History Film / ETTheExtraTerrestrial

* ColorCodedForYourConvenience: The original VHS release has a green reel and green gate on the cassette.

* ButNowIMustGo: [[spoiler:When the space ship finally arrives to take E.T. home.]]

* BadassAdorable: Elliott successfully lures E.T. into his room with Reese's Pieces, even camping outside to wait for him, despite the real possibility that E.T. might be dangerous. Then at the end, he pulls off the entire escape plan to get E.T. back to his ship.
** E.T. himself counts. He's UglyCute, but has formidable psychic powers.

* BigBrotherBully: Michael before his CharacterDevelopment.

* BizarreAlienBiology: Background dialogue from the doctors (see CastTheExpert) indicates that E.T.'s DNA uses six nucleotides instead of four. (This may help explain why he got sick: Earth's food doesn't provide him sufficient nourishment.)

* CoyGirlishFlirtPose: Elliot is a deceptively good ladies' man.

* GadgeteerGenius: E.T., surprisingly, considering he's a ''botanist'': He builds a wind-operated emergency beacon, transmitting in his own language, out of common household items (and a Speak and Spell). [[spoiler:What's more, his ship ''hears'' his transmission and comes back for him!]]

* HealingHands: E.T.'s famous finger.
* HeartLight: E.T. is probably the TropeCodifier.
* HeroAntagonist: Keys and the rest of the agents may count as this. It's no crime for the Secret Service to investigate a possible alien invader who could be dangerous to humanity. While E.T. is entirely a peaceful creature, they had no way of knowing that from the beginning.
* HeroOfAnotherStory: Something must have happened to Keys to get him interested in aliens, since he claims he's been waiting for something like E.T. to appear since he was 10. (While his claim that "[E.T.] came to me too" seems unlikely, he might be rationalizing this as being the truth FromACertainPointOfView.) He and the rest of the government investigation team are just given very quick (and sinister-looking) scenes where they investigate the remains of E.T.'s and Eliot's shenanigans up until they converge on the house.

* InnocentAliens: The title character.
* InnocentBlueEyes: E.T. has a huge pair of them.

* MessianicArchetype: E.T., right down to the resurrection and the Michelangelo touching of fingers between man and the Divine. So blatant was the parable it was spoofed on ''WesternAnimation/TheSimpsons'':
-->'''Rev. Lovejoy''': I remember another gentle visitor from the heavens, he came in peace and then died, only to come back to life, and his name was... E.T., the Extra-Terrestrial. ''(cries)'' I loved that little guy.
** Spielberg himself has said he never intended the film to be interpreted as a religious fable, and has himself joked about it.

* NoBiologicalSex: Gertie's not so sure whether E.T. is a boy or a girl, while Elliot insists he's a boy. While they all end up going along with Elliot on this, the obvious complete lack of any kind of genitals in all of E.T.'s people makes that a purely arbitrary designation. The books, of course, pretty much confirm this.

* NoNameGiven: The scientist (played by Peter Coyote) tracking E.T. begins the film as a nameless, faceless figure distinguished by the bunch of keys hanging from his belt; later in the film, when he becomes a more sympathetic figure, his face is shown, but his name is never revealed. He's even listed just as "Keys" in the ending credits.
** E.T. qualifies as well since E.T. is the nickname Elliott gave him. Justified in the fact E.T. knows limited English and we never see him interact with any of his species. (In the sequel novel, ''The Book of the Green Planet,'' even after E.T. returns to his home planet the narration always calls him "E.T." His own people are only ever described referring to him as [[EveryoneCallsHimBarkeep "The Doctor of Botany"]].)

* ReasonableAuthorityFigure: The police and government agents are the [[DesignatedVillain villains]] of the film, but even then they are very reasonable, never actively trying to harm the children when they find out and even giving Elliott time to [[spoiler:grieve after E.T. ''dies'']]. This is particularly true of Keys, who gently talks to Elliott to try and figure out what's wrong with E.T., while declaring to Elliott that E.T.'s presence on Earth is nothing short of a miracle.

* StarringSpecialEffects

* {{Tomboy}}: Gertie. She wears a baseball cap and for Halloween she sports a cowgirl costume. This doesn't stop her from giving an appropriately ear-splitting high shriek whenever she has cause to scream ([[ScreamsLikeALittleGirl since she's, like, six]]).

* VerbalTic: In the film's novelization, E.T. is able to speak much more coherently (rather than only knowing a handful of words), but due to learning English from a Speak-'n-Spell, he usually starts sentences with the command to "Spell..."

* AngerBornOfWorry: When Elliot returns after being missing for one night, his mother's first reaction is shouting at him but quickly regains a motherly attitude.

* TheBigDamnKiss: {{Parodied|Trope}} by Elliott, who is [[KissingUnderTheInfluence subliminally reenacting]] ''Film/TheQuietMan''. Interspersed with actual footage (which E.T. is watching on TV) for bonus points.

