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E.T. BluRay trailer hits... Walkie-Talkies are gone, THE GUNS ARE BACK!!!
Hey folks, Harry here... Still cranking on the DVD column - working to be all caught up by Tuesday - but had to get this out to y'all. We all remember Spielberg talking about how he felt it was a mistake to digitally touch up E.T. - and this first trailer for the Blu-Ray release this Fall addresses that with the shot of the bicycles taking off at the Government Blockade - and those utterly stupid looking digital Walkie Talkies are gone - and back are the SHOTGUNS that the Men In Black had to bag the co-dependent Alien that we all love. This is a film that was over 2 & a half times more successful domestically than AVENGERS. Hell, it made more here than TITANIC did. In fact there's only 3 films more successful in the United States than E.T. and that's THE SOUND OF MUSIC, STAR WARS and GONE WITH THE WIND. I kind of can't imagine that there are people on Planet Earth that don't know E.T., but strange mutant humans exist - hopefully this release will catch them and slap 'em with sweetness! This film singlehandedly turned my sister into a Geek for life. She saw herself as Drew Barrymore, her favorite candy became REESE'S PIECES, and yes she even became E.T. for a Halloween. If you have a soul - this film is going to own you on Blu Ray. With this and JAWS releasing this year - I'm just giddy! Here's the trailer:
And somewhere Nordling is salivating...
Readers Talkback
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They digitally replaced all shots of ACTUAL walkies with machine guns.
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Lucas will follow Spielberg's lead and release a version Star Wars WITHOUT FUCKING WITH IT!
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The update to the website?Remember? Or is that Green lantern ring glowing,....?
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May 27, 2012, 5:36 p.m. CST
Yay Steven for coming to your senses and putting it back the way it should be...
by ShogunMaster
..now if you ever get a chance to talk to George about Star Wars...
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GOing to look forward to both this and Jaws.
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Sorry I'm probably late to the party but has it been posted on here? A friend told me it's been out for a week and YouTube agrees.
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It's pure bottled magic.
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Title Cards: "E.T."......"BluRay"......"Fucking own it bitches!!!!" Would have gotten to the point!
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I never understood the love for this dumb movie. Even as a kid, I thought it was dumb. I never bought the alien. The film does not hold up at all now a days. Sorry E.T. lovers. I'm just being honest.
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E.T., Jaws, Indiana Jones Trilogy, Titanic, All the Bonds - better get saving!
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I would have posted this had I known. Seres me right for being away from the internet for a day...
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Some time in October last I heard... Then Jaws shortly after that.... Man, Spielberg used to make some really amazing movies...
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It's a documentary.
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On Twitch, they have a news about Fan BingBing joining the cast of IronMan 3.. A few weeks ago they were talking about Andy Lau, now her.. The Chinese Disney really wants to put some of their local actors in it badly.. :P
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I vaguely remember E.T. getting drunk but I didn't know what that meant except E.T. was acting funny. I was very young so I don't know what my parents were thinking taking me to a theater, even if it was a cheap theater months after release, but do believe this film has played a huge part of my love and appreciation for films over the years. I've watched it countless times since and I can't wait to own this remastered version and share the experience with my newborn.
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May 27, 2012, 5:57 p.m. CST
Hours of bonus features better include that 'making of E.T.' doc from the laserdisc
by Kamaji
Someone posted 10 parts of that on youtube, and it's incredibly insightful, with Spielberg talking about turning his film from a scary alien film into something heartwarming. There were also some great behind-the-scenes clips, including Spielberg addressing Henry Thomas about his goodbye moment with E.T., and telling Robert MacNaughton when he pulls off the protective mask in the van, to do it like Richard the Lionheart in 'Robin Hood.'
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the DVD release following the digitally altered rerelease did include the original version as well. It's not like Spielberg has been withholding it from the public like George has with the Star Wars originals.
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That end "I'll be right here" shot has ET digitally blinking and digitally altered lips - watch the trailer again. They've removed the most contentious digital issues and left in the ones they think no one will notice.
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didn't realize they ever left. unless it was just a limited run, the dvd package i have which i bought on release day includes both the original and the 2002 editions. that trailer probably means they'll either just include the original or they'll have a limited version that includes the 2002 one. i know spielberg said he regrets that now but aside from the gun issue...the CGI improvements actually did improve things. and here comes the rose colored glass wearing whiners.... :P
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or maybe I'm just older and find E.T. more of a kids movie now
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were Eliott's cloak being added to that moon shot and the flying puppet bikers being replaced with real people. Those additions were solid because they made sense. Kids flying from the threat of walkie talkies? Makes no fucking sense at all.
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And the headline "Walkie-Talkies are gone, THE GUNS ARE BACK" implies (likely unintentionally) the version WITH the guns disappeared when the altered version came out. I'm just setting the record straight so people won't get the wrong idea. Is that really a problem?
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On my last viewing...I was surprised how many subtle and obvious references to Peter Pan there were.
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So fuck E.T.
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I've never seen ET fully! I've seen maybe a total of 20 mins of it when it's been on tv here and there but never seen the whole film. I just didn't watch it when I was younger, and never really felt a wanting to when I got older. Sorry, should I hand my geek card back in? Maybe when it hits blu I'll give it a rent.
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May 27, 2012, 6:58 p.m. CST
Totally over-rated and dumb movie. If he could fly the whole time, why didn't he get away from the feds? Etc. Stupid on all fronts.
by MENTALDOMINANCE
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May 27, 2012, 6:58 p.m. CST
Just remember: there's always the HDTV rip of the theatrical
by Monroville
Just look up TehParadox.com or E.T. Theatrical 720p (you know, just in case this isn't "completely" the theatrical version... you know, the version that MADE all of those millions of dollars to begin with?).
