Live at the Shrine! John Williams and the World Premiere of 'E.T.: The Extra Terrestrial': The 20th Anniversary (2002) (V)

Director:

Laurent Bouzereau

Writer:

Laurent Bouzereau

Plot Keywords:

Exclamation Point In Title | Name In Title | Period In Title | Colon In Title | Non Fiction

Cast

Drew Barrymore	...	Herself
Peter Coyote
Allen Daviau
Erika Eleniak
Dana E. Glauberman	...	Herself
Kathleen Kennedy
Robert MacNaughton
Melissa Mathison
Dennis Muren
Carlo Rambaldi
Steven Spielberg
Henry Thomas
Dee Wallace
John Williams

Directed by
Laurent Bouzereau

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Laurent Bouzereau

Produced by
Lisa Blond	....	field producer
Laurent Bouzereau	....	producer
Mitch Taubin	....	field producer

Cinematography by
Ron Siegel

Film Editing by
Jeff Pickett

Production Management
Colleen A. Benn	....	executive in charge of production: Universal Home Video
Marian Mansi	....	production manager: Universal Studios Home Video

Sound Department
Brett Brooke	....	sound
Frank DeAngelis	....	sound
Marla Hettinger	....	sound: concert rehearsals

Camera and Electrical Department
Jeremy Rothman	....	camera operator

Editorial Department
Bill Admans	....	on-line editor
Mickey Rodriguez	....	colorist

Music Department
John Williams	....	conductor

Other crew
Leigh Thomas	....	chyron operator

Thanks
Martin Cohen	....	special thanks
Elyse Klaits	....	special thanks
Marvin Levy	....	special thanks
Kristie Macosko	....	special thanks
Susan Ray	....	special thanks
Jeff Sakson	....	special thanks
Kristin Stark	....	special thanks
Kenneth Wannberg	....	special thanks

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Movie Connections:

Features E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial (1982)

Introduction to an audio track

Not only was cast and Drew reunited for the march 16, 2002 E.T. 20th Anniversary edition premiere, but John Williams conducted the Recording Arts Orchestra of Los Angeles playing the entire score. The accompanying DVD features an audio track of this performance, so this is a nice impression of what that night was like. We witness some of the preparations, get a short interview with The Maestro himself while the eternally optimistic Spielberg hangs around acting more childlike than those in the actual film. Then it's time for the red carpet spot-the-celebrity game (everyone you do not recognize worked on E.T.).

Peter Coyote goes on stage to introduced the evening as 'a high wire act' but forgets to jingle his keys. Of the actual show see just enough: some bits of a new overture accompanied by 'Fantasia' inspired back projection and Scene-selections inter cut with shots of the orchestra. When it starts to get too boring, they throw in a rather unimaginative four way split screen. After the show, Spielberg comes out in his E.T. cap to introduces selected members of the crew, but not Matthew De Meritt, the boy without legs who was actually inside the Extra Terrestrial (little people Pat and Tam had already passed away).

The score itself is still emotional enough to make your teeth hurt. Note that there is no great emphasis on the most iconic shot in the picture: the flight across the moon. How times have changed. The final fifteen minutes are arguably the cap per to Williams' most fruitful composing period (1975-1982). Elsewhere in the Special Features they explain how Spielberg uniquely reedited the film to the music instead the other way around. This stuff is so overwhelming it almost makes you forget the first half of the score is really low key and personal. No wonder Johnny needed to take a break after this.

And then they completely ruined it in the Anniversary edition by digitally deleting one shot of a shotgun. The live performance manages to fog the issue, but in the new cut of the film the deletion is clearly audible. All this because they had to replace the weapons with walkie talkies. Back in '82 we never had any problem with bad guys pointing guns at little boys. That's what they do! Even in Disney films. I remember that when the shotgun came out, my little ten year old mind was convinced there was no place left for E.T. and pals to go (having in my excitement forgotten that he levitated the bike earlier on). So in effect, they destroyed the most memorable part for me with this adjustment. At least the original version is still included in the package (but only the most expensive version of course).

7 out of 10