National Film Vault

FILM NOTES

Universal Pictures released E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial in June 1982, directed by Steven Spielberg. The film became the highest-grossing release of its time and remains a defining work of the New Hollywood era, blending science fiction with intimate family drama. Its suburban setting and child-centered perspective shaped the visual language of American cinema throughout the decade and beyond.

This cell, titled Elliott, captures a quiet interior moment from the film's early domestic scenes. Three nearly continuous frames show Elliott on the floor of a wood-paneled room, a dark circular object resting nearby, with a standing figure visible in the background. The low-angle framing reflects Spielberg's deliberate choice to keep the camera at a child's eye level throughout the film.