- Directed by: Steven Spielberg
- Cast: Henry Thomas, Robert MacNaughton, Drew Barrymore, Dee Wallace
Elliott: He’s a man from outer space and we’re taking him to his spaceship.
from the movie
Greg: Well, can’t he just beam up?
Elliott: This is ‘reality,’ Greg.
E.T. is one of the most popular movies in the 1980s, has been highly rated by critics and viewers, and won many awards.
The encounter with aliens is nothing new in science fiction stories and movies. What made the film famous was the simplicity of fairy-tale storytelling with humor, warmth, wonderment, and thrills. At the same time, the typical Hollywood-style progression made the film cliche, boring, too sentimental, and over-rated.
Elliott: But, look, you can’t tell. Not even Mom.
from the movie
Gertie: Why not?
Elliott: Because, uh, grown-ups can’t see him. Only little kids can see him.
Gertie: Give me a break!
The fairy tale story is based on curiosity and emotional sensation – the awe moment. We have been told again and again that we are losing the child’s charm as we grow older. The main theme of the movie E.T. is the emotional connection. Can this kind of movie revive our lost sense of deep-sharing with others?
I enjoyed watching the film in general. The plot is simple and straightforward. The acting is pretty good. But I was distracted by how an alien and the children interact. What I am seeing is not the interaction between two space races but a relationship between pets and owners. By doing so, the film became easily accessible to young viewers. It is based on the idealized western family culture, which is a nostalgic construct rather than a reality.
At the end, the film made me think more than I expected from a family movie. Watch it but think!
Scriptorium 