** For that matter all of Michael's biker friends find their skills useful during that chase.

* DisneyDeath: [[spoiler: The title character.]]

* TheEmpath: E.T. and Elliot share a psychic bond. As Michael puts it, "Elliot feels [E.T.]'s feelings."

** The pretty classmate Elliot swings back into the room in order to steal a kiss is clearly already pretty interested in him [[ForeShadowing earlier at the bus stop]], and seems a bit sorry to see him go when the teacher hauls him away.

* MissingChild: Elliot goes off into the woods to help the alien E.T. and stays the night, causing his mother to report him missing.

* ObviousStuntDouble: During the bike chase, [[http://l.yimg.com/os/publish-images/movies/2014-03-27/3237d5a0-b5a8-11e3-a9b6-6592bd57c1dc_stunt-doubles-et.jpg as this image shows]], 10-year old Elliot's stunt double is a full grown man. Having the teenagers' stunt doubles as taller-than-average men did not make this much less obvious.
* OhCrap: The scientists attempting to scramble back into the moving van, as Elliott pulls out the last peg from an attached walkway. Then there's Tyler's little HopeSpot moment:
--> Tyler: "[[TemptingFate We made it!]]" *agents attack* [[[GettingCrapPastTheRadar softly]]] "Oh, shit!"

* 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 holding out their arms menacingly.

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

* {{Synchronization}}
* TastesLikeFriendship: Reese's Pieces.

* EverytownAmerica: While the town Elliot 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 Tujunga at the foot of the San Gabriel Mountains.)

* HeartLight: E.T. is probably the TropeCodifier.

"ThisIsReality, Greg!"

* ShipperOnDeck: The reason Elliot reenacted the kiss scene from ''Film/TheQuietMan'', was because E.T. was telepathically influencing him while watching that movie.
* ShirtlessScene: Elliot while being operated on to the scene where he informs Micheal that E.T. is alive.

* {{Tomboy}}: Gertie. She wears a baseball cap and for Halloween she sports a cowgirl costume. This doesn't stop her from giving an appropriately ear-splitting high shriek whenever she has cause to scream ([[ScreamsLikeALittleGirl since she's, like, six]]).

* WhiteAndGreyMorality: Elliot (especially) is obviously the hero who can do no wrong, even spending a lot of the film [[ColorCodedForYourConvenience dressed in bright white thermal underwear evocative of virginal innocence]] to drive the point home; his family are also obviously the good guys by association with him. The government agents and scientists, while they are eventually revealed to be doing commendable work for a worthy cause, are [[GoodIsNotNice more than a bit creepy and overbearing about it]], and spend most of their time in rather sinister shadowy settings. Do they ''have'' to go menacing our protagonists that way? (For civilians, threatening children with guns would typically get them charged with "''felony'' assault with a deadly weapon" in a court of law, even if the guns weren't actually loaded.)

''E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial'' is perhaps Creator/StevenSpielberg's signature film. It was the biggest blockbuster of 1982[[note]] the same year ''Film/StarTrekIITheWrathOfKhan'', ''Film/BladeRunner'', ''Film/{{Tron}}'', ''Film/{{Gandhi}}'', ''Film/TheThing1982'', ''WesternAnimation/TheSecretOfNimh'', ''WesternAnimation/TheLastUnicorn'' and ''Film/TheDarkCrystal'' were released[[/note]] and, in fact, TheEighties as a whole. Music/JohnWilliams' score, flying bicycles, and an UglyCute alien hero are just the tip of the iceberg here.

* {{Tomboy}}: Gertie. She wears a baseball cap and for Halloween she likes go as a cowgirl. This doesn't stop her from giving an appropriately ear-splitting high shriek whenever she has cause to scream ([[ScreamsLikeALittleGirl since she's, like, six]]).

* ActuallyPrettyFunny: Mary fails to keep from laughing at Elliott's calling Michael "penis breath!" for a few moments before she regains her composure enough to tell him "[[HaHaHaNo Sit down.]]"

* HeartLight: E.T. is probably the TropeCodifier

* ReasonableAuthorityFigure: The police and government agents are the [[DesignatedVillain villains]] of the film, but even then they are very reasonable, never actively trying to harm the children when they find out and even giving Elliott time to [[spoiler:grieve after ET ''dies'']]. This is particularly true of Keys, who gently talks to Elliott to try and figure out what's wrong with E.T., while declaring to Elliott that E.T.'s presence on Earth is nothing short of a miracle.

''E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial'' is perhaps Creator/StevenSpielberg's signature film. It was the biggest blockbuster of 1982[[note]] the same year ''Film/StarTrekIITheWrathOfKhan'', ''Film/BladeRunner'', ''Film/{{Tron}}'', ''WesternAnimation/TheSecretOfNimh'', ''WesternAnimation/TheLastUnicorn'' and ''Film/TheDarkCrystal'' were released[[/note]] and, in fact, TheEighties as a whole. Music/JohnWilliams' score, flying bicycles, and an UglyCute alien hero are just the tip of the iceberg here.