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May 27, 2012, 7:01 p.m. CST
Is Poltergeist what became of the original idea for E.t? With the family home being invaded by evil aliens.
by EyeForgiveMelGibson
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that scene where the bicycles go flying makes me feel like i'm 5 years old again. Kind of like the helicopter sequence in "Superman the movie" when the scenes are over i have this big grin on my face.
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Chew on that.
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May 27, 2012, 7:13 p.m. CST
I remember crying like a bitch when they find him half-dead in the creek.
by Ironhelix
Yeah, the whole movie is a little dated now, but it's still better than most shit they feed us these days.
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watching movies in wellington nz gandi, annie and ET. really gutted i wasn't allowed to watch wrath of khan, that and i never got the Millennium Falcon i asked for.
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it was a homage to his own bloody film
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May 27, 2012, 7:21 p.m. CST
Spielberg didn't make Super 8, that hack J.J. did. All Spielberg did was "produce" (put up the funds) for a movie he knew would make money, regardless of if it sucked or not.
by MENTALDOMINANCE
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May 27, 2012, 7:38 p.m. CST
I like when the boy tells his brother that he has pennis breath
by ajit maholtra
That means his brother must have had enough pennises in his mouth to make his breath smell like a pennis. Even the mom thought it was funny. She was like, youre right, your brothers breath does smell like a pennis.
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Many of you are disgusted and aghast by this. I have no soubt.
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May 27, 2012, 7:53 p.m. CST
I abosutely HATED E.T. when I was a kid. I still HATE it now!
by Beosker Posey III
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May 27, 2012, 7:58 p.m. CST
If you like digital changes to old movies, you like watching an old man jack off.
by Georgepeppard
Since that's all it amounts to. Good for Spielberg for letting the movie just be what it is now.
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Like the whole "cornfield" sequence that's got a CGI ET in it? Is that "gone" too? I hope so. Just give us a clear version of the old movie. I love the way ajit_maholtra spells "pennis." And yes, the disturbing trend of people shitting on great movies continues. First Blade Runner, now this. I'd love to know what vettebro and boxcer think are great movies. Actually, no, I wouldn't.
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May 27, 2012, 8:04 p.m. CST
Does anybody know why it took six years for this film to come out on video back in the 1980s?
by BoyNamedSue
As I recall, this film came out theatrically in 1982 (the first film I ever saw in a movie theater at the age of 4), and there was a theatrical re-release in 1986.......but this film didn't come out on video until 1988, even though back then all movies were available for VHS rental within six months of it leaving movie theaters. It's just something I've always wondered!
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Sorry, but that is my opinion. I really never cared for it and never understood all the love.
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Spielberg has seen the light. Now Lucas has no excuses left. Wonder if now he'll admit the REAL reason he wont release the original Star Wars is because he doesnt want to give Marcia Lucas her cut of the $$$.
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Thanks. After 24 years, that's one less thing for to wonder about, lol.
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Yeah, I remember that when it did come out, it was the first video release that I recall being a HUGE deal, priced to own and all that. The supermarket had a huge standee with about a thousand copies ready for purchase. I remember faking sick the few days around the release and my mom came home from food shopping with two things I always wanted - a Venus fly trap (used to see them in those magic trick/weird stuff catalogs) and E.T. on home video. Always wondered why it took so long myself, maybe someone knows.
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And there it is, thanks!
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Seeing him hop around like a frog looked stupid.
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..Where Elliot's mum figures out what E.T.'s glowing finger is really for?
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Had one of the cops accidentally pop one off and open up one of the kids' heads like a ripe cantaloupe.
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Lucas will never admit it. Theirs was a horribly bitter divorce.
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May 27, 2012, 9:04 p.m. CST
I remember an interview with Speilberg when E.T. was coming out on VHS
by Crimson Dynamo
about how reluctant he was to have it on VHS because he was uncomfortable with it just sitting on someone's video shelf - next to the Transformers
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I love life, children, animals and in some ways god but - ET blows. I hated it when I was 8 and I still think it blows. Was this Speilberg's first full blown smaltz fest? Close Encounters was great, Jaws freaking amazing, Polterguist extreamly cool but this one just sucked balls. I still think it would be a crack up to see ET Alien bite Gerty's screaming head off. Or to go all Thing like with tenticals and creepy howls. It was just too syrupy sweet for me.
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that name makes me think of that douche from the wedding singer. ET rules. Your favorite movie is prolly Weekend at Bernies...
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Yet Elliot plays with his Star Wars toys in front of E.T.. How?!!! What? !!! Which was the chicken? Which was the egg?
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May 27, 2012, 9:39 p.m. CST
This gets a buy for being THE FIRST MOVIE I SAW IN A THEATER!
by SoylentMean
While I don't think it has aged all that well it's still a must own from Spielberg.<P> Unlike, say War of the Worlds, Amistad, Hook, The Color Purple ( I used to think that movie was about somebody's crayon, damn you Harold), and Indy 4: Let's Make A Shitload Of Money In A Lead Lined Fridge.<P> Also, it's E.T. you soulless bastards!
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May 27, 2012, 9:53 p.m. CST
"Still cranking on the DVD column", really? Are you using a chisel?
by SoylentMean
How about you do the column every two weeks? <P> What are your rules for actually reviewing a release? <P> Do you force yourself to watch the release, special features and all? <P> Do you stare at them with malice and perhaps an arched eyebrow?<P> Do you yell at them in a foreign tongue?<P> What is the deal here?<P> Also, what are your opinions on 48 frames per second and do you think it represents a "bold new frontier" for porn?
