Week 5 : E.T. - The Extra-Terrestrial
-----A Boy’s Life
I have an experiment for you. Take a small child (between the ages of around 4-10) and show them E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial for the first time. When you show it to them, don’t let them see the DVD case with the image of Elliot riding his bike across the moon. Do not talk about the plot, or give anything away- just tell them you want to show them a special movie. From the credits on, I guarantee you will see magic take place, not only on the screen, but with the child as well.
E.T. is a film most have seen, so I will be scarce on the plot explanation. If you have not seen it I would hate to spoil the magic for you. The film tells the story of a little boy named Elliott (Henry Thomas) who finds an alien living in his shed outside. The alien (whom Elliott names E.T.) is confused and alone- he was left on earth by mistake. Elliott, along with his older brother Michael (Robert MacNaughton) and younger sister Gertie (Drew Barrymore) develop a bond with the little alien and become better people.
This is a film that only Steven Spielberg could have directed. Spielberg is certainly one of the greatest living directors. I can not think of a more influential filmmaker. In recent years a great deal of his work has been inconsistent. It is easy to take him for granted. Yet here is a man that is responsible for not one, but over eight or nine masterpieces of motion picture. Nearly all of the films he has directed are ingrained in popular culture: Jaws, Close Encounters of the Third Kind, Raiders of the Lost Ark, The Color Purple, Empire of the Sun, Schindler’s List, Jurassic Park, Saving Private Ryan, A.I, Minority Report. It is hard enough to make one great film, Spielberg has made nearly ten, while also achieving commercial success. Even with all of those credits, E.T. is his finest film- his true masterpiece. It surpasses even Schindler’s List in its beauty and narrative power. It is truly a work of genius.
Watching the film from a completely technical standpoint gives a clue to its success. The majority of the film is shot from a child’s point of view. The camera is held low. Adults do not have names and we rarely see their faces for the entire first act. The only real adults of consequence in the picture at all are the mother Mary (Dee Wallace, in a terrific performance) and Keys (Peter Coyote) the man that is searching for E.T. Most other adults are shot from the waste down. We see the world through the eyes of either a child, or an alien. The decision to keep the focus on the children and E.T. is the key to the films success.
Another critical element is the writing. The screenplay by Melissa Mathison (who also wrote the great The Black Stallion) never placates the audience. The story is never spelled out. The film would lose its magic if there was a scene in which the adults discussed how Elliott was bonding with E.T. as both a friend and a father figure. Instead we get the great scene in the garage, where Elliott and Michael find their fathers shirt. Dialogue explaining the psychic connection between E.T. and Elliot would break the spell of the movie and also just be plain boring. These themes are explored through the behavior of the characters. I am certain that if you did not speak English you could still watch E.T. without subtitles and know what is going on; this is the brilliance of the writing and direction.
The children are delightful. Henry Thomas gives the best performance I have ever seen by a young actor. There is never a moment in the picture when he is not genuine. He is just an ordinary little boy, confused, angry and from a broken home. Robert MacNaughton and Drew Barrymore are equally as excellent as Elliot’s siblings, and as a whole they create a real family.
Then there is E.T. himself. I think it is important to note that E.T. is quite ugly. Spielberg is on the record as saying that E.T. had a face that only a mother could love. This has, of course, been proven untrue by the nearly one billion dollars in worldwide box office receipts. The creature (created by Carlo Rambaldi) is one of Hollywood’s greatest creations. The film would have been a total failure if E.T. hadn’t worked out. Instead, using a combination of actors in costume, puppets, and animatronics, Speilberg created a living, breathing character out of rubber. Audiences, particularly children, instantly fall in love with E.T., and feel for him throughout the entire film.
Finally, I come to the most important element of the movie. Composer John Williams might as well have had directorial credit, because he single handedly determined the success of the film with his score. The score to E.T. is the greatest piece of cinematic music to date. It is ranges from quiet to rousing. It has an operatic quality. The entire last fifteen minutes of the picture (which are probably the most wonderful last fifteen minutes of any film) was cut to fit Williams’s music. There is not a break in score. This is music that lifts your spirits and is instantly identifiable.
I know many people that do not like E.T. Many of them say that it is too sentimental, or manipulative. There are those who look at the creature and lose interest. I have heard some call the film purely manipulative. Isn’t all art manipulative? Why is being sentimental a bad thing? I believe that many of these people are afraid of how a movie will make them feel. Many have difficulties expressing their feelings and movies have a way of sneaking in and forcing us to express ourselves, even if it’s not verbally. Certainly there are movies that are overly sentimental and saccharine, but E.T. is not one of them. It is simply pure and good.
There are viewers that label the film as a children’s or family film. It is a kid’s film in the sense that the main characters are children, and family film in the sense that there are not many instances of foul language or violence. Once again, I ask: why is this a bad thing? Why do so many revert to cynicism and negativity? Here is a picture that brings out the inner-child in nearly all that watch it. This is one of the great entertainments in popular culture. It is beautiful, moving and poetic. It creates a shared experience with its viewers. You want to share this movie with the people you love.
I remember watching this movie with my daughter for the first time. She was probably four or five. In the beginning she was scared of E.T. and the movie worked as a horror film. In the early scenes with E.T. and Elliot she observed quietly. During the school scene and others she laughed out loud. Watching the bicycle scenes her eyes grew wide open and her mouth parted with sheer delight. When the sad parts came she cried, and only then did she begin to ask questions. She wanted to make sure that E.T. was okay. I told her to just watch the movie. Then the end of the picture came and she sat there, cuddled up next to me with a sense of wonder on her face. She never got up once, never lost focus, or became bored. It was without a doubt one of the most fulfilling movie-watching experiences of my life.
I am telling you, you should try my experiment.
Review and Analysis by Shaun Henisey
CLICK HERE to discuss E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial
Cast and Credits:
Elliott: Henry Thomas
Michael: Robert MacNaughton
Gertie: Drew Barrymore
Mary: Dee Wallace
Keys: Peter Coyote
Universal Pictures presents A Steven Spielberg Film. Produced by Steven Spielberg and Kathleen Kennedy. Written by Melissa Mathison. Music by John Williams.
Running Time: 120 Minutes. Rated PG For Lanugage and Mild Thematic Elements