E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial (1982)

Director: Steven Spielberg
Story: Melissa Mathinson
Cast: Henry Thomas, Dee Wallace, Drew Barrymore, Robert  MacNaughton 
Music: John Williams
Time: 114 minutes
Bottom-line: One of Spielberg’s best, along with Schindler’s List and Raiders of the Lost Ark

   Spielberg directs one of the greatest science fiction films ever made so far, and the simple reason for that is: E.T. is the best (if not the only) film to have a friendly alien. A film that masterfully combines a moving friendship, some comedy and thrill all into a sci-fi film, E.T. is a classic for its characters, story and several other elements. This may be Spielberg’s personal favourite, as a still from this film forms the logo of Amblin Entertainment, the company he founded; also because the basis for the film was an imaginary friend Spielberg had, after his parents’ divorce.

E.T. and Henry Thomas as Elliot

A group of aliens land in California to collect flora samples. When Government officials track them, they escape in their spaceship, leaving one alien behind. Meanwhile, Elliot (Thomas), a 10-year-old boy is playing with his older brother Michael (MacNaughton). When he goes to the backyard to pick up pizza, he finds some animal-like-thing in the tool shed. When they meet each other, both of them yelp and flee from each other. However, Elliot becomes friendly with the alien, which names itself E.T. The next day, Elliot’s brother and younger sister Gertie (Barrymore) meet the alien. They decide to keep the alien a secret from their mother (Wallace). The rest of the film portrays the strong friendship between Elliot and E.T, and also whether or not E.T is able to return home safely, without being caught by humans on the Earth.

Henry Thomas (left); Barrymore as Gertie (middle);
MacNaughton as Michael (right)

You may have seen Alien, Aliens, Predator or any other film about aliens. After Ridley Scott’s 1979 blockbuster Alien, the impact it  had on the public was so great that they had an impression that any future film about aliens would generally portray them as horrifying, gross, violent creatures. Yet, Spielberg surprised everyone by creating one of the friendliest characters from outer space: E.T. There is not much of a story in the film: it just tells how an alien changes the lives of Elliot and his family, as well as all the other people who are connected with it. But with a simple story, Spielberg beautifully shows a very close friendship between Elliot and E.T.

Dee Wallace as children's mother

The camera work also assists in showing the friendship. Many scenes are shown through the eyes of E.T. and Elliot, like when E.T. first lands, when Elliot covers E.T. with a sheet during Halloween etc. This shows that Spielberg also wants the viewers to be part of the friendship, as we also experience things as E.T. and Elliot. The friendship’s strength is also boosted by the great acting by the young cast. Henry Thomas has done so fabulous in this role, that knowingly or unknowingly, we also empathize with Elliot when he wants to protect E.T. from the scientists, and during the climax as well. Drew Barrymore looks very cute as Gertie in the film. Dee Wallace and Robert MacNaughton have also done well. The ending of the story is also very moving.

The scene where E.T. and Elliot fly in front of the
moon.

There are many memorable scenes in the film. The first one is when E.T. and Elliot see each other for the first time. When the alien lands on the earth, we see its face only when Elliot does. Until then, the camera shows the scenes from the eyes of E.T. when the alien steps out from the tool shed, we expect to see a giant, gruesome creature (because as I said, people expected to see such aliens in future films. Also, when you watch the film for the first time, you don’t know that the alien is actually friendly), but we see only a small, innocent ‘living being’ (calling it creature is sort of insulting, in my view). Another is when E.T. shows the others where he is from. He arranges all the fruits, marbles and other stuff in the form of a solar system. Some funny scenes are when E.T is hidden in the closet by the kids to prevent their mother from seeing it. The scene where E.T. learns to talk, and the scene where it keeps moving around in front of the kids’ mother without her knowledge are also funny. Of course, the best of the lot is when E.T makes the bicycles fly using telekinesis. The scene where E.T. and Elliot fly with moon in the background, is the logo of Amblin Entertainment.

Another scene from the film: Gertie and E.T.

To sum up, Steven Spielberg’s E.T the Extra-Terrestrial excels in all aspects. A simple story with a deeply emotional friendship, great acting, some very memorable scenes and excellent photography and music make this one of the greatest science-fiction and drama films ever made, and certainly one of Spielberg’s best. The film was nominated for nine Academy Awards, winning four. It lost the Best Picture and Best Director to Gandhi and Richard Attenborough respectively. Yet, Attenborough himself said that E.T. deserved the award more than Gandhi.

My Rating: 4.5/5
Rotten Tomatoes rating: 98%