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 American cinema, blending science fiction with an intimate family story that resonated across generations. Shot by Allen Daviau on 35mm, the film's visual warmth and practical effects set a benchmark for the decade.

This cell, titled Mary, captures a consecutive three-frame run from an interior scene featuring Mary, played by Dee Wallace, caught in a moment of genuine warmth. A second figure, Keys, is visible below and behind her in the frame. The consecutive nature of the three frames offers a rare sense of motion and continuity seldom found in a single encapsulated cell.