E. T. (The Extra-Terrestrial), Spielberg

Questions:
1.  What influences- people, ideas, movements, events- evident in the writer's life does the work reflect?

2. To what extent are the events described in the film a direct transfer of what happened in the writer's actual life?

3.  What modifications of the actual events has the writer made in the literary work? For what possible purposes?

4. What are the effects of the differences between actual events and their literary transformation in the film?

5.  What has the author revealed in the work about his characteristic modes of thought, perception, or emotion? What place does this work have in the artist's film development and career?

External Reviews & Articles of Interest:
Spielberg Interview, 1982

Spielberg on E. T.

Other E. T. Interviews

Spielberg's biography, IMDB bio site, Senses of Cinema article,techniques and themes

"The Recovery of Childhood and the Search for the Absent Father" in Spielberg's Films

"A Conversation with Steven Spielberg"

Response Topics:
Potential Response Topics:

Opening Scene Parallel - How are E. T. and Elliott characterized as outsiders from the opening scenes?How does Spielberg show this early connections?

How does MIchael evolve as a brother in the film? How does his role change and how does SPielberg capture this shift?

Spielberg moments and key techniques to be seen in other films (Jurassic Park, Jaws, Hook, Indiana Jones, etc.)

What is the role of the family in the film? How does it operate? How does Spielberg capture, critique, and criticize it?

According to the film, what is Spielberg's answer to the dysfunctional family? How do you know?

What is the significance of all the window slats in the film? Lighted slats frame rooms, characters, even the space ship. How is Spielberg using this symbol to symbolize the character's personal experiences, obstacles, etc.?

A Period:
Hands (Custy) - what is the significance and use of the hands? Represents God, man, etc. (Skate)

Is there a Savior-figure? (Trey) - (Andrew) - E. T. (notice they are dressed alike in the death scene) - he takes Elliot's pain and bears it to the grave. Yet he too, is reborn, resurrected in the end.

What is symbolism of the rainbow at the end (Skate)?

A promise for restoration (Seth) - He will always be with Elliott - in his memories

Kids have more imagination than adults - more receptive, accepting (Sallie Ann/Skate)

Adults are so single-minded about ideas and things, closed minded (Skate/William)

Hook - sometimes fathers need to recover their childhood in order to restore their fatherhood role. be like a child with imagination and all will right itself (William)

What significance did the man with the keys play? (Martha)

Spielberg was Elliott - Man with the keys was his own mentor (Jake)

Mother abandoned his father.....absentee father reoccuring figure in his films (Custy)

Keeper of the Keys - Presented as a menacing, faceless figure at the beginning (Trey), Music aids our understanding of this fact (Xander), another example of failed authority (Andrew). Finding E. T. - Elliott gets away - critique on adult authority over children (Andrew)

Keymaster parallel to Spielberg in future b/c E. T. is friend, brother never had, father lacking, after father left, he had an imaginary friend - maybe Elliott had experience that key man never had - portrayal if SPielberg had met Elliott - he would be in good hands - one to fill the void (SKate)

Spielberg's dad - keyman - keys to Elliott's heart (Taber) - mother and keymaster have connection, Elliot's reflection in the Keyman's mask - coming together (Taber)

Fascination with Aliens? (Sallie Ann) Did he have an imaginary friend? Why did he choice for the alien to go to Elliott?

Father into computers, moved a lot as a kid, Jewish, neighbors assaulted him in home often (mimicking the astronauts invading) (Custy) (Anti-semitic neighbors)

Chose an alien b/c he was a father figure to E. T. - felt alienated from his father - now cut off - different - chose an alien to show their strange connection (Tupper)

Absent father - created desire to be the father for someone else lacking (Skate) - more fulfilled as an individual

Reciprocal relationship - both depend on one another (Skate) - Healing Elliott - Teaching E. T. how to read, etc. (William)

Why a kid? (Sallie Ann)  Why did he chose Elliott?

His father worked a lot - had to be the father figure (Trey)

(William) Began about trying to write story about parent's divorce - describes relationship with mother and dad - he always blamed it on the father - even after discovering that his mother had an affair - when described mother - his mother was like an older sister to him. No parent figure. Fill the parent gap. Mother had no authority in the film. Shed scene - Mom reiterates what kid says about going to see what is in the shed - they ignore her protests -

(Jenny) - left 4 year old at home

(Xander) Pizza scene -don't order..dismissal of her "intended" authority.

