E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial (40th Anniversary Edition)

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Well, they’re definitely discrete discs—each uniquely authored and encoded. The 35th Anniversary Edition contained no extras whatsoever on the actual 4K disc, while this 40th Anniversary Edition includes all of the extras on the 4K disc (and even adds two new bonus features exclusive to this release). But while the former was BD-66 disc, the new one is a BD-100, so there’s plenty of room for those extras without impacting the film’s A/V quality. And while the earlier disc included a variety of language options, the new one features only English, French, and Spanish. Starring: Dee Wallace , Henry Thomas , Peter Coyote , Robert MacNaughton , Drew Barrymore , K.C. Martel A young boy befriends a friendly alien and tries to help it escape Earth and return to his home world. The Evolution and Creation of E.T.– Another “been there, done that” featurette that’s from the older DVD. We do get some history of the film, interviews from the cast and crew but it feels oh so dated.

To celebrate the 40th Anniversary of E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial, Universal went all out offering a new two-disc 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray release. This time around instead of using a BD-66 disc, they ponied up for a BD-100 with a BD-50 for the 1080p version along with a digital copy slip. The two discs are housed in a sturdy two-disc case with an identical slipcover with raised features. The disc loads to a static image main menu with the bonus features panel along the right side of the screen.Considering the movie’s massive success, you might be surprised that there’s never been a sequel. Well, there kind of was one! Spielberg and screenwriter Mathison wrote a treatment for a follow-up film called Nocturnal Fears, which would’ve followed Elliott and his friends getting kidnapped by aliens and requiring E.T.’s help. But the director ultimately decided against making the movie, arguing it would take away from the original’s power. As nice as it would’ve been to get more E.T. in our lives, we can all appreciate not wanting to potentially ruin something so special. About Us Advertise Online Why Did I Get This Ad? About Our Ads Community Guidelines Press Room Other Hearst Subscriptions Steven Spielberg and Harrison Ford are pictured at the 1982 Cannes Film Festival. Jean-Louis URLI // Getty Images Steven Spielberg & E.T.– Running roughly 13 minutes, it’s good for what it is, and is about as close as we’re going to get to a Spielberg commentary on the film unless the director changes his stance on the practice in the future.

They would put E.T. in a corner when he wasn’t working, and we found Drew, and she’s over there just talking to him," Dee Wallace says. Sunset Boulevard // Getty Images

The new season of Stranger Things is out on Netflix, but this month don’t forget to also celebrate one of the movies that gave the show its biggest inspiration: E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial, which turns 40 on June 11. The iconic sci-fi film, directed by Steven Spielberg and starring Henry Thomas (alongside a 7-year-old Drew Barrymore), was an enormous box-office and critical success when it hit theaters in 1982, and four decades later, it’s still widely considered one of the most beloved films of all time. Deleted Scenes– Four minutes’ worth. I think the film has done pretty well on its own merit, so these were wisely disposed of. For information or assistance, call Cineworld on 0330 333 4444 Mon-Sun 09:00 - 22:00. Calls to this number are charged at standard national rate and are included within your mobile network minutes. Essentially the A/V presentation is identical to the one Universal issued for their 35th Anniversary 4K release, sadly no Dolby Vision upgrade here. But that’s okay, this is still a lovely transfer so I’ll let E.’s findings stand here. I flipped between discs to see if the newly authored disc offered up any bitrate advantage, but there wasn't a substantial difference. Here are Mr. Duarte's thoughts on the HDR10 transfer:

The 20th Anniversary Premiere– John Williams and his orchestra perform the film’s score for a live audience for the film’s 20th anniversary (making this over 15 years old). Elliott and E.T.—this gentle, thoughtful being with wrinkly skin and alert, wide-set eyes—will forge an emotional bond so strong that each experiences the feelings of the other. This is perhaps Spielberg’s sly way of introducing children not just to the concept of empathy, but to the idea of the sympathetic imagination, the foundation of all great literature—the act of reaching across a void of difference to understand other people’s lives.

Plot: What’s it about? Video: How does it look? Audio: How does it sound? Supplements: What are the extras? The Bottom Line Plot: What’s it about? Steven Spielberg, he cast me as Gertie when I was just five years old, and that changed my life,” Barrymore explained to the audience. “He gave me a purpose and a clear understanding of love and respect. He gave me a family that changed my perception on family forever. The cast, Robert and Henry and Dee, I truly became a family with them.” The early 1980s were an amazing time for movie-going. 1982, in particular, delivered the likes of Blade Runner, The Thing, Poltergeist, Conan the Barbarian, Star Trek II, Tootsie, and Pink Floyd’s The Wall. Almost every week that year, a new film arrived in theaters that seemed destined to become a classic, Steven Spielberg’s E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial foremost among them. Arguably (to that point at least) the director’s most personal work, it tells the story of a humble being from another planet, accidentally left behind on Earth by his fellow alien explorers. Lost and alone, the creature is soon befriended by a young human boy named Elliot (Henry Thomas). Together, they work to find a way to return E.T. home again, even as ominous U.S. Government scientists try to stop them.