National Film Vault

FILM NOTES

E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial was released by Universal Pictures in June 1982 and directed by Steven Spielberg. It became the highest-grossing film 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. Its emotional storytelling and John Williams score made it a cultural landmark that continues to be studied and celebrated.

This cell, titled Mary, captures three consecutive frames from a continuous interior shot of Mary smiling. The sequence is oriented sideways on the strip, as occasionally occurs with 35mm presentation cells. Also identified within the frames is Keys, placing this moment within the domestic and dramatic world Mary inhabits across the film.