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May 27, 2012, 9:56 p.m. CST
I vaguely remember the TV commercials for the VHS release of E.T.
by Nasty In The Pasty
They had some new kid playing Elliott (because Henry Thomas must have been about sixteen in 1988). I have to see if someone has put that up on YouTube...
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I'm surprised it's even necessary to defend it on AICN. E.T. is not fluff, or mediocre, or dated. Using any measuring stick you like (public acceptance, financial success, influence on the medium, etc.), E.T. is plainly a great film. But most of all it is a great film in cinematic terms. I can scarcely think of a film that does a better job depicting the transformation of a boy into manhood, and doing it in a very entertaining way. It's a profound film IMHO... not at all superficial or insubstantial. It deals with big stuff: family, friendship, death, loss. It's a film that really cuts deep, and if you ever doubt it, just sit down with a ten year old who's never seen it and watch them watch the movie. It casts a spell like no other movie can. I remember seeing it in 1982, and right from the first shot with Williams' lone flute playing and the slow pan across the stars down into the forest, you just knew it was gonna be something special. And it was. The list of particulars is long: the performances of the kids, the fx, Williams' amazing score, Mathison's astoundingly great screenplay, and Spielberg at the absolute top of his game... able like no other director to look at the world through a child's eyes. There's a reason this film is so beloved.
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Hope its has some good supplemental stuff too.
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Or is it Legends of the Fall Part I?
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was the lovely Jenny Agutter 'flat chested'. re; Equus, An American Werewolf in London.
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I wasn't born yet when it came out but I sure watched the heck out of that green VHS as a youngin'. I'd have to put it at the top of my list for movies that mean the most to me. Used to have nightmares of that creepy thing, etc., but would go right back to watching it all over again. Eventually got to fly cross country and visit various places where it was filmed :D CLASSIC. 'nuff said.
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May 27, 2012, 10:46 p.m. CST
E.T. what memories...Reese's pieces,riding bikes,HOLY CRAP that dude just blew away a little girl who wanted vanilla twist ice cream instead of regular vanilla...
by kenchun24
...sorry watching Carpenters Assault On Precinct 13 for the first time.
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but it never worked for me as a film I know I'm in the minority, such is life
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E.T. blows. Jaws=Awesome. Duel=Awesome. Raiders of the lost Ark=Awesome. Close Encounters=OK (Better than E.T.) Sugarland Express=Good (still better than E.T.) Jurassic Park=Awesome. E.T.=Over fucking rated...That's it.
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May 28, 2012, 12:09 a.m. CST
Thank you, skippy-the-wondermule, for having some class.
by the dolphins are in the jacuzzi
Unlike people like vettebro (and I agree with whoever made the comment that his username makes him sound like "that douchebag from the Wedding Singer"). Look, just because you don't like something doesn't mean you have to shit on it. I personally like the movie, but when someone like skippy says they don't, I can respect that. What I can't respect is some asshole (repeatedly) telling me that one of my favorite movies "blows." I guess you think that makes you look like a badass, but really, it just makes you look like as much of a douchebag as your name implies.
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and laughing at al of the people who were crying.
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E.T. phone home!
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vettebro's balloon knot is swollen!
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Is that the commercial? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V3WRjKTFndU
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or maybe wgas. Post about how you always hated the Wizard of Oz and Star wars and Toy Story and bore us all even more
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very well said
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May 28, 2012, 12:57 a.m. CST
Let's get a few facts straight. The guns/practical effects never left because the special edition never replaced the original...
by Jay
The theatrical cut of ET has always been available in equal quality. Spielberg hasn't come to his senses because they never went away. The special edition was made solely for it's 20th ann and that's it. The theatrical cut HAS NEVER BEEN NEGLECTED a la Star Wars. Even his least liked cut of Close Encounters was on the Blu-ray because he wanted to make sure all 3 versions were included. On top of that, anyone following Spielberg news in the last year would have already heard him explicable say (I paraphrase) "Only the theatrical cut of ET will be on Blu-ray. I am never tinkering with my films again." Regardless, this is obviously great news. We all want ET on Blu-ray. Just stop pretending to be so surprised that's it's the theatrical cut.
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Funniest shit ever!
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Wizard of Oz=classic, Star Wars=Awesome, Toy Story=Great. E.T.=Lame...
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Weeping and crying over a piece of rubber shit
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... just take back practically every film he's produced for the last 15 year's we'd be golden.
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I remember seeing the '86 theatrical release as my first movie when i was 5. I recall bits and pieces of the film but not the whole thing. My wife divulged that she had never seen it. Yeah, I'll probably end up buying this.
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He realized altering E.T. was wrong. He fessed up about it and explained how it's wrong to go back and mess around with classics. He saw the error of his ways and now here with the Bluyray release. We see he was a man of his word. Bravo sir! We forgive you.
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If this site existed in the 70's, People would have destroyed 1941, calling him a hack. And in 1981, when Raiders was released. The same people would be worshiping his ass. Those frauds still exist.
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I was the same as a kid. I didn't get what the big deal. As I got older though. I started appreciating it a little more. I really love score and the dramatic events at the end when E.T. and Elliot are dying and I love that magical moment when they ride the flying bikes into the sunset. It such an iconic 80's moment. It tugs at my childhood, but more in the way of making me remember how it felt to live in the 80's. If that makes sense, but the rest of the movie is pretty dull for me. I don't care about them hiding E.Y. It just drags on. So yeah I can see how someone wouldn't like it. I'm not the biggest fan, but it has it's place for me.
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May 28, 2012, 3:33 a.m. CST
But I love my deluxe DVD set so much... Do I really need to upgrade?
by D.Vader
Damnit, I hate these conundrums.
