This is one of those films that explains why many of us Gen X folk are so sentimental about the '80s. Seeing a film like this as an uncynical child from a non-toxic home was as unforgettable as The Wizard of Oz was for children of the 1930's.
And I think “sentimental” was the word he was looking for when describing the Spielberg quality of the movie. There’s a kind sentimentality that he has when building a family unit in his films. Even Jaws, his earlier and probably most vicious film, has moments of family building that are very touching.
I was the same age as Elliot and I felt like I was watching myself. We had all the same toys and decorations in our bedrooms, wore the same clothes, even had the same haircut! My parents were on the verge of a divorce and I didn’t have many friends. It makes sense why this is my favorite movie. I listened to the soundtrack album constantly in 1982.
The contribution of John Williams' score is so enormous. As Steven Spielberg said, “Without John Williams, bikes don’t really fly, nor do brooms in Quidditch matches, nor do men in red capes. There is no Force, dinosaurs do not walk the Earth, we do not wonder, we do not weep, we do not believe.”
A few facts about the movie: One day, Drew was found talking to ET, she thought he was real. Steven Speilberg was told about it, and from that moment on, he had appointed a few workers to keep ET alive so whenever Drew would go over and talk to ET, ET could react to her and the movie was filmed in chronological order.
It was actually the puppeteer crew that noticed her talking to the prop and elected between themselves to make sure someone was free during downtimes on set to animate him to some degree to maintain the connection. Spielberg credits their actions with her emotional goodbye.
@@AcceleratedEvolution No, that’s probably being surrounded by the horrible people in Hollywood who would give a child drugs and alcohol. If they were willing to do that, who knows what else they put her through.
FUN FACT: Believe it or not, this movie is actually what made Reese's Pieces one of the most popular candies to this date. The filmmakers originally wanted to use M&M's, but Mars Incorporated said "no" after reading the movie's script. So then they approached Hershey's, who were at the time introducing a new product called Reese's Pieces. The filmmakers agreed to help promote the new candy product on the condition that Hershey's give them the rights to use their new candy in the movie, and Hershey's gladly agreed.
They were relatively new but actually launched in 1978. But the movie prmotions certainly made them. M&M's refusal is widely regarded as one of the worst commercial decisions ever.
What's weird is I remember having heated arguments with other kids my age in elementary school over whether the candies were M&M's or Reese's Pieces. M&M's were seen as the better candy and Reese's Pieces were seen as an off-brand knock-off. I had heard that they actually used M&M's filming in the movie but the company didn't want to sign on to an endorsement deal and so they made a deal with Reese's Pieces to cross promote each other in ads. I may be way off base, though.
You guys may enjoy "The Last Starfighter". It was another 80's Science Fiction fantasy that was basically pretty wholesome and had a teenager for a protagonist.
The MVP of this movie is John Williams' score. The music made this film that much better. Especially from the moment ET comes back to life to the end. It's so good that Spielberg re-did most of the final scenes to match the music. John Williams is a frigging genius.
He's the soundtrack of Gen X and I was introduced to him through my older siblings, when I was introduced to the movies. He's getting up there in age and I gotta say, it's making me nervous
I was at a convention last year and they had a panel with Dee Wallace, Henry Gibson, and Robert MacNaughton (Michael). they recounted the story of "penis breath." One of the writers heard a kid say it at a grocery store and wanted to add it. After clearing with Spielberg, they told Henry to add it to the line, but didn't tell anyone else in the cast. Dee's reaction was absolutely genuine.
When I was in High School, about 13 I guess, we had to read a passage from a book in English class. I chose the section with 'penis breath' and, lets just say there was some hilarity !
I was nine when I saw this in the theater and I remember tearing up when ET died and my mind being blown that a film could effect me like this. I credit this and a few other films for being the gateway to my movie obsession that I still have to this day.
ET recognizing Yoda I think was originally supposed to be a joke, but with the Prequel Star Wars movies it is now shown that they exist in the same universe. It's kind of hard to see, but in one of the scenes you can see some members of ET's species in the distance.
As I've gotten older I think the parts with the mom being upset saying "Mexico" and then later being pissed off and saying "Mexico" are great in showing different levels of dealing with grief from a divorce. My mom went through that as well when my folks got divorced years ago. On a different note, I still love the bike chase sequence. Everything about it just clicks. Camera work and especially John Williams amazing score are two big factors. Favorite line is still "This is reality Greg."
I love the bike chase sequence, too, but after many decades of watching it, a question has occurred to me: how do Michael's and Elliott's bikes get to the park?
I got to meet Dee Wallace about 5 weeks ago at Fearfest in Raleigh, NC and had her sign an E.T. poster. My favorite family film of all time and I watch it a least once a year.
omg yes. as a child this movie touched my heart sooo deeply that even today, having seen this maybe 30 times, it still made me cry as f*ck just watching the reaction. Freaking Spilberg man....
A sequel of sorts, was a commercial for Xfinity in 2019. It has E.T. returning to Earth to visit Elliott, and meeting his family. It's actually a very sweet five minute short film.
Drew Barrymore was my FIRST celebrity crush! She's a year older than me and her performance was adorable. John Williams epic theme still gives me great memories of my childhood and I was fortunate to see him conduct the song back in 2018 at The Hollywood Bowl. Steven Spielberg also came out to give a speech and congratulate John Williams for his 40th anniversary of his debut with the Hollywood Bowl. It was unbelievable that night! *So cool that Sam did the intro for the video!
Steven Spielberg worked on both this film and “Poltergeist” (which was directed by the late, great Tobe Hooper, but conceived, co-written and produced by Spielberg) literally back-to-back, and both were made to complement each other. "E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial" represented suburban dreams, whereas "Poltergeist" represented suburban nightmares.
And directed by Spielberg. There's no way Tobe directed Poltergeist. That film has Spielberg written all over it. Tobe was there to get around the issue of Spielberg not officially being allowed to direct Potergeist while E.T. was in post.
It’s been confirmed by multiple cast & crew members that Spielberg directed both simultaneously. Tobe Hooper was credited as director as he did actually film some scenes; & also because at the time directors couldn’t release multiple films within a certain time frame.
@@davidanderson1639 The only thing that makes me doubt that is the cinematography of Poltergeist, which looks more generic than any of Spielberg's films.
@@StargliderGaming Spielberg has officially denied directing Poltergeist repeatedly. It's not like he'd get in any trouble now if it had been some work-around. Also, watch Hooper's later film Lifeforce, and tell me the style isn't exactly like Poltergeist.
Kind of cool how quickly you noticed the perspective being from no adults. As a kid, you don’t consciously get it, but it subtly gives that feeling to you. Freakin’ Spielberg, man..
