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 an intimate portrait of childhood and suburban American life. Its score by John Williams and its practical creature effects set benchmarks that influenced popular filmmaking for decades.

This cell captures Elliott in a quiet outdoor moment, lying on his back and gazing upward at a purple-blue sky framed by trees. The three-frame sequence preserves a single continuous shot, offering subtle variations across each frame. It is a reflective image of the character at the emotional heart of the film.