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May 28, 2012, 3:35 a.m. CST
Goddamn it, "I'll be right here..." it makes me teary eyed every time
by D.Vader
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Well no surprise, these are the AICN talkbacks and so many people feel the need to differentiate themselves from the crowd. Meh. I can't take those people seriously anyway.
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May 28, 2012, 3:41 a.m. CST
Adjusting for inflation is an idots games full of bollocks!
by CeejayNightwing
They would have you believe that if Star Wars came out at the same time as Gone with the Wind in 1934 or whatever, let alone if they both came out in 1977, that Gone With the Wind would make more money based purely on what these films made on an ticket price adjusted for inflation! 'Adjusted for inflation' skips all the most important aspects of film content and just levels the playing field on the one element that has nothing to do with what makes people go to the see a film in the first place. You can't determine what a movie would have made outside of its era by just adjusting its ticket prices for inflation, its a lot more complicated than that which its utterly misleading and a total idiots game! Seriously, You reckon if you could magically release Avatar alongside Jaws in 1975, people would have still cued around the block for the Shark or the stunning CGI effects of Pandora?
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It grew on me as I got older too, When I first saw it the emotional manipulation was a bit too intense, I wondered why my mother would put me through that. Now I just love it, so beautifully shot, awesome score, great child performances. It really brings the magic. Remember the little wind up walking ET toys that were everywhere? Would love one of those again. Anyway, yea, watch this with a hangover and an open mind and let yourself cry like a bitch for you distant childhood.
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Just because the effects may be stunning to past audiences does not mean the people of the time will flock to that particular story. Whats most important to factor in is not whether a contemporary movie would do better against a modern movie, or of how tickets are inflated, but of how many tickets are sold total. But regardless of how one want to rationalize how one movie made more money than the other, I believe pitting one movie against the other (decades apart), especially on the basis of effects, is foolhardy.
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May 28, 2012, 4:08 a.m. CST
Jurassic Park Blu was supposed to be a bad conversion, why will this be different ?
by higgledyhiggles
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May 28, 2012, 4:23 a.m. CST
Four messages in and it started, and throughout there are Star Wars related messages! Seriously, if you dislike the Star Wars updates, fuck off! That's how it is.
by HanYoYo
Stop bitching and whining about it. No one of any influence reads these pathetic, often immature messages, and even if they did, why would anyone take any notice of the insulting childish rantings of an AICN forum member??? The movie industry does pretty well for itself without needing to take any advice from some fool who claims to be a movie-fan. Right, back to ET. For me this movie is down there with Hook as one of Spielburgs worst films. I don't understand the love people have for this movie. Perhaps you had to have been a child when it was released to appreciate it. I still find it difficult to understand how the same guy made this that made Close Encounters. Almost unbelievable. I know once directors get to a certain age they want to start making movies their kids can see, but it rarely turns out for the best.
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May 28, 2012, 6:46 a.m. CST
Will Reese's Pieces make a comeback in the candy market now?
by Grammaton Cleric Binks
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May 28, 2012, 6:46 a.m. CST
Have they left the "Michael, you're not going as a terrorist." line in.
by Grammaton Cleric Binks
Post 9/11 they changed it to hippie.
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Sorry it's crap.
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May 28, 2012, 8:09 a.m. CST
thebigfuckinlebowski, YES, that's the commercial I remember
by Nasty In The Pasty
Thanks!
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I will never forget that Line I will be right here. It reduced my late mother to tears. I loved the original movie and hated the 25th anniversary edition. I have seen all of the bergs films except sugarland express. the people bitching here about the berg back then dont have a clue.
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May 28, 2012, 8:30 a.m. CST
Spielberg late on BluRay releases, why does he take forever to release his films???
by brocknroll
I wish he would hurry up and get the Indiana Jones movies on Blu Ray, dammit!
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I see you are using inflated figures to place it at number 4. I believe this is not a true indication to see how successful it was, like the money existed in a time warp and you can check where it is at a given time. The money it made in its day was the money it made - I believe ticket sales are a truer reflection on truly how successful a movie was - how many people saw it in its day - ticket prices were cheaper back then so its haul of $435 million was undoubtedly huge with the average price of $3 meaning 145 million saw the film which interesting still places it more successful with a far smaller budget than Titanic which I believe also needs to come into it. If you took the 1982 earnings and put them in a jar until 2012 - and walked into a bank to deposit them - you would still be depositing the same dollar amount, the bank wouldn't say did you earn these in 82? In that case we multiply that by 3, we love those dollars that were printed in 82, the paper is worth more.
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...this pissy, mean-spirited, movie. Five minutes of heartwarming doesn't overcome the bullying, paranoia and sheer meanness from start to finish.
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May 28, 2012, 8:39 a.m. CST
AICN staffers with "contacts," is this the same version that's playing on HDNET Movies?
by Buck_Futt
Or has it been remastered (again) for BD?
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That's all I really remember about it. And enough with the Star Wars shit. They're his movies. If he wants to fuck with them that's his business.
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May 28, 2012, 8:47 a.m. CST
grammaton cleric binks: the line was changed to "hippie" for TV way before 9/11
by Emperor_was_a_jerk
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and the "terrorist" changed to "hippie" thing. I actually didn't mind the 2002 version. I know we all prefer the original 1982 cut but I just hope Spielberg doesn't now try to pretend the 2002 version doesn't exist. I think he should just include both versions like he did with the DVD and let viewer decide.
