E.T: 20th Anniversary Special Edition: Interview

Interview by Clint Morris

Interview with Peter Coyote
Starring in the re-release of the E.T. film.

Most actors tend to look forward, rather than back, but when you were a luminary of Steven Spielberg's classic E.T, you unquestionably like to revert to your past, after all it's not often you're involved with a film that not only stands the test of time, but one that gets an all-too-rare re-release a couple of times over.

With a new version around the corner, complete with never-before-seen scenes and a sharper picture and soundtrack, E.T is about to warm the cockles of many a new posse of cinemagoers - and Peter Coyote is only too happy to talk to Clint Morris about being involved in such a ostentatious production.

Peter Coyote composes himself

"When I was first hired for E.T it was for 38 days. It was my "fall" movie, that was all," tells Peter Coyote on break from promoting the re-release of the classic film.

"Of course I knew who Steven Spielberg was, but that was it. It was a job, and lots of fun," he adds.

In E.T, Coyote played Keys (a central figure in the final plight of the earth grounded alien), so named because of the jingling keys hanging from his belt, also wants to find E.T. He works for the government and he and his men track E.T to Elliot's house.

It's then up to the kids to keep Keys away from E.T, thus allowing him time to contact his people and return to his home.

Aside from the extremely well written screenplay and characters, this was a film Spielberg had been planning on making for years. "Not only did it not have blockbuster written all over it, but Steven was very nervous. It was his "little, personal picture" and he seemed unsure about it, because it was so close to him," explains Coyote.

The set of E.T was no doubt an interesting one to be on. "Once Steven told the Director of Cinematography, Allan Daviau, that he wanted "blue" light for a particular sequence. We came back 40 minutes later and when Steven walked in he announced the obvious, The light isn't blue.

"Allan began a long lecture about lumens of light and why you could not put more blue gel on the lamps than he had. Steven abruptly grabbed a roll of blue gel and began wrapping it around the lamps. At a certain point he stepped back, and "presto" -- the light was blue. The man knew what he wanted." Tells Coyote.

The actor was also really pleased of the chemistry his character, Keys, had with Henry Thomas's Elliot. "There's a scene in the hospital when I talk to Elliot and confide that I too had been waiting for E.T and that I'm so glad that he found Elliot. I like it because it makes my character human, and in continuity with Elliot. It doesn't demonise either adulthood or science, and that was important to me also," he says.

Elliot's over the moon...

Peter Coyote has starred in more movies than you can count on a baseball team's fingers, most recently he played Mandy Moore's preacher father in the forthcoming A Walk to Remember. "A Walk to Remember was a really pleasant experience. The director, Adam Shankman, runs an easy, family-style set and is very, very, relaxed.

"Mandy Moore and Shane West, besides being totally professional and prepared, were lovely people to spend time with. I really enjoyed myself, and enjoyed Wilmington, NC, where the story was shot," he says.

And next, Coyote will do some TV work. "I'm off to LA to do two episodes of a show called The Division starring Bonnie Bedelia. It's the most popular show on our Lifetime Cable network -- the story of four women inspectors in a police department. I have an audition coming up for another movie, which will remain nameless. I'm still writing screenplays and trying to make the transition from actor to writer-director, so that I can determine what stories get told as opposed to only interpreting those of other people."

From our interview, though, it seems nothing is more important at the moment than the re-release of E.T. "Any movie which has touched millions and millions of people must have something going for it and E.T does. The performances are wonderful. The story will make you laugh and (I dare you not to) cry. It's wonderfully conceived and shot and it's a touching story carefully told.

"It has no sex or violence in it and yet is totally satisfying to four year olds and forty year olds. What's not to like. It's a great movie!" Testifies Coyote.

Coyote has also been actively involved in the DVD version of the film, due for release later in the year. With all the buzz about for E.T at the moment, one wonders if a sequel is still a possibility.

"On the last day of filming, as we wrapped, Steven told me that he was going to make a sequel when Elliot turned 18. I guess in the intervening years he had time to ponder, "why mess with success?" Also, the skin of ET has deteriorated. We couldn't use it for publicity appearances for instance, so perhaps that's another reason why they didn't."

E.T: 20th Anniversary Special Edition commences March 28th.

Click here for the official website.

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