of a true
classic. When Steven Spielberg was filming E.T the Extra-Terrestrial, he probably had no idea
that he was creating a just such a movie. For two decades, millions of children and adults alike
have been entertained by this story of an alien gone astray. E.T. has all the right ingredients to
make it a truly classic film: a unique story, the ability to entertain people of all generations even
twenty years after it's release, and what Tim Dirks describes in his article as an "indefinable quality
(Dirks, 1)."
For a film to be considered a classic, it must be unique. Films that give the audience the same old
clichs are forgotten quickly, because they have been seen before. It is the movies that can offer
the viewer a brand new story, or a new angle on an old one, that last forever. When E.T. the
Extra-Terrestrial was released in 1982, there were few movies like it before, and few since. Many
movies in the past have centered around aliens and outer space; Spielberg did it himself just a few
years earlier with Close Encounters of the Third Kind. But few films portray aliens the way E.T.
does. Movies like Invasion of the Body Snatchers and Alien depict aliens as evil beings that are
out for the destruction of the human race. However, E.T. is a whole new breed of cinematic
space man. In this movie, not only is the alien not scary and evil, he is scared and vulnerable.
When E.T. is left behind on earth as his ship flies away, he feels as any of us would feel if we were
left behind in a strange place. Spielberg created an alien that his audience could feel for. Few
times in film history has such an angle been taken in a science fiction film.
Because his main character is not the typical evil Hollywood alien, Spielberg is free to utilize very different storylines than the ones typically used in the average science fiction film. Elliot befriends E.T., and Spielberg makes very sure that we are aware of the parallels between them. To begin with, their names are similar (Elliot) however the connections between them run deeper than that. During the course of the film, Elliot and E.T. become emotionally linked. This is best illustrated in the scene in which E.T. finds a beer in the fridge. As he drinks it and becomes intoxicated, Elliot, who is far away at school, also feels the effects of the alcohol. As E.T. watches movies on TV, Elliot begins to act out what E.T. is seeing (i.e. kissing the girl). The two are bonded emotionally, and this bond is broken only when E.T. dies briefly at the end, and Elliot says "You must be dead, because I don't know how to feel". This connection could be saying to the audience that E.T. is the 'Elliot' of his family. Elliot's mother is so busy worrying about other things, like her ex-husband, to notice that an alien is living in her house, illustrated best in the scene in which Elliot's mother is putting groceries away with E.T. standing right next to her, and yet she never sees him. E.T. was left behind by his fellow aliens and apparently was never noticed as missing until he contacted his ship. In this way, Elliot and E.T. are very similar. Very few films before or since E.T the Extra-Terrestrial have offered such an endearing character, or such a unique relationship between a human and an alien.
Classic films are also defined by their ability to "transcend time and trends (Dirks, 1)." Some films
are released into theatres and it seems that instantly they are gone. Others generate a buzz for a
while, but they too fade away. Very few films can withstand the test of time, and still entertain
years later. Usually, a few years after a movie is released, it becomes outdated. Times and trends
change, and some movies just aren't relevant any more. 2002 marks the twentieth anniversary of
E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial, and it still manages to entertain children as well as adults. When it was
released twenty years ago, reviewers expected it to be huge. Many called it the "summer movie
to beat in 1982 (Linck, 1)." They were right, and it became the highest grossing film of that year.
However, few movies are able to be re-released twenty years later and actually find an audience
again. Many movies are forgotten long before their twentieth year. Just because E.T. the Extra
Terrestrial was wildly successful when it was released didn't necessarily guarantee that it would
remain a popular film over the years. But it did. Perhaps this can be explained by the fact that, for
as long as there have been humans on Earth, they have looked to the sky and wondered what was
up there. This is a topic that will never be old, and though some may not want to admit it, almost
everyone has wondered at least once if aliens do exist. This is why this film appeals to so many
people, and why it has entertained so many people for so many years. When E.T. the Extra
Terrestrial celebrates its fortieth anniversary, not only will it still be compelling film, but its topic
will still be relevant, because twenty years from now there will still be children who look up at the
sky and wonder.
According to filmsite.org, the final characteristic of a true classic film is an "indefinable quality." No one who has seen E.T. can argue that it doesn't bring back that feeling that some films do every time you see them; that feeling that, when you see it, says, "I love this movie." You can't always tell what it is about the film that makes you love it, you just do. The music, the things that make you laugh, and the ending that sometimes makes you cry, all add up to be a movie that everyone loves, for whatever reason.
Classic films don't come around very often. Usually a movie is entertaining for a while, but after
seeing it a few times, it becomes old and sometimes too familiar to be entertaining anymore.
Often, films become outdated, and what was entertaining in the eighties may not entertain people
of the nineties and beyond. E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial amused people when it was released in
1982, and in this, it's twentieth year, still manages to put a smile on the faces of all who watch it.
E.T., with its unique storyline and its ability to span centuries and entertain people of all ages, is
the epitome of the classic movie.
Works Cited:
"America Online Celebrates the 20th Anniversary Re-release of E.T. the Extra Terrestrial."
Business Wire 18 March 2002, 2226.
Clark, Mike. "20 years later, E.T still heavenly." USA Today 22 March 2002,
LIFE: 5e.
Cunneff, T., Laudadio, M., and McCarten, H. "Insider: Celebrity News." People Weekly
15 April 2002, 49.
Daly, Steve. "The Corrections." Entertainment Weekly 29 March 2002, 32.
Dirks, Tim. "Classic Films." Retrieved 24 April 2002.
<http://www.filmsite.org/classicsfilms.html>
E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial. Sceenplay by Melissa Mathison. Dir. Steven Spielberg.
Perf. Henry Thomas, Drew Barrymore, Dee Stone. Universal Pictures, 1982.
"E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial." The Internet Movie Database. Retrieved 7 Mar. 2002
< http://us.imdb.com/Title?0083866 >
Linck, David. "E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial (1982)." Boxoffice Online. Retrieved 7 Mar. 2002 <
http://www.boxoffice.com/scripts/fiw.dll?GetReview >
Lyons, Kevin. "E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial Review: Ouch!" Retrieved 7 Mar. 2002
< http://www.eofftv.com >
Taylor, Philip. Steven Spielberg: The Man, His Movies, and Their Meaning. New York:
Continuum, 1999.
Thomas, Bob. "At the Movies: E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial." Lexis-Nexis Academic Universe. Reed Library Online. Retrieved 7 Mar. 2002 < http://web.lexis-nexis.com/universe/ >