"E.T." review

"E.T." is a classic of the fantastic genre. This film was made by famous director Steven Spielberg. It won a lot of various awards and became a real breakthrough in the cinematography. Filming "E.T.", Spielberg let his uncontrollable imagination run away. According to many sources, the topic of "alien creatures visiting Earth" interested Spielberg from an early age. "Steven Spielberg always described E.T. as his most personal film, but it was a decade after its release before he admitted that his enchanting tale of an alien stranded in suburbia is really about his parents' divorce. "(Marc Lee, 2014)

This picture tells us a beautiful story about the friendship of little boy Elliot and little alien E.T. An alien arrives on Earth with peaceful intent  - as part of a research group. Specialists from "NASA" noticed the approach of a flying saucer and felt that they were simply obliged to catch at least one of the alien creatures. Alien creatures immediately started to leave Earth but , accidentally ,one of them stayed behind. Earth boy Elliott and his brother and sister save and become friends with this newcomer.

In 1982 there were not enough high technologies, consequently, it was a hard time for science fiction directors. As Julia Vasilyeva(2016) points out "There are no computer monsters in "E.T." The whole modest budget of this picture is spent mainly on making the alien itself. " 
The episodes of the first contact with the newcomer really frighten.(see fig.1) Not knowing the main story and genre, you can take a movie for a horror film: night shots, a smoky silhouette of an unknown little creature that makes strange sounds that are not familiar to anything. When Elliott meets little creature E.T, boy’s curiosity overcomes his fear.(see fig.2) At a time when adults see only a monster, the child looks inside and sees a friend who needs help. This child's vision takes the lead in the film. This is indicated by the method of filming. A large amount of material is shot at the eye level of the child to show the connection and equality between Elliott and E.T. They become one, their thoughts and feelings are inseparable, unbroken.

Figure 1. Aliens arrive on Earth(2016)

Figure 3. Elliott is scared by E.T.(2010)

Tim Dirks also suggests that "much of the film was deliberately shot from a lower camera angle - from a child's point-of-view to manipulatively encourage younger viewers to identify with the characters, to simulate how overwhelming and threatening adults look to children (from the waist or knees down), and to force adult viewers to relive their own childhood. "
Spielberg skillfully plays with the child's imagination, impressibility, fantasy, a child's view of life. Even if children cannot understand what is happening on the screen, they are reaching out to the image of E.T., they are not afraid of it. For children, E.T. - is absolutely real. Director made all these little actors, particularly small Henry Thomas, believe that E.T is not a doll, but a living being that needs to be treated like a living being. Children in this picture almost do not play - they believe in what they do, their emotions are simple and natural, and their reactions are truly childlike. Therefore, the image of E.T. turned out so successful - little actors themselves believe in him so much that we, adults, believe too.

Figure 3. Elliott and E.T.(2016)

"E.T."  is aimed mainly at children, but this fact did not prevent Steven Spielberg from putting a lot of different meanings in this picture, that are understandable not to every child. Magnificent direction and acting are generously flavoured with magnificent music, the author of which was the permanent composer of Steven Spielberg, John Williams, who have even received an Oscar for that. 

Steven Spielberg created a modern fairy tale, on one hand, suitable for the era of scientific and technological progress, but on another hand, very touching, heart-warming and even sentimental.

Bibliography:
1. Lee, M. (2014) E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial, review: 'redefined popular sci-fi' . At: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/11310774/Must-have-movie-ET-The-Extra-Terrestrial-1982.html (Accessed on 15 May 2017) 
2. Vasilyeva, J. (2016) Ростовчан приглашают обсудить фильм Спилберга [Russian] Rostov invites to discuss Spielbergs film At: http://don24.ru/publications/13885 (Accessed on 15 May 2017) 
3. Dirks, T. E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial (1982)  At: http://www.filmsite.org/etth.html (Accessed on 15 May 2017) 

Illustrations:
1. Figure 1. (2016)[Film Still] http://gidonline.club/2012/04/inoplanetyanin/, accessed on 15 May 2017.
2. Figure 2.(2010)[Film Still] http://familyhalloweenmovies.blogspot.co.uk/2010/10/movie-7-et-extra-terrestrial-1982.html, accessed on 15 May 2017.
3. Figure 3.(2016)[Film Still] https://www.therapidian.org/see-and-hear-et-extra-terrestrial-youve-never-seen-it-grand-rapids-pops, accessed on 15 May 2017.