This movie PERMANENTLY traumatized me

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"Despite the movie's impact on my life, I somehow still feel captivated by the story, and watch it again every few years because I get a thrill from it."

I love the OP's honesty! Its scary, but the story is also captivating and compelling.

I've always felt that NO ONE does "scary" like Steven Spielberg. Some of the director's scary movies are obvious like 'Jaws' or his early film 'Duel', or even 'Poltergeist' which he produced. But there are plenty of other films where the scary scenes surprise you!

Okay, maybe most kids knew that carnivorous dinos would show up in 'Jurassic Park' but dinosaurs are typically a CHILDREN'S staple. Speilberg surely must have known children would be showing up in droves for 'Jurassic Park' (Let alone E.T.!) This is one of the reasons that James Cameron (who was once interested in directing 'Jurassic') said that Spielberg was the better choice and a film like 'Aliens' (only with dinos) would have never worked. But Speilberg's direction is horrific at times, despite the fact that he stated he didn't want to make movie monsters, but rather to show natural animals. I personally think he succeeded with both!

Then there's the climax of 'Raiders of the Lost Ark', 'Last Crusade', AND many scenes in 'Temple of Doom'. Truly horrific scenes in what we all expected to be action/adventure films! Also, has anyone seen the film 'Hook'? That one scared me as a child too!

In most of Speilberg's films, we don't see gratuitous 'R' rated violence. We don't see blood and gore drenching the screen. And we usually see movies with 'PG-13' or even 'PG' ratings!! Yet somehow Speilberg seems to make the moments eerie and primal nevertheless, making for a rather unique brand of 'horror'

With E.T. - its certainly horrific- but its also often true to life. It makes sense that the alien and the child would be scared of each other at first. It makes sense that seeing an alien for the first time would likely be an unsettling experience, even if the strange creature was benevolent!

As for the astronauts walking into the dark house, breathing like darth vader, saying nothing, over the background of John Williams (at times) menacing score? I got no explanation for that one! Spielberg just likes to scare us!

I'm not sure if E.T. had the same effect on me, but I get this way whenever I watch Wizard of Oz or the original Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. I haven't even seen the updated Charlie and the Chocolate Factory cause the other one scared me so much.

Try watching Jaws when you're 6 years old... i did.
Scarred for life.

Your post made me lol. I feel for you but that was a good read! 😀

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fin

For many years starting when I was very young, I was also scared of E.T. This is due to the fact one time when I was about 4 or 5 years old I was very sick. My oldest brother had a E.T mask and costume which he put on to cheer me up. So my mom told me to go outside. It was dark out mind you and my brother appeared out of the darkness dressed as E.T and even started to talk like him calling my name. Needless to say, I freaked the hell out and ran inside as fast as I could. A week later, I made my mom take scissors and cut up the mask to be thrown away in the trash. Many years after I could not look at ETs face, hear the music from the movie, or see commercials without being sent to nightmare land. I spent many sleepless nights with many nightmares that E.T was coming to get me. Fast forward to present and I love the little guy. It's one of my all time favorite movies!

I was a grown up man when the film came, but I thought it would be wise for my children to wait until they were at least 10 years old to watch it.


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"No matter the movie, there will always be a moron starting a thread:"Worst movie ever"

Well, this only proves that there were just as many dumb and ignorant parents back then. The movie is PG, not G. What is a five year old doing watching a movie like this?

Parents are even worse today, as I often see young children taken into R-rated films, because the clueless parents think that it can't possibly affect them.

Three things to do as a parent regarding movies:

1. Pay attention to the rating!

2. Ask other parents who have seen it for opinions. i.e. suitable for children at a particular age.

3. Watch it first without your kids.

As a film critic, I've lost count over the years of how many parents have thanked me for these pieces of advice.

One mother wanted to know if she should take her 8-year-old to see "Spider-Man." I told her that it's a PG-13 rating and that the Green Goblin would likely be too much for him. She was most grateful and simply elected to wait a few years before letting him see the movie.

Just because YOU want to see the movie doesn't mean it's suitable for your kids! Think of them first. They're your responsibility.