Introduction The given assessment will primarily focus on Steven Spielberg’s film E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial , which was written by Melissa Mathison. The movie was released in 1982 in the United States, and it is a science fiction film about an alien. The theoretical framework used in the analysis is the Auteur Theory, which is centered around the notion of a film being a director’s reflection through his or her artistic vision (Grant, 2012). In other words, many aspects of a movie are the result of the subjective perspectives of a film director, who includes his or her trademarks within the works. The Auteur Theory is prominently seen in the film within the key of Steven Spielberg’s trademarks, which are glowing lights, parent issues, and the “Spielberg Face.” The Auteur Theory The Auteur Theory is the most evident among all of Steven Spielberg’s movies, where he actively utilizes his key trademarks in the most prominent mise-en-scène. The latter primarily includes lighting, acting, and storytelling design. The theory itself focuses on the fact that many films are reflections of the author’s unique directive characteristics, which can be subjectively influenced throughout the intricate and complex process of filmmaking (Grant, 2012). In other words, it explains the film through the lens of the key features of its author or director, who both deliberately and unintentionally leaves his or her footprint in the movie. The theory can be applied to the selected film and demonstrated through key scenes, where Steven Spielberg implemented a storytelling design involving parental issues, glowing lighting of an alien spaceship, and the typical “Spielberg face” during the main character’s encounter with the alien. The latter term is a face of an actor who is surprised, amazed, and afraid of the novelty, which is shot by putting the face at the center of the frame. Parental Issues One of the most important storytelling elements utilized by Steven Spielberg in almost all of his movies revolves around parental issues. It is stated that one of the signature elements of his works is the fact that many characters have some form of relationship issues with their parents (Haskell, 2017). In other words, it is a recurring theme across Spielberg films, which is also present in E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial , because Elliot is taken care of by a single parent and mother, Mary. It becomes evident during the very first family dinner scenes, where Elliot sits with his mother and two siblings. The conversation is centered around the topic of Halloween costumes and Elliot’s story, where the main character states that his father would believe him, unlike his mother and siblings. In other words, the scene reveals that the father’s absence during the family dinner is due to the divorce, which took place before the events of the story. Parental issues are among the most prominent elements of Steven Spielberg, which can be explained through the Auteur Theory. The latter suggests that authors leave their mark on their works due to the creations being the reflection of the subjective being of the creators. Glowing Lights Another key component of Spielberg’s mise-en-scène in regards to the Auteur Theory is lighting, which takes the form of glowing light. This feature is present in almost all of his works, and E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial is no exception. The di