E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial
1982 · Directed by Steven Spielberg
Original language: English
- adventure
- science fiction
- family
The story
An alien is left behind on Earth and saved by the 10-year-old Elliott who decides to keep him hidden in his home. While a task force hunts for the extra-terrestrial, Elliott, his brother, and his little sister Gertie form an emotional bond with their new friend, and try to help him find his way home.
What it’s like
Warm suburban California in soft, sun-faded 1980s light: suburban kitchens and bedrooms glow with daylight and lamplight, and the nighttime scenes turn to deep blue dusk, with the bicycle chases silhouetted against a pale moon. Spielberg frames children at kid height, with a wide, unhurried eye on ordinary rooms, and the camera drifts with the characters rather than cutting fast. Grain is soft and warm, and John Williams's score swells with wonder and an aching, homesick gentleness, while the hush between scenes lets crickets, rustling trees and small domestic noises breathe. The mood is bittersweet and tender: a comfort-rewatch film with a current of grief and separation running under its wonder. Pacing is leisurely and emotional, building toward a family that learns to let go of someone they love. The alien is a childlike, soft-voiced presence, and the early sense of loss, a father gone and a boy isolated, softens into friendship. Some peril comes from government agents and a tense hunt, but there is no real gore; violence is mild and brief, with a few frightening moments and a sustained air of sadness. For families, nostalgia seekers, and anyone wanting something sincere, gentle and quietly moving.
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