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 blockbuster period. The film became the highest-grossing release of its time and remains a defining work of American cinema, blending suburban family drama with science fiction in a way that resonated across generations. John Williams's score and Spielberg's ground-level camera perspective gave the picture an emotional intimacy rarely achieved at that scale.

This cell captures the celebrated moonrise flying sequence, confirmed as E.T. and Elliott Flying. Frames one and two show Elliott and E.T. silhouetted against the full moon on the bicycle, the image most closely associated with the film. The third frame appears to include Michael alongside Elliott, suggesting this comes from the group flight portion of the same sequence, where additional riders join the escape.