E.T.: THE EXTRA-TERRESTRIAL

HAPPY 40TH ANNIVERSARY “E.T.”

Hello everyone, welcome back to my movie blog!

Today we are taking a look at STEVEN SPIELBERG’S 1982 motion picture masterpiece “E.T.: THE EXTRA-TERRESTRIAL”. Yeah I know what you’re thinking: “Oh he’s looking at yet another SPIELBERG movie.” Well I can’t help it, i’m a big fan!

Did you know that HARRISON FORD was going to have a cameo in the film?

In my last entry, ‘THE COMPLETE ADVENTURES OF INDIANA JONES” we talked how PETER COYOTE landed the role of “KEYS”. Well in a sort of role-reversal FORD landed the role of “ELLIOTT’S SCHOOL PRINCIPLE” who lectures “Elliott” after some concerns arise about his behavior in school. In keeping with SPIELBERG’S desire to have all adults except for “ELLIOTT’S” mother remain unseen until about half an hour into the film, “THE PRINCIPLE” is seen entirely in shadow as he swivels around on a chair in his dark office. During the sequence, “ELLIOTT” briefly levitates while the school leader has his back turned. The boy's concerned mom comes in to speak briefly to the principal at the end.

Ultimately, SPIELBERG felt the scene didn't add anything important -- and he was worried that FORD’S presence would be a distraction from the story -- so he cut it. This was a wise move, as FORD’S distinct voice does indeed draw attention to itself, making it easy to forget what the moment is supposed to be about. If you want to get a glimpse of how everything played out, a very grainy version of the scene is available right now on youtube.

[“ELLIOTT” [HENRY THOMAS] talking to “THE PRINCIPLE” [FORD] in the previously mentioned deleted scene.]

Did you know that the movie was inspired by the divorce of SPIELBERG’S own parents?

“E.T.” was an amalgam of ideas that STEVEN SPIELBERG had. At one point in his career, he had planned to make a movie called “GROWING UP” that was semi-autobiographical, based on childhood memories of disappearing into his imagination as a way of dealing with his parents' divorce. That particular effort never got made. Neither did “NIGHT SKIES”, a more intense alien-themed project he worked on with writer JOHN SAYLES. It dealt with a family coming face-to-face with hostile beings from another planet.

These different ideas merged together when Spielberg talked to Screenwriter MELISSA MATHISON. He told her about the “NIGHT SKIES” alien concept, as well as some of his recollections of feeling lonely and adrift after his parents split. His idea was to meld the space creature idea to the very personal story of a young boy reeling from parental separation. Under his guidance, MATHISON went on to write the Screenplay. If “E.T.” often feels heartbreaking, that's because it's meant to feel that way. SPIELBERG made sure to infuse his own experiences into both the story itself and the overall atmosphere of the film.

Incidentally, as for “NIGHT SKIES”, the evil aliens got turned into ghosts as the project morphed into the SPIELBERG-PRODUCED film “POLTERGEIST” [1982].

[This was the closest image that I could find to represent what happened.]

Additionally, “NIGHT SKIES” was originally intended to be a pseudo-sequel to SPIELBERG’S other classic alien film “CLOSE ENCOUNTERS OF THE THIRD KIND” [1977] and one of the aliens was going to befriend the family’s youngest son. That idea is the only one to stay in the film.

Did you know that DREW BERRYMORE lied to be in the movie and that she thought the alien was real?

[BARRYMORE AND E.T.]

DREW BARRYMORE won America's collective hearts with her performance as “GERTIE”, “ELLIOTT’S” little sister who is afraid of “E.T.” At first, but later grows to love him. She initially came to SPIELBERG’S attention when she auditioned for the role of “CAROL ANNE”, the young girl at the center of “POLTERGEIST”. That role, of course, ended up being filled by HEATHER O’ROURKE. Still, BARRYMORE made an impression on SPIELBERG, especially when she fibbed to him, claiming that she was in a rock band called “THE PURPLE PEOPLE EATERS” and had world-class culinary skills.

In her autobiography “WILDFLOWER”, BARRYMORE writes that she continued her humorous lies when meeting with the director and his team for “E.T.” Of entering the casting session and speaking to a group of adults, she says, "I was a dry-witted, lying, thieving six-year-old, and I just wanted to win the job and go on an adventure. And I wanted to make the most of it. So after my made-up tales and small talk that was larger than life, I was mostly directing it to STEVEN because I knew that he was buying it." The fact that the filmmaker would respond so strongly to an adorable child with an imagination that worked overtime is no surprise. He knew that he'd discovered a true star.