(Jake) spacemen - mother asserts her authority - looks out for children -

(Taber) man with keys - father figure - she only looked out for kids when he came around and she was under scrutiny.

(Xander) - with the policeman - she was emotional and protective -

(Trey) - Mother and sisters spoiled him  - seen in mother's treatment of Elliott, etc., all

Doesn't scold or punish Elliott when school calls about his intoxication - why?

(Skate) Spielberg put Elliott's mother in a negative light...if he was spoiled, maybe his portrayal of her is his negative recognition of the bitterness that stemmed from her treatment of him.

(andrew) - What was important about the parallel characters (Elliott/ET)?

longing for true companionship - the relationship that took root in ET

Why do you think that it was significant that mom reads Peter Pan to Gertie? (Xander) parallels

--this is a dream- alien fairy tale - (Custy)

Story of Peter Pan (Vienna) - they are all kids, not taken care of - the lost boys - doesn't have parents, fends for himself, has to grow up by himself, shows the resemblance of Elliott/Peter.

Why does Spielberg omit adult faces t/o the movie? (Trey)

Kids are alienated from their parents (Daniel F)

(Martha) - Husband just left - grieving

(Xander) patterns in Jaws - parenthood comparisons -

(William) - faces -masks - children demask when confronted to ET - Adults put theirs on - why?

(Xander) - Everything flourishes when people are vulerable

(Skate) - When demasked - adults are sad - they themselves are lost

C Period Harkness Notes:
(Rylan) How was the movie autobiographical?

(Sophie) Spielberg's parents separated; his mother ended the relationship

(Sarah) He was angry at his mother and stated, "Dad is in Mexico with Sally," but he is struggling to come to terms with his loss and frustration.

(Ruth) -Sought answers and consolation through his film - for his own experience

(Jack) - Saw self in ET

(Fallon) - ET was rock - protector

(Kenzie) Reciprocal relationship - took care of each other, took terms

(Sophie) - Mother more like an older sister -

(Sam) Astronauts came into the house - She stands up and protects them, "This is my home."

Why?

(Sam) He is replaying anti-semitic scene when neighbors came into their home in the same manner.

(Caitlin)  Keys - he was waiting for the aliens - wanted to see them since he was ten

(Evan) Spielberg created adults as objects not people- faceless phantoms - never personalized but detached and menacing.

(Allison) - Characterizes them from a child's perspective - keys on belt - child's eye level - significant perspective throughout

(Sophie) men in his life are not significant - needs adults - men in his life were like shadows, lacking impact, substance

(Sarah) Keys can also lock a cage - all adults are evil - predatory

(Kenzie) Used ideas from Socrates - find pleasure in different areas of life - rebirth as a child - S uses this motif as he too tries to experience a childhood rebirth so he can restore adulthood

(Kurtis) Peter Pan significance - ET could be an entire story for Peter Pan, ET like Tinkerbell - getting sick and almost dying when people stops believing in her. ET too -

(Sophie) Mother outright rejects ET

(Evan) No connection b/c mom sees him after he is already sick and dying -

(Scotty) When Elliott says he loves him - ET resurrects

(Kurtis) Mom reading the story to Gertie, "Do you believe," and she replies, " I do, I Do." Also the clock face shot when mom dressed as Josie is awaiting the kids return - like the same in Peter Pan.

(Micah) Spielberg like Elliott - experiences that he had in Hollywood as a young, new film maker, outsider to the group - not completely respected

(Sarah) ET and Elliott's connections - Spielberg had some parts of self in ET

(Scotty) Alien represents more of a father figure; doesn't know him that well - like Spielberg's own dad

(Allison and Caitlin and Scotty) the reciprocal relationship - ET/Elliott switch father-son roles

(Sophie) City uniform at the opening of the film, mimicking how Hollywood was uniform when Spielberg entered for the first time - as an outsider. S like ET will break the monotony and complacency

(Sarah) ET and Elliott's connection - explain it? how does it happen?