Do you know the full story about Henry's audition ? He wasn't the first choice, another kid was chosen but whilst he could act, after losing a game of Dungeons & Dragons being played on set during further casting he showed his real colours when he lost. He kicked off and became a real asshole of a kid and the casting director realised the real person behind the act wasn't the sweet innocent 9 year old they wanted and nobody liked him so they axed him. Word reached them about a young boy from Texas called Henry who seemed to be the real deal, a great kid who could also act. Due to time restraints after the first error of judgement with their initial choice for Eliot, Spielberg had him flown out to audition in front of him in person along with the Producers. He was given a general premise and asked to improvise - and it was filmed. Famously, at the end, with hardened Hollywood producers in tears, you can hear Spielberg tell him: "Ok Kid, you got the job..."
simple answer- we have DOLTS and woke clowns like kathleen Keenedy at DISNEY who has ruined many films ,. and from what ive seen in several reviews of the final INDY Jones film thats the latest one😡 I hope more is exposed at DISNEY and the criminals are fully exposed at whats happening in other matters, EG- the JIM AVEZIEL film
Imagine being That bad azz as a child actor. There are a few: The kid from The Wonder Years and The Princess Bride. Elijah Wood The kid from The Sixth Sense. The girl who played Rhoda in The original The Bad Seed Etc
Samantha asked: ET's hands were done by a Mime artist called Caprice Roth. The really amazing thing is inside the ET suit there's a disabled man who was born with no legs, Matthew Merrit.
My favorite thing about this movie is that the flying scene makes no actual sense except that you want to believe it. That right there is the magic of movies. You suspend disbelief simply because you want to.
That is the essence of fantasy films. They make the impossible seem possible and even real. The scene does make sense in that the Feds were about to apprehend E.T. and the kids. E.T. used his telekinetic powers to help them escape.
The actor playing Elliot does an incredible job at acting drunk. It's hard enough to get a specific tone from kids, especially younger kids, because they have nothing to pull from. His drunken side look smile is just perfect.
@@lucasdonvalour8033 I'm on your side here, I was 6 the first time I saw it, it scarred me for life and made me paranoid for years. Today, being 43, I still have to cover my eyes in some scenes. E.T. is the most horrendous creature ever in cinema! I envy those who can stand the sight of him. It's a beautiful story, so I would love to like the movie too. Alas.....
This is, in my opinion, John Williams finest creation and that's some body of work to pick from ! The whole 'Adventures on Earth' suite from the beginning of the final escape and chase leading to that final rainbow stanza is PERFECT. It never, ever fails to reduce this 50+ year old guy to tears. Wonderful work from the Maestro of Maestros and he knew it because it was one of the rare occasions where Williams actually asked Spielberg to hear what he had composed without the footage. Why ? Because he couldn't match the visuals with the score as per usual but he knew he had something special. Spielberg agreed and once he'd heard it he took the movie back and re-edited the final scene to match the score.
You guys, I would HIGHLY recommend attending the John Williams concert at the Hollywood Bowl this summer. It’s held every year around August/September. He always attends in person and conducts many of his greatest hits, along with other specific themed music. I’ve gone about a half dozen times. And considering he’s getting up there in age, I don’t know how many more of these he’s got.
@@TBRSchmitt If you can't see him at the Bowl this summer, I'd recommend making it a priority next year. He's 91. There may not be too many more opportunities. And believe me -- it'll be worth it! So excited for you and Samantha to become parents though!
Oh I would give anything to be able to go see that! The man is one of the greatest composers of all time. Brilliant genius! The very definition of the word ‘icon’.
I remember when the special edition came out john williams conducted a live orchastra to the movie while it played on the big screen. I wouldve killed to be there!
IMO this is Spielberg's best film - a lot of his other famous films from this period are homages to various genres, but this feels very personal, like he's sharing a part of himself - it's challenging for a reaction vid, because it's so powerful, like a trance-like experience - so it's hard to comment without breaking the mood - some films are more affected by this than others - I heard w the design that they aimed for a combination of a child and an old person, and the face was modeled in some way on a cat's face - and I recall something about Debra Winger's voice being used at some point - the film is still an overwhelming experience, after seeing it so many times
I disagree 100% Jurassic park was more of a risk to make and it changed cinematic history don’t get me wrong et also did but look at jaws and Jurassic park those could have never been made the way it was made.
All time classic. Spielberg's ability to be able to capture something which so many people resonate with is amazing. What happened to family films like this?
@@randall-king Cheesiness has more to do w/ taste than morality. But this concept has been reused in every subsequent decade: Free Willy, How to Train Your Dragon, Bumblebee, etc...
Im so happy you enjoyed E.T. Growing up in the 80s, E.T was a big thing that just seemed to be everywhere. As a kid you're watching it through from the kids point of view. As an adult and now a parent, i now see it from the mothers protective point of view. Every time i watch the film im transported back to my childhood. Star wars figures, BMX, the music, everything. Its like a time machine for me. And i will never tire of watching E.T. If you get a chance to meet the cast, you must. Some of my favourite people i have met at comic con. They were lovely to chat with.
Saw this in a London cinema back in 1983, I was 9 years old and was absolutely inconsolable at the end (my poor mom had no idea what she brought upon herself taking me to see this movie). And still today I can't get through the end without crying.
Yeah Samantha get to make the intro ! That was a great surprise! Very nice that she get to make you discover a movie! Keep going, you re doing a great job!
Steven Spielberg originally worked on a film based on his own childhood about the divorce of his parents which eventually became "E.T." Over 40 years later he finally made his story into "The Fablemans." I agree with TBR and Sam about the typical movie troupes being turned on their heads; the characters here are ultimately good people and even the bullies redeem themselves in one way or another. It's no secret that Spielberg is ultimately optimistic about humanity and E.T. is the one film that best crystalizes that part of his personality. It's a great film about kindness. The family behave like a real family.
The great thing about Spielberg's family movies is that even though they are wholesome and filled with wonder, the characters are always dealing with harsh daily realities (divorce, eviction, etc.) that counterbalance the feel-good tone and keep it from being overly saccharine. Also, I love movie soundtracks and I think E.T. is one of John Williams' absolute best. I was listening to it in my car for the first time as an adult and when the Halloween track came on and I heard a certain few flute notes I thought, "Why is Yoda's theme in the E.T. soundtrack?" Next time I watched the film I realized why--it's the moment when Yoda walks by!
TBR You've never seen E.T.!? It's one that sets the pace for ALL modern films, like Superman or Indiana Jones etc Well congratulations, always love your channel!
I remember reading a sequel novel to this, following E.T.'s adventures exploring space (and making several new special friends), while maintaining his lifelong rapport with Elliot, sharing in his joys and pains even though separated by vast light-years' distance.
