Rating: 
Summary: One Star for the FULL SCREEN DVD Only
Review: Great Movie, but I feel bad for the unsuspecting consumers who are buying all their DVD's in the FULL SCREEN version instead of Widescreen. The FCC (Federal Communications Commission) has MANDATED that by 2006 all televisions be manufactured in HDTV Format (Widescreen). In accordance, all broadcasting stations will have to be broadcast in HDTV as well. DVD retailers used to give you both formats on one Disc. Now they are selling them separately because they know YOU WILL HAVE TO REPURCHASE THE SAME TITLE IN WIDESCREEN after the conversion takes place. Consumers that are choosing to buy FULL SCREEN DVDs over Widescreen DVDS will either have to repurchase the Widescreen version to fill their screens completely, or deal with the blank bars that will now be on the sides of their screens when they are forced to purchase a new HDTV, because the FULL SCREEN format will not fill the television screen.
Rating: 
Summary: Top 10 reasons nay-sayers should shut up...
Review: 10. Stop complaining about the "new" footage incoroprated into the 2002 version. The original is included on all 3 DVD versions of E.T. anyway, so what do you care?9. Regardless of what cinema snobs say, Spielberg is a fantastic director and this is his most personal movie second only to Schindler's List. 8. Quit calling it boring. It's rated PG, so what do want? You expected E.T. to come out at the end dressed as Rambo before blowing the authorities away with his outer space arsenal? It's a family movie. Get over it. 7. If you didn't love this movie as a kid, there's something mentally wrong with you. If you did love it as a kid and are bashing it now, then you grew up a little TOO much. I pity you people. 6. Simple: it's a classic 80's movie. 5. E.T. is more lovable than a lot of kid-friendly characters these days, including SpongeBob, Dora the Explorer and those silly Teletubbies. 4. It's a live-action movie in which, suprisingly, nobody dies. Got a problem with that? Watch a Jason movie. 3. E.T. was produced by Universal, a big studio (obviously), but it has more heart than 99% of the garbage out these days. 2. As successful as E.T. was, it never became a franchise to subject us to a plethora of mediocre sequels because, in my opinion, one movie is all we needed. It told it's story and let us get on with our lives. And the top reason to not listen to the nay-sayers?... 1. They'd rather wallow in depressing music and watch movies like Fight Club. Therefore, they need not speak, because fans of this movie couldn't care any less. So, why did I do this list? Simple. I was bored. Get the DVD and prepare to be entertained.** **Applies to normal people only
Rating:
Summary: I saw it, it was good!
Review: Not good at all, GREAT! That guy is wrong, Steven can to do movies, better than he could ever as well! GREAT MOVIE, 5 STARS! !*****!
Rating: 
Summary: This was a Sweet Movie!
Review: I had the pleasure of seeing this delightful movie in it's original theatrical run when I was about 17 years old and I thought it was a sweet endearing movie and the acting from Drew Barrymore, Henry Thomas, Dee Wallace, etc was very good. Even though I really enjoyed watching this movie I'm not sure if I would want to buy the DVD for myself but I just may buy it for my mother because this is one of her favorite movies and she enjoyed it even more than I did.
Rating: 
Summary: "How do you explain school to a higher intelligence?"
Review: Positive films are rare commodities indeed. Angst, disillusion, and loss are such common themes in cinema that it makes one wonder if film is indeed an escapist refuge from the real world or just a mirror of our own sobering existence. Films that accentuate all that is good in life have been in short supply since the medium first gained widespread commercial appeal. Only once in a while does a film like "The Wizard of Oz," "It's A Wonderful Life" or "The Sound of Music" come our way to make us feel good about ourselves. Steven Spielberg's "E.T The Extra-Terrestrial" is another such film. A spaceship lands one night and its alien inhabitants disembark in search of plant samples. When the ship leaves to avoid detection, one of its crew is left behind in the forest. This lost creature finds refuge at the home of a boy named Elliott (Henry Thomas) and the two of them forge a strong friendship. When the government tries to seize the alien, Elliott and his supporters foil their plans and escape with the little visitor so that it can rendezvous with its spaceship and return home. The most fascinating aspect of "E.T The Extra-Terrestrial" is how lifelike the alien is. So convincing are the special effects that we have no trouble accepting the strange little creature as a living being. The manner in which it interacts with its surroundings and with its supporting human performers is the definition of cinematic magic. Thomas also deserves his fair share of credit for the film's success. It is difficult enough to deliver a strong child performance but to do so while acting opposite a mass of puppets and animatronics is especially noteworthy. "E.T The Extra-Terrestrial" is one of those films that celebrates the joy and adventure of childhood. It is a suburban fairy-tale that will enthrall and delight youngster for generations to come. It is also a reminder of the tremendous contribution Steven Spielberg has made to American culture in his lifetime.
Rating:
Summary: Blasphemy!!!!
