E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial (1982)
Where to Watch
- The most famous, quotable line in E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial wasn't actually in the script; it was completely improvised by the actor on the third take.
- If you look closely during the crowded sequence in the second act of E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial, the original author of the source material makes a blink-and-you-miss-it cameo.
- During the filming of E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial, the director famously rewrote the ending on the fly after seeing the incredible chemistry between the lead actors on set.
E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial is a 1982 American science fiction fantasy film directed by Steven Spielberg that became one of the most beloved and culturally significant films in cinema history. The film follows Elliott, a lonely 10-year-old boy in suburban California played by Henry Thomas, who discovers a small, stranded alien creature in his backyard and hides it in his closet. As Elliott and E.T. develop a deep emotional and psychic bond, they must evade government scientists hunting the alien while finding a way to help E.T. "phone home" and reunite with his people.
Steven Spielberg drew from his own childhood experiences of loneliness and his parents' divorce to create a story about the healing power of connection, and the emotional authenticity of the material gave the film a universal resonance that transcended its science fiction premise. Henry Thomas's audition, in which the young actor produced real tears by drawing on personal memories of a deceased pet, convinced Spielberg immediately. Carlo Rambaldi's practical E.T. puppet, whose expressive face was mechanically operated by multiple puppeteers, created a character audiences embraced as fully alive.
John Williams's magnificent score, particularly the soaring bicycle flight theme, became one of the most recognizable pieces of film music ever composed. E.T. earned $792 million worldwide, surpassing Star Wars to become the highest-grossing film of all time โ a record it held for over a decade. The film won four Academy Awards and was selected for preservation in the National Film Registry.
