MovieChat Forums > E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial (1982) Discussion > something that bothers me about the fina...

something that bothers me about the finale

posted 3 years ago by ADBruno1985 (3482)
1 reply | jump to latest

When the boys take off on their bikes at the end, it's sunset. When they land in the forest, which is local, it seems to be full dark. Then there's the goodbye scene, and when the ship takes off, it looks like sunrise.

My best thought it it was still sunset at the end, and it's just darker in the forest because it's the forest. Or maybe the light at the end is from the spaceship? But it seems too drastically different to still be sunset, and the first paragraph is my takeaway of it

[–] ExTechOp (2770) 3 years ago

Just checked it … it’s most likely still sunset.

The shot of the bicycles landing has a “cinema sunset” in the background.

After that, the darkness can be blamed on the forest.

E.T.’s ship gives off such bright lights that it seems to be the only light source, but the characters’ faces are still well lit after it leaves.

And while it’s leaving, there’s still light in the sky — could be pre-sunrise, but it’s more likely dusk since we’ve just been shown a sunset.