E.T.: The Extra-Terrestrial (1982)

Director:

Steven Spielberg

Writer:

Melissa Mathison (written by)

Release Date:

11 June 1982 (USA)

Genre:

Adventure | Drama | Family | Fantasy | Sci-Fi

Tagline:

He is afraid. He is totally alone. He is 3 million light years from home.

Plot:

A group of Earth children help a stranded alien botanist return home.

Plot Keywords:

Alien | Stranded | Friendship | Children | Scream

Awards:

Won 4 Oscars. Another 38 wins & 27 nominations

Cast

  (Complete credited cast)

Henry Thomas	...	Elliott
Dee Wallace	...	Mary
Robert MacNaughton	...	Michael (as Robert Macnaughton)
Drew Barrymore	...	Gertie
Peter Coyote	...	Keys
K.C. Martel	...	Greg
Sean Frye	...	Steve
C. Thomas Howell	...	Tyler (as Tom Howell)
David M. O'Dell	...	Schoolboy (as David O'Dell)
Richard Swingler	...	Science Teacher
Frank Toth	...	Policeman
Robert Barton	...	Ultrasound Man
Michael Darrell	...	Van Man
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
David Berkson	...	Medic
Susan Cameron	...	Medic
David Carlberg	...	Medic
Erika Eleniak	...	Pretty Young Girl
Will Fowler Jr.	...	Medic
Barbara Hartnett	...	Medic
Milt Kogan	...	Big Medic (as Milt Kogan, M.D.)
Alexander Lampone	...	Medic
Diane Lampone	...	Medic (as Di Ann Lampone)
Rhoda Makoff	...	Medic
Robert Murphy	...	Medic
Richard Pesavento	...	Medic
Tom Sherry	...	Medic
Mary Stein	...	Medic
Mitch Suskin	...	Medic (as Mitchell Suskin)

Also Known As:

A Boy's Life (USA) (working title)
E.T. (USA) (short title)
E.T. and Me (USA) (working title)
E.T. the Extra- Terrestrial: The 20th Anniversary (USA) (longer version)
Night Skies (USA) (working title)

MPAA:

Rated PG for language and mild thematic elements. (2002 edited version)

Runtime:

115 min | USA:120 min (extended version)

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

70 mm 6-Track (70 mm prints) | Dolby Digital EX (re-release) | Dolby (35 mm prints) (original release) | SDDS (re-release) | DTS-ES (re-release)

Certification:

Canada:F (Ontario) (video rating) (1996) (2002) | Canada:G (Nova Scotia) (original rating) | Canada:G (British Columbia) (2002) | Canada:PG (Ontario) (original rating) | Canada:PG (Manitoba) | Canada:PG (Alberta) (2002) | Canada:PG (Nova Scotia) (re-rating) (2002) | Iceland:LH | Malaysia:U | Portugal:M/6 | Spain:T | Mexico:A | South Korea:All | West Germany:6 (f) | Argentina:Atp | Australia:G | Australia:PG (20th anniversary edition) | Brazil:Livre | Chile:TE | Finland:K-7 (20th anniversary special edition) | France:U | Hong Kong:I | Netherlands:AL | Norway:12 | Norway:7 (20th anniversary special edition) | Peru:14 | Philippines:G | Singapore:G (20th anniversary edition) | Singapore:PG (original rating) | Sweden:11 | Sweden:7 (2001) | Switzerland:7 (canton of Geneva) (20th anniversary edition) | Switzerland:7 (canton of Vaud) (20th anniversary edition) | Switzerland:8 (canton of the Grisons) (20th anniversary edition) | UK:U | USA:PG (certificate #26717) (original rating) | USA:PG (certificate #38656) (20th anniversary edition)

Filming Locations:

7121 Lonzo Street, Tujunga, Los Angeles, California, USA

Company:

Universal Pictures

Trivia:

Most of the full-body puppetry was performed by a 2' 10 tall stuntman, but the scenes in the kitchen were done using a 10-year old boy who was born without legs but was an expert on walking on his hands.

Goofs:

Continuity: When Elliot returns with a snack for a frightened E.T. hiding among stuffed animals in his toy closet and asks "want a Coke?", the stuffed animals around E.T. fall down, knocking off some chips from Elliot's plate on to the animals. There are already chips on one of the animals as it falls, before it has a chance to actually touch the plate (possibly left behind from earlier takes).

Quotes:

[first lines]
Steve: [reading dice] Five.
Michael: Oh, great.
Steve: So you got an arrow right in your chest.

Movie Connections:

Spoofed in Blood Simple. (1984)

Soundtrack:

Accidents Will Happen

E.T. = exceptionally tremendous

If it wasn't for all of the babies crying in the theater, the reissue of this great movie would have been a better experience. While some will call ET nothing more than a sappy kid's movie, I feel this film brings much more to the table. The compassion, the acceptance, and the eventual paranoia surrounding ET made this film something to enjoy. With the remastered soundtrack, the experience proved to be even more breathtaking, adding more power and magistry to a film I thoroughly enjoyed as a kid. However, some of the remastered special effects were unnecessary, especially the guns- turned-walkie talkies effect Spielberg employed. I mean, what stubborn, rebellious kid is going to be afraid of walkie talkies? They should have just kept the guns. When this one comes out on DVD, I'll just pretend the special edition never happened.