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Then I rented it when it finally came out on video when I was 12 and I couldn't sit through the whole thing. Was kinda bored. I look forward to checking it out again on blu-ray, for the mothership effects and the time capsule factor, if nothing else. I'll probably find more to appreciate in it now as an adult than I did at twelve years old. I remember they took six years to release this on video to try and cultivate a sense of rarity. It was stored on a special green casette to fight piracy. We rented it out of a machine in the supermarket, placed between the cash registers and the exit... those machines didn't last long, probably took up too much floor space to be profitable.
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Despite Spielberg's assertions that older films should just be completely left the fuck alone, there were a couple of things about the CGI'd version of E.T. that I liked -- mainly the shit where they fixed all the kids-on-the-flying-bikes stuff that didn't look quite as convincing back in '82. If that's all anyone ever did when making these "Special Editions", I'd be completely all for it. Also, despite the fact that Spielberg is claiming he's going back to the original versions, I could swear that stuff where they're flying in front of the moon in the trailer is from the Special Edition (the "heat shimmer" is something I don't recall from the original). If Lucas had simply used CGI to recomposite the effects in the original three STAR WARS movies (which he actually never did; I think there's STILL fucking garbage matte black boxes around the TIE fighters in some shots in STAR WARS!) and maybe fix some of the really awful FX stuff like that door in the Death Star where they obviously stopped the camera for a second or spliced in some sped-up film to make it close faster, I doubt anyone would have complained. Turning E.T. into PAUL the alien or having fucking CGI dinosaurs in every shot on Tatooine is where all the bitching comes in.</p><p> Despite being Spielberg's most profitable movie and despite the film itself setting the unmistakable visual tone for every Spielberg production from the Eighties (see also: GREMLINS, THE GOONIES, POLTERGEIST, BACK TO THE FUTURE, BATTERIES NOT INCLUDED, every episode of "Amazing Stories" where they actually had money and even THE COLOR PURPLE), I think this one kind of faded from pop culture since its release. A lot of it has to do with the fact that it REALLY exemplifies all of Spielberg's bad button-pushing traits as a filmmaker without being the kind of fun that JAWS or even JURASSIC PARK was.
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E.T. goes trick-or-treating and sees a kid dressed as Master Yoda from the Jedi Council on Courscant. What are the odds????
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I hope it's not overdone. Just looked at a couple ET trailers real quick. Haven't thought about or looked at a frame of that movie in years and I'm now feeling overwhelmed by nostalgia. I think it was the music more than anything else.
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May 28, 2012, 9:30 a.m. CST
ET is THE purely emotional film, all scenes are meant to get your emotion. There's no
by Ricardo
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Because their opinions are so irrelevant. It's a classic. It's one of the all-time, money making, universally beloved classics. And watching anonymous guys failing a bona fide classic film that serves as a litmus test for their inner child, seeing them piss and moan and bitch about plot points...it's pretty entertaining. Yes, the film is relentlessly and transparently manipulative, but it's a kid's eye view of the world...not to mention groundbreaking in the notion that individuals who are strangers to our shores might not be out to hurt anyone and that we shouldn't be afraid of someone just because of how they look...a lesson that we, as a species, have yet to fully embrace. Me, I'm looking forward to the Blu-Ray edition so that my nine year old can experience it for the first time. PAD
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May 28, 2012, 9:31 a.m. CST
It is kinda cool that ET connects the Star Wars universe to ours
by Autodidact
ET's race is so ancient and far-flung that they were part of the old republic.
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All those shots where they clearly threw some CGI on E.T. to make his face more animated. I love E.T. It's my childhood. It's the first movie that made me go "wow" as a kid. It was clearly massively influential (for good or bad) to a lot of other movies in the 80s and 90s. That said, it's not the kind of movie that can be huge anymore. It's a quieter movie. It's about abandonment. This boy coping with not having his father around. This alien literally abandoned on another planet. It managed to resonate with a lot of people during a specific point in history. You've got to look at the success of this movie with the context of the time it was released. The theaters weren't drowning in big action movies. If someone tried to release E.T. today, he would literally be surrounded by guns. So... I can understand why there's a lot of hate for E.T. here. It's dismissed as mass-market treacle. But it's the internet and it's the AICN talkback and those are GREAT places to hate on things. Fuck it, though. I stand by E.T. Though the CGI stuff, I could do without.
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DAMN enter key. The whole movie is played as Kubrick always wished a movie would play, emotion first, reason second. Every single FRAME of this movie, every single scene and music cue, is meant to get an emotional reaction from the audience. You take that out, what do you have? Nothing. There's no plot. The alien comes to Earth, hides in this house until he builds a ridiculous space phone, and he gets back. And didn't they COUNT how many people were on the ship when they left Earth and say "fuck, we left one behind, let's go back"? No, he has to fucking CALL them to arrange a spot and time for them to pick him up.
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May 28, 2012, 9:55 a.m. CST
by d.vader You honestly think the audience of 1939 would not have gone to see Star Wars for the FX alone over Gone with the Wind?
by CeejayNightwing
Then you're insane, in 1977 that's exactly what happened anyway and exactly what happened 30 years later with Avatar! You can't just adjust for inflation with ticket prices and skip all the essential criteria to what actually counts for what doesn't. There's no way that a film that was released in around 300 screens in the US in 1939 can possibly have sold more tickets than a film released in over 3000 or even 4000 screens as it is today let alone the sheer number of screens that have also expanded in countries around the world. The whole ticket inflation assessment is hugely questionable for the results they magically provide against the criteria.
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One of the few films that have cinematically captured childhood accurately. If there's one place I'd hafta defend its purity, it's here--a den of fronting wannabes who can never admit they fell in love with a film or become enraptured by its innocence. You'd have us believe that you were shat at praising Hitchcock or Cocteau and youre too cool for this. Real men can admit the stuff that ignited their love for all things film, in the face of poser dissent Spielberg is my favorite director and this film is one of the reasons why
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I have that big blue book DVD set too. It was an easy buy--it has the score, a fab doc, a book, and both versions. I don't see the blu representing the film like that so I'd hold onto it.
