E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial [WS]

MOVIE DESCRIPTION:

Both a classic movie for kids and a remarkable portrait of childhood, E.T. is a sci-fi adventure that captures that strange moment in youth when the world is a place of mysterious possibilities (some wonderful, some awful), and the universe seems somehow separate from the one inhabited by grown-ups. Henry Thomas plays Elliott, a young boy living with his single mother (Dee Wallace), his older brother Michael (Robert MacNaughton), and his younger sister Gertie (Drew Barrymore). Elliott often seems lonely and out of sorts, lost in his own world. One day, while looking for something in the back yard, he senses something mysterious in the woods watching him. And he's right: an alien spacecraft on a scientific mission mistakenly left behind an aging botanist who isn't sure how to get home. Eventually Elliott puts his fears aside and makes contact with the "little squashy guy," perhaps the least threatening alien invader ever to hit a movie screen. As Elliott tries to keep the alien under wraps and help him figure out a way to get home, he discovers that the creature can communicate with him telepathically. Soon they begin to learn from each other, and Elliott becomes braver and less threatened by life. E.T. rigs up a communication device from junk he finds around the house, but no one knows if he'll be rescued before a group of government scientists gets hold of him. In 2002, Steven Spielberg re-released E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial in a revised edition, with several deleted scenes restored and digitally refurbished special effects. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi

DVD FEATURES:

• Region: 1
• Number of Discs: 1
• Subtitle: Fre/Spa
• Screen: Enhanced Wide Screen Letterbox for 16x9 TV
• Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1 (Theatre Wide Screen)
• Audio: Dolby Digital Surround EX
• Features:
  • Exclusive audio track of John Williams' magical score
  • The Reunion: E.T.'s family and friends
  • Behind-the-scenes with composer John Williams
  • Original theatrical trailer
  • Exclusive production photos & concept drawings
  • E.T.'s interactive space tour

AWARDS

• Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences

•     Won Best Original Score - 1982 (John Williams)
•     Won Best Sound - 1982 (Robert Glass, Don Digirolamo, Robert Knudson, Gene S. Cantamessa)
•     Won Best Sound Effects - 1982 (Charles L. Campbell, Ben Burtt)
•     Won Best Visual Effects - 1982 (Dennis Muren, Kenneth Smith, Carlo Rambaldi)
•     Nominated Best Cinematography - 1982 (Allen Daviau)
•     Nominated Best Director - 1982 (Steven Spielberg)
•     Nominated Best Editing - 1982 (Carol Littleton)
•     Nominated Best Original Screenplay - 1982 (Melissa Mathison)
•     Nominated Best Picture - 1982 (Kathleen Kennedy, Steven Spielberg)

• American Film Institute

•     Won 100 Greatest American Movies - 1998

• British Academy of Film and Television Arts

•     Won Anthony Asquith Award - 1982 (John Williams)

• Directors Guild of America

•     Nominated Best Director - 1982 (Steven Spielberg)

• Hollywood Foreign Press Association

•     Won Best Original Score - 1982 (John Williams)
•     Won Best Picture - Drama - 1982
•     Nominated Best Director - 1982 (Steven Spielberg)
•     Nominated Best Screenplay - 1982 (Melissa Mathison)
•     Nominated New Star of the Year - Male - 1982 (Henry Thomas)

• Library of Congress

•     Won U.S. National Film Registry - 1993

• Los Angeles Film Critics Association

•     Won Best Director - 1982 (Steven Spielberg)
•     Won Best Picture - 1982
•     Won New Generation Award - 1982 (Melissa Mathison)

• National Board of Review

•     Nominated Best Picture - 1982

• People's Choice Awards

•     Won Best Picture - 1983

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:

• Cast:

  
       Henry Thomas - Elliott
       Dee Wallace - Mary
       Peter Coyote - Keys
       Robert MacNaughton - Michael
       Drew Barrymore - Gertie
       Debra Winger - E.T. [uncredited]
       K.C. Martel - Greg
       Sean Frye - Steve
       Erika Eleniak - Pretty girl
       David O'Dell - Schoolboy
       Richard Swingler - Science teacher
       Frank Toth - Policeman
       Robert Barton - Ultra sound man
       Michael Durrell - Van Man
       C. Thomas Howell - Tyler

• Director:

  Steven Spielberg

• Producer:

  Kathleen Kennedy, Steven Spielberg

• Screenwriter:

  Melissa Mathison

• Cinematographer:

  Allen Daviau

• Musical Arrangement:

  Angela Morley

• Composer (Music Score):

  John Williams

• Editor:

  Carol Littleton

• Production Designer:

  James D. Bissell

• Associate Producer:

  Melissa Mathison

• Set Designer:

  Jackie Carr, Jim Teegarden

• Costume Designer:

  Deborah L. Scott

• Sound/Sound Designer:

  Gene S. Cantamessa

• Special Effects:

  Industrial Light & Magic, Carlo Rambaldi

• Camera Operator:

  John Connor

• Stunts:

  Glenn H. Randall, Jr.

• Production Manager:

  Frank Marshall

• Casting:

  Marci Liroff, Mike Fenton

• Production Manager:

  Wallace Worsley, Jr.

• Special Effects Supervisor:

  Dennis Muren

• Second Unit Director:

  Glenn Randall

• Visual Effects:

  Kenneth Smith

REVIEW:

• Taking the child's eye view of alien-human relationships, Steven Spielberg's classic fable became an extraordinarily popular combination of special effects and sentiment, confirming the supremacy of the kidpix blockbuster and Spielberg's ability to conjure emotions as well as thrills. With a story about a fatherless boy who finds his soul mate in a benevolent E.T., Spielberg sensitively yet humorously delved into childhood innocence and experience, revealing the threat posed by adult ignorance and misplaced authority. With his affirmation of love and the importance of home, E.T. was something of an old-fashioned antidote to the chaos of the prior two decades. The special effects, though, were anything but old-fashioned, as Carlo Rambaldi's animatronic alien displayed a range of feelings and mystical powers (as well as inebriation), and the flying bicycles reaffirmed Spielberg's mastery of staging visual wonders. Greeted by mostly ecstatic reviews, E.T. appealed to the children-of-all-ages audience, surpassing Star Wars (1977) as the biggest moneymaker of all time at that point; E.T. dolls flew off the shelves. Nominated for nine Oscars including Best Picture and Best Director, E.T. won for its sound and visual effects, as well as for John Williams's score. ~ Lucia Bozzola, Rovi