It’s hard to believe 20 years ago a cute little alien with an abnormally large head and big eyes wandered away from his spaceship and into box office stratosphere.
Yet, in 1982, that’s just what happened.
When E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial was released, no one expected it to become the phenomenon it did. Honestly, a story about an alien botanist who gets left on Earth by mistake and has to find his way home with the help of an 11-year-old boy? Where’s the barf bag?
The movie hit America right where the heart is, under the excellence guidance of wunderkind director, Steven Spielberg. It became the one of the highest grossing films of all time, and remains at number four on that list. It helped to create one of the most successful production companies in Hollywood, Amblin Entertainment. There were E.T. toys, games, books. Even Michael Jackson, the King of Pop, wrote a hit song about the endearing but decidedly wrinkly alien.
Now, we get to experience the fun all over again. Universal will be re-releasing E.T. nationwide to commemorate its 20th anniversary–this time with a new facelift. Spielberg and special effects company Industrial Light and Magic have reworked over 140 shots to bring the film blazing into the 21st century.
Most importantly, we get to see all those great characters again–Elliot, Gertie, Michael, Mom–and the actors who brought them to life, a gang of mostly unknown actors who managed to create this endearing family classic.
Here’s a look at them then, and what they are up to now.
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| Henry Thomas (Elliot)
As the adorable hero who helps his alien friend go home, 11-year-old Thomas melted hearts everywhere. Luckily, he didn’t fall into the horrible child-actor abyss so many seem to tumble into, but waited until he got a little older to continue his acting career. (He did make a few films as a kid (1984’s Cloak and Dagger), but not many.) Thomas‘ emergence as an adult actor came with his role as the young Danceny in Milos Forman’s excellent Valmont (1989), and it’s been a steady rise since then. Thomas made a few big budget films (1994’s Legends of the Fall, 1999’s All the Pretty Horses), but he is more well known for his roles in indie films such as Suicide Kings (1997) and Fever (1999). - Advertisement -
Thomas also turned in an amazing performance in the Emmy-winning HBO biopic Indictment: The McMartin Trial (1995) as the tortured Ray Buckey. Thomas proved that the wonderful little boy who made us believe he was connected to E.T. really did have the stuff to make it as a serious actor. Thomas will be seen next in Martin Scorsese‘s Gangs of New York. Best E.T. line: “Coke. You see, we drink it. It’s a, it’s a drink. You know, food. These are toys, these are little men. This is Greedo, and then this is Hammerhead, see this is Walrus Man, and this is Snaggle Tooth and this is Lando Calrissian…Are you hungry? I’m hungry. Stay. Stay. I’ll be right here. OK? I’ll be right here.” |
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| Drew Barrymore (Gertie)
Of course, we all know how Ms. Barrymore turned out, but who could forget that little seven-year-old face when she sees E.T. for the first time–and just screams her bloody head off? After her now well-known troubles growing up, battling alcohol and drugs at the tender age of 13 and making a string of mediocre films–Firestarter and Irreconcilable Differences (both 1984)–Barrymore resurrected her career with such films as Poison Ivy and Guncrazy (both 1992), showing a new and improved Drew. But it was her sweet comedic turn in 1998’s The Wedding Singer that put Barrymore back on the superstar map. She followed that up with the effervescent Ever After, playing the lovely Cinderella character, Danielle. She then formed her own production company, Flower Films, and produced her next big hit Never Been Kissed in 1999, immediately followed by Charlie’s Angels in 2000, firmly establishing herself as the mega-superstar she is today. Barrymore will be seen next in George Clooney‘s directorial debut Confessions of a Dangerous Mind–and, of course, there will be a Charlie’s Angels 2. - Advertisement -
Best E.T. line: “Is it a pig? He sure eats like one.” |
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| Peter Coyote (Keys)
Coyote was just starting out as an actor when he took the role simply known as Keys–named for the keys that ominously jangled from his hip–a government scientist who comes in and takes E.T. away. Still, he turned out not to be a bad guy in the film, just a very curious one. Since then Coyote has become one of the better character actors. He has starred in over 60 films including the courtroom thriller Jagged Edge (1985), the sexually charged Bitter Moon (1992) and the Oscar-winning drama Erin Brockovich (2000). His most recent film was the tearjerker A Walk to Remember; Coyote plays Mandy Moore‘s father. Coyote‘s most lucrative career, however, has been in the voice-over business. He has narrated countless Discovery and History Channel specials and can be heard in commercials for several large companies, including GM, Brita and Oracle. Coyote still likes to be seen, though, and can be seen in Brian De Palma‘s next film Femme Fatale with Antonio Banderas. Best E.T. line: “Elliot, I don’t think he was left here intentionally, but his being here is a miracle, Elliot. It’s a miracle and you did the best that anybody could do. I’m glad he met you first.” | Dee Wallace Stone (Mary)
Stone had been acting well before E.T., but her role as Elliot’s good-hearted mom Mary is still her best. Stone was a perfect blend of motherly understanding and concern for her son, and the mark of playing a great mom has followed her throughout her career. The young Stone studied under famed acting coach Uta Hagan and earned a cult following for her performance in 1980’s werewolf flick The Howling. She then starred in the 1983 Stephen King thriller Cujo and continued to make a steady stream of B-level features and made-for-TV movies. Stone‘s most recent job was playing Ben’s (Scott Speedman) mom on the WB show Felicity. She continues to work and will be seen in a few indie movies, including Fish Don’t Blink with Lea Thompson. Stone also has her own website, deewallacestone.com, where she sells motivational self-help videos. Best E.T. line: “If you ever see it again, whatever it is, don’t catch it, just call me and we’ll call somebody and have them take it away.” |
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| Robert MacNaughton (Michael)
As Elliot’s wise-cracking but loyal older brother Michael, MacNaughton was a fresh face destined for a lucrative acting career–except that he decided not to pursue one. MacNaughton did a few more films and a some TV work after E.T., most notably the intense 1983 psychodrama I Am the Cheese about a boy who watches his parents killed. Yet the call of the screen wasn’t that strong for MacNaughton: he ultimately moved to Phoenix, where he now happily works for the U.S. Postal Service as a mail handler. Best E.T. line: “What’s all this ‘we’ stuff? You say ‘we’ all the time now. Really Elliott. I think [E.T.] might be getting kind of sick.” |
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| Steven Spielberg (Director)
As we all know, Spielberg was already a huge success by the time he made E.T. He’d made the first modern-day blockbuster hit (1975’s Jaws) as well as the one the best action movies of all time (1981’s Raiders of the Lost Ark), but his vision and fortitude in making E.T. put the director into the Hollywood elite. Spielberg never, ever had to worry again about getting his movies made–his ticket had been punched forever. To list his extraordinary accomplishments (Schindler’s List, Saving Private Ryan, forming DreamWorks Studio) would be superfluous. Suffice it to say, Spielberg will go down in history as being one of the best filmmakers the entertainment industry has ever seen. Best E.T quote: “In my work, everything is melodrama. I don’t think I’ve ever not made a melodrama. E.T. is melodramatic….I mean, there’s melodrama in life and I love it. It’s heightened drama, taking things to histrionic extremes and squeezing out the tears a bit.” |
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