One of the big reasons why John Carpenter’s The Thing bombed at the box office is because E.T. came out two weeks prior and audiences gravitated towards the more positive and family friendlh alien vs. the horror alien film.
That was a fun reaction. Remind me when you two are expecting again? I saw Sam holding a baby on Instagram and thought, "Shoot, did I miss the announcement??"
15:31, Carlo Rambaldi (Rem-Baldy). He was an Oscar for Best Visual Effects for KING KONG 1976, Alien in 1979, and this was his third and final Oscar win for ET. He also did the alien characters for Close Encounters.
How do I feel when I watch this movie? I feel like Richard Dreyfus narrator in Stand by me. Sitting in a truck outside of a small down, and reflecting over where did my childhood go
Two interesting facts; 1) Spielberg wanted to make a sequel to Close Encounters but had problems trying to design and build a believable world and ship with the aliens from the film. Plus he already told that story about humans going with the aliens with Close Encounters.He then thought well, what happens if the alien stayed or was stuck here on Earth? That is when the ET story was born. 2) Spielberg wanted them to use M&Ms for the candy in the film. He was denied by the Mars candy company. A lesser known candy “Reeces Pieces” by Hershey agreeded to do it. The rest is history…
This came out when I was 5 years old, and even though I had had a taste of epic, timeless classic movies already - Raiders of the Lost Ark and Empire Strikes Back to name a couple that I still have theater memories of and I was even younger for those. But this was EVERYTHING to a 5 year old boy. Movie magic. When ET was found under the bridge, I cried like crazy. It was the first time a movie, or any other form of entertainment, had done that to me. It wasn't incessant toddler crying for something they want, it was crying as an emotional response that made their heart ache, it was empathy. I am pretty sure that was the first time that feeling came to me. Spielberg would do it to me again a couple of years later with The Color Purple. Not to get long-winded (too late), but I feel it important to address one thing. At the core of this film, ET represents something "different", and the dichotomy between the open-heartedness of a child to this alien, compared to the corrupted mind of adults to anything alien, well, I think folks don't have to dig too deep to see some social parallels there. Long story short, I truly believe I am a very accepting person of all people's backgrounds and beliefs and I feel its movies like this at a young age that instilled that quality in me. Some people see things strange and new as fascinating, interesting or exciting. Others, unfortunately, only see a "threat". It's a theme that can trace back to The Day the Earth Stood Still. Hell, you could go all the way back to A Trip to the Moon, and still see elements of that idea. If you read all of this, thanks.
You can definitely see where 'Stranger Things ' got their inspiration from, plus it's great that you don't really see the adults as it's from the kid's point of view. Also Harrison Ford was in this at one point as the school principal , Elliott was supposed to go to his office after getting drunk, but the scene was cut from the movie. Great Reaction as always.
Amazing movie. Btw, the little sister is Drew Berrymore. Spielberg also didn't tell her about the alien before the first reaction to make it feel more real. She thought it was an alien, not a puppet.
This movie also featured a young C. Thomas Howell and Erika Eleniak in their big screen acting debuts. Howell went on to appear in over two hundred acting roles in movies and television, such as The Outsiders and Red Dawn. Eleniak went on to appear in over fifty acting roles in movies and television, including Under Siege and The Beverly Hillbillies.
Beat me to it Erika Eleniak (born September 29, 1969) is an American actress, Playboy Playmate, and model known for her role in Baywatch as Shauni McClain. Her film debut was in E.T.: The Extra-Terrestrial (1982).
1982 was a great year to be a kid. I was thirteen at the time, and between ET and Poltergeist, I blew all my allowance money going to see those two movies over and over that summer. Great times!
I was 7 when this came out. Seeing this in a theater was a total different experience in the 80’s. EVERYONE cried, but there was a communal togetherness. There were also an epic Reese’s Pieces fights - kids and parents.
I was 12 when this came out. Going to the movies back then was an event. You would stand in long lines to buy your tickets. I mean you had The Empire Strikes Back, Raiders of the Lost Ark, and ET all within a three year period. What a time to be a kid!
This movie is a right of passage for children born in the late 70's and early 80's. This movie was HUGE, Michael Jackson did music for the soundtrack during his 'Thriller' era. Kids of ALL races loved this movie.
i was the same age as Elliott when I saw this and also fell in love with the girl in his science class. This feeling was verified many years later when I saw the same actress (Erika Eleniak) pop out of a cake in Under Siege.
It's strange to imagine, how different this film would be if made today or if remade it'd be like two different worlds. Ironically, they'd probably be using som real ET effects now in the CGI...
4:28, this movie is also a metaphor for Spielberg's own childhood as his parents were divorced when he was 19 years old, which was very sad and didn't know how to deal with it. He learned to accept that parents weren't getting back together.
Another recurring theme in Spielberg's movie dealing with kids is just how oblivious the parent's are to what's going on with their kids to an extent. In this film it makes sense since Elliot's mom is going through a divorce and his dad already moved on to someone else.
Fun fact: That scene where the men carrying guns arriving at the empty van was eventually edited to replace the guns with walkie talkies in order to make it less scary for kids. I'm glad that you got to watch this in original form
Spielberg’s style at the time is what I call “the patient, reality-based approach”. The people talk like actual people, the shots are usually slow unless a character is freaked out. It’s beautiful and like a hug in movie form. I wish there were other filmmakers who could write and direct children this way, they got amazing performances out of all of them.
The kid in the Yoda costume was a nod to George Lucas. The appearance of other “E.T.’s” in Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace was a nod to Spielberg. It’s also thought that E.T. was a Jedi in the Star Wars universe, as evidenced by his powers and his recognition of Yoda in this film.
Another 80s gem also starring Henry Thomas is 'Cloak and Dagger' (1984). It's kind of like Hitchcock but for kids. A film i had on repeat growing up. Well worth checking out if you are up for some 80s nostalgia and another cracking performance from Henry Thomas.
Spielberg is the King of Happy Endings, although he does make a few that are not. He's even been criticized by other directors for making so many happy endings. His track record is undeniable, though. People love his films no matter what.
I remember seeing this when it came out, (I was a young teen) and when the movie ended, the entire theater clapped and cheered! Back then we applauded, as if it's live and the amount that the audience cheers is in direct relation to how good the movie was.
E.T. created by the famous creature and make up effects designer Carlo Rambaldi. He also previously worked with Spielberg in 1977's Close Encounters of the 3rd Kind. He won the Oscar award for his prosthetic work in 1976's King Kong.
