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DVD: Extra terrific
By STEVE PERSALL, Times Film Critic
© St. Petersburg Times
published October 24, 2002
E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial (two-disc limited collector's edition)
[Photo: Universal Studios]
Elliott (Henry Thomas, right) shows his new friend around the house in E.T the Extra-Terrestrial. The film marks its 20th birthday with a DVD limited collector’s edition that is an exceptional treat. |
E.T. goes home this week for the first time in DVD format, a beautiful two-disc set dedicated to this year's 20th anniversary re-release.
As usual, director Steven Spielberg prefers to let his films speak for themselves, declining to provide an audio commentary track. But this film also sings for itself with an option allowing viewers to hear composer John Williams conducting the score with a 100-piece orchestra at the Los Angeles premiere of the digitally improved classic.
Take a few minutes first to watch a documentary on preparations for that live event, including the construction of a 50-foot screen and projection equipment in the Shrine Auditorium, and orchestra rehearsals. That feature shows excerpts from the performance, timed perfectly with the action on screen, but seeing the entire film while listening to the live performance is a treat.
Other features include a group interview with Spielberg and his cast members, including Drew Barrymore, Henry Thomas and Peter Coyote. Dozens of sketches by production illustrator Ed Verreaux show the gradual shaping of E.T.'s appearance, with some expressions that never showed up in the film. Puppetmaster Carlo Rambaldi's drawings are fewer but contain greater detail. Ralph McQuarrie's spaceship design sketches are worth a peek, along with production photos and poster art concepts.
Children should enjoy the Space Exploration option, leading to an animated map of our solar system. Click on a planet and E.T.'s voice offers just enough scientific facts about the planet to be considered educational.
A couple of bonus features are questionable selections. Showing a public service announcement with E.T. supporting Special Olympics is fine, and another without any connection to the film, boosting foster care programs, is understandably charitable. But why does Universal follow those nice gestures with a shameless plug for its theme parks? And why is Universal compelled to show preview trailers for the Back to the Future trilogy, produced by Spielberg but having nothing to do with E.T.? The answer to both questions, of course, is money.
The set features two versions of Spielberg's film (three if you count the live orchestra option). The original 1982 version looks good remastered, but the 2002 version is spectacularly crisp, with extra scenes and digital enhancements such as E.T. running in the opening scene. Spielberg says in an introduction that he changed around 50 "pet peeve shots" in order to "please the perfectionist inside myself." The result is an ageless film for the child in each of us.
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