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 a deeply personal story of childhood, loneliness, and connection. Its influence on popular culture and on the craft of mainstream filmmaking has proven lasting.

This three-frame cell, titled E.T. and Elliott, captures a quiet moment between the boy and his extraterrestrial companion in the warm, low-lit interior that cinematographer Allen Daviau made so distinctive throughout the film. Shot from a low angle and repeated across three near-identical frames, the sequence reflects the gentle, unhurried rhythm of their relationship at the heart of the story.