E.T: the Limited Collector's Edition (2002) DVD

Rating: 10/10 (6 October 2005)

My original review (2003):
Besides Elliott shilling for Reese's Pieces, Pez and Coke, it is still all it's supposed to be. The kids are all talented and attractive and E.T. himself should have won an Oscar for his "performance". The effects are still quite magical and I think this ranks with "Wizard of Oz" as among the best films of its type.
Though Mr. Spielberg tried a darker version of it with A.I., this one still can't be equaled. But the networks are beginning to wear it out!
Further comments on the Limited Collector's Edition 2 DVD set (2001): Though I see nothing wrong with the original 1982 version, Mr. Spielberg thought there were shots that could be improved and he tried to do so. The new version is included on disk 1 and, by and large, I think he should probably have left well enough alone. Though I wasn't too put off by the changes, the scene, in the beginning, where E.T. is running from the feds is, in my opinion, less effective than the original where you only see a light "running".
I also think the replacement of the agents' guns with walkie-talkies was awkwardly done even if it the director thought it was more "politically correct". The new computerized facial expressions of E.T. didn't bother me particularly.
The extra features were very helpful and I especially enjoyed the section where John Williams conducts his score live at the Shrine Auditorium. This "live" performance may also be heard complete and with audience reactions as well in another section following the excerpted visuals of Williams conducting. There are plenty of shots of the cast in 2002 and they all seem to have aged well or almost not at all and they are also introduced to the Shrine audience at the end of that section.
In the "Reunion" one can see also that Henry Thomas, the original Elliott, has retained his benevolent expression as has Robert MacNaughton despite his odd hairdo. Drew, (Give me a break!) of course, is "terminally cute" in this film. She steals it whenever she's on-screen.