History Film / ETTheExtraTerrestrial

* RuleOfDrama: When they finally close off the house, the government agents can't simply walk in and announce their presence via megaphone to remain calm as they enter. No, they have to silently come in the doors and stand at the windows [[ZombieGait holding out their arms menacingly]].

* LogoJoke: The Universal logo in the theatrical release is shown backwards, likely to represent the plot of E.T. getting left behind on Earth.

* PullTheIV: After stabilizing, Elliott rips the IV from his body and head in a rage.

** There was a pair of novels published which expanded upon E.T.'s race, who are master botanists and develop their technology from plants.

* NoAntagonist: The government agents tracking down E.T. can be intimidating but they are actually very benign compared to most examples. They act in what they feel is best for the situation, treating the family with respect once they finally arrive and the main agent empathetically calls ET a miracle, and even [[spoiler:allows Elliott time to say goodbye when he has "died"]]. The main drive of the movie is getting E.T. back with his own people and the agents may get in the way due to not having all the information.

* PowerWalk: The government agents do this as they head for Elliott's home.

*** E.T.'s species is canonically present in the Star Wars universe during the events of ''Film/ThePhantomMenace'' courtesy of a ShoutOut in the other direction, so it's entirely possible he *does* know Yoda, or at least another of Yoda's species.
*** Michael does a mocking impression of Yoda in the scene where Elliott reveal to him E.T.

ThisIsReality, Greg!

** The 20th Anniversary Edition also had several ''more'' products conveniently edited into it in various places. (Originally, a lot of the products in the refrigerator in Elliott's home had to be turned backward to conceal their brand names since the products' makers hadn't paid to be plugged.)

* ReactiveContinuousScream: When Gertie walks into the bedroom and first sees ET, the continuous screaming starts -- especially funny given the sound of ET's scream and his expression.
* RecurringCameraShot: The iconic shot of Elliott's bike flying across the moon is actually repeated later as the gang is going to meet E.T.'s ship, the bikes shown flying across the setting sun, though this shot is considerably less known.

* RuleOfCool: Having Elliott find ET in a cornfield added a lot of drama and tension to the scene. However all the daytime shots of the house clearly show there is no cornfield in their backyard.

* BizarreBeverageUse: While PlayingSick, Elliott uses a can of cola to pretend to throw up on the phone.

* KidsAreCruel: When Elliott is mad that nobody believes him he goes out of his way to let his mom know that their dad is with his girlfriend in Mexico. This drives her to tears and Mike to a near RageBreakingPoint.

* NeedleInAStackOfNeedles: E.T. hides amongst toys to avoid detection.
* NoAntagonist: The government agents tracking down ET can be intimidating but they are actually very benign compared to most examples. They act in what they feel is best for the situation, treating the family with respect once they finally arrive and the main agent empathetically calls ET a miracle, and even [[spoiler:allows Elliott time to say goodbye when he has "died"]]. The main drive of the movie is getting ET back with his own people and the agents may get in the way due to not having all the information.

* PrankInjuries: Michael's Halloween costume includes a gag item simulating something sharp stuck through his head. ET appears concerned that he's been genuinely injured.

* DevastatingRemark: When Elliot's mother suggests calling his father, Elliot says he's in Mexico with his new wife. Their mother tearfully say their father hates Mexico, suggesting he'd rejected taking her there when they were married. Michael calls Elliot out for being insensitive, though that wasn't his intent.

Down in that suburb lives Elliott Taylor (Creator/HenryTHomas), his older brother Michael (Creator/RobertMacNaughton), and his little sister Gertrude (Creator/DrewBarrymore), the products of a broken home with an overworked mother named Mary (Creator/DeeWallace). Over the course of a few days, lonely Elliott encounters the stranded alien and lures it to his house with Reese's Pieces, offering it shelter and naming it E.T.

Down in that suburb lives Elliott, his older brother Michael, and his little sister Gertrude (played by a very young Creator/DrewBarrymore), the products of a broken home with an overworked mom named Mary ([[DisappearedDad the dad is absent]]). Over the course of a few days, lonely Elliott encounters the stranded alien and lures it to his house with Reese's Pieces, offering it shelter and naming it E.T.

E.T. learns English -- if only a few words -- through the kids and especially [[TaughtByTelevision television]], and finally is able to tell them what he wants: to "phone home." Elliott helps him rig up a telephone-like device from such things as a Speak-and-Spell to attempt to transmit a message to his planet. But as they wait for a response, E.T. gradually sickens -- as does Elliott, because the alien has developed a psychic bond with him. The government scientists (led by a NoNameGiven character played by Creator/PeterCoyote) catch up with E.T., and soon all seems lost for the poor little guy. It will take ThePowerOfLove and a daring escape to set things right...

!!''E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial'' provides examples of:

''"I'll be right here..."''

** Two to buddy Creator/GeorgeLucas' ''Franchise/StarWars'' franchise: Elliott shows E.T. some of his action figures, and one of the trick-or-treaters is dressed as Yoda. (Notably, E.T. appears to ''recognize'' Yoda. Perhaps he's just happy to see someone who isn't freakishly tall and smooth-skinned, but then...) John Williams even sneaks "Yoda's Theme" from ''Film/TheEmpireStrikesBack'' into the score at that moment.

*** And Elliott has an action figure of Greedo.

* EverytownAmerica: While the town Elliott live in is never mentioned, he points to Northern California on a map when showing E.T. where they live (The actual house is in the L.A. neighborhood of Sunland-Tujunga at the foot of the San Gabriel Mountains.)

%% * GettingCrapPastThe Radar: Due to overwhelming and persistent misuse, GCPTR is on-page examples only until 01 June 2021. If you are reading this in the future, please check the trope page to make sure your example fits the current definition.

* InterrogationByVandalism: A variant. Elliott and Michael threaten to destroy Gertie's doll if she talked to anyone about E.T.

* SuspiciouslySpecificDenial: Only in the extended version. When Elliott goes to the forest at Halloween and his mother asks where he is.

''E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial'' is a 1982 ScienceFiction film directed by Creator/StevenSpielberg, with the screenplay written by Creator/MelissaMathison. By the end of its initial theatrical run (which ran from early June of 1982 into early June of 1983), it had unseated ''[[Film/ANewHope Star Wars]]'' as the highest-grossing film of all time, and adjusted for inflation it currently stands as the 7th highest-grossing film of all time. Music/JohnWilliams' score, flying bicycles, and an UglyCute alien hero are just the tip of the iceberg here. The film became so iconic that Spielberg started using the flying bicycle scene as [[VanityPlate logo]] for Creator/AmblinEntertainment.

In 2019, Xfinity released a four minute ad in which ET returns and catches up with a now adult Elliott, again played by Henry Thomas who stated doing a full feature film sequel likely wouldn't work, but this was the perfect way to follow up on the story. Spielberg agreed, and named the ad an official part of the film's canon.[[note]]Melissa Mathison, who wrote the film's screenplay, had sadly died a few years earlier before she could give her own take on it.[[/note]]

*** E.T.'s species is canonically present in the Star Wars universe during the events of ''Film/ThePhantomMenace'' courtesy of a ShoutOut in the other direction, so it's entirely possible he *does* know Yoda, or at least another Yodan.

* WhamLine: A bit of one when the doctors notice E.T. and Elliott's psychic link being severed as Elliott's vitals recover while E.T.'s head for total cardiac arrest.
-->'''Nurse:''' The boy's coming back. We're losing E.T..