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E.T. THE EXTRA-TERRESTRIAL: THE DELETED SCENES

Article by Steven Awalt - Editor, SpielbergFilms.com

INTRODUCTION
With a movie as beloved as “E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial,” many cinemagoers have a tendency of committing the entire film — from the major story points to the subtlest of nuances — to mind and to heart. Such a film is written in stone in the memories of film fans, and because of this, seeing the fabled deleted scenes from “E.T.” can be quite eye opening after living with the film for so many years.

Since the film’s release in the summer of 1982, fans of “E.T.” have been aware of the small, yet significant number of scenes that Steven Spielberg and editor Carol Littleton excised from the film. Some of these deleted scenes could actually be glimpsed in stills featured in merchandise released during the film’s original theatrical run. William Kotzwinkle’s novelization of Melissa Mathison’s screenplay embellished elements both devised for and yet unrealized on film, and shot and excised from the final release print. Thankfully, the unlikely sources of Topps “E.T.” trading cards and the “E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial Storybook” gave photographic evidence of some of the additional scenes Spielberg shot back in 1981.

It was in 1996, however, that “E.T.” fans were finally able to see notable portions of the actual deleted scenes when Universal Home Video released the “E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial Signature Edition” laserdisc box set.  Both the legendary principal’s office scene (featuring a cameo by “Raiders of the Lost Ark” star Harrison Ford) and a previously undocumented coda to the film appeared in part in the laserdisc’s supplemental section, along with commentary by Steven Spielberg, writer Melissa Mathison, editor Carol Littleton and stars Henry Thomas and Drew Barrymore.

Later still in 2002, during the film’s 20th Anniversary Edition re-release/re-edit that played in theaters worldwide, audiences saw two once-deleted scenes including the bathroom scene (in which E.T. helps himself to a bath in Mary’s bathroom – the same place that he would be found dying in the end of the film) and the extended Halloween sequence.

A number of scenes still remain unseen by the public, as will be detailed below.

As to why Steven Spielberg cut the rather extensive scenes from the film’s original cut in the first place, Spielberg has said, “I think all movies, every scene, needs to advance the story, and anytime a scene doesn’t advance the story but it’s just fun for the sake of fun, it doesn’t really belong in the movie...”

Spielberg’s criteria can arguably be applied to each and every one of these deleted scenes, including those that he eventually cut back in to the 20th Anniversary Edition. The fact remains, however, that these scenes were shot, exist, and go toward creating a different take on the “E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial” we all know and love. While none of the scenes drastically alter perceptions of the final cut of the film, we hope our look at the scenes that didn’t make “E.T.” will give you a broader appreciation of the film as it exists, and as it could have been.


NEXT: MARY REPRIMANDS ELLIOTT ABOUT HIS MESSY ROOM

A Universal Picture

A Steven Spielberg Film

"E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial"

Released June 11, 1982
Running Time: Original Cut 1.55
Running Time: Anniversary Edition 2.01
MPAA Rating: PG
Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1

BUDGET
$10.5 million

BOX-OFFICE
Domestic: $435.1 million
International: $357.8 million
Worldwide: $792.9 million

AWARDS
Wins:
Academy Award, Best Original Score
Academy Award, Best Sound
Academy Award, Best Sound
  Effects Editing
Academy Award, Best Visual Effects
AFI 100 Greatest Movies List #25
AFI 100 Greatest Thrills List #44
Golden Globe, Best Motion Picture -
  Drama
Golden Globe, Best Original Score
Grammy Award, Best Album of
  Original Score
Saturn Award, Best Science Fiction Film
Saturn Award, Best Writing
Saturn Award, Best Music
Saturn Award, Best Special Effects

Nominations:
Academy Award, Best Picture
Academy Award, Best Director
Academy Award, Best Screenplay
Academy Award, Best Cinematography
Academy Award, Best Film Editing
DGA, Outstanding Directorial
  Achievement in Motion Pictures
Golden Globe, Best Director
Golden Globe, Best Screenplay
Golden Globe, New Star in a Motion
  Picture, Male - Henry Thomas
Saturn Award, Best DVD Classic Film
  Release - Ultimate Gift Set
WGA, Best Drama Written for the Screen

LINKS
www.et20.com
www.universalstudios.com
www.iloveet.com