Review: How can they do this?!! THIS IS A CRIME AGAINST MAN!!! I imagine that you're wondering what I'm SO angry about. If you don't know, Mr. Spielberg went back and changed the policeman's shot-guns with walky talkys for the DvD release. Why, you may ask, is this such a big deal? Well then just imagine Indiana Jones swinging across a ravine filled with cottonballs using a candycane. Imagine the shark in "Jaws" spitting candy at it's victims before carrying them off to timeout. Imagine the D-Day invasion with troops armed with walky talkys and blood replaced with Jello. That's what will happen if we condone this kind of thing. Don't by this DvD.
Rating:
Summary: This Spielberg classic touched my heart....
Review: Okay, I have to be honest. In 1982, when Steven Spielberg's E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial first came out, I was not impressed. I thought it was just another science fiction film, and I really didn't see what was so special about it. Never mind that it was the biggest box office draw of its time; I also skipped out on Star Wars until I was introduced to that series three years ago. However, after watching the 20th Anniversary Edition on the 2-Disc Limited Collector's Edition recently, I now understand why this movie touched the hearts of millions. Unlike most aliens-from-space movies, E.T. was about a gentle botanist who is stranded when his ship has to flee from government investigators. Frightened and alone three million light years from home, the little alien befriends nine-year-old Elliott (Henry Thomas) who is coping with the recent separation of his parents. Elliott enlists the aid of his older brother Mike (Robert McNaughton) and younger sister Gertie (Drew Barrymore) in an attempt to keep him hidden, not only from their mother Mary (Dee Wallace) but also from the mysterious government agent Keys (Peter Coyote). Because nearly everyone knows the story by heart, I just want to focus on what caught my eye about this heartwarming movie. First, the scenes early in the first act where we see Mary's house overrun by Mike's group of role playing buddies. When I saw that, my mind went back in time to my eldest son's 16th birthday party when his friends stayed the night; they didn't smoke inside the house like the kids in E.T. do, but the house was a mess! Second, I was absolutely taken aback by how quickly Elliott overcomes his initial fear and completely bonds with the strange-looking alien. To see this kid who's still hurting with the loss of his dad accepting E.T. without regard to what he looks like or where he's from -- that's what made me realize just how good this Steven Spielberg family classic truly is. Adding to the magic of Melissa Mathison's endearing screenplay are beautiful special effects (updated slightly yet wonderfully with CGI visuals by Industrial Light and Magic for the 2002 edition), a brilliant Oscar-winning score by composer John Williams, and fantastic performances from every cast member, especially from Thomas, McNaughton, and Barrymore. Those three really made me believe that they were siblings caught up in E.T.'s adventures on Earth. This Universal 2-Disc Limited Edition release contains both the 20th Anniversary version with the digtal retouching and restored scenes and the original 1982 theatrical version in a single, reasonably priced package. Its special features include an introduction by the director, footage from the live performance of an orchestra performing the score as the film plays, and a reunion of the cast and filmmakers, who give their insights on the film and its legacy. When you watch the scene where Elliott is "drunk" in his science class while preparing to dissect some frogs, listen carefully to the teacher's voice. The actor who made this uncredited cameo should sound very familiar, since he made several films directed by Steven Spielberg.
Rating:
Summary: Review of the Ultimate Gift Set DVD
Review: Before Steven Spielberg tackled racial issues in films like THE COLOR PURPLE and AMISTAD, he had made a film that extols the beauty of understanding and friendship between different races and cultures. It was a seemingly innocuous fantasy called E.T. THE EXTRA TERRESTRIAL, about a little boy who braves language and other barriers to develop a spiritual kinship with an outer space alien stranded on Earth. The success of this film is in no small part due to the well-developed and convincing portrayal of E.T., a grotesque-looking figure who becomes an understanding companion, a wise older friend, a mischievous creature at times, and yet ultimately a saintly, noble being. This is a rare film that offers a poignant celebration of our good natures. Just as he made an "enhanced version" of CLOSE ENCOUNTER OF THE 3RD KIND in 1980, Spielberg re-released E.T. in 2002 with what I would consider pretty extensive modifications to the 1982 version. Many of the changes are harmless, such as the various re-touchings of backdrops for greater realism, refinements of some special effects shots, the addition of a scene of E.T. taking a bath (to show more of its playfulness), and the significantly re-shot flying sequences that quite seamlessly match the originals. The removal of the shot that suggests a shotgun is to be used against E.T. and the boy doesn't bother me, as it does others. I remember in my first viewing back in '82, I thought the idea of any physical menace to E.T. was needlessly threatening, since the possibility of E.T's capture by scientists was already terrible enough. Some of the changes in the '02 version, while harmless, are unnecessary. In the first shot of the spaceship, it emits blue lights, whereas in the '82 version, they are red (the film's emblematic color). The word "terrorist" has been eliminated from an off-screen dialog, and replaced with