Not only did BARRYMORE’S act land her a big breakout role, but rumors also claim that the 6-year-old actress was shedding genuine tears in the more emotional scenes because she truly believed the alien was real. In a clip from behind the scenes, you can see how her naïveté was encouraged by her costar HENRY THOMAS trying to keep the magic alive for his fictional sis.

Did you know that SPIELBERG shot every scene in the same order that they appear in the movie?

Steven Spielberg decided to shoot a lot of E.T. in chronological order, as opposed to the order that would be most convenient for the actors’ schedules and the availability of shooting locations. He did this to allow the actors to get to know each other throughout the shoot, so that they would have authentic emotions for the farewell scene at the end of the movie. The final scene was deliberately shot last. That way, it was actually the last time that the cast would all be together, so they were actually sad. It was actually quite a sadistic move by Spielberg, but at least it worked.

Did you know that “E.T.” has multiple video games?

[“E.T.: THE EXTRA-TERRESTRIAL [ATARI 2600]” - 1982]

[“E.T.: RETURN TO THE GREEN PLANET” - 2002 - unreleased.]

“E.T.” for the ATARI 2600 was such a big failure that it’s not worth talking about!

A video game inspired sequel called “E.T.: THE EXTRA-TERRESTRIAL: RETURN TO THE GREEN PLANET” for PLAYSTATION 2 was cancelled before it was even released for the film’s 20th anniversary re-release in 2002!

Other games were released and some were cancelled [for unknown reasons] but these two were the first ones I could think of.

Did you know that a sequel kind of does exist?

Given that it broke box office records, it may seem a bit surprising that there was never a sequel to “E.T.” SPIELBERG claimed that, for years, one of the questions he was most frequently asked was when he would make a follow-up to his biggest hit. There was great pressure from inside the industry, as well. UNIVERSAL, suspecting that there was a lot more money to be made from the property, also pushed for a second installment.

The truth is that, for a while, the Director strongly considered capitulating to the overwhelming demand. SPIELBERG worked with MATHiSON to come up with a treatment for a sequel that would have been called “E.T. 2: NOCTURNAL FEARS” They devised a story in which “ELLIOTT” and his friends are abducted by malevolent aliens and need to find a way to contact “E.T.” so that he can save them. In some ways, it was a reversal of the original, which found “E.T.” under threat and “ELLIOTT” working to aid his escape. The director eventually decided (wisely) that any kind of sequel would just detract from the impact and unique magic of the movie so many people had fallen so deeply in love with, and he abandoned these plans. SPIELBERG also felt that it was dark for his own liking.

SPIELBERG did authorize a sequel to the movie’s novelization, “E.T.: THE EXTRA-TERRESTRIAL IN HIS ADVENTURE ON EARTH”, called “E.T.: THE BOOK OF THE GREEN PLANET”, both written by WILLIAM KOTZWINKLE.

[“E.T.: THE EXTRA-TERRESTRIAL IN HIS ADVENTURE ON EARTH”]

[“E.T.: THE BOOK OF THE GREEN PLANET”]

“THE BOOK OF THE GREEN PLANET’S” plot is different from SPIELBERG’S original story but due to to how dark his original idea was, that might be a good thing!

Did you know that MATHISON’S first draft of the story immediately became the film’s shooting script?

[The shooting script with autographs by stars HENRY THOMAS and DREW BARRYMORE]

Most films go through several drafts before a final shooting script is locked into place, but MELISSA MATHISON’S first draft is what STEVEN SPIELBERG used during shooting. Instead of constantly revising individual drafts, SPIELBERG gave MATHISON the general narrative plot for her to round out. She would write for five straight days and then collaborate with him for five successive days of feedback. This process went on for eight weeks, and SPIELBERG later called the resulting screenplay “the best first draft I’ve ever read.” In order to maintain a spontaneous and streamlined shoot (and unlike the fully pre-visualized “INDIANA JONES AND THE RAIDERS OF THE LOST ARK”), SPIELBERG didn’t storyboard any of the shots for E.T. and kept the script MATHISON had written on 3 x 5-inch notecards in his shirt pocket. This gave him the freedom to revise, improvise, and make things up with the child actors on set. To maintain secrecy while shooting, the production name was listed as the rather mundane “A BOY’S LIFE”.

