MovieChat Forums > E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial (1982) Discussion > Rewatched this over the holidays on NETF...

Rewatched this over the holidays on NETFLIX - respect for having the original theatrical version!

posted 2 months ago by JohnBraun604 (353)
9 replies | jump to latest

I rewatched this amazing classic over the holidays on NETFLIX.

There was a clumsy digital remake ala Star Wars with enhanced E.T. and all the guns strangely removed. I guess Steven forgot he made 1941 and Saving Private Ryan.

Thank you to NETFLIX for having the original theatrical, not the goofy updated version. i really appreciated this. It was a lot clunkier than I remembered it. I did see it on the original theatrical run in 1982 and was blown away as a youth. Still so much heart and magic in this wonderful film.

[–] ewd76 (1577) 2 months ago

When I went back in 1982 the line was around the building in the rain with no roof. Youngsters these days have it so much better.

[–] JohnBraun604 (353) 2 months ago

Haha! I remember those days. With no VCR and limited TV...movies were so much bigger and magical.

[–] Tam87 (1598) 2 months ago

There is no E.T. special edition anymore. Steven Spielberg changed his mind and regretted the changes and mandated that tv channels & streams will only show the theatrical version.

Spielberg had been under the influence of George Lucas when he made those alterations. He said in an interview that he eventually realized that making all those changes to the film was basically like robbing the fans of their childhood memories of ET, which was also a sly dig at Lucas's repeated butcherings of the original theatrical star wars films.

[–] JohnBraun604 (353) 2 months ago

Oh thanks for telling me. Great move by Spielberg.
I could not watch the "special edition" with the walkie talkies replacing guns and a Roger Rabbit stylized E.T.

[–] Tam87 (1598) 2 months ago

Yeah, and also the CGI ET hopping around in the opening forest scenes, and the CGI bikes flying at the end. Both looked like typical fake CGI from the era. The original sfx were better.

[–] ak47wong (639) 2 months ago

The original effect of using a flashing light on a rail to represent E.T. running through the forest was not good, but I can’t say I prefer the CGI E.T. hopping around either so 🤷‍♂️

[–] Tam87 (1598) 2 months ago

The rail effect was crude but it was functional like most practical fx of that era unlike the ridiculous hopping CGI sonic the hedgehog ET. I'm glad Spielberg came to his senses unlike Lucas.

[–] overseas7 (5071) 2 months ago

E.T is indeed a wonderful movie. I have at home the special edition. The Halloween celebration is a while longer, the guns were removed and the scene with the bathtub added.

[–] JohnBraun604 (353) 2 months ago

Oh yes I do recall...I was kinda happy I forgot about those scenes - haha