At the time this was first released I'd already watched Close Encounters before E.T. so as a teen the former was more my style. That being said when the reunion commercial(for xfinity) between Elliot and E.T. came out 37 years later, it did produce some happy tears. 😂
This movie holds a special place in my heart. E.T. is the first movie that I would see in theaters when I was 5 years old. It started my love for movies. I'm happy you guys finally watched it together ❤️
I was 16 in 1982, and this film was the first time I had seen a similar family to mine on screen-three kids, divorced mom, oldest brother trying to step into the “man of the house” role by protecting the mom from thoughtless comments by his clueless younger siblings, the group of friends hanging out at your house because you had the most laidback parent(s) (who barely repress laughter over comments like “penis breath”). Yeah, this film really hit hard for me, beyond the emotional moments with ET and Elliot.
I remember being terrified as a little kid during that scene in the fog at night in the backyard of Elliot's house. It was shot so well and gave E.T. this initial impression of being scary, which is the polar opposite of his true nature. The whole movie is so nostalgic, and it's obvious it inspired a bunch of subsequent movies and TV...from The Goonies to Stranger Things.
This is one of the first movies I have a memory of watching. Specifically, the early scenes of the ship, the D&D game at the table, and the shot of E.T. in the fog are burned into my childhood memories.
10:47, Spielberg made his aliens more friendly in Close Encounters and ET, but did a complete 180 when he made WAR OF THE WORLDS in 2005, with Tom Cruise.
The aliens in "War of the Wotlds" had already been established as hostile in all the previous versions of that story...not much of a 180, he just retold his version of the same story....
You should look up the commercial with Henry Thomas from a few years ago where he is grown with his own family and E.T. visits. To me, it's the unofficial sequel.
Interestingly they tried to do the special edition changes to this movie just like they did for Star Wars and THX 1138, adding CG effects and interestingly they digitally removed the guns. But removing the guns got so much negative reactions because that made the adults less scary, so they restored the guns.
Spielberg later said he was sorry he had made that change. The reason for it was not the negative reactions but the fact that it was changing the original work. I'm glad they saw the original version.
This is still and will be for me Steven Spielberg’s best movie. It has it all, musical score, cinematography and visual effects (for its time), child actors giving Oscar caliber performances, and amazing story. Absolute Masterpiece and still loved today
Like other comments, this was the first film my parents took me to see. I also remember the ride at Universal. Nostalgia, the music brings tears to my eyes.
1) Cool seeing Samantha doing the intro, since she'd seen the movie 2) Glad you watched the 1982 original and not the 2002 20th Anniversary with the enhanced special effects and the police holding walkie talkies instead of rifles.
This movie made my stone-faced Papaw cry in the theaters back in the 80’s! Also has my personal favorite John Williams score from the final bike chase to the end.
We went to universal studios when this was popular and went on the ET “ride”. It was on a bicycle type ride floating through the air. It was awesome!! I loved it as much as my 10 year old 😅❤ I’ll always have a soft spot for it.
Nice reaction. If you liked this, I'd like to recommend Starman with Jeff Bridges and Karen Allen. People used to sarcastically call it "E.T. for grownups" but it's a great movie in it's own right.
This is one of those films that explains why many of us Gen X folk are so sentimental about the '80s. Seeing a film like this as an uncynical child from a non-toxic home was as unforgettable as The Wizard of Oz was for children of the 1930's.
Good point!
And I think “sentimental” was the word he was looking for when describing the Spielberg quality of the movie. There’s a kind sentimentality that he has when building a family unit in his films. Even Jaws, his earlier and probably most vicious film, has moments of family building that are very touching.
I'm 55 years old. I will ALWAYS remember seeing this in the theater for the first time with my whole family. I cry every single time...love the 80's;)
@@jannathompson2262Yes. Everything you said is Yes
I was the same age as Elliot and I felt like I was watching myself. We had all the same toys and decorations in our bedrooms, wore the same clothes, even had the same haircut! My parents were on the verge of a divorce and I didn’t have many friends. It makes sense why this is my favorite movie. I listened to the soundtrack album constantly in 1982.
The contribution of John Williams' score is so enormous. As Steven Spielberg said, “Without John Williams, bikes don’t really fly, nor do brooms in Quidditch matches, nor do men in red capes. There is no Force, dinosaurs do not walk the Earth, we do not wonder, we do not weep, we do not believe.”
A few facts about the movie: One day, Drew was found talking to ET, she thought he was real. Steven Speilberg was told about it, and from that moment on, he had appointed a few workers to keep ET alive so whenever Drew would go over and talk to ET, ET could react to her and the movie was filmed in chronological order.
AWWWWW ❤
It was actually the puppeteer crew that noticed her talking to the prop and elected between themselves to make sure someone was free during downtimes on set to animate him to some degree to maintain the connection. Spielberg credits their actions with her emotional goodbye.
Aww that's so cute
@@goanna83 it may have been what scarred Drew Barrymore as she went into her teen years... but yeah.
@@AcceleratedEvolution No, that’s probably being surrounded by the horrible people in Hollywood who would give a child drugs and alcohol. If they were willing to do that, who knows what else they put her through.
FUN FACT: Believe it or not, this movie is actually what made Reese's Pieces one of the most popular candies to this date. The filmmakers originally wanted to use M&M's, but Mars Incorporated said "no" after reading the movie's script. So then they approached Hershey's, who were at the time introducing a new product called Reese's Pieces. The filmmakers agreed to help promote the new candy product on the condition that Hershey's give them the rights to use their new candy in the movie, and Hershey's gladly agreed.
They were relatively new but actually launched in 1978. But the movie prmotions certainly made them. M&M's refusal is widely regarded as one of the worst commercial decisions ever.
What's weird is I remember having heated arguments with other kids my age in elementary school over whether the candies were M&M's or Reese's Pieces. M&M's were seen as the better candy and Reese's Pieces were seen as an off-brand knock-off. I had heard that they actually used M&M's filming in the movie but the company didn't want to sign on to an endorsement deal and so they made a deal with Reese's Pieces to cross promote each other in ads. I may be way off base, though.
In reality, M & M's didn't say no. Mars and Hershey's got into a bidding war that got so intense, it delayed the filming.
You guys may enjoy "The Last Starfighter". It was another 80's Science Fiction fantasy that was basically pretty wholesome and had a teenager for a protagonist.
I'll Happily "Second" any Reaction to that...👍
That would be a GREAT reaction!
Greetings Starfighter!
You have been recruited by the Star league to defend the frontier against Zur and the Kodan armada.
@sleestack13 "What do we do now sir??!" "We die." :)
OMG....YES PLEASE!!!
I love the subtle line when they are in the garage talking and his brother says "he's not looking that good" and Elliott says "We're fine!"
Omg, so sweet that Samantha got to do the intro this time!!! What a nice roles reversal ^-^
Right?! The last time they did this TBR had a sore throat. Such a cute couple
I squealed at TBR's 'Hello!' impersonation.
