The highest-grossing film in 1982 was a sci-fi flick about a tiny alien stranded on earth, and the three children who help him return home.
E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial, directed by Stephen Spielberg, is a film about friendship and a family trying to Find Its Way.
Henry Thomas plays Elliot, a young boy who, with his mother and siblings, is grinding through the aftermath of paternal abandonment. But when he discovers an alien near his home, he develops an unexpected friendship with the extra-terrestrial.
The goal here is to reunite E.T. with his family, and help Elliot’s family come to terms with their own upheaval.
It’s a touching, sentimental story as seen from the perspective of a young boy. At one point, however, a strange Mind Meld happens between Elliot and E.T., one that causes Elliot to feel what the alien is experiencing, and this has always made us (yours truly) feel uncomfortable.
Nevertheless, Time is of the Essence. The children must help the alien contact his family before government officials find his whereabouts.
You see, government scientists want to experiment on the little alien, be he alive or dead.
E.T. was a cultural phenomenon in 1982. Although everything about the film was profitable (including a 300 per cent increase in Reece’s Pieces candy sales), it’s a thoughtful, well-crafted movie.
Look at striking imagery, such as Elliot and E.T. on a bicycle flying in front of the moon, or government officials in hazmat suits storming Elliot’s home.
It’s not only a visual film; it’s an audible experience as well. The sound is, at times, torqued to a surreal level. Listen to the sounds of E.T. fumbling his way through the (very noisy) cornfield behind Elliot’s house, or the loud, almost jarring sound the Reese’s Pieces make as Thomas places them as bait on the floor.
The alien himself makes the soft noises of an infant, which, despite his strange appearance, is endearing.
E.T. was nominated for nine Academy Awards, including Best Picture and Best Director. It won four, and two of them were Best Sound and Sound Effects Editing. It also won Best Original Score for composer John Williams.
William’s E.T. theme song, is one of those instantly recognizable pieces of film music. Even if you haven’t seen the movie, you’re likely familiar with its theme, woven throughout the story.
What’s remarkable is how sparingly that music is used.
Williams’s agile score has a timeless feel. It is music that believes in magic and impossible solutions, yet it quickly slides into sinister territory when, for instance, a government vehicle spies on the family home.
In our opinion, the best scene in the movie, both visually and audibly, is when Elliot rides with E.T. on his bicycle, with government officials in Hot Pursuit. This was a scene Williams had trouble scoring.
According to Wikipedia: “One of the known anecdotes from the recording is that Williams had problems with timing of the music…which made Spielberg shut off the projector and [tell] Williams to record the music as he wanted it. Spielberg later edited the scenes around the recorded music.”1
E.T. is a film with humour and much sadness, but Williams’s score is never despondent. Many say it is the best work of his career, and when we watch the climactic chase scene, we have to agree.
This post is part of The John Williams Blogathon, hosted by Taking Up Room.
1Wikipedia. (Retrieved January 20, 3022.) E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial.
•For a detailed analysis of the score, read the Medium article HERE.
E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial: starring Henry Thomas, Drew Barrymore, Peter Coyote. Directed by Steven Spielberg. Written by Melissa Matheson. Universal Pictures, 1982, Colour, 115 mins.
Silver Screenings 
Maybe you’ve seen this before, Spielberg and Williams working out the theme for E.T. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EDC_fppZ1Kg
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Thanks! It’s been a while since I’ve seen it, and I need to see it again.
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Hi. Did you see Spielberg’s latest (West Side Story)? I thought it was pretty good. The story seemed dated to me, and some plot lines strained credibility.
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I haven’t seen it yet, and … *looks around, whispers* … I haven’t yet seen all of the original. It’s a big gap in my movie watching…
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This was the first soundtrack I got as a kid, thanks to a pressie from my dad so I have fond memories of this more than the movie. Thanks for such a lovely tribute Ruth.
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What a fabulous gift! The music would be amazing!
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Williams’ score is indeed fabulous. It’s interesting that while E.T. is still admired as a film, it never became the beloved timeless classic that many thought it would. Star Wars and Raiders of the Lost Ark seem to have many more adoring fans, perhaps because the sequels have kept them in the public consciousness and E.T. was a one-off film.
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It’s true. As well-crafted as the film is, it hasn’t remained as popular as expected. That’s too bad, considering the remarkable music and sound engineering that are well worthy of their Oscars.
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You are right, the soundtrack of E.T. is immediately recognizable even for those who don’t know the movie very well, like myself: I have seen it of course in my childhood but I always thought that small alien was creepy and quite disgusting, so I never really empathized with it.
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Haha! E.T. is rather strange looking, isn’t he? And that creepy mind-melding with Elliot has never sat well with me.
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Great article Ruth! I really have to see E.T. again. It’s been like ages. The score is iconic!
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It would be interesting to hear your thoughts on the film when seeing it again after such a long time.
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How cool that Spielberg was willing to recut the scene to fit the scoring! That’s a true collaborative effort.
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That says a lot abut Spielberg, doesn’t it? I’m not sure every director would do that.
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Yes! That is exactly what I was thinking.
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Would you believe I’ve never seen E.T.? I keep meaning to–maybe it’s on the Disney Channel or Prime or something so I can watch it:-)
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It’s worth seeing for a lot of reasons. Drew Barrymore alone is worth the price of admission.
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I love the fact that Spielberg cut around Williams’ scoring in the scene where the bicycle lifts off. That scene is simply perfect and probably wouldn’t have worked as well any other way!
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Agreed. The music and imagery are a perfect marriage.
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I have to agree with everyone about how cool Spielberg was to work with Williams in that way–that’s really unusual. And I hadn;t thought about the sound in this, but you’re totally right. Reese’s Pieces and cornfields should not sound like that. Thanks again for joining the blogathon with this great review–it’s a pleasure, as always. 🙂
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Thanks, Rebecca. I really enjoyed this blogathon. I learned so much about (A) John Williams, and (B) movie scoring. I feel like I’ve been to a film class, for free!
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You’re very welcome, Ruth, and I feel the same way. There’s so much to learn about Mr. Williams. 🙂
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A lot of the movies here are before my time, but this! This is something that truly gives me those nostalgic vibes. Thanks so much for this, Ruth!
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Excellent! I’m glad to hear it, Stuart. 🙂
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I’m probably the only person on earth who can’t stand this movie…but there’s no debating Williams’ score is incredible!
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This certainly ain’t a perfect film, but the technical aspects are brilliant. In fact, it helped me get really excited about the technical Oscar awards this year.
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It was a blockbuster but I think one thing that held this movie back from future popularity was the lack of female characters. It came out at a time when girls wanted and were coming to expect seeing themselves in major roles in films.
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I never thought of asking a store to remove those sorts of magazines. Sheesh! I ought to become a more assertive consumer.
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Good point! Drew Barrymore alone is worth the price of admission, but overall, it doesn’t have that enduring classic-film quality.
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I love everything about this movie. I couldn’t wait to share it with my grandchildren.
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Isn’t Drrw Barrymore delightful in this movie?
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I enjoyeed reading this post! perfectly remember when the movie first came out in cinemas and my mum took me and my brother to watch it. We had to cue for more than three hours! But it was worth it. I loved the movie back then and I still love it now! I agree with you E.T. was a cultural phenomenon.
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Wow – 3 hours is a long time to wait, but I’m glad to hear it was worth it. It’s a special film that remains a favourite into adulthood, isn’t it?
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