the rather odd "hippie." Just before the first flying sequence, the boy plunges down the cliff several feet further than he does in the '82 version, making his movement look a little less fluid. Some of the changes, however, are ill-advised. The opening sequence has been revised to show more of E.T., including an added medium shot that shows its entire body. In the '82 version, we never get a good look at the alien during this sequence, so that in a close-up view a few scenes later, we are genuinely startled by its appearance. The least desirable changes are the ones that enhance E.T.'s facial expressions and body movements. The close-up view of a frightened E.T. in the boy's backyard early in the film has been re-created entirely with computer-generated images (CGI). The overzealous CGI artists have given E.T. a lot of exaggerated body movements, and the result not only doesn't nearly have as much impact as the spooky and haggard mechanical E.T. in the '82 version, but it looks rather comical and cartoon-like. In fact, throughout the '02 version, whenever E.T. has any strong emotion, the CGI enhancements fail considerably in capturing the precise tone of E.T.'s disposition. They either make it look a little too agile, a little too cartoonish, too silly, and a little too physically demonstrative that is unfit for the gentle nature of the film. Fortunately, the 3-disc "Ultimate Gift Set" DVD (which is actually a 4-disc set, with 3 DVDs and 1 music CD of the film's soundtrack) and the cheaper 2-disc DVD set have both the '82 and '02 versions. Both versions have restored video transfers that look identical in quality. (The folks at the DVDFile site did notice minor differences in the two transfers, however.) The Dolby Digital and DTS audio tracks sound terrific, with the DTS track offering a little more "oomph." Mysteriously, the Ultimate Gift Set has no DTS track for the '82 version. This is not a error, for the specifications on the box clearly state that only the '02 version has a DTS track. The cheaper 2-disc set does have DTS tracks for both '82 and '02 versions. Both the Ultimate Gift Set and the 2-disc set have a separate audio track of a live recording of the '02 theatrical premiere, complete with cheers and applauses from the audience and a score conducted live by John Williams. Note that this is not an isolated music track. You still hear the film's dialogs and sound effects (which sound a little reverberated in the recording environment). Other DVD extras of note include a 37-minute "Look back" featurette (which is not on the 2-disc set) and a 50-minute featurette "Evolution and Creation of E.T" (2-disc set has a 24-minute version of it) which offer fascinating footage of Spielberg giving direction on the set and present-day reminiscences from the cast and crew. There is a 10-minute featurette (not on 2-disc set) that shows footage of John Williams composing and conducting the E.T. score. There is also a 17-minute footage from '02 theatrical premiere event. The Ultimate Gift Set also includes a 192-page hard-cover book called "From Concepts to Classic" that is well worth the price. It is replete with photos and drawings, many of which are rarely seen (there is a still from a deleted scene of E.T. entering Mom's bedroom that suggests that E.T. has a crush on her!). There is a section on the many modifications for the '02 version of the film, including many technical details. Also, the complete screenplay of the film ('02 version only) is included. (I also posted a slightly longer version of this review at epinions.com, under the id kevyip.)
Rating:
Summary: How does the re-release stand up?
Review: I just watched the 2002 reissue of E.T., and then the 1982 original on the other disk. What probably would have been the best combination would be to leave the 1982 version intact, and then add in those couple of deleted scenes. One change definitely resulted in loss of effect: On Halloween night, mother tells son (1982), "You're not going as a terrorist! You won't get two blocks in this neighborhood" (approximate quote). In 2002, "terrorist" is changed to "hippie," and the line is left out of the English subtitles. Maybe "terrorist" is no longer as funny as it was in 1982. But "hippie" doesn't cut it in the context. If you don't want to use "terrorist," then change it to "serial killer" or something similar. That maintains the dark humor that was intended. Otherwise, it was great to have both versions available in one package, and all those extras: especially the feature on making the film and the one on the reunion. Spielberg is extremely comfortable in these kinds of interviews and presents himself in a vivid, down-to-earth manner.
Rating:
Summary: Great Movie, Terrible DVD
Review: I am NOT giving ET 1 star based on the quality of the movie. Fantastic 5 star film. Universal's horrible collector's DVD is why I am giving it 1 star. 1. This DVD is not a typical snap case like most DVDs. It is made of cheap cardboard paper that folds, it doesn't snap shut. It has 3 "Security Device Enclosed" stickers on it's top, bottom, and left sides, when you taken them off the cheap cardboard it takes the paint with it and you are left with 3 ugly, paintless, white sides. 2. I bought this movie to see the original theatrial version, as others have stated the CGI ET and walkie talkie cops are pretty lame additions. I got the "Widescreen Collector's Edition", but when I put in my theatrical DVD it was full screen! I want to see ET the way people did in the summer of '82. 3. Universial blatently put in lame promotions of their other movies. One of the "bonus" editions is the theatrical trailer for the Back to the Future Trilogy. I recommend the film highly, but not the 20th anniversary edition.
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