National Film Vault

FILM NOTES

Universal Pictures released E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial in June 1982, with Steven Spielberg directing at the height of his commercial and creative powers. The film became the highest-grossing release of its era, displacing Star Wars, and earned four Academy Awards. Its blend of suburban childhood wonder and science fiction made it a cultural touchstone that continues to resonate with audiences across generations.

This cell, titled E.T. and Elliott, captures three nearly identical frames from one of the film's atmospheric night sequences. Each frame presents a dark, mist-filled outdoor setting with silhouetted figures emerging from the haze beneath overhanging branches — the kind of quiet, otherworldly imagery that defines the relationship between Elliott and E.T. throughout the picture.