Jeri Jacquin

On Bluray, DVD and Digital from director Steven Spielberg, Amblin Pictures and Universal Pictures Home Entertainment is the return of E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial.

Elliott (Henry Thomas) is a young boy living with his mother Mary (Dee Wallace), brother Michael (Robert MacNaughton) and sister Gertie (Drew Barrymore) the suburb of the San Fernando Valley. It is a boy’s night as cards, music and pizza are taking over the house. Elliott thinks he sees something in the backyard and goes to investigate throwing a baseball toward a shed and is stunned when it comes back.

Running back into the house shrieking, he tries to tell everyone there is something out there. Finding nothing, everyone goes back to having fun but Elliott decides to set a candy-trap for whatever is out there. It works and he leads the creature into his large bedroom closet.

The next day he tells Mom he is sick and she trusts him to stay home in bed. The real plan is for Elliott to spend time with his backyard find. He spends the day showing the creature around introducing him to object and food. There is also a strange connection happening between the two.

When his siblings return home, Elliott introduces E.T. announcing that he’s keeping him. They all discuss what the plan is while E.T. shows what he can do reviving flowers and fixing a wound on his new friend Elliott. When he returns to school the next day, E.T. is at home gathering objects to make a strange contraption while Elliott is having a strange reaction at school.

Now called E.T., Elliott is told that his small friend wants to ‘phone home’ and it is clear that his health is failing. The boy enlists the help of Michael to find a way to get E.T. out so he can make contact with others of his own kind. What they don’t know is that there is someone else looking for the little alien as well.

Halloween provides the cover they need dressing up and taking E. T. out of the house. But the next morning, Elliott and E.T. are very sick. Keys (Peter Coyote) finds Elliott and E.T. as a crew takes over their house. Elliott turns to Michael and his friends Greg (K.C. Martel), Steve (Sean Frye) and Tyler (C. Thomas Howell) to get the connected pair away.

What they see changes them all forever!

Thomas as Elliott has solidified himself as the young man who brought us the meaning of true friendship. This young boy did not see a dangerous creature but instead, a friend beyond the stars. He is a part of our collective childhoods and it has become generational. Though this actor has played man roles throughout his career, he will always be the most beloved as the boy who flew with E.T.

Barrymore as sister Gertie is sassy and certainly can not be bullied by her brother or anyone else for that matter. She embraces E.T. and shows him kindness from the moment she meets until the moment they part. MacNaughton as brother Michael follows along with his little brother’s friendship and plan to help get him home. I always thought this character showed such courage protecting everyone as the man of the family.

Coyote as Keys is a man who is determined to find E.T. At first his plan seems nefarious, but meeting Elliot, he explains what his true intentions are. I have always enjoyed Coyote as an actor and this is one of his most memorable roles. Wallace as mom Mary is just trying to keep her family safe. Going through her own problems with an ex-husband who prefers his own life to that of his children, she also sees what Elliot is going through and does her best to protect him.

Universal Pictures Home Entertainment has just added an amazing film to their library and making it available for us to all experience and re-experience in our own home theaters. There are films of every genre available from scary to drama to family films. For more of what they have to offer please visit www.uphe.com.

MOVIES ANYWHERE gives viewers the ability to download the Movies Anywhere App. With that you can view films by downloading or streaming to your favorite device using a Digital Code. For more information on Movies Anywhere please visit www.MoviesAnywhere.com.

The Bluray includes over four hours of Bonus Feature including 40 Years of E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial, TCM Classic Film Festival: An Evening with Steven Spielberg, Deleted Scenes, Steven Spielberg & E.T., The E.T. Journals, A Look Back, The Evolution and Creation of E.T., The E.T. Reunion, The Music of E.T.: A Discussion with John Williams and more!

It has been 40 years since E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial landed in theatres to delight and thrill audiences with his humanity, love and friendship. Matching him with Elliott only made the film even more endearing. Watching their relationship become one and the same, we saw, as Neil Diamond sang, their heart-light.

I saw E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial when I was younger, introduced my own children to the film when they were kids and now, they are doing the very same to theirs. It has been such a wonderful experience watching the film with them because it is timeless.

Spielberg brought us all something wonderful, memorable and movie lines that are still used today. The character is recognizable and still, to this day, children wear E.T. costumes on Halloween. That is the magic of E.T. who shows us all the things we hope we truly are in our hearts, on this planet or any other.

In the end – E.T. phone home!

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