E.T: 20th Anniversary Special Edition

Review by Clint Morris

Relive the wonder. Relive the joy. Relive the enchantment of Steven Spielberg's classic E.T: The Extra Terrestrial; and at the same time feel content that you played your part in adding another room to the Spielberg family Mansion.

Believe it or not, it's been 20 years since the much-loved visitor from another planet broke our hearts with his memorable stay on Earth; and one wonders if we've ever seen a family fantasy film as good since. Despite it's luminosity in special effects (groundbreaking for 1982 anyway), a superior screenplay and being able to push all the right buttons at all the right times, Spielberg felt there were still a couple of essentials he'd like to fix up with the film, and the film's impending anniversary offered the chance. Now he's included an astounding sounding re-mastered soundtrack, enhanced special effects and a couple of, albeit brief, new scenes.

The story of E.T is better known than the first chapter in the bible; so a prolonged synopsis is out of the question. To sum it up: A young boy, Elliot (Henry Thomas), dealing with the recent divorce of his parents, discovers an affable alien creature in his backyard.

He takes it in and they form a beautiful amity. But trouble lurks just around the corner in the form of an assemblage of scientists; who upon discovering the whereabouts of the alien will put a stop to the flourishing relationship and the beginning of the end for the endearing terrestrial.

Even after such advances in technology, Spielberg's film still works a treat. The special effects look a little passé in some scenes (the flying bicycles are blue screen at it's worst...); but the mechanics devised for E.T himself are miraculous. One wonders whether today's actors could ask for such emotion from a CGI style E.T if it were a film of 2002.

At the same time, Melissa Mathison's script is a timeless piece of divine floss -- roofed in emotion, laughs and adventure. And best of all, it's a film that the whole family can actually see together.

If you're heading to this 'special edition' E.T expecting to see a multitude of new bits; you'll be a little disappointed. Most of the reworking has gone into the soundtrack and the look of the print - but that alone makes it worth the price of admission.

There are a couple of new scenes though; one is an adorable scene with E.T taking a bath; and another is with Gertie (Drew Barrymore) inadvertently informing their mother where young Elliot has vanished too. Spielberg has also touched up a few existing scenes; but the remodifications are so minute, you'll blink and miss them.

If anything, E.T reminds us just how good films can be; and just how sweet the most clear-cut of tales can be. And as sad as it is to realise that we haven't seen anything near as good since, it's soothing to know that a pristine print of this gem is now in existence.

5 out of 5

E.T: 20th Anniversary Special Edition
Australian release: Commences Thursday 28th March across Australia
Cast: Dee Wallace Stone, Henry Thomas, Peter Coyote, Drew Barrymore, Robert MacNaughton, C.Thomas Howell, Erika Eleniak.
Director: Steven Spielberg
Website: Click here

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