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 emotional restraint and practical effects set a standard that shaped popular cinema through the decade and beyond.

This cell, titled Mary, captures a charged interior moment between Mary and Keys. Shot from a low angle against a dark background, the framing places Mary in a position of vulnerability, her expression carrying the weight of the film's emotional climax. Keys appears within the same continuous sequence, grounding the exchange in quiet tension. For collectors, this cell preserves one of the film's most human and understated performances.