The intro had me feeling like I was in a parallel universe.
Loved this.
Agreed. Very cool. 👍🏻
The MVP of this movie is John Williams' score. The music made this film that much better. Especially from the moment ET comes back to life to the end. It's so good that Spielberg re-did most of the final scenes to match the music. John Williams is a frigging genius.
Totally agree!
He's the soundtrack of Gen X and I was introduced to him through my older siblings, when I was introduced to the movies. He's getting up there in age and I gotta say, it's making me nervous
@@LA_HA If you were a child between the late 70s (Star Wars) to early 2000s (Harry Potter), chances are he scored your childhood.
@@jp3813 Heck yeah, he did.
What a Legend. Long May He Reign
I love the "Husband's First Time" reactions. It's so fun watching Samantha take the lead. Loved the reaction!!
i was TOTALLY expecting for sam to say "hi my name is TBR Schmitt and this is my wife Samantha" haha
“He’s in Mexico with Sally”. Him: Wait…I’m confused. Her: He’s in Mexico with another woman. Him: ohhhh 😂😂😂
The girl "Elliott" kisses at school is Erika Eleniak, actress (Baywatch) and Playboy playmate.
The only wholesome movie with the words “penis breath!” 😂 Glad you enjoyed it, TBR.
Imo what elevates that line is the mom laughing at it unintentionally.
@@chance2smoke A neat bit of acting and kinda hard to pull off right.
I was at a convention last year and they had a panel with Dee Wallace, Henry Gibson, and Robert MacNaughton (Michael). they recounted the story of "penis breath." One of the writers heard a kid say it at a grocery store and wanted to add it. After clearing with Spielberg, they told Henry to add it to the line, but didn't tell anyone else in the cast. Dee's reaction was absolutely genuine.
That and dickweed needs to make a revival.
When I was in High School, about 13 I guess, we had to read a passage from a book in English class. I chose the section with 'penis breath' and, lets just say there was some hilarity !
I was nine when I saw this in the theater and I remember tearing up when ET died and my mind being blown that a film could effect me like this. I credit this and a few other films for being the gateway to my movie obsession that I still have to this day.
13:56, THE QUIET MAN, 1952 with John Wayne. Director John Ford was Spielberg's childhood hero, which is one of the reasons why he makes movies today.
ET recognizing Yoda I think was originally supposed to be a joke, but with the Prequel Star Wars movies it is now shown that they exist in the same universe. It's kind of hard to see, but in one of the scenes you can see some members of ET's species in the distance.
yeah during the Galatic COuncil scenes in one moment, theres a commitee of ET-Species in one of the barges for the council members.
Some people even think that ET was a jedi, seeing the levitation and reading feelings, along with the healing abilities.
@@mariaghiglieri78 I can see that. Or at least a youngling.
I think it’s basically Spielberg giving an homage to Lucas, and vice versa.
@@randall-king I definetly agree, but once it is on screen. It becomes part of the lore.
As I've gotten older I think the parts with the mom being upset saying "Mexico" and then later being pissed off and saying "Mexico" are great in showing different levels of dealing with grief from a divorce. My mom went through that as well when my folks got divorced years ago.
On a different note, I still love the bike chase sequence. Everything about it just clicks. Camera work and especially John Williams amazing score are two big factors. Favorite line is still "This is reality Greg."
I love the bike chase sequence, too, but after many decades of watching it, a question has occurred to me: how do Michael's and Elliott's bikes get to the park?
I got to meet Dee Wallace about 5 weeks ago at Fearfest in Raleigh, NC and had her sign an E.T. poster. My favorite family film of all time and I watch it a least once a year.
I have NEVER been able to watch this without bawling. I've watched it defo more than 80 times.
You're not alone...even this Reaction has got Me tearing up again.😢
@@tomhoffman4330Haha same.
omg yes. as a child this movie touched my heart sooo deeply that even today, having seen this maybe 30 times, it still made me cry as f*ck just watching the reaction. Freaking Spilberg man....
Love that Sam did the intro!
A sequel of sorts, was a commercial for Xfinity in 2019. It has E.T. returning to Earth to visit Elliott, and meeting his family.
It's actually a very sweet five minute short film.
Drew Barrymore was my FIRST celebrity crush! She's a year older than me and her performance was adorable. John Williams epic theme still gives me great memories of my childhood and I was fortunate to see him conduct the song back in 2018 at The Hollywood Bowl. Steven Spielberg also came out to give a speech and congratulate John Williams for his 40th anniversary of his debut with the Hollywood Bowl. It was unbelievable that night!
*So cool that Sam did the intro for the video!
This movie is a masterpiece, it’s perfect. This movie was a phenomenon upon release, I saw it at least a dozen times theatrically.
We tried the thermometer trick, Mom said "You have a fever of 117, you're dead."
wow - I hope you're feeling better now lol
Steven Spielberg worked on both this film and “Poltergeist” (which was directed by the late, great Tobe Hooper, but conceived, co-written and produced by Spielberg) literally back-to-back, and both were made to complement each other. "E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial" represented suburban dreams, whereas "Poltergeist" represented suburban nightmares.
And directed by Spielberg. There's no way Tobe directed Poltergeist. That film has Spielberg written all over it. Tobe was there to get around the issue of Spielberg not officially being allowed to direct Potergeist while E.T. was in post.
It’s been confirmed by multiple cast & crew members that Spielberg directed both simultaneously. Tobe Hooper was credited as director as he did actually film some scenes; & also because at the time directors couldn’t release multiple films within a certain time frame.
@@StargliderGaming Honestly, if you compare the cinematography of Poltergeist to any of Spielberg's films, the former's shots are much more generic.
@@davidanderson1639 The only thing that makes me doubt that is the cinematography of Poltergeist, which looks more generic than any of Spielberg's films.
@@StargliderGaming Spielberg has officially denied directing Poltergeist repeatedly. It's not like he'd get in any trouble now if it had been some work-around. Also, watch Hooper's later film Lifeforce, and tell me the style isn't exactly like Poltergeist.
Kind of cool how quickly you noticed the perspective being from no adults. As a kid, you don’t consciously get it, but it subtly gives that feeling to you. Freakin’ Spielberg, man..
Roger Ebert even wrote an essay regarding ET's point of view.
The audition for Elliott (Henry Thomas) was so good that Steven Spielberg gave him the role on the spot. It's on here if you look for it
Yeah. "You got the job, kid."
