Week 4: E.T.: The Extra-Terrestrial

This week's movie is "E.T.: The Extra-Terrestrial" (1982, 115mins). It starred Dee Wallace, Drew Barrymore, and Henry Thomas. It's a children's movie about a boy who makes an emotional connection with an alien. Directed by Stephen Spielberg, written by Melissa Mathison. The film won 4 Oscars at the 1983 Academy Awards: Best Sound Effects Editing, Best Visual Effects, Best Original Score, and Best Sound. It was nominated for Best Cinematography, Best Director(Stephen Spielberg), Best Film Editing, Best Screenplay, and the most prestigious Academy Award, Best Picture. Here's the Wikipedia page and the script.

There were two original posters. I couldn't choose, so you get both!

Think about these questions while you watch the film:

1. Let's think about tropes again. What children's fairytale tropes are evident in this film?

2. The adults in the film never refer to E.T. as an "alien", a "monster", a "creature", or any other words that make the presence of an alien a real thing. They only say "him" or "it". Why do you think that is?

3. Elliot says to his sister, "Grown ups can't see him. Only little kids can see him". What is the significance of this innocent remark?

4. E.T. is treated like a stray dog. Explain.

5. E.llioT.  


HOMEWORK:

Assignment #2 is due April 10th - I changed the date to give myself more time to look at them.

Optional: watch the next film, which is Blade Runner – Final Cut (1982)