I remember the first time I saw the magic of E.T. THE EXTRA-TERRESTRIAL. I was gobsmacked. I was whisked away to a place where people of all ages still believed in the impossible. I felt like a child at heart because I was convinced E.T. was real. Elliott’s (Henry Thomas) caring and unconditional friendship for the “left behind” alien made me stand up and cheer. I wanted my children to make those same choices if the situation ever arose. I couldn’t wait to show Aaron and Ilisa the movie when they were old enough to understand and appreciate the concept. A few years later, it was time. At four years old, Aaron could repeatedly be heard saying, “E.T. phone home,” while Ilisa just shrieked with sheer delight. They each had several E.T. t-shirts that were worn until they faded. It was their favorite film to pop in the VCR recorder. I woke up to E.T. and closed my eyes at night with the sounds of E.T. I was also bombarded in the theatre classes I taught. Everyone was enchanted and hooked. I didn’t grow tired of the hundreds of E.T. impressions. They were part of our pop culture at the time, and I enjoyed every lesson that movie taught my children, my students, and myself.
ETTET pulls you in from the second it begins. It ignites your imagination with the ”quietness” of the forest. All your senses are on high alert from the sounds of cricketers, frogs, owls, the rustling of the wind, jiggling keys clanging, flashlights glaring in your eyes, and then total darkness. You hear scurrying, men running, water dripping, heavy breathing, and a painful scream filled with disappointment, angst, and confusion. The director and producer, Steven Spielberg, has you in the palm of his hand. He never lets you go. He is spectacular at his craft.
The film premiered in 1982. It is a simple story about a young boy, Elliott, who invites an alien into his family’s home. He was mistakenly left behind on our planet when its exploratory team got separated. The extra-terrestrial or E.T. must find a way to return to his native planet. But first, E.T. learns our language, gets drunk, makes dead flowers come alive, and becomes internally connected to Eliot’s thoughts and feelings. Along the way, E.T. creates a bond with Elliott’s brother, Mike (Robert Macnaughton), sister, Gertie (Drew Barrymore), and mom (Dee Wallace.) Mom is recently separated from her husband, and the children are feeling the emotional hole of his absence. (My children experienced the same as very young children. Perhaps I secretly wished for an E.T. to visit our household, as well.) Through a series of discoveries, E.T. decides to “phone home” for a rendezvous. The imagination and creativity were off the charts at creating the “phone” used to make this call across the universe. I will never look at an umbrella or a “speak and spell” in the same way again. Of course, it all works out in the end, but not after a “near-death” experience and a harrowing bike ride while being chased by scientists and government men wielding guns. The great, reality check line from Dee Wallace during the height of the insane scrimmage, “No guns. No guns. They are just children.” Warnings that are still necessary today.
ETTET contains many iconic moments in the history of film. Most everyone has seen…
- Elliott and E.T. flying across the face of the moon on a bicycle. E.T. is sitting in the front basket.
- Elliott, Mike, and friends flying across the sun’s surface pedaling bicycles. E.T. Is sitting in the front basket, covered like a little hooded Yoda.
- E.T. dressed as a girl, complete with a blond wig, necklace, and dress.
- E.T. wandering around the house in an old plaid bathrobe.
- E.T. hiding in a closet filled with stuffed animals. He never blinks.
- E.T. Trick or Treating as a ghost.
- E.T. with his red heart light glowing brightly.
- E.T. using his lit, pointer finger to the side of Elliot’s forehead, saying, “I’ll be right here.”
E.T. THE EXTRA-TERRESTRIAL is an extraordinary film. It makes viewers laugh, cry, and applaud the outcome. It is wrapped with thrills, warmth, and humor that holds up forty years later. It has heart and wonderment. It makes a believer out of even the most cynical movie-goer. Dee Wallace reads a scene from PETER PAN. Tinker Bell needs help…. “Clap your hands if you believe.” Oh, I do.
In my mind, this movie was a gift for all humanity. It shares the simple concept of kindness and how we can all live together in one universe if we try. “I have waited for this my entire life.” It is just a shame we can only be a part of this concept at the movies. E.T. is a classic for all time. It is worth revisiting again and again. I want Gertie’s mantra, “be good,” held within all our hearts. I want E.T. to “stay” forever.
E.T. THE EXTRA-TERRESTRIAL is available to stream on PEACOCK.
