E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial Review- By Michael J. Carlisle

Title: E.T.
Year: 1982
Director: Steven Spielberg
Country: US
Language: English

Born December 18, 1948 Steven Allan Spielberg is considered one of the founding pioneers of the blockbuster era. This era was defined by American adventure flicks that cared for special effects over dialogue, and action over character. Jaws (1975) started this trend, while George Lucas' Star Wars (1977) cemented it into pop culture and convinced the studios to abandon the carefree attitude of the former New Hollywood era. The 80's churned out more cashgrabs, but no money-maker captured our hearts quite like E.T. did in 1982.

E.T's plot is essentially about a troubled child (Henry Thomas), who summons the courage to help a friendly alien escape Earth and return to his home-world.

Steven Spielberg always described E.T. as his most personal film, but it was a decade after its release before he admitted that his enchanting tale of an alien stranded in suburbia is really about his parents' divorce. No other director could have blended the domestic setting with a science fiction adventure and gotten away with it. Spielberg's picture is breathtaking at times; it melts your heart with its innocence and mesmerizing quality. Very few films capture the feeling of what its like to be a child in subrubia, but this one certainly does.

E.T is an impressively enjoyable movie, even if it is overshadowed by spikes of fear and anxiety at times.  he story is quite a narrative accomplishment. It reveals facts about the E.T.'s nature; it develops the personalities of Elliott, his mother, brother and sister; it tells us a lot about extra-terrestrial life without numbing us with exposition and voice-over.
This is a triumph of the imagination, because the creature is so utterly convincing that we feel empathy and legitimately care when he/she/it is in danger.

Could E.T. be remade nowadays and still have the same effect? I doubt it. CGI seems to be no match for a puppet, even if it can physically do more. Upon researching for this review I was surprised to find out that Spielberg shot most of the film from the eye-level of a child to further connect with Elliot and E.T.This is remarkable foresight and proved to be essential to cementing the picture's legacy. In addition, John William's score is masterful, essential to the grand beauty of it all. Praise it! 5/5