When Bicycles and Aliens Rode the Imagination

Rating: 8/10 (30 May 2011)

Stinging from the separation of his parents, lonely ten-year-old Henry Thomas (as Elliott) finds friendship with a lost alien. Named "E.T." (for "Extra Terrestrial"), the creature also meets big brother Robert MacNaughton (as Mike) and little sister Drew Barrymore (as Gertie). The children keep "E.T." hidden from adults, but outside forces soon pose a threat... This classic film was re-released in an altered state, so it took me some years time to acquire an original version. I have a lot to see, I know... The Boy with Something Extra...
The original wasn't perfect - right away, you wonder about the disappearing cigarette (?) smoke at the kids' home, and how they could specify pizza toppings when the pie was almost there. But, this is really not a film to wonder about when Dee Wallace (as Mother Mary) actually drinks "Coors" beer. Maybe the stuff was just sitting in the refrigerator since Dad ran off with "Sally" to Mexico... And, there is an unfortunate lack of easy scientific explanations for what goes on, which leads to religious allegory... Yet...
"E.T." is a fantasy story for dreamers; an imaginative, animated-like acceptance of story continuity is acceptable.
In a cartoon, never cry over spilled milk.
Interesting and surprising to see director Steven Spielberg's main changes for the 2002 release - which one assumes Mr. Spielberg means to be taken as the official, authorized version - involve the removal of guns, and the insertion of a bath for "Elliott" and the alien. At one point, young Thomas is directed to bathe himself, but "E.T." appeared to be self-cleaning. And, there is only one truly threatening gun, which added tension to the chase. Still, in any version, "E.T." is an excellent childhood dream.
******** E.T. (5/26/82) Steven Spielberg ~ Henry Thomas, Robert MacNaughton, Drew Barrymore, Dee Wallace