(Micah) - Connection came when ET touched him

(Evan) - Clarify question - did the final finger touch separate the two individuals - allowing Elliott to live.

(Josh) - final touch at the makeshift hospital - separates them - the monitor reflects this permanent situation - come and stay.

(Scotty) - Parallels the relationship Elliot had with his father - when ET is leaving, he says, "I will always be here." ET's supernatural powers - show he has more powers than he thinks he does.

(Evan) Connection to dad?

(SH) Genetic - still a connection

(Sam)  the calm after the storm - the rainbow - the apotheosis (Dark Knight Rises, anyone?)

(Sarah) Why are the flowers important?

(Caitlin) When he first made the flowers live - why did ET take them back

(Fallon) Out searching for plants - trying to dig one out in the forest in the opening scene

(Rylan) ET's family out to learn about us - trying to learn about our life - we think we are trying to learn about them, but they are doing the same

(Fallon) - Why do all the kids accept ET?

(Caitlin) Children believe - they are innocent and imaginative -

(Kenzie) S wants to return to that world - tap into that innocence and imagination

(Evan) Mike's transformation

(Micah)  Elliott then leads the family back to health - he introduces them to ET- brings into the family the bond that will heal them.

(Caitlin) Once he sees ET, he believes it - he doesn't get mad at Michael.

(Sarah) - At beginning, Mike's the "father figure" - child forced into an adult world (poker, smoke, etc.) - once he believes in ET - he b/c a child again - restores broken self

(Scotty) Hook - father as well

(Evan) Adults saw him as an other - a threat

(Sophie) - S's autobiographical imaginary friend - that is why he is drawn to aliens. Michael reverts back and can confide in him.

(Sarah) ET arrives and Mike gets to be a kid again.

(Evan) Is it better to love and lose? Or is it better to never love and not suffer the loss?

(Allison) - Father's leaving - difficult on child to adjust - friendship with ET - learning that (Sarah) if someone is not standing physically beside them does not mean he is no longer there.

(Scotty) Elliott had to go through the maturing process - had to say goodbye - ET couldn't stay or he would die - forced into adult world

(KEnzie) S's patterns - always has a relationship mended - fixed - ending brings resolution to the conflicted. Why does he include this pattern in all of his films when his own life doesn't mirror it?

(Evan) IT is his happy ever after. His dream - what he wants.

(MIcah) Dad's discredit young steven's desires to be a filmmaker - now he has been successful

(Sophie) - Slats of light in windows - astronauts - is it reality? or a dream?

(Sam) Slatted light - t/o film - silhoutted the characters and repeated

(Sophie) the clinging of the keys - symbol of unlocking the cells -

Prisoned

(Josh) What is the reason for having friendly aliens in both films especially when all other movies included menacing, evil aliens?

(Sam) He was the alien - looked down upon - so he gets  affirmed from outsiders unlike other people.

G Period:
(Winston) How does ET portray a father-figure in Elliott's life?

(Nathan) Establishes earlier on that there is an absent father figure in Elliott's life, when he finds another caregiver - he plays a key role

(Paul) Shows the key role a father plays in the life - broken family that comes together over the alien being, mother - is mother - still distanced

(Emma) Reliving the entire scenario over when ET must leave

(VS) Roles switch as Elliott and ET care/protect one another, show how a relationship should be, Elliott teaches ET how to speak English (a father's role), reciprocal relationship

'''(NT) Is that a commentary on real parenting - give and take? (Redirect)'''

(PB) Not full on father figure, but ET fills in the gaps that his lack of father leaves exposed

(VS) Both together - make a father figure - so they are dual - two sides or faces of the father

(PM) Not father - learn and feed off one another - relationship is more like brothers - help each other out, experience each other's states of being, ex. ET/Elliott drunk at same time, shows the connection

(WS) Another connection - feeling of abadonment - both left to fend for themselves - character without a father - both connect on that level of loss

(VS) 2 interviews with Spielberg, he suggests that ET represents a kind, benign human being - when asked what his thoughts on aliens were, that was his comment. Another interview, he said that ET paralleled his life as a kid, he wanted a friend like ET. Father - son sort of relationship or friendship

(MC) Distraction for Elliott and Spielberg - helped him tap/fall into his imagination - to get out of real life, relates to his real life, but needed a father -to fill void - so created ET

(VS) Spielberg shows how we gravitate towards people we relate to, mom present physically but emotionally absent due to heartache over divorce and Mexico

(PM) When Elliott sees ET in his room, copycat scene, represents how human and alien - same inside

Q:  (PM) Places in the film a red and blue light joined together - what does that mean?