Do you know the full story about Henry's audition ? He wasn't the first choice, another kid was chosen but whilst he could act, after losing a game of Dungeons & Dragons being played on set during further casting he showed his real colours when he lost. He kicked off and became a real asshole of a kid and the casting director realised the real person behind the act wasn't the sweet innocent 9 year old they wanted and nobody liked him so they axed him. Word reached them about a young boy from Texas called Henry who seemed to be the real deal, a great kid who could also act. Due to time restraints after the first error of judgement with their initial choice for Eliot, Spielberg had him flown out to audition in front of him in person along with the Producers. He was given a general premise and asked to improvise - and it was filmed. Famously, at the end, with hardened Hollywood producers in tears, you can hear Spielberg tell him: "Ok Kid, you got the job..."
simple answer- we have DOLTS and woke clowns like kathleen Keenedy at DISNEY who has ruined many films ,. and from what ive seen in several reviews of the final INDY Jones film thats the latest one😡 I hope more is exposed at DISNEY and the criminals are fully exposed at whats happening in other matters, EG- the JIM AVEZIEL film
Imagine being That bad azz as a child actor. There are a few:
The kid from The Wonder Years and The Princess Bride.
Elijah Wood
The kid from The Sixth Sense.
The girl who played Rhoda in The original The Bad Seed
Etc
Samantha asked: ET's hands were done by a Mime artist called Caprice Roth. The really amazing thing is inside the ET suit there's a disabled man who was born with no legs, Matthew Merrit.
My favorite thing about this movie is that the flying scene makes no actual sense except that you want to believe it. That right there is the magic of movies. You suspend disbelief simply because you want to.
That is the essence of fantasy films. They make the impossible seem possible and even real.
The scene does make sense in that the Feds were about to apprehend E.T. and the kids. E.T. used his telekinetic powers to help them escape.
It makes perfect sense.
The actor playing Elliot does an incredible job at acting drunk. It's hard enough to get a specific tone from kids, especially younger kids, because they have nothing to pull from. His drunken side look smile is just perfect.
Maybe it was method.... it was the 80's lol
My parents took me to see this in the theater. I was 12 and it's still a great memory.
Mt grandma took me when I was pretty young. We came out of the theater feeling we were walking like E.T. and laughed our butts off.
Same! I bought a bag of Skittles the next day and threw them on our backyard...just in case....LOL!🤣😂🤣😂‼
#metoo
I was four. It was my first movie in the theaters, but unfortunately, I don't have a memory of it at all.
@@lucasdonvalour8033 I'm on your side here, I was 6 the first time I saw it, it scarred me for life and made me paranoid for years. Today, being 43, I still have to cover my eyes in some scenes. E.T. is the most horrendous creature ever in cinema! I envy those who can stand the sight of him. It's a beautiful story, so I would love to like the movie too. Alas.....
This is, in my opinion, John Williams finest creation and that's some body of work to pick from ! The whole 'Adventures on Earth' suite from the beginning of the final escape and chase leading to that final rainbow stanza is PERFECT. It never, ever fails to reduce this 50+ year old guy to tears. Wonderful work from the Maestro of Maestros and he knew it because it was one of the rare occasions where Williams actually asked Spielberg to hear what he had composed without the footage. Why ? Because he couldn't match the visuals with the score as per usual but he knew he had something special. Spielberg agreed and once he'd heard it he took the movie back and re-edited the final scene to match the score.
You guys, I would HIGHLY recommend attending the John Williams concert at the Hollywood Bowl this summer. It’s held every year around August/September. He always attends in person and conducts many of his greatest hits, along with other specific themed music. I’ve gone about a half dozen times. And considering he’s getting up there in age, I don’t know how many more of these he’s got.
If we can work this around the baby’s arrival, I would love to do this. Thanks for the recommendation!
@@TBRSchmitt If you can't see him at the Bowl this summer, I'd recommend making it a priority next year. He's 91. There may not be too many more opportunities. And believe me -- it'll be worth it! So excited for you and Samantha to become parents though!
Oh I would give anything to be able to go see that! The man is one of the greatest composers of all time. Brilliant genius! The very definition of the word ‘icon’.
I remember when the special edition came out john williams conducted a live orchastra to the movie while it played on the big screen. I wouldve killed to be there!
@@TBRSchmitt I'm sure the baby will understand and wait if you explain the situation lol
IMO this is Spielberg's best film - a lot of his other famous films from this period are homages to various genres, but this feels very personal, like he's sharing a part of himself - it's challenging for a reaction vid, because it's so powerful, like a trance-like experience - so it's hard to comment without breaking the mood - some films are more affected by this than others - I heard w the design that they aimed for a combination of a child and an old person, and the face was modeled in some way on a cat's face - and I recall something about Debra Winger's voice being used at some point - the film is still an overwhelming experience, after seeing it so many times
I disagree 100% Jurassic park was more of a risk to make and it changed cinematic history don’t get me wrong et also did but look at jaws and Jurassic park those could have never been made the way it was made.
I heard carl ramboldi the fx guy designed it as a cross between his face and einstein.
All time classic. Spielberg's ability to be able to capture something which so many people resonate with is amazing. What happened to family films like this?
they need more degenerate films to corrupt the younger kids now
The morality of people has shifted. Most people would make fun of a movie like this and call it “cheesy” instead of beholding it with wonderment.
@@randall-king Cheesiness has more to do w/ taste than morality. But this concept has been reused in every subsequent decade: Free Willy, How to Train Your Dragon, Bumblebee, etc...
Divorces and disrupted social fabric. Most Americans can't relate to films like these.
Back then critics said that spielberg only made sappy sentimental movies, so i dont think times have changed AS much.
Im so happy you enjoyed E.T.
Growing up in the 80s, E.T was a big thing that just seemed to be everywhere.
As a kid you're watching it through from the kids point of view. As an adult and now a parent, i now see it from the mothers protective point of view.
Every time i watch the film im transported back to my childhood. Star wars figures, BMX, the music, everything. Its like a time machine for me. And i will never tire of watching E.T.
If you get a chance to meet the cast, you must. Some of my favourite people i have met at comic con. They were lovely to chat with.
This movie is my childhood and I always cry at the end.
Saw this in a London cinema back in 1983, I was 9 years old and was absolutely inconsolable at the end (my poor mom had no idea what she brought upon herself taking me to see this movie).
And still today I can't get through the end without crying.
I saw this when I was 12 and cried my eyes out. I'm 54 now.
I still cry my eyes out.
I'm 42 years old and saw this as a little kid. I watch it every now and then, still to this day it brings a few good feeling tears.
Yeah Samantha get to make the intro ! That was a great surprise! Very nice that she get to make you discover a movie! Keep going, you re doing a great job!
Steven Spielberg originally worked on a film based on his own childhood about the divorce of his parents which eventually became "E.T." Over 40 years later he finally made his story into "The Fablemans." I agree with TBR and Sam about the typical movie troupes being turned on their heads; the characters here are ultimately good people and even the bullies redeem themselves in one way or another. It's no secret that Spielberg is ultimately optimistic about humanity and E.T. is the one film that best crystalizes that part of his personality. It's a great film about kindness. The family behave like a real family.
