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However, once it arrived on DVD professionalism (and the
kids' screaming) took over and I had to sit down and watch
it.
Now just to remind everyone about ET - it won four
Oscars, two Golden Globes, was a squillion-dollar boxoffice
smash and set Steven Spielberg well and truly into the Hollywood
Hall of Fame.
It made stars out of Henry Thomas and Drew Barrymore and
gave telecommunications companies around the globe the perfect
advertising line in "phone home".
ET is a little alien plant collector who is left behind when
his spaceship has to leave quickly when a group of scientists
gets on to its trail.
He waddles into the back shed of a young family and meets
up with Elliott (Thomas), who eventually brings him inside
to meet his older brother Michael (MacNaughton) and his little
sister Gertie (Barrymore).
Keeping ET out of sight of his just divorced Mum (Dee Wallace)
is not easy and this is made doubly so when Elliott begins
to feel what ET does. This may allow for easier communication
between the two, but when ET accidently gets a bit rat-arsed
on some beer it makes life a bit difficult for the young fellow
in science class.
It is well worth listening to Spielberg in the extras about
ET as you'll see why he filmed it as he did. He was
after the complete child's movie and so you never got to see
the faces of adults (other than Wallace) until very late in
the film. You also discover that each of the main characters
has a bit of Spielberg in it and he even 'fesses up to the
fact that it is based on his own boyhood desire to meet and
befriend an alien. Not to mention it helped exorcise the pain
of his parents' divorce.
I found ET to be a thoroughly enjoyable couple of
hours that will appeal to both youngsters and former youngsters
alike. It is funny, sad and emotionally stirring and will
let you escape back into your young days when anything was
possible in your imagination.
The DVD has never-before-seen footage, has a computer-enhanced
ET for a more expressive creature and a digitally remastered
soundtrack.
It is a limited edition and Universal says it will only be
available for a limited time from 23 October.
The transfer is excellent, with only a couple of noticeable
video artifacts on the usual suspects - like blinds, and the
sound is excellent.
Conclusion: Movie 85%, Extras 85%
Continued: DVD details
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