E.T. The Extra-terrestrial 20th Anniversary Edition (2002)
Who's
In It: Dee Wallace, Peter Coyote, Drew Barrymore Who Directed It:
Steven Spielberg
Year of release: 2002
E.T. The Extra-terrestrial 20th Anniversary Edition (2002)
Movie Review Reviewed by: Adam Mast,
Zboneman.com
E.T.
is a movie that had a profound impact on me when I was young. You could say it
is one of those films that really got me interested in movies. Along with Steven
Spielberg's Schindler's List, I'd have to say that this beloved treasure is my
all time favorite film.
Upon
hearing of this 20th anniversary edition, I had mixed feelings. On one hand, this
movie is the closest you're going to get to perfection, so tampering with it seems
pointless. On the other, I was completely excited at the prospect of getting to
see it on the big screen again.
To
my surprise, I discovered that there would be a special advanced screening of
E.T., during the Winter Games. The film isn't slated for release until March 22,
but I had the opportunity to see it on Feb. 20, which, as fate would have it,
also happens to be my birthday. What are the chances of that? Needless to say,
I immediately bought tickets to the event with great anticipation. Given that
Mr. Spielberg was at the Opening Ceremonies, I thought there was a good chance
that he'd be at the screening as well. I've met many celebrities through my years,
but I have yet to meet the famed director, and getting to shake his hand would
be a dream come true for me.
Of
all the entertainers that have inspired me throughout my thirty three years of
life, Mr. Spielberg is clearly my favorite. Why? That's not an easy question to
answer. Although he's made a few films that I'm first to admit were not the best,
I've found that I'm more often moved by his work than not.
This
E.T. screening was being presented at Abravanel Hall, a venue built for concerts,
so I was a bit worried that the sound might not be the best. Boy was I wrong,
but we'll get to that in a second. Sadly, my dreams of meeting Mr. Spielberg on
this day were shattered. He was busy shooting Catch Me if You Can in Los Angeles.
However, Producers Frank Marshall and Kathleen Kennedy were on hand to introduce
the film. They explained that we were the first audience to see the movie, which
was met with a huge round of applause.
Finally,
the lights dimmed and the movie started. The digitally re-mastered audio track
was quite noticeable. John William's breathtaking score sounded better than ever.
It's easily one of the very best of his career. Thankfully, the sound at Abravanel
was near perfect. This movie was loud!
Though
nearly everyone in the world is familiar with this film's plot, I will give a
brief description. E.T. is the touching story of a young boy and his friendship
with an alien being. Of course that is just the basic outline. What really makes
this film excel, is it's passion, heart and innocence. The writing, acting, and
directing all add to this incredibly moving experience. Spielberg's ability to
work with children remains legendary and his splendid storytelling approach is
as captivating as ever.
What
has changed? Thankfully, very little. Spielberg hasn't tampered with the film
too much. There are only two new scenes to speak of. Without giving away too much,
one of the scenes involves some nifty CGI effects while the other showcases Drew
Barrymore's spunky attitude. One scene not included is a sequence that features
Harrison Ford as Elliot's principal. It was thought for quite sometime that this
scene would surely be added, alas Marshall and Kennedy confessed that the Ford
appearance wasn't that good and actually disrupts the flow of the movie.
Most
of the changes in the picture are merely touch-up work. We get more detailed shots
of E.T.'s face. There are even some new shots of the cuddly little guy walking.
E.T.'s ship has also been slightly reworked. It has more of a reflective surface.
It
had also been rumored that the infamous "penis breath" line would be
removed. Thankfully, this hilarious moment remains intact. Missing, not surprisingly,
is a moment during the Halloween sequence in which Dee Wallace says that her son
looks like "a terrorist." Now she calls him "a hippie" instead
which doesn't really make a lot of sense in the context of the scene, but hardly
harms the film.
The
most significant change that seems to have purists in a major uproar comes towards
the film's end when the government officials' guns are digitally replaced with
walkie talkies. I wasn't bothered by this at first, but it does disrupt the flow
of the climactic bicycle chase. Right before Elliot and the gang take flight,
Spielberg has opted to take away a shot of an officer stepping out of his car
with a rifle in his hand. As a result, there seems to be a beat of tension missing
from the sequence.
E.T.
is a film very close to my heart, and I'm excited that a whole new generation
now has the chance to experience it for the very first time. It's strange that
one of the very best movies of 2002 is a film that actually opene ned to such
luke warm box offices.
