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 | Period In Title

Awards:

Won 4 Oscars. Another 38 wins & 27 nominations

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 (Manitoba) | Canada:PG (Ontario) (original rating) | 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:

Elvis Costello was asked by Q music magazine March 2008 if he was paid handsomely for the use of Accidents Will Happen of which two lines were sung by Robert McNaughton. He replied: "No, I don't think they offered any money. We had no way of knowing it was going to be so huge so there was the chance we'd given it for nothing and they'd use it for some big production number. Haha! But you really have to paying attention to notice."

Goofs:

Continuity: The street the boys turn onto during the chase when the boy says "we made it" isn't the same street as they had turned into. There should have been houses, but instead there were just trees and cars.

Quotes:

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

Movie Connections:

Referenced in The Quiet Earth (1985)

Soundtrack:

Accidents Will Happen

It's a Masterpiece

There are those times when all the forces at work come together and you have a masterpiece. This, of course, is a kids' movie. Obviously, it is so much more. It is a story of love and heart and character. To begin with, as a middle school teacher, I can attest to the wonderful casting and writing. It doesn't insult us. It shows us how a person who knows the heart of humanity (and that extends to the alien nation) can transcend cliché and put forth a beautiful story--but not a lightweight one by any means. The adults make up the periphery. The childlike quality of the lovable alien could only be appreciated and cared for by those who have not become as jaded as they. As soon as those adult figures show up, everyone is in trouble. Yet, for the most part, they have good intentions. The government agents are another issue. They bring force and death.

Who hasn't seen this. There are series of episodes that have become part of our cultural landscape. Words have been brought into our language. We speak along with Elliot and ET. Halloween, phoning home, frogs all over the lab, hiding in the closet among the stuffed animals, the bike ride where the bikes suddenly leave the ground, the touching of the finger and the heart. It's just magical. Sometimes when one sees a movie, one begins to say, "If only they had done this or that." I can't think of anything in this film. Why write this review. Just to include my two cents' worth.