(PB) - colors frame the mood through use of contrasting colors

(VS) Clarify q - Are you saying it appears around the spaceship?

(PM) - "No, appears in the backyard, closet, room, and in multiple places"

(PB) patterns repeated but mere mood setters only

(MC) Light with a red ring around it, repeated pattern - if you wanted to make the light symbolic - you could apply it to the inside light - the light Elliott is currently living, stuck inside. Outer rim - his life with ET - full, significant, and relevant. Internal and external. What does the red light mean? Fantasy, make-believe?

(VS) ET's "ouch" finger - and his heart's color - reflects the same pattern found in MC's description

(NT) Q: Why do you think all the adults were portrayed with shadows and as faceless beings?

(PM) represents how their point of view is in the dark. They are unable to see this for what it is worth - their viewpoint in not clear and ambiguous.

The keys - jingling keys - never saw his face.Was he a good guy or bad guy?

(RM) preserving innocence - key motif in the film. Elliott meets ET - he maintains his innocence t/o the film, how in this world, you can't go through this experiences without losing part of your innocence. ET is an outside force, not human.

(Parker) Rachel's comment relates to the light - flashlights, beams from spaceships, light has to do with experience, adults are portrayed with lights - coming from the house, up on the house, lights filtering into the windows - once all adults leave, just ET.Elliott again - spaceship - why was there light coming off of that?

(WS) Another result from the light - never saw the adult faces - framed them as an opposing force - forces you to relate more to ET/Elliott - Elliott's mother's face usually in shadow - after ET was revealed to her - her face was more clearly displayed throughout the film.

(JW) Light and adults - Adults were oblivious to the side of ET that Elliott saw. Elliott wanted to understand him, adults wanted to judge him - see his insides. Represented their oblivion to reality and truth

(DUSTY) Jake's comment - All adults take off their masks after ET dies, they realize they just spent time trying to save some creature they did not really know that exists - unmasked form shows there are new things - awakening

(EJ) Spielberg - makes scenes dark (removing light) to show his hurt from his own broken family. Only men - what he longed for in a father.

(PM) Everytime an adult was a part of the scene - light was coming from them - not on them - ((((NOT THEIR STORY _ IT IS THE KID'S TALE) - light in the adult's perspective.  Faces masked, yet kids' faces always in the light.

(PB) Parent's closed to new ideas and opportunities and the light reflects this - comes from them - instead of on them - can no longer be awakened - stagnant in their own lives

(RM) Flashlights - dropped his flashlight and found ET - shows how humans try to make false light - we want light to come from us - flashlight will lose its batteries - artificial light will always leave us  - must fuel it from within - masks must be dropped before we can be real and authentic

(EE) Spielberg's Jewish heritage, embarrassment,

(EJ) - Alien as child

(Parker) Anti-semitic neighbors - scene mirrored a real one, felt like outsiders in his neighborhood

'''(VS) Would it not make more sense to compare SS to ET? ''' Coming into the Hollywood scene in the beginning. Anti-semitism not handled well in the business?

(NO ONE ANSWERS HER QUESTION)

(MC) Adults and light:  SS - have a childlike faith - only then can we believe - - -Elliott's home was dark inside and out. Natural light came in through the windows. Trying to get Elliott's mother to have a childlike faith.

(JW) - SS's desire for a childlike faith - ET, "grown-ups can't see him." Mom reading Peter Pan to Gertie, "do you believe?"/ "Yes, I believe." SS did not have the money to go to proper film school - SS's childhood marked his outlook but kept at it

(EJ) Why do you think SS directed his camera angles - half the people - parts of them - not their entire self?

