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, displacing Star Wars, and remains a defining work of the New Hollywood era. Its blend of suburban childhood wonder and science fiction touched audiences worldwide, earning four Academy Awards and cementing Spielberg's reputation as the foremost popular filmmaker of his generation.

This cell carries the film's title card, preserving the silhouette of Elliott and E.T. aboard their bicycle, suspended against a luminous full moon. That single composed image became one of cinema's most recognized frames. Sourced from 35mm, the cell captures the precise moment the title E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial appears alongside that enduring image.