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All of the E.T. haters are just cynical guys who probably think they're too cool for a movie like that. I've only cried at the movies twice in my life. One of those times was when I was 7 years old, watching this movie in the theater, seeing E.T. cold, ashen, on the brink of death. I will never forget that moment. I got this movie on VHS for my 14th birthday. I was never more excited about a birthday present than I was for this one. Of course, the next year, Batman came out on VHS on my birthday so the excitement was shortly matched.
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May 28, 2012, 10:29 a.m. CST
emperor_was_a_jerk, I'll look it up, but I don't think that was the case. If it was, why edit the DVD of it.
by Grammaton Cleric Binks
Maybe it was done for both.
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A man's comedian. Starring him Always made any film 100% better.
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May 28, 2012, 11:11 a.m. CST
Glad I've still got the ACTUAL original 'theatrical' DVD release...
by Cervantes
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May 28, 2012, 11:13 a.m. CST
All E.T. is missing is some 'splosions. It's not gritty enough.
by hank henshaw
lol, E.T. haters.
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May 28, 2012, 11:55 a.m. CST
Enough about that Walkie Talkie crap already. Even with them it's a GRAND film. I love it soo much
by Proman1984
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He also admits when George Lucas fucked up and he has gone along with it.
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At this point it's kind of like an endurance test. Seeing how long I can go in my life until circumstances put me in a situation where I am forced to watch E.T. And I'll probably love it.
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And some really think people come here to listen to the talkback? E.T. was a great movie no matter what these little fan boys say. And yes 1982 was a great year for genre movies. In the end film fans didn't forget Blade Runner or The Thing. You remember 1982. Back when fans were greatful for well made genre films and hadn't become so jaded they bitched and moaned at the drop of a hat ( about anything ) and became their own worst enemies. And yes I'm glad the walkie talkies are gone. Looking forward to collecting this on Bluray.
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You think E.T. invented (or even first promoted) the idea that alien visitors might be benign or even altruistic? You might want to extend your film repertoire a little. Start with a little-known pic named "The Day the Earth Stood Still." I can't think of ANYTHING new or even somewhat original that Lucas or Spielberg have brought to the screen. Their entire catalogs are derivative, no matter how well-done or popular.
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I didn't even like it when I was a kid. I was already feeling manipulated by Spielberg at age 12 when I saw it. Maybe I was too old.. it really is a parents and young kids movie... NOT a true geek movie IMHO. But I know there are some who love it, Brahma bless their simple and happy souls. Not hating.. just sayin'
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If you don't love E.T., you're a soulless, hateful, booger-eating ghoul who gets erections from stepping on small animals.
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Yes, you'll love it and hate yourself for waiting so long. Good luck with that.
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...E.T. haters? For real? No shit? You guys have truly redefined the meaning of the word loser.
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May 28, 2012, 1:30 p.m. CST
All the haters of this movie are the same people who raved about the Avengers. Let's look at that for just a moment...
by ChickenStu
E.T A genuinly honest heartwarming masterpiece. Avengers A bunch of muscly men in spandex. So you hate this for being sentimental - yet loved a movie with big, brawny, sweaty men in glorifed fetish costumes? Yeah. You're real fucking men.
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people were literally creaming themselves over the dark knight. According to this site and a few others The dark knight was critic proof and that nolan was the new god of cinema. or something... dont get me started on avatar. in his 20s the berg made back to back 4 of the greatest and commericially successful films of all time. jaws, close encounters, raiders and ET and in the 1990s made jurassic park. talkbackers will say that not one of those is great. idiots.
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...on many levels. It's also a useful tool to teach film technics, as the movie uses every angle, lighting, and tracking technique known to man. And yet none of them are over done or out of place. (It also borrows from myth and archetypes almost directly from the Jesus myth. If this movie was put out today, it would be picketed by Westboro Baptist. As a child I was aware of the movie poster of E.T.'s glowing finger touching Elliot's before I was aware the Sistine Chapel existed. How many children noticed the mother was named Mary, the father was absent, the magic dude who came from the sky replaced the father, the magic dude could heal people, the magic dude died, the magic dude resurrected through the power of love, and the magic dude ascended bodily into heaven with a rainbow even though he'll always be "right here", lol. It's so obvious even the Simpsons had to make a joke about it.)
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I'm sure you can choose via seamless branching, which version to watch. This ad is just showing you the theatrical version of this scene.
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Great kids movie, full of fun and heart. Lots of emotion. Good directing. Good score. Good acting considering its led mainly by children. Is it one of the best movies ever made?...No. But its a fun, childrens movie. Why all the hate and expectations thrown at it? I'll be buying this on the first day of release. I wish I had ET, or Roger from American Dad.
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I stood in line to see this film back in 1982 ( as I did for many that summer like TWOK ). I thought it was one of the best movies Speilberg had ever made. I also loved " The Thing " that same year so that should get rid of all the idea that I'm just in to touchy feely films. Towards the end I had such a bad case of Hay Fever ( it was summer after all ) I was sniffing terribly when Eliot was saying goodbye to ET. My friend leaned over to me and said " It's alright it's just a movie " ( we all had a good laugh on that one ). However it wasn't like I wasn't moved by the film. I'm perfectly comfortable in saying that this was one of the most moving Genre films ever and really well made. Can't wait for it on Bluray!
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" One of the few films that have cinematically captured childhood accurately. " Well said!
