National Film Vault

FILM NOTES

Universal Pictures released E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial in June 1982, directed by Steven Spielberg at the height of his early creative power. The film became the highest-grossing release of its decade and remains a defining work of American cinema — a story of childhood, wonder, and loss that resonated across generations and helped shape the blockbuster era without sacrificing emotional sincerity.

This cell, titled Gertie and Michael, captures three consecutive frames from a single continuous shot, preserving a quiet interior moment between the two siblings. Lit by warm practical sources against a dark background, both Gertie and Michael are turned toward something beyond the frame — a small, suspended instant that reflects the film's gift for finding genuine feeling in stillness.