And now some quick little fun facts:

SPIELBERG worked simultaneously on both “E.T.” and “POLTERGEIST” in 1982 (which was Directed by TOBE HOOPER but Produced by SPIELBERG), and both were made to complement each other. "E.T." represented suburban dreams, and "POLTERGEIST" represented suburban nightmares.

[“POLTERGEIST” - 1982]

SPIELBERG shot most of the film from the eye-level of a child to further connect with “ELLIOTT” and “E.T.” With the exception of “ELLIOTT’S” mom, no adults' faces are shown until the last half of the film.

ET's communicator actually worked, and was constructed by Henry Feinberg, an expert in science and technology interpretation for the public.

According to the film's novelization, “E.T.” is over ten million years old. SPIELBERG also stated in an interview that “E.T.” was a plant-like creature, and is neither male or female.

[I bet you didn’t know that one!]

“E.T.'S” voice was provided by PAT WELSH, an elderly woman who lived in Marin County, California. WELSH smoked two packets of cigarettes a day, which gave her voice a quality that sound effects creator Ben BEN BURTT liked. She spent nine-and-a-half hours recording her part, and was paid $380 by BURTT for her services. BURTT also recorded 16 other people and various animals to create E.T.'s "voice". These included SPIELBERG; actress DEBRA WINGER; BURTT’S sleeping wife, who had a cold; a burp from his USC film professor; as well as raccoons, sea otters and horses.

“ET'S” face was modeled after poet CARL SANDBURG, Theoretical Physicist ALBERT EINSTEIN and a pug dog.

[SANDBURG,]

[EINSTEIN]

[and a PUG, obviously!]

Today, it’s easy for fans to watch their favorite films, and there is no shortage of mediums to catch a movie or television show. This situation was not the case in the early 80s. Video cassette tapes were a new technological innovation that SPIELBERG was wary of accepting. Fans and execs alike had to beg the Director to release the film for purchase on video cassette tapes; he eventually caved to these demands.

In the early 2000s, SPIELBERG decided to enhance “E.T.” digitally and replace the guns of FBI agents in the film with walkie-talkies. He also replaced some scenes of E.T. as a puppet with a CGI model. During the promotion of the film “READY PLAYER ONE” [2018] , SPIELBERG expressed regret at doing this. He saw GEORGE LUCAS digitally editing STAR WARS: EPISODE 4: A NEW HOPE” [1977 original theatrical version/1997 “SPECIAL EDITION” version] and felt he should do the same. He then promised never to digitally enhance a past film in the future.

[A split-screen comparison of the two edited versions of the scene.]

In the movie, “E.T.’S” favorite candy is Reese’s pieces, and it is used to lure him back home, but SPIELBERG wanted it to be M&Ms.

THE MARS CORPORATION, which owns M&Ms, refused to let SPIELBERG use their candy as “E.T.’S” favorite treat, so SPIELBERG approached HERSHEY’S instead.

HERSHEY’S were launching their new REESE’S PIECES candy, so they saw an opportunity to market their new product.

HERSHEY’S paid $1 million to SPIELBERG for promotional rights.

“E.T.” was released on JUNE 11, 1982, and within two weeks of the premier, REESE’S PIECES sales rose by 65%. Because of this, more and more companies began requesting that their products be used in movies. Thus, product placement was born.

STEVEN SPIELBERG initially tried to set up “E.T.” at COLUMBIA PICTURES. He'd provided them with a big success with his film “CLOSE ENCOUNTERS OF THE THIRD KIND” a few years prior, and he felt that the studio would make a good home for his newest sci-fi adventure. He was wrong. COLUMBIA’S marketing department, which assessed the financial viability of in-development projects by studying market demographics and the theatrical performance of similar films, didn't see much potential in the concept. They forecast that “E.T.” would only appeal to young children, making it a gamble not necessarily worth taking.

Studio President FRANK PRICE reportedly viewed the story as being akin to the cheesy DISNEY live-action movies that littered the cinematic landscape during the 1970s. Taking the advice of his marketing team, he put the script into "turnaround" -- a process that allows other studios to pursue a project. UNIVERSAL PICTURES, feeling more bullish on “E.T.'S” possibilities, stepped in and made the movie. SPIELBERG remained miffed that PRICE lacked faith in this very personal story. PRICE later left COLUMBIA and went to UNIVERSAL. The Director, whose company AMBLIN ENTERTAINMENT was based at UNIVERSAL, insisted that he never be required to deal with the executive.

[PRICE]

Welp, that’s all for this entry, I will catch you guys again later. Bye!!