The great thing about Spielberg's family movies is that even though they are wholesome and filled with wonder, the characters are always dealing with harsh daily realities (divorce, eviction, etc.) that counterbalance the feel-good tone and keep it from being overly saccharine.
Also, I love movie soundtracks and I think E.T. is one of John Williams' absolute best. I was listening to it in my car for the first time as an adult and when the Halloween track came on and I heard a certain few flute notes I thought, "Why is Yoda's theme in the E.T. soundtrack?" Next time I watched the film I realized why--it's the moment when Yoda walks by!
TBR You've never seen E.T.!?
It's one that sets the pace for ALL modern films, like Superman or Indiana Jones etc
Well congratulations, always love your channel!
I remember reading a sequel novel to this, following E.T.'s adventures exploring space (and making several new special friends), while maintaining his lifelong rapport with Elliot, sharing in his joys and pains even though separated by vast light-years' distance.
One of the big reasons why John Carpenter’s The Thing bombed at the box office is because E.T. came out two weeks prior and audiences gravitated towards the more positive and family friendlh alien vs. the horror alien film.
That was a fun reaction. Remind me when you two are expecting again? I saw Sam holding a baby on Instagram and thought, "Shoot, did I miss the announcement??"
Haha beginning of September!
15:31, Carlo Rambaldi (Rem-Baldy). He was an Oscar for Best Visual Effects for KING KONG 1976, Alien in 1979, and this was his third and final Oscar win for ET.
He also did the alien characters for Close Encounters.
How do I feel when I watch this movie? I feel like Richard Dreyfus narrator in Stand by me. Sitting in a truck outside of a small down, and reflecting over where did my childhood go
I was going to point out my Stand by me example before she(don't know her name lol!) mentioned it in the movie review!
Two interesting facts; 1) Spielberg wanted to make a sequel to Close Encounters but had problems trying to design and build a believable world and ship with the aliens from the film. Plus he already told that story about humans going with the aliens with Close Encounters.He then thought well, what happens if the alien stayed or was stuck here on Earth? That is when the ET story was born. 2) Spielberg wanted them to use M&Ms for the candy in the film. He was denied by the Mars candy company. A lesser known candy “Reeces Pieces” by Hershey agreeded to do it. The rest is history…
This came out when I was 5 years old, and even though I had had a taste of epic, timeless classic movies already - Raiders of the Lost Ark and Empire Strikes Back to name a couple that I still have theater memories of and I was even younger for those. But this was EVERYTHING to a 5 year old boy. Movie magic. When ET was found under the bridge, I cried like crazy. It was the first time a movie, or any other form of entertainment, had done that to me. It wasn't incessant toddler crying for something they want, it was crying as an emotional response that made their heart ache, it was empathy. I am pretty sure that was the first time that feeling came to me. Spielberg would do it to me again a couple of years later with The Color Purple.
Not to get long-winded (too late), but I feel it important to address one thing. At the core of this film, ET represents something "different", and the dichotomy between the open-heartedness of a child to this alien, compared to the corrupted mind of adults to anything alien, well, I think folks don't have to dig too deep to see some social parallels there. Long story short, I truly believe I am a very accepting person of all people's backgrounds and beliefs and I feel its movies like this at a young age that instilled that quality in me. Some people see things strange and new as fascinating, interesting or exciting. Others, unfortunately, only see a "threat". It's a theme that can trace back to The Day the Earth Stood Still. Hell, you could go all the way back to A Trip to the Moon, and still see elements of that idea. If you read all of this, thanks.
💗
You can definitely see where 'Stranger Things ' got their inspiration from, plus it's great that you don't really see the adults as it's from the kid's point of view. Also Harrison Ford was in this at one point as the school principal , Elliott was supposed to go to his office after getting drunk, but the scene was cut from the movie. Great Reaction as always.
Amazing movie. Btw, the little sister is Drew Berrymore. Spielberg also didn't tell her about the alien before the first reaction to make it feel more real. She thought it was an alien, not a puppet.
Only those of us who’ve been watching for a long time can appreciate how special it was for sam to intro! Super cool twist ! 👏🏼
This movie also featured a young C. Thomas Howell and Erika Eleniak in their big screen acting debuts. Howell went on to appear in over two hundred acting roles in movies and television, such as The Outsiders and Red Dawn. Eleniak went on to appear in over fifty acting roles in movies and television, including Under Siege and The Beverly Hillbillies.
Beat me to it
Erika Eleniak (born September 29, 1969) is an American actress, Playboy Playmate, and model known for her role in Baywatch as Shauni McClain. Her film debut was in E.T.: The Extra-Terrestrial (1982).
Glad he was able to move past that godawful Soul Man movie he did in blackface.
@@alucard624Forgot about that movie. Don't remember much about it, but I was a kid. Gotta rewatch it.
@@SuperGrimfandangostill smoking hot
Didn't he end up saving Spider-Man in one of those movies?
1982 was a great year to be a kid. I was thirteen at the time, and between ET and Poltergeist, I blew all my allowance money going to see those two movies over and over that summer. Great times!
I was 7 when this came out. Seeing this in a theater was a total different experience in the 80’s. EVERYONE cried, but there was a communal togetherness. There were also an epic Reese’s Pieces fights - kids and parents.
I was 12 when this came out. Going to the movies back then was an event. You would stand in long lines to buy your tickets. I mean you had The Empire Strikes Back, Raiders of the Lost Ark, and ET all within a three year period. What a time to be a kid!
A young Henry Thomas and a young Drew Barrymore. I love this movie.
Also a young C. Thomas Howell.
@@jz55859 oh - I never noticed that before, but when you mentioned it I immediately realized who you meant -
This movie is a right of passage for children born in the late 70's and early 80's. This movie was HUGE, Michael Jackson did music for the soundtrack during his 'Thriller' era. Kids of ALL races loved this movie.
i was the same age as Elliott when I saw this and also fell in love with the girl in his science class. This feeling was verified many years later when I saw the same actress (Erika Eleniak) pop out of a cake in Under Siege.
Still one of my all time favorites. I met Henry Thomas and Dee Wallace last year and they signed my VHS copy
Dee Wallace is awesome to meet in person.
@@alucard624 she really is a sweetheart
Seeing this as a child was just incredible. And sad. And heartwarming. When Hollywood made films the absolute best they could be.
It's strange to imagine, how different this film would be if made today or if remade it'd be like two different worlds. Ironically, they'd probably be using som real ET effects now in the CGI...
It's the silliest thing but I love when you two do role reversal for the intro when it's TBR's turn to watch something for the first time..
