Review of E.T. The Extra Terrestrial (2 Discs)

Introduction

Aliens and the whole concept of other life-forms is one that densely populates our lives, ranging from space-obsessed fanatics preaching this and that; to more conservative means of answering the bigger picture, such as Nasa`s space exploration.

In cinema over the years, aliens have been portrayed as hostile beings who want to take control of our planet - no doubt a popular misconception, and yet another example of human xenophobia. But in 1982, a film by the name of E.T. was released. Instead of preaching death and destruction, it preached hope and salvation.

And now, more than 20 years later, here it is on good old DVD, remastered and totally revisited, all under the close scrutinity of Steven Spielberg - a director I now regard as possibly the greatest living artist in his field. This release contains an enhanced version of E.T., with a bit of `nip and tuck` having taken place to improve the CGI and also iron out any pet peeves that have niggled at the film-makers since the early 80s.

For those of you who don`t know the plot of the film, it revolves around a group of alien botanists who are discovered and disturbed by an approaching human task force. Because of the more than hasty take-off, one of the visitors is left behind. The little alien finds himself all alone on a very strange planet. Fortunately, the extra-terrestrial soon finds a friend and emotional companion in 10-year-old Elliot, who discovered him looking for food in his family`s garden shed. While E.T. slowly gets acquainted with Elliot`s brother Michael, his sister Gertie as well as with Earth customs, members of the task force work day and night to track down the whereabouts of Earth`s first visitor from outer space. The wish to go home again is strong in E.T., and after being able to communicate with Elliot and the others, E.T. starts building an improvised device to send a message home for his folks to come and pick him up. But before long, E.T. gets seriously sick, and because of his special connection to Elliot, the young boy suffers, too. The situation gets critical when the task force finally intervenes. By then, all help may already be too late, and there`s no alien spaceship in sight...

Video

1.85:1 Anamorphic Widescreen. The fact that the print has been tarted up for the 2002 re-release is evident: the visuals are now crisper and better defined, with colours vibrant and the palette vast and well used. No artefacts are visible fortunately, so no dust or grain that may be found on VHS copies will hinder your viewing experience - now for once audiences can sit down and enjoy E.T. as it was meant to be enjoyed.

Spielberg was a relatively inexperienced helmer when this was made - but inexperienced only in terms of films made. His directing flair however was developed as it is today, and the way the shots combine together to form something extra-special is very much evident. From vast shots of the suburban sky to more intimate angles with the children and their new friend, this is certainly diverse, in visual terms at least.

Audio

Dolby Digital 5.1 EX (English & Dutch) & DTS 5.1 ES (English). For those people with a Dolby Digital setup - probably a lot of readers on this site - they can enjoy a very impressive mix, with the surrounds being used frequently and the subwoofer contributing fairly often. But, for those lucky people with a DTS setup as well (myself included), then you are in for a treat: all the benefits of the 5.1 EX soundtrack with the added bonus of a more meaty soundstage and slightly more ambient audio. Enveloping the viewer, with crisp and clear sound throughout, this is on a par with the other `big boys` when it comes to audio quality.

Screenwriter Melissa Mathison`s previous Hollywood experience had come from writing The Black Stallion, and after Spielberg saw her work on that film, he asked her to write his supernatural fairytale. She promptly agreed, and delivered a first draft - a first draft that would instantly become the shooting script, due to its quality. And yes, it is a high quality script. Developing the characters well, and depicting a broken home successfully, each character is unique and compelling; and the arrival of E.T. unites them, and paints a moving picture of the human condition.

Special mention must also go to composer John Williams, whose work on this film is infamous. The theme is legendary: no doubt hummed by many-a-film buff even today, with good reason - it sums up E.T. by numbers, and adds vastly to the viewing experience. How can one man have scored so many great films, and turned in equally-great music? Another testament to the wonderful ability of the four time Oscar-winner, which sounds even better on this 20th anniversary, having been fully remastered.

Features

Universal has so far pulled out all the stops presentation-wise, so when it comes to the extra features it is immediately pleasing to see that E.T. is packaged in a two disc set.

The first disc contains an introduction from Steven Spielberg - with his reasons behind this 20th anniversary edition; and also the option to listen to a music-only track, showcasing John Williams` work, performed live to celebrate the re-release. The former is a good taster for what is to come, and the latter is an electric way for music fans to engage the film on a repeat viewing.

"The Creation and Evolution of E.T" is a brand new, 47 minute documentary. It is very insightful, containing retrospective interviews and some on-set footage. Highlights include Henry Thomas` stunning screen test (it is amazing how a boy of 10 can perform so well in an improvised audition) and Harrison Ford`s deleted scene. From pre-production to release, this is a comprehensive and enjoyable feature.

"The Reunion" is a 17 minute piece about Spielberg reuniting the main cast 20 years on. It is interesting to hear them reminisce on their experiences of making E.T., and how they feel the film has aged. The main attraction to this feature is to compare how the actors look now - and also think that, excluding Spielberg and Barrymore, most of them haven`t worked seriously since.

"The Music of John Williams" is 10 minutes of cleverly disguised insight - it is in fact a look at Williams` music...if you hadn`t already guessed that. Considering the guy is a multiple Oscar-winner, this is a well-deserved tribute to his career.

"The 20th Anniversary Premiere" shows footage of the reunion and details how the event was prepared. Quite interesting to watch, and it is obvious that all the people involved with the film really enjoyed getting back with one another.

There is a feature called "Space Exploration", which is an interactive look at the planets in our solar system, with information and graphics. This is interesting for space enthusiasts and those wanting to know more after seeing the film.

A comprehensive gallery of photos & art and three trailers round off the disc.

The menus are animated well with music in the background and clips from the film playing in the foreground. They are very easy to navigate.

Conclusion

Fondly remembered by millions of viewers who were touched by the intimacy of a young boy`s relationship with a creature who was literally light years away from his own species, E.T. 20 years plus on is still as vibrant and full of passion as the day Spielberg released it upon the world...although from time to time the film does lose a tiny bit of pace which prevents it from being an outright classic.

It contains some powerful and observant ideologies of the world in which we live, and how a being with no real connection to the human race can offer solice and hope for a young human who has lost all, and is living a life of relative misery.

The film is powerfully acted, led under the amazing acting prowess of Henry Thomas as Elliott who was just 10 when it was made. Other notable stars - including Drew Barrymore (not so notable back in 1982), Dee Wallace and Peter Coyote (who, incidentally, auditioned for the role of Indiana Jones!) - add to the ambience, but special mention must also go to Steven Spielberg, the director whose career started with a bang and is now even more successful. Best living director? Quite possibly: and although his direction has improved over time, it is evident here that he possesses a flair for film-making.

Another bonus is that the quality of the main feature has been replicated with an equally-impressive DVD release. Two discs, the first boasting great presentation - the highlight being the remastered audio, and the second being an accomplished selection of extras. The quality of them is very good, but due to the absence of a commentary they can`t be classed as `reference quality`. On a similar note, there is a three disc set also released, with the extra disc featuring the original 1982 film (meaning no enhancements) and a bonus documentary, "A Look Back". But, because inevitably the extra disc bumps up the RRP, I can see no real reason to splash out for the old film: I am pleased to report that ILM et al have remastered everything flawlessly, and also, the documentaries on this release suffice.

For fans wanting a sense of nostalgia, all updated for E.T.`s venture into the 21st century, or people previously unexperienced into the world of the extra-terrestrial, then this is the perfect place to watch and enjoy the film...all backed up on a high quality package from Universal. Go for it, you won`t be disappointed.