* HeroOfAnotherStory: Something must have happened to Keys to get him interested in aliens, since he claims he's been waiting for something like E.T. to appear since he was 10. (While his claim that "[E.T.] came to me too" seems unlikely, he might be rationalizing this as being the truth FromACertainPointOfView.) He and the rest of the government investigation team are just given very quick scenes where they investigate the remains of E.T.'s and Eliot's shenanigans up until they converge on the house.

* WhiteAndGrayMorality: Elliot (especially) is obviously the hero who can do no wrong, even spending a lot of the film [[ColorCodedForYourConvenience dressed in bright white thermal underwear evocative of virginal innocence]] to drive the point home; his family are also obviously the good guys by association with him. The government agents and scientists, while they are eventually revealed to be doing commendable work for a worthy cause, are [[GoodIsNotNice more than a bit creepy and overbearing about it]], and spend most of their time in rather sinister shadowy settings. Do they ''have'' to go menacing our protagonists that way? (For civilians, threatening children with guns would typically get them charged with "''felony'' assault with a deadly weapon" in a court of law, even if the guns weren't actually loaded.)

* HeroOfAnotherStory: Something must have happened to Keys to get him interested in aliens, since he claims he's been waiting for something like E.T. to appear since he was 10. (While his claim that "[E.T.] came to me too" seems unlikely, he might be rationalizing this as being the truth FromACertainPointOfView.)

E.T. learns English -- if only a few words -- through the kids and especially 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 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...

* ThisIsReality: Elliot's response when one of Michael's friends suggests that E.T. could "beam up".

''E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial'' is perhaps Creator/StevenSpielberg's signature film. It was the biggest blockbuster of 1982[[note]] the same year ''Film/StarTrekIITheWrathOfKhan'', ''Film/BladeRunner'', ''Film/{{Tron}}'', ''WesternAnimation/TheSecretOfNimh'', ''WesternAnimation/TheLastUnicorn'' and ''Film/TheDarkCrystal'' were released[[/note]] and, in fact, TheEighties as a whole. Creator/JohnWilliams' score, flying bicycles, and an UglyCute alien hero are just the tip of the iceberg here.

''E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial'' is perhaps Creator/StevenSpielberg's signature film. It was the biggest blockbuster of 1982[[note]] the same year ''Film/StarTrekIITheWrathOfKhan'', ''Film/BladeRunner'', ''Film/{{Tron}}'', ''WesternAnimation/TheSecretOfNimh'', ''WesternAnimation/TheLastUnicorn'' and ''Film/TheDarkCrystal'' were released[[/note]] and, in fact, TheEighties as a whole. JohnWilliams' score, flying bicycles, and an UglyCute alien hero are just the tip of the iceberg here.

* FullMoonSilhouette: The UrExample in the scene where ET makes Elliot's bike fly. The image of the bike silhouetted against the moon became the logo of Creator/StevenSpielberg's production company AmblinEntertainment.

* StaggeredZoom: Onto Elliott's face as they approach the police barricade, right before E.T. makes all the bicycles fly.

* ExposedExtraterrestrials: When not wearing women's clothes or a white bedsheet over himself, E.T. waddles around naked.

* GirlishPigtails: Gertie has these.

* HopeSpot: After being able to elude the cop cars, one of Michael's friends cheers "We made it!" [[YourPrincessIsInAnotherCastle only for a couple dozen FBI agents to burst back onto the scene]].

* PlayingSick: Elliot fakes a fever, going so far as to hold a thermometer to a light bulb, in order to spend the day with E.T.

* {{Tomboy}}: Gertie. She wears a baseball cap and for Halloween she likes go as a cowgirl. Funnily enough she screams in a familiar high pitched feminine scream.

** Michael's and Greg's swearing, as noted in BleepDammit and OhCrap; rather muffled, but audible nonetheless.

* InvisibleToAdults: To keep Gertie from telling their mother (Mary) about E.T., Elliot claims E.T. is this. She doesn't believe him, but Mary spends a lot of the movie proving him ''[[MissedASpotCheck right]]''.

* ActuallyPrettyFunny: Mary fails to keep from laughing at Elliott's calling Michael "penis breath!" for a few moments before she regains her composure enough to tell him "Sit down."

* FreezeFrameBonus: Very near the beginning of the film as the camera shows some of the specimens E.T.'s people have collected in their ship, one of them looks something like a big tree with a man's face on it. As the camera pans past him, if you're watching closely (you may have to use the slow-play button or run it a couple of times to catch this), you can see his lips move as he lets out an audible sigh!