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It was a "little kids" movie. A movie for "faggots" and "girls". This is what I said after I came out of the theater. Of course just having lived through my parent's divorce and falling in love for the first time--I loved the goddamned thing--loved it like no other movie I had ever seen. It would be years before I could admit that in front of others. It is a masterwork--and the last shot in the movie is my favorite motion picture image. I would have loved to have seen it at Cannes--when the credits rolled every cynic in the audience stood and applauded Spielberg and had no shame that there were tears in their eyes.
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May 28, 2012, 3:24 p.m. CST
E.T. took so long to come out because, if I recall, it was either the first or one of the first cassettes to contain copy protection.
by MENTALDOMINANCE
They were worried about piracy. All it took in the old days was 2 VCRs. Many older gen vcrs did not have Auto Gain Control and that is the function the copy protection exploits. Basically, when a vcr detected a distorted signal such as static or whatever, a feature was created so that it would go to a blank screen - protecting the customer from having a loud sound pop. This was called Auto Gain Control. (AGC) The feature worked in record mode as well. E.T. contained garbage data outside of the range the TV looks at to gather it's data so that, when playing an original, on the TV it plays fine. However, when attempting to copy, if the destination VCR has AGC, it will try to copy the full spectrum and detect the garbage data and blank the screen so your copy will either be a blank screen or phasing in and out, depending on the type of AGC the VCR had. E.T. waited for a generation of VCRs to exist that had AGC. Anyone using VCRs that did not have AGC were not affected and could copy the tape. So it made sense to wait for the feature to be around a while before releasing the movie. At least, it made sense to them I guess. I never had a problem copying ANY movie because I had a pre-AGC hi-fi stereo 4 head VCR that rocked.
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May 28, 2012, 3:43 p.m. CST
Saw it many times that summer of 82, I was 7. My son turns 7 this summer and I can't wait for him to see it.
by adeceasedfan
E.T. haters, really?
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May 28, 2012, 4:04 p.m. CST
I never saw E.T. in the cinema...when I finally saw it on video my Mum said I sat still the entire time and didn't speak or flinch.
by jellypop
She says I was mesmerised and hooked...she was right. I count E.T. as one of the films that contributed to my love of film and my continuing love affair with movies. I don't really care for the opinion of those who clearly think its fun to be negative only because others have been. I'll take your criticism fairly any day as long as its an original thought.
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What's with all this love for the special edition?! The only thing that was moderately interesting was the scene in the bathroom with Elliott and ET where he first realizes his neck can stretch out. The CG ET never meshed well with the practical effects of the time. It stuck out like a sore thumb every time it was onscreen, and didn't look natural at all. And in some cases, it even ruined wonderful moments. One such example is at the end when Michael touches ET for the first time. In the original, ET moves away instinctively and says "ahh" and looks surprised. Totally sweet moment that was magical. The CG ET had virtually no reaction to the touch at all. I really missed little moments like that. 1982 version all the way for me.
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via seemless branching? Stupid.
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However, everyone is entitled to their opinion and I respect that. I find it very curious how much some people are defending it and find the need to bash the oppositions opinion. Those people need to get back to their "Occupy" protests. Hehe... E.T. was lame. Lame alien design, lame ship design, boring and drawn out story. I think "Short Circuit" was better. Yeah, I said it...
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Because the version you like is available on DVD, and that's good enough. -George Lucas
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May 28, 2012, 5:55 p.m. CST
Where's my E.T. reboot? It'll just be called 'Extra', to keep things simple.
by tom
E.T. text home. Also, instead of Eliott, the human protagonist will be T.S. Eliot.
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May 28, 2012, 6:43 p.m. CST
E.T. is totally over rated. Even as a kid I never fell into the peer pressure to like this film. It was like Avatar to me - something that sucked that I didn't understand why others liked.
by MENTALDOMINANCE
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May 28, 2012, 6:48 p.m. CST
Can Roboapocolypse trump the nearly total Genre AWESOMENESS of War of Worlds mayhem?
by even9
That is the question.
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Like the one where Harrison Ford is the principal and Elliot levitates in his chair in the office and then Principal Ford sends him back to class and swallows a handful of 'ludes that were in his desk drawer? Because that scene really happened, and I'd like to see it.
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........clearly they were simply born without souls.
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In his vversion E.T. isn actually an alien, he's a mutant in the sewer who's also a ninja. It will be called The Terrestrial, and you should all chill.
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Are the people who hate E.T. because it was a box office smash. Because it made more than Blade Runner and The Thing. Those films are masterpieces TOO. It's not an either/or proposition. Also, I don't care if it is the same director, you can't compare E.T. and Jaws. They are both brilliant but remain apples and oranges.
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My mother took myself and my brother and 3 sisters to see E.T. I snuck out of that theatre and saw The Beastmaster with Marc Singer and Tanya Roberts instead. Never regretted that ...even after getting grounded for 2 weeks after that :). Still haven't seen E.T and still have no desire to see it.
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50 seconds of a freakin' bluray trailer and I'm practically weeping. Why does this movie affect me so much? I was Eliot's age when this came out, but come ON!
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Sure, the classic family themes are there, sure, but everything else just seems like a product of its time from the clothing to the way people talked in the film. To me, it all just seems antiquated even though it came out when I was a kid and was stupidly seeing it in the theater at least eight times. I guess there's nostalgia factor but I always thought E.T. should have been a Grey or along the same lines as the ETs in Close Encounters, which, even though came out years earlier, holds up a ton better for me.
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ANY movie... are not real filmlovers. That attitude is for poseurs.
