National Film Vault

FILM NOTES

Universal Pictures released E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial in June 1982, with Steven Spielberg directing at the height of his creative powers. The film became the highest-grossing release of its time and remains a defining work of American cinema, blending science fiction with an intimate story of childhood, loneliness, and connection. Its practical creature effects, John Williams score, and emotional sincerity set a standard that shaped popular filmmaking for decades.

This cell, titled E.T. and Elliott, captures a close-up of E.T. with his mouth open, bathed in warm amber light near water, with Elliott present in the frame. The three consecutive images hold nearly the same composition, preserving a quiet, vulnerable moment between the two central figures of the film.