Cool reaction as always Schmitt & Samantha, you both have a good night
Nice change of pace him being the one to see something new. Loved Samantha's intro
This created one of the best video games of all time.
It won an award for Best Landfill😅
😂😂😂 👏
I'll remember you, all my life...
@14:45 Drew Barrymore was actually seven when this movie came out. Still a bit too young to leave alone at home, but she definitely wasn’t four. 😁
JJ Abrams made a movie called SUPER 8, it's a love letter to flicks like this
Another John Williams masterpiece.
Ah ah loving it when it's Sam turn to introduce TBR to a movie,more moment like this 😉😌. As for ET such an amazing movie and story.
4:28, this movie is also a metaphor for Spielberg's own childhood as his parents were divorced when he was 19 years old, which was very sad and didn't know how to deal with it. He learned to accept that parents weren't getting back together.
Another recurring theme in Spielberg's movie dealing with kids is just how oblivious the parent's are to what's going on with their kids to an extent. In this film it makes sense since Elliot's mom is going through a divorce and his dad already moved on to someone else.
You can see it play out in The Fablemans. Steven's most recent movie is basically an autobiography.
Fun fact: That scene where the men carrying guns arriving at the empty van was eventually edited to replace the guns with walkie talkies in order to make it less scary for kids. I'm glad that you got to watch this in original form
I like that it was TBR’s turn to say “hello 🙋🏻♂️” during the opening intro. Lol
It was also my first time watching. Great film. Great reaction 👍🏻
I have a running streak of saying “Hello” when Samantha says it at the beginning of the video and now that streak is over.
My bad
Spielberg’s style at the time is what I call “the patient, reality-based approach”. The people talk like actual people, the shots are usually slow unless a character is freaked out. It’s beautiful and like a hug in movie form. I wish there were other filmmakers who could write and direct children this way, they got amazing performances out of all of them.
The kid in the Yoda costume was a nod to George Lucas. The appearance of other “E.T.’s” in Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace was a nod to Spielberg. It’s also thought that E.T. was a Jedi in the Star Wars universe, as evidenced by his powers and his recognition of Yoda in this film.
Another 80s gem also starring Henry Thomas is 'Cloak and Dagger' (1984). It's kind of like Hitchcock but for kids. A film i had on repeat growing up. Well worth checking out if you are up for some 80s nostalgia and another cracking performance from Henry Thomas.
Spielberg is the King of Happy Endings, although he does make a few that are not. He's even been criticized by other directors for making so many happy endings. His track record is undeniable, though. People love his films no matter what.
He did start with Jaws. Critics should give him a break.
@@susanalexander6721…… He gets no grief from me. His finest film, “Saving Private Ryan”, has the saddest happy ending of all time, IMO.
I remember seeing this when it came out, (I was a young teen) and when the movie ended, the entire theater clapped and cheered! Back then we applauded, as if it's live and the amount that the audience cheers is in direct relation to how good the movie was.
E.T. created by the famous creature and make up effects designer Carlo Rambaldi. He also previously worked with Spielberg in 1977's Close Encounters of the 3rd Kind. He won the Oscar award for his prosthetic work in 1976's King Kong.
Fun Fact: In Star Wars Episode one E.T Race has a cameo. So, he did recognize YODA
At the time this was first released I'd already watched Close Encounters before E.T. so as a teen the former was more my style. That being said when the reunion commercial(for xfinity) between Elliot and E.T. came out 37 years later, it did produce some happy tears. 😂
This movie holds a special place in my heart. E.T. is the first movie that I would see in theaters when I was 5 years old. It started my love for movies. I'm happy you guys finally watched it together ❤️
I am writing this to help out Tbr Schmitt and Samantha and this video and this channel with the algorithm 🥰❤️✌️
If you can’t cry over a rubber puppet, you’re simply not human…
For a second during the intro i thought Samantha was going to say "my name is TBR Schmitt and this is my wife Samantha"
I was 16 in 1982, and this film was the first time I had seen a similar family to mine on screen-three kids, divorced mom, oldest brother trying to step into the “man of the house” role by protecting the mom from thoughtless comments by his clueless younger siblings, the group of friends hanging out at your house because you had the most laidback parent(s) (who barely repress laughter over comments like “penis breath”). Yeah, this film really hit hard for me, beyond the emotional moments with ET and Elliot.
I remember being terrified as a little kid during that scene in the fog at night in the backyard of Elliot's house. It was shot so well and gave E.T. this initial impression of being scary, which is the polar opposite of his true nature. The whole movie is so nostalgic, and it's obvious it inspired a bunch of subsequent movies and TV...from The Goonies to Stranger Things.
This is one of the first movies I have a memory of watching. Specifically, the early scenes of the ship, the D&D game at the table, and the shot of E.T. in the fog are burned into my childhood memories.
10:47, Spielberg made his aliens more friendly in Close Encounters and ET, but did a complete 180 when he made WAR OF THE WORLDS in 2005, with Tom Cruise.
The aliens in "War of the Wotlds" had already been established as hostile in all the previous versions of that story...not much of a 180, he just retold his version of the same story....
You should look up the commercial with Henry Thomas from a few years ago where he is grown with his own family and E.T. visits. To me, it's the unofficial sequel.
Interestingly they tried to do the special edition changes to this movie just like they did for Star Wars and THX 1138, adding CG effects and interestingly they digitally removed the guns. But removing the guns got so much negative reactions because that made the adults less scary, so they restored the guns.
Spielberg later said he was sorry he had made that change. The reason for it was not the negative reactions but the fact that it was changing the original work. I'm glad they saw the original version.
This is still and will be for me Steven Spielberg’s best movie. It has it all, musical score, cinematography and visual effects (for its time), child actors giving Oscar caliber performances, and amazing story. Absolute Masterpiece and still loved today
Like other comments, this was the first film my parents took me to see. I also remember the ride at Universal. Nostalgia, the music brings tears to my eyes.
1) Cool seeing Samantha doing the intro, since she'd seen the movie 2) Glad you watched the 1982 original and not the 2002 20th Anniversary with the enhanced special effects and the police holding walkie talkies instead of rifles.
you reversed the intro up!! XD i love you guys!! :-)
This movie made my stone-faced Papaw cry in the theaters back in the 80’s! Also has my personal favorite John Williams score from the final bike chase to the end.
We went to universal studios when this was popular and went on the ET “ride”. It was on a bicycle type ride floating through the air. It was awesome!! I loved it as much as my 10 year old 😅❤ I’ll always have a soft spot for it.
Nice reaction. If you liked this, I'd like to recommend Starman with Jeff Bridges and Karen Allen. People used to sarcastically call it "E.T. for grownups" but it's a great movie in it's own right.
Such a great movie. If it doesn't move you, something is wrong.