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That when 'great' directors all get successful, their work suffers as a result. You become a product of your success in that it doesn't challenge you because you now have access to all the resources you'll ever need, eliminating an essential part of the creative process. There is no struggle when everything is available to you, however, creativity actually suffers as seen with Star Wars. This goes for any artist and can destroy your legacy, as has happened to good ol' GL. <p> So the answer to being successful and still maintaining creativity? Self-imposed struggle. In the prequels case, the films should have been made for half of what they were made for, but instead, focused on a tight and epic script. I just gave any of you artists on here advice you'd probably pay thousands for otherwise. Knowledge should always be free.
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I didn't see it till it debuted on TV. I didn't regret not seeing it in the theater though. I do regret not seeing Raiders in the theater. My parents didn't wanna take me. I lived in North Bergen NJ at the time. The nearest theater at the time was in Ridge field NJ. I did see the three Star Wars films in theaters though. The first one I vaguely remember, but I did remember seeing it. The images of R2D2 and C3PO walking the dessert is seared in my memory. Now Empire and Jedi I remember much better. My siblings and I begged our dad to take us to Ridge field.
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May 29, 2012, 2:27 a.m. CST
I reached enlightenment listening to the "Toys" track from John Williams
by ndally
I masterbate to that and parts of the Hook soundtrack. He's the Mozart of our time
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I fucked a chick while the "Desert Truck Chase" cue from the raiders score played in the background. I came @ the 5:33 mark in the song. You try holding off for 5 minutes while JW music plays. It's a task and a half
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fuck E.T. yeah i said it.
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May 29, 2012, 2:57 a.m. CST
I remember finding it almost impossible not to burst into tears with this film
by theyreflockingthisway
My parents rented it out for us to watch as a family when I was young and I remember finding it so hard not to cry when he was dying. I even cried at the end when he said goodbye, trying my best to hide that fact from the rest of my family. That's just great children's film making. It's not dumbed down, adults can enjoy it just as much as children, it's not afraid to deal with death and is just a great story.
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May 29, 2012, 7 a.m. CST
I fucking loathed that piece of shit ET when I was a kid in the 80's...
by Bedknobs and Boomsticks
the Atari game that is. ;-)
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May 29, 2012, 10:27 a.m. CST
The only box office numbers that should be used for comparison are number of tickets sold.
by v3d
Adjusting for inflation is close, but no cigar. Prices can vary from region to region and ticket prices aren't always in sync with inflation.
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I actually dug it out of a box in my garage and showed it to my daughter a few days ago. She was horrified when I showed her the instruction manual that pictures of the "graphics". Growing up with Wii and XBOX 360 Kinect games kind of spoils you. But Atari was the shit back in 1977!
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....I thought it was ok. I had seen it in the theater of course, and the drive-in shortly after, and loved it. But yeah, it's pretty schmaltzy. The best part of that movie has always been the convincing puppetry, and that still holds up. The rest? Not so much. Aside from the WIlliams score of course.
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and to this day, I still haven't seen it. My parents didn't have a lot of money back then, and they had no interest in seeing this at all. I remember all my schoolmates being so shocked and amazed when we went back to school that I didn't see it, that it became my personal goal to never see this movie. In college, a friend bought me a copy for Christmas, never watched it. Still my personal goal to not see this movie and so far, so good.
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May 29, 2012, 1:11 p.m. CST
Okay I might be wrong but I think that shot from the end in the trailer
by Samuel Fulmer
Is not from the special CGI version.
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May 29, 2012, 1:12 p.m. CST
If you can beat the Atari ET game you deserve a job with
by Samuel Fulmer
Nasa!
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"Sigh"
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You're an idiot!
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I hope you've managed to avoid watching "It's A Wonderful Life" or "The Princess Bride" too. You stud.
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it IS the 30th anniversary. or did you mean release it near the actual day it was released in theaters?
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I don't know whether this was Spielberg's idea or not, but they played it up the original release to video so huge. First they made a very big deal that they were NOT going to allow rentals of the movie. They they took preorders for the VHS. I remember standing IN LINE for people in my video store to sign up ( though I was just a kid and they were like "come back with your parents, kid" ) IIRC they had also priced the movie out way high too to really cash in... $80 is what I remember it being, though I'm not certain of that figure.
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I'd make a mock trailer for this that ends with a big splattery shot of ET's head exploding from a shotgun blast.
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She loved the movie and I had a blast watching it with her. It took me back to a time when I was a kid. Spielberg has (or maybe had) a great way of telling stories about kids that kids really related to and enjoyed. Sure it is sappy at points but kids dig that. You can't watch this as a middle age man who still lives at home with his elderly mother and try to relate to this movie. Instead you should watch Psycho and relate to that movie.
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May 30, 2012, 9:41 a.m. CST
bluesharpo : Spielberg deserved to get ripped a new a-hole for 1941
by Obi Wanna Cannoli
and he deserved praise for Raiders. What is your point? Should we praise someone regardless of the quality of their latest film?
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May 30, 2012, 9:50 a.m. CST
I love the guys trying to act cool here bashing E.T.
by Obi Wanna Cannoli
The same guys who write volumes of posts about how cool comic book characters are and can name every Marvel character. Guys who debate for hours about which of Peter Parker's girlfriends is hotter looking and whether The Hulk should get an Academy Award nomination. Evil Kirk : Ever been with a girl? Evil Kirk : Didn't think so! If you are posting on this website then I am afraid like the rest of us you are competing in The Special Olympics.
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May 30, 2012, 12:06 p.m. CST
obiwanna - yeah, the bash E.T for being heartwarming and sentimental, and yet cum in thier pants over superhero movies starring large muscular men in spandex...
by ChickenStu
see the issue? LMAO!!!
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