E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial (1982)

A troubled child summons the courage to help a friendly alien escape Earth and return to his home world.

Director:

Steven Spielberg

Writer:

Melissa Mathison

Stars:

Henry Thomas, Drew Barrymore, Peter Coyote

Won 4 Oscars. Another 47 wins & 34 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Dee Wallace	...	Mary
Henry Thomas	...	Elliott
Peter Coyote	...	Keys
Robert MacNaughton	...	Michael (as Robert Macnaughton)
Drew Barrymore	...	Gertie
K.C. Martel	...	Greg
Sean Frye	...	Steve
C. Thomas Howell	...	Tyler (as Tom Howell)
Erika Eleniak	...	Pretty Girl
David M. O'Dell	...	Schoolboy (as David O'Dell)
Richard Swingler	...	Science Teacher
Frank Toth	...	Policeman
Robert Barton	...	Ultra Sound Man
Michael Darrell	...	Van Man
David Berkson	...	Medical Unit (as David Berkson M.D.)

Storyline

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.

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Plot Keywords:

alien visitation | voice impersonation | star wars reference | empathy | childhood innocence | 

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Taglines:

The mystery. The suspense. The adventure. The call... that started it all.

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Genres:

Family | Sci-Fi

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated PG for language and mild thematic elements

Details

Official Sites:

Official Facebook

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

11 June 1982 (USA)

Also Known As:

A Boy's Life

Filming Locations:

Capistrano Lane & Vista Grand Way, Porter Ranch, California, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$10,500,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$11,835,389, 13 June 1982, Wide Release

Gross USA:

$435,110,554

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$792,910,554, 31 December 2002

Company Credits

Production Co:

Universal Pictures, Amblin Entertainment

Technical Specs

Runtime:

115 min 120 min (extended)

Sound Mix:

Dolby Stereo (35 mm prints)

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Movie with the longest ever theatrical run; over a year.

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Goofs

When Elliott and his four companions "land" their bikes in the forest on their way to the spaceship, there are clearly six sets of bike wheels landing, not just five.

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Quotes

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

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Crazy Credits

In the 2002 special edition release, the movie opens with a sillouette of E.T. in basket with Elliot on bike flying in front of the Universal logo.

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Connections

Referenced in Dawson's Creek: Sex, She Wrote (1999)

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Soundtracks

Papa Oom Mow Mow
Written by Al Frazier, John Harris, Carl White, and Turner Wilson Jr.
Published by Beechwood Music
Performed by The Persuasions
Courtesy of Elektra Records

User Reviews

I love this film and believe that it is as timeless as it gets.

This is Spielberg at his best. That is all I can say about E.T. IT's gripping, intelligent story mixed with its incredible symbolism makes it one of the best films ever made. E.T. is a story about friendship, loyalty, and family. But most of all it is about love, and how powerful love is. The brilliantly innovative shots mixed with John William's epic score makes for a masterpiece, which E.T. certainly is. The underlying theme of science vs. religion is also what makes the film great. All of these things mesh together to form the film that "touched millions of people around the world." Everything about this film is great. Steven Spielberg pulls off some legendary shots, and the acting from the children is excellent. It makes the film truly real. Henry Thomas as Elliot is great. Drew Barrymoore is so cute throughout he whole film and she captures the audience every time she appears on screen. Peter Coyote does great with the minimal screen time they chose to give him. The relationship between E.T. and Elliot can be marked as one of the greatest friendships in Hollywood history, and if you have not seen this film I urge you to rent it or see it somehow as soon as possible. If you want to see why everyone raves about Spielberg being the greatest director of all time see this film. It truly shows him at his best. It will not only make you laugh and make you smile, but it will touch your heart deeper than any movie has touched you before. E.T. will go down as one of the greatest films as all time. Its timelessness is one of a kind. Forget what you hear about it being overrated. See it for yourself and understand why this film is apart of a small collection of films that will stay in our hearts forever and ever.