E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial: 2 Disc Limited Collector's Edition
(Widescreen Edition)
Distributed by
Universal Home Video
Cert: PG
Cat.no: 22257
Running time: 121 minutes
Year: 1982/2002
Pressing: 2002
Region(s): 1, NTSC
Chapters: 20
Sound: Dolby Digital 5.1, DTS 5.1 (Eng only)
Languages: English, French
Subtitles: English, French, Spanish
Widescreen: 1.85:1
16:9-Enhanced: Yes
Macrovision: Yes
Disc Format: 2 * DVD 9
Price: $29.98
Extras:
20th Anniversary Premiere, John Williams Live, Space
Exploration, Making of E.T., Designs, Photos, Marketing, The Reunion,
Trailers, Cast and Filmmakers, Production Notes.
Director:
Steven Spielberg
Screenplay:
Melissa Mathison
Cast:
Elliott: Henry Thomas
Gertie: Drew Barrymore
Michael: Robert MacNaughton
Mary: Dee Wallace Stone
Keys: Peter Coyote
A couple more classics and DVD will have a full library
What have we got in the past year? Grease, Saturday Night Fever, Back to the Future,
and now E.T. The Star Wars trilogy will not arrive until 2005 so don't
get your hopes up. Was it worth the wait or has the film aged a bit?
Everyone who has seen a movie knows the plot of ET. But the story is so
cliched (ET was the first to use it) that it can be summed up fairly
quickly. An alien is left behind on Earth and he finds his way to a
family's home. He is soon befriended by Elliott and the two develop a
strong friendship. But ET wants to go home because he is dying. Plus
we've got the FBI searching for him too.
Both versions are included on the 2 disc set: the 2002 remastered
edition (complete with CGI updates) and the original 1982 version - a
last minute decision by Spielberg. But has ET aged a bit over the
years? Yes and no.
The plot has been used so many times since then that
I didn't get anything out of it and some of the lines are ridiculous.
The good quality is that ET himself still works as a character (we DO
NOT need CGI for him) and there is still a good message for anyone who
cares. But after 20 years this film has lost a little bit of its magic
or maybe it's just because I just finished watching some Quentin
Tarantino films. Still good, but not as great as I wanted to remember
it. And yes I watched the 2002 version after watching the 1982 version
first.
The 2002 version is offered on the first disc while the 1982 version is
on the second. I'll just go in order. Both are presented in 1.85:1
anamorphic widescreen. The 2002 version exhibits richer colors and is a
little brighter than it's original counterpart. But blacks are not as
deep as they are on the 82 version. I noticed more pixelization in
certain scenes on the 2002 version.
The 1982 version was put in at the
last minute since it was only being offered in the expensive box set.
You'd think after being crammed in at the last minute would affect the
quality but suprisingly it does not. Blacks and solids are noticeably
deep and colors are fine. The 82 version is not as bright as the 2002
version but this is the way I remember it. In terms of quality (and
preservation) I'd pick the 82 version as the best one.
Sound is the same for both versions. Both include Dolby Digital 5.1
tracks along with a DTS 5.1 track. Both exhibit good sound for a movie
like this. ET wasn't meant to shake the Earth or anything but each sound
is rendered nicely on both tracks.
Some extras had to be dropped to include the 1982 version, which I'm
glad happened. But what we were left with is just ok. Nothing great,
nothing spectacular, pure fluff. The box set has more extensive extras.
Here's how it stacks up:
Extras on disc 1 note: (after hitting the option for bonus features
you'll have to watch an introduction by Speilberg but you can skip it if
you want, why does Universal put automatic segments on their DVDs
anymore)
Disc 1:
20th Anniversary Premiere: 17 minutes long and presented in full
frame. Shows how the orchestra actually played the soundtrack live while
the guests watched the new version. Also shows how the projectors were
set up.
John Williams Live at the Shrine Auditorium 2002 Premiere: Alternate
soundtrack to 2002 version. Strangely enough I couldn't tell a real
difference from the other track.
Space Exploration: Just a kiddie extra, info on each planet narrated
by ET.
Disc 2:
The Making of ET: One of the only good extras in the set. 24 minutes
long and presented in full frame. Shows aspects of making the '82
version and the 2002 version, also shows some screen testing footage.
Designs, Photographs, and Marketing: Preliminary sketches of ET, final
sketches, spaceship designs, production, photos, and some merchandising
stills.
The Reunion: 17 minutes long and presented in full frame. Main cast
and filmmakers have gathered together for the first time in 20 years
(they didn't have time for an audio commentary?). It's pretty cool to
see them all together again and everyone looks the same except
Spielberg, Drew Barrymore, and Robert MacNaughton. They mostly just
reminisce about what it was like filming and how much has changed. I
think this was on NBC before the 2002 premiere.
Trailers: Only the 2002 trailer and the shameless promotion of the
Back to the Future Trilogy DVD. At least they didn't force the BTTF
trailer on us at the beginning of the film like Universal usually does.
Where's the 1982 trailer? My guess is the since the 82 version was put
in at the last minute they left the 2002 trailer since that was all it
had to begin with. Both trailers are non anamorphic.
Cast and Filmmakers: Production Notes. Two of the longest surviving
DVD extras besides trailers.
Overall this 2 disc set leaves a lot to be desired in terms of extras.
The only notable extra, and even that is not great, would be the
documentary on the making of the film. Everything else is pretty
disappointing.
Now here's the biggest disappointment. The packaging is a paper fold
out. Alright, that's not bad. But shouldn't there be a slipcase to put
this in? The package is premanently open for dust unless you put
something on top of it. Their is no title on the spine either. I've also
heard complaints, and seen pictures, of people tearing the covers
because of the multitude of security devices. Why do we even have
cardboard cases anymore? There are 20 chapters to both films and the
menus are animated the same way on each disc.
Overall, I couldn't help but be disappointed by Universal's offering of
ET. For the true purists I would recommend purchasing the box set but
for those of us who will not spend 70 dollars for a movie here you go.
As of April 2009, Blu-rays and DVDs reviewed by the editor are watched on a Panasonic TH-37PX80B
37" Plasma TV with a Sony BDP-1500 Blu-ray player and played through a Yamaha DSP-AX820 amplifier.
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