(PM) - put us into the eyes of a child

(Parker) entire angle the entire time - with Elliott or ET - or looking up at them, Spielberg concerned with the boy's story - not adults. It is not their tale. Camera shows us the perspective, where we are to look.

(PM) Eye-level with adult shots - framed in darkness

(VS) Redirect - - - Do you think that the adults are realizing the innocence of the child, trying to level with the child so they take off their helmets or is Elliott maturing, entering an adult world, now ready to understand it.

(NS)  Adults realize the innocence in the moment - own their misconceptions

(WS)  Faceless and menacing

(NT) Anxiety-buiding in that the slant angle - frames the adults' parts that are menacing, What do you think, Annie?

(PM) Adults remove helmets - eye-level shot - SS pinpointing what makes us lose the innocence of a child? When ET dies - the death of a loved one is what makes us lose that innocence.

(Dusty) Elliott's maturity shows when in the beginning of the film, he is on the outside, can't play game, forced to get pizza, gets picked on and kept an outsider. At the end of the film, he is the one the boys follow - he has matured and grown into self because of ET

(RM)- Not matured, but perhaps, seen the power of innocence;  Mike's desire to return to innocence - need to cling to that - restore

(VS) - See the need for him to grow up

(NS) Wants to be better brother -

(PB) Learns to appreciate why his brother acts the way he does, appreciates the adventure of imagination - wants to understand his brother, jealous and envious of him

(RM) Grows up backwards -

(NT) - How else can you word it, Annie

(AC) - Once he begins to believe in ET - he changes - slowly believing in life - in innocence - young enough to be innocent - yet still a father's role

(MC) - What SS's significance with the character of Mike? What does he want us to take away from this point?

(VS) coming back to innocence, growing up too fast, tragedy affects kids of different age groups - how Elliott clings to innocence from beginning

(RM) Parallel's SS own growth and experience,

(Dusty) - forced into the role of adult - driving experience, only driven backwards before - never forward

(PM) Growing up in the reverse way - driving exemplifies this cause and understanding

(Parker) What is the role of the doctor?

(WS) Adults still have innocence in them. "He came to me too..." - rekindled the childlike feeling and dream. Just like Mike.

(RM) Doctor removed his suit, put his hand on Elliott, stepped out of all of this extra baggage he had to have - distractions - tried too hard, when he could have just lived.

(PM) Keys?

(PB) - Twist - not the bad guy but actually trying to help - misperceived - keys a tool to show that the bad guy is a good guy

(MC) Redemptive character - shows all adults are not bad and evil.

(EE) Mirrored reflection - doctor living through Elliott

(PM) What happens when innocence is exploited -at first resembles the hunter, then not

(RM) Elliott's reflection in his mask represents the part of the doctor that is still innocent. Sees self in boy - what he was - what he longed for - glad that ET met Elliott first - cause doc would have made a mess of the entire relationship.

'''(Dusty) How do you feel about the flowers? What do they represent?'''

(WS) They represent life and hope. Mike sees the flowers dying (WHY is it important that Mike witnesses this death?)  life of the flowers - show the remaining hope to get him back home.

(EE) Return on spaceship - gertie gives them to him

(RM) symbol of rebirth - rebirth of innocence

(AC) Shows many minor details in the film, rainbow in sky - Why?

(RM) Rainbow is the promise - ET is the symbol for innocence - always will be with Elliott

(JW) Flowers shown specifically to represent love - not random

(PB) deliberate selection of symbols

(VS) shows the fragility of life and innocence

(EJ) Why did SS use such an ugly creature in the film?

(PM) - Show how we as humans are afraid of something different. Ugliness is a point of view - matter of perspective.....highlights the adults fears -

(EJ) The original was supposed to be M' & M's - changed to Reese's - company feared that ET was so ugly that he would frighten their customers.

(EE) Why did ET's heart glow only at the end?

(WS) Symbol of communication - coming home

(RM) Represents his separation from Elliott- must be separated to go him

(Dusty) - Window steam scene - kitchen - parallels the end - ET in steam - looking through the window - shows his collective longing. Never had closure.

(Parker) Steam - major- symbol of hope - brother's conversation that ET is alive - Hope - perservation of innocence -

(WS) ET leaving and going home- metaphorical death - wanted best for ET, father-figure.