E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial Review

E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial


Release Date: 26th November 1982 - Australia


Production Companies
Universal Pictures
Amblin Entertainment (Uncredited)

Distribution
Universal Pictures Australia


Genre: Family/Sci-Fi

Rating: PG

Runtime: 115 minutes
                 120 minutes
                 (extended)


Budget: $10,500,000

Box Office Gross: $792,910,554 (Worldwide)


Plot Summary
A young boy named Elliott discovers a stranded alien and must help the creature return to its homeworld while avoiding capture by government agents.


Cast
Henry Thomas - Elliott
Robert MacNaughton - Michael
Drew Barrymore - Gertie
Dee Wallace-Stone - Mary
Peter Coyote - Keys
Pat Welsh - E.T. (Voice) (Uncredited)
K.C. Martel - Greg
Sean Frye - Steve
C. Thomas Howell - Tyler

Erika Eleniak - Pretty Girl

Michael Darrell - Van Man

Crew
Producer/Director - Steven Spielberg
Writer/Associate Producer - Melissa Mathison
Producer - Kathleen Kennedy

Casting Directors - Jane Feinberg,

Mike Fenton and Marci Liroff

E.T. Movement Coordinator - Caprice Rothe

Special E.T. Movement - Matthew De Meritt

Production Designer - Jim Bissell

Space Ship Design: ILM - Ralph McQuarrie

Special Artistic Consultant - Craig Reardon

Set Decorator - Jackie Carr

Director of Photography - Allen Daviau

Camera Operators - John J. Connor and

John Fleckenstein

Production Supervisor - Frank Marshall

Second Unit Director/Stunt Coordinator/Stunts -

Glenn Randall Jr.

Creator: E.T. - Carlo Rambaldi
Special Effects Coordinator - Dale L. Martin

Additional Effects: E.T. - Robert Short
Visual Effects Supervisor - Dennis Muren
Visual Effects Supervisor (2002 Special Version) -

Bill George

Additional VFX Supervision: ILM (2002 Special

Version) - Tim Alexander

General Manager: ILM - Thomas G. Smith

Effects Cameraman: ILM - Michael J. McAlister

Effects Director of Photography (2002 Special

Version) - Martin Rosenberg

Camera Operators: ILM - Don Dow and

Robert Elswit

Supervising Stage Technician: ILM – Ted Moehnke

Stage Technicians: ILM – Dave Childers,

Harold Cole, Dick Dova, Bob Finley III,

Pat Fitzsimmons, Edward Hirsh, John McLeod,

Thaine Morris and Peter Stolz

Animation Supervisor (2002 Special Version) -

Colin Brady

CGI Supervisor (2002 Special Version) -

Patrick T. Myers

Chief Model Maker: ILM - Charles Bailey

Model Shop Supervisor: ILM - Lorne Peterson
Matte Painting Supervisor: ILM - Michael Pangrazio

Matte Photography: ILM - Neil Krepela

Matte Photography Assistant: ILM - Craig Barron

Optical Effects Coordinator - Mitch Suskin

Effects Editorial Supervisor: ILM - Conrad Buff IV

Editor - Carol Littleton

Supervising Sound Editor - Charles L. Campbell

Supervising Sound Editor (2002 Special

Version) - Richard LeGrand Jr.

Voice Designer: E.T. - Ben Burtt

Sound Editors - Samuel C. Crutcher,

Louis D. Edemann, Richard C. Franklin and

Don Pettijohn

Sound Mixer - Gene S. Cantamessa

Re-Recording Mixers - Don Digirolamo,

Robert Glass and Robert 

Re-Recording Mixers (2002 Special Version) -

Rick Kline, Andy Kohala, Shawn Murphy

and Jonathan Wales

Foley Artists - John Roesch and Joan Rowe

Music Editor (2002 Special Version) -

Kenneth Wannberg
Music - John Williams


Awards

1983 Academy Awards
Best Sound Effects - Robert Knudson,

Robert Glass, Don Digirolamo and

Gene S. Cantamessa (Won)

Best Visual Effects - Carlo Rambaldi,

Dennis Muren and Kenneth Smith (Won)

Best Sound Editing - Charles L. Campbell and

Ben Burtt (Won)
Best Original Score - John Williams (Won)
------------------------
Best Picture - Steven Spielberg and

Kathleen Kennedy (Nominated)

Best Director - Steven Spielberg (Nominated)
Best Cinematography - Allen Daviau (Nominated)
Best Film Editing - Carol Littleton (Nominated)


Review

G'day, this is your favourite movie expert, Film Guru Lad. Here's a review of a movie that I just viewed. Aside from Raiders of the Lost Ark, Close Encounters of the Third Kind, Jurassic Park and Jaws, E.T. THE EXTRA-TERRESTRIAL is the most revered of all the features directed by Steven Spielberg. It is a powerful, fun, beautiful, heartfelt film that can make a grown man cry and let us rediscover the child within us all. Kids' movies like this no longer appeal to adult audiences, as nowadays, thanks to Alvin and the Chipmunks and The Smurfs, they are too cute, tolerable and overrated. I find them only enjoyable for youngsters. But with E.T., it is suitable for all ages, not just children. I can see why it was an overwhelmingly popular classic.

The cast was satisfactory in their roles, including young Henry Thomas and Drew Barrymore, who started careers as movie stars. The orchestral music score by John Williams is unforgettable. Williams rivals Beethoven as the greatest composer to have ever lived.

Previously, I said WALL-E was better than E.T. I find Spielberg's classic to be the second-best family sci-fi picture. Many other features have tried to imitate its conception, like Mac & Me, which I have never seen but didn't work or appeal to family audiences. Because of its simplistic storyline, terrific cast and enduring appeal to all ages, E.T. is a movie that cannot get criticised and never will.

If you enjoyed this film, I recommend you find another sci-fi movie, Super 8. It shares nearly all the same qualities as E.T. and would appeal to you. Next up tomorrow, I will review the final and third Lord of the Rings instalment, The Return of the King.

Star rating: (5/5) Best Movie Ever

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