This is an archival story that predates current editorial management.
This archival content was written, edited, and published prior to LAist's acquisition by its current owner, Southern California Public Radio ("SCPR"). Content, such as language choice and subject matter, in archival articles therefore may not align with SCPR's current editorial standards. To learn more about those standards and why we make this distinction, please click here.
E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial, Steven Spielberg's beloved 1982 film about a stranded-on-Earth space alien and his friendship with a human named Elliott, will return to the big screen in September.
This is a wonderful movie, but I bring you a warning from 1982: do not take young children to see it, for it will traumatize them. In the '80s, parenting was a lot less precious and a little more ¯\_(ツ)_/¯, so I saw this "classic tale of childhood and friendship" at 6-years-old, and still carry around with me a very vivid memory of seeing a pale white E.T. dying in a roadside gutter. And then there was this below scene, which made me scared and emotional and leap into my mother's lap.
For those above the age of 6, I recommend (re)viewing this classic flick on the big screen when it returns briefly on September 17th and 20th, courtesy of the TCM Big Screen Classics series and Universal Pictures, who will bring it to 700 movie theaters nationwide. Check your local theater listings here for the 35th anniversary screenings, which will be accompanied by special commentary, both before and after the film.
Here's the original trailer:
