Jeri Jacquin
On Bluray, DVD and Digital from director Steven
Spielberg, Amblin Pictures and Universal Pictures Home Entertainment is the
return of E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial.
Elliott (Henry Thomas) is a young boy living with his
mother Mary (Dee Wallace), brother Michael (Robert MacNaughton) and sister
Gertie (Drew Barrymore) the suburb of the San Fernando Valley. It is a boy’s
night as cards, music and pizza are taking over the house. Elliott thinks he
sees something in the backyard and goes to investigate throwing a baseball
toward a shed and is stunned when it comes back.
Running back into the house shrieking, he tries to
tell everyone there is something out there. Finding nothing, everyone goes back
to having fun but Elliott decides to set a candy-trap for whatever is out
there. It works and he leads the creature into his large bedroom closet.
The next day he tells Mom he is sick and she trusts
him to stay home in bed. The real plan is for Elliott to spend time with his
backyard find. He spends the day showing the creature around introducing him to
object and food. There is also a strange connection happening between the two.
When his siblings return home, Elliott introduces E.T.
announcing that he’s keeping him. They all discuss what the plan is while E.T.
shows what he can do reviving flowers and fixing a wound on his new friend
Elliott. When he returns to school the next day, E.T. is at home gathering
objects to make a strange contraption while Elliott is having a strange
reaction at school.
Now called E.T., Elliott is told that his small friend
wants to ‘phone home’ and it is clear that his health is failing. The boy
enlists the help of Michael to find a way to get E.T. out so he can make
contact with others of his own kind. What they don’t know is that there is
someone else looking for the little alien as well.
Halloween provides the cover they need dressing up and
taking E. T. out of the house. But the next morning, Elliott and E.T. are very
sick. Keys (Peter Coyote) finds Elliott and E.T. as a crew takes over their
house. Elliott turns to Michael and his friends Greg (K.C. Martel), Steve (Sean
Frye) and Tyler (C. Thomas Howell) to get the connected pair away.
What they see changes them all forever!
Thomas as Elliott has solidified himself as the young
man who brought us the meaning of true friendship. This young boy did not see a
dangerous creature but instead, a friend beyond the stars. He is a part of our
collective childhoods and it has become generational. Though this actor has
played man roles throughout his career, he will always be the most beloved as
the boy who flew with E.T.
Barrymore as sister Gertie is sassy and certainly can
not be bullied by her brother or anyone else for that matter. She embraces E.T.
and shows him kindness from the moment she meets until the moment they part.
MacNaughton as brother Michael follows along with his little brother’s
friendship and plan to help get him home. I always thought this character
showed such courage protecting everyone as the man of the family.
Coyote as Keys is a man who is determined to find E.T.
At first his plan seems nefarious, but meeting Elliot, he explains what his
true intentions are. I have always enjoyed Coyote as an actor and this is one
of his most memorable roles. Wallace as mom Mary is just trying to keep her
family safe. Going through her own problems with an ex-husband who prefers his
own life to that of his children, she also sees what Elliot is going through and
does her best to protect him.
Universal Pictures Home Entertainment has just added
an amazing film to their library and making it available for us to all
experience and re-experience in our own home theaters. There are films of every
genre available from scary to drama to family films. For more of what they have
to offer please visit www.uphe.com.
MOVIES ANYWHERE gives viewers the ability to download
the Movies Anywhere App. With that you can view films by downloading or
streaming to your favorite device using a Digital Code. For more information on
Movies Anywhere please visit www.MoviesAnywhere.com.
The Bluray includes over four hours of Bonus Feature
including 40 Years of E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial, TCM Classic Film Festival:
An Evening with Steven Spielberg, Deleted Scenes, Steven Spielberg & E.T.,
The E.T. Journals, A Look Back, The Evolution and Creation of E.T., The E.T.
Reunion, The Music of E.T.: A Discussion with John Williams and more!
It has been 40 years since E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial
landed in theatres to delight and thrill audiences with his humanity, love and
friendship. Matching him with Elliott only made the film even more endearing. Watching
their relationship become one and the same, we saw, as Neil Diamond sang, their
heart-light.
I saw E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial when I was younger,
introduced my own children to the film when they were kids and now, they are doing
the very same to theirs. It has been such a wonderful experience watching the
film with them because it is timeless.
Spielberg brought us all something wonderful,
memorable and movie lines that are still used today. The character is recognizable
and still, to this day, children wear E.T. costumes on Halloween. That is the
magic of E.T. who shows us all the things we hope we truly are in our hearts,
on this planet or any other.
In the end – E.T. phone home!
