Viewed at Pacific Place Theaters
Rated PG; approximate running time of 120 minutes
Genre: Sci-Fi
Written by: Melissa Mathison
Directed by: Steven Spielberg
Cast: Henry Thomes, Drew Barrymore, Dee Wallace, Robert MacNaughton, Peter Coyote.
WARNING - SPOILERS BELOW.
The Digest
It's not easy being ten years old, especially when you're the middle child and your parents are going through a divorce, as Elliott (Henry Thomas) is learning first hand. His fourteen year old brother, Michael (Robert MacNaughton), has taken on the role of "man of the house" and his six year old sister, Gertie (Drew Barrymore) is of course the spoiled baby.
Elliot is struggling to find his place in his family. All this changes the night he goes outside to pay for a pizza.
On his way back into the house, he hears a noise in the shed. He picks up a ball and throws it into the shed and something throws it back. Scared, he runs back into the house and tries to explain it to his mother, brother and his brother's friends. After some good-natured teasing, they go outside to investigate, but see nothing.
Convinced that he saw something, Elliott camps outside until he comes face to face with whatever was out there. His patience pays off, and he finds what turns out to be a space alien. What Elliott doesn't know is that this space alien is on the lam, lost, and hiding. The alien was collecting plant specimens when some mysterious humans happen upon his group. The group takes off and leaves him behind. The big bad humans know that he has been left and they are trying to track him down. Even if Elliot knew all of this it wouldn't matter to him. He has decided to keep the alien, who he has dubbed E.T., and care for him.
Elliott now has someone who depends on him and needs him and he is going to rise to the challenge even if it means helping E.T. contact his people so he can go home.
The Dish
The time is June 1982. The place is the Loma Theater in San Diego. I had just celebrated my - ahem - 12th birthday. We got up early and got in line at 8 or 9 a.m. for the Noon show. It was opening weekend for E.T. and I remember it being hot. The line was growing and curving around the block. There was a juggler or a mime keeping us entertained and because of the heat drinks were being sold. I seem to recall mommy packing food, but not a lot because this was a special outing and we were going to get to buy theater food. The door opened and mommy rushed into the concession stand line while grandma took us to find seats. We sat right in the middle. I had Grammy on one side of me and my 8-year-old brother on the side of me. I think my "play" brothers were there too; they were either 3 or 4. Mommy came back with popcorn, a drink, and a hotdog for me that I didn't have to share. The theater was packed with kids and it was loud, but when the curtain came up, it got eerily quiet. I don't remember the trailers that were shown, but I do remember the silence. About 5 minutes later, the movie started. I cried, cheered, laughed, and got scared when I was supposed to. When all was said and done and the screen went black, I briefly was unable to cope with the fact that E.T. didn't exist. I needed him to be real. I identified with Elliott on so many different levels, so much so that I needed to have an E.T. of my own. My mother finally went out and bought me an E.T. doll and I spent hours playing with that doll and creating a world for he and I that was safe from mean adults. It really was my salvation.
So, 20 years later, I ask myself "is there a such thing as a perfect movie and if so, is E.T. it?" This was the first time I saw the movie in it's entirety since it was on the big screen in 1982. I was terrified that one of my most cherished childhood memories was going to be smashed to pieces. I was going to find all of these flaws. I was going to realize that it was a horrible film and I was unable to see that through my childhood eyes. I was going to be so disappointed that I would burn my E.T. in effigy. The curtains went up and I cried, cheered, laughed, and got scared when I was supposed to. I was mad at Mom (Dee Wallace) for separating and I wanted to throw a trashcan on top of Keys (Peter Coyote) and send him down a hill. I got butterflies in the pit of my stomach each time E.T. made them fly. When all was said and done and the screen went black, I briefly was unable to cope with the fact that E.T. didn't exist. I needed him to be real just like when I was 12.
Oh there were a few things that I noticed. Henry Thomas' acting was not as wonderful as I seemed to recall. Drew Barrymore is precocious and cute as a button. There were times when the story didn't flow very evenly and found myself wanting to know more about Keys and his experiences. I was a little upset about the guns being removed from the movie. I understand why Spielberg did it, but part of the wonderment of that scene was knowing how dangerous guns are and making the audience really hate the bad guys then cheering when E.T. and the kids outwit them. Most of all, I realized once again, that I wanted a sequel. Just like the 12-year-old Diva, I need to know that E.T. is doing well and has taken care of himself. I need for him to know that I stayed and I've always been right here.
The Directive
As I mentioned before, seeing this movie was one of my favorite childhood memories. It is perfect for a family outing.
Don't phone home, phone the theater and buy tickets early.
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Copyright Kamal "The Diva" Larsuel-Ulbricht, 2002
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