E.T. The Extra Terrestrial

Only 8,000 laserdiscs were manufactured of E.T. The Extra Terrestrial in this collector’s gem of a box set. Attractively packaged, each numbered box set contains an insert piece with Steven Spielberg’s signature, rare production stills and chapter indicators for the presentation spread to seven sides. The film is spread to five CAV sides. A still frame E.T. Archives begins near the end of side 5. CLV sides 6 and 7 present a 94 minute retrospective documentary entitled The Making Of E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial. The still frame section includes early E.T. character sketches, spaceship designs, behind-the-scenes photos and special effects material. The documentary traces the film’s modest beginnings to its incredible boxoffice success, still the highest grossing film in America. There are interviews with many of the people who worked on the film intercut with never before seen behind-the-scenes footage shot by Oscar®-winning cinematographer John Toll and outtakes. One dropped scene shows a cameo Harrison Ford as a school principal. The chapters on “Creating The Creature” and “Working With E.T.” show the various ways E.T. was brought to life through conceptual designs and drawings. Screenwriter Melissa Matheson and Spielberg discuss the story’s development but sadly there is no script or explanation why the name “E.T.” became the title. Also included is a segment of Henry Thomas’ original audition tape, the original theatrical trailers, marketing, advertising and publicity materials. Another feature of this limited edition is a gold compact disc with a digitally mastered, newly extended version of composer John Williams’ Academy Award®-winning score.

E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial remains today an extraordinary film, one that will warm your heart with its wondrous entertainment and magic. Its story about human values, understanding, compassion and love are timeless as told through the perspective of a young boy’s (Henry Thomas) friendship with a visitor from another planet. Along with the superb performance of Thomas, the rest of the cast is just as natural and believable as the film’s feeling of reality.