MovieChat Forums > E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial (1982) Discussion > Your first time seeing E.T. Where, when...

Your first time seeing E.T. Where, when, what was it like?

posted 9 years ago by DarthSil
32 replies | jump to latest

I saw it the year it opened in 1982 at Lakeside Theater in New Orleans, which was a single screen at the time. And sadly, that theater, like so many others, is now gone.

I was still in school at the time, so I had to wait for the weekend so my father could drop me off at the theater. The anticipation was sick for this movie! There was a mob of people waiting to get in and every single show was sold out. The buzz about it was Star Wars like huge at the time.

And yes, I loved every second of it. It was one of those rare moments when it feels like the entire theater falls madly in love with a film. Doesn't happen too often, but E.T. was special and made people feel good.

Please share some of your memories of seeing E.T. for the first time.

"A little Consideration, a little Thought for Others, makes all the difference." Eeyore

[–] Hendry_William_French 9 years ago

My family rented it when it first came out on vhs in 1988 from our local video store in Sandnes (a town on the south west coast of Norway). I was very young, and it was my first memory of watching a film (and one of my first memories of anything). I remember the guy in the spacesuit coming through the house the most, that and them flying over the moon. Even at such a young age it seemed like a really distinctive film.

He was my C.O. in Nam. CIA listed him as MIA but the V.A. ID'd his M.O. and put out an APB.

[–] Mr-Fusion 9 years ago

'86 re-release; I had a cousin who took me to see it. It was a good night. Still have the poster from McDonald's.
https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/236x/ed/b5/e4/edb5e4b70ff1c437fe265ed5393a750e.jpg

I remember reserving the green-tabbed VHS at the local video store in '88. I guess what's kind of odd is that the movie was sort of out-of-sight, out-of-mind until I rediscovered it in my twenties.

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[–] Fluke_Skywalker 9 years ago

I remember reserving the green-tabbed VHS at the local video store in '88. I guess what's kind of odd is that the movie was sort of out-of-sight, out-of-mind until I rediscovered it in my twenties.

It was for me as well. I think part of it has to do with it not hitting home video until 1988, by which time I was 14. It really didn't come back on my radar until that 2002 20th anniversary re-release. I didn't go see it (I was turned off by the changes), but they had released a whole slew of new merch to capitalize and my local Toys'r'Us looked straight outta 1982. I checked it out (the unaltered version) when it was released on DVD and it was like being 8 years old all over again. Now I own it on BluRay and watch it once a year.

I saw it twice when it was released in June of 1982; Once with my Dad and once with my Mom and Brother. Cried both times. It was one of those rare moments where the audience was having this shared experience rather than just individual people who happened to be seeing a movie in the same theater. You walked out feeling as if you had been on a journey with these people. Only the original Star Wars trilogy had that same movie going experience for me.

There was a buzz for it beforehand, as I recall that several of us had E.T. shirts during the last month of school that year before it was released. I collected the bubblegum cards, had an E.T. doll and a few other odds and ends.

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[–] DingelBerry 9 years ago

First time watching this stupid movie, May 2016. On my beautiful 65" curved Samsung smart TV ultra HD. The fact that the puppet looks so fake takes me out of the movie.

[–] Quint (957) 4 years ago

hats one of the dumbest postings ive read here. The practical effeects for E. T. were one from the prime time of pratical effects and were simpyl amazing. The team won an Oscar for them.

What was really horrible was the added CG at the 2000s special addition. The put some CG onto the pratical effects of E. T. face. That (!) looked horrible, cause CG most often looks ugly (thats not mainly the fault of CG themselves, but instead of a low movie effect budget and therefor no time for natural textures, models and rendering times).

[–] BuzzSF 8 years ago

I saw it in the cinema with some relatives I was visiting in Columbia, South Carolina the summer it opened in 1982. It made me feel all these weird complex feelings of a sad kind of happiness that my 7 year old self couldn't quite comprehend so I told everyone I hated it 'cause it was sad but secretly loved it. Along with the original Clash of the Titans, E.T. remains as one of my most favorite movies of all time.

⚾

[–] somesunnyday 8 years ago

I saw it at the cinema upon first release when I was 10 years old in 82 with my mum near Melbourne, Australia. Sadly, that cinema no longer exists. I remember the whole audience, adults and kids, sobbing at the end. Loved it and still do.

[–] ZakkWyldeMyLittlePony 8 years ago

I first saw it when I was little and I remember being afraid of ET.

My Little Pony + Black Sabbath + Judas Priest + Iron Maiden + Metallica + Pantera = LIFE

[–] DarthSil 8 years ago

I took my best friend to see the '85 re-release. She had never seen the film before and was dying of curiosity.

She loved it and I was amazed at how strong she was throughout the entire thing. Here I am, sitting next to her, crying like a baby, and she's like a rock. However, at the end, when E.T. and Elliott say goodbye, that's when she finally lost it.

I also remember her laughing hysterically at Elliott's "bald monkey" comment.

More wonderful memories of a wonderful movie.

"A little Consideration, a little Thought for Others, makes all the difference." Eeyore

[–] Robin_Koeman 8 years ago

I was 7. Watched it at home with my parents and my little brother (5 at the time). I remember my little brother panicking during the scene where E.T. throws the ball back at Elliot from the shed. I had never seen him freak out like that before, he was so terrified he started rolling on the floor screaming and hyperventilating and whatnot. His reaction to that scene actually scared me, lol.

- Play with monkeys, put bananas in hidden places -

[–] OmegaWolf747 8 years ago

I couldn't have been any older than five. My mother took me to see it and I was transfixed by it, especially the music.

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House. My room. Cant walk. My medal. My father. Father, dont!

[–] tristandude14 8 years ago

I was about 4 years old. I remember my Great Aunt bought it for me on VHS in the mid 90s and told me she thought I would like it. I asked her what it was about and she said, "There's an alien in this lady's house and the son makes friends with him." It didn't sound all that cool, but then when I watched it I was instantly hooked and to this day it is still one of my favorite movies. It's truly a masterpiece.