E.T. ★★★★½

THERE are some films that everyone should see and E.T. is one of them.

Recently we introduced our five-year-old grandson to Steven Spielberg’s 1982 sci-fi adventure, and it was wonderful to see the look of concentration and amazement on his face.

E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial, as per its full title, is a joy from start to finish and perhaps the definitive film for all ages.

The story goes that the idea came from young Steven’s creation of an imaginary alien friend around the time of his parents’ divorce, but credit for the story must also go to Melissa Mathison whose key role in writing the script is sometimes overlooked.

The film was a huge hit at the box office, becoming the highest-grossing film of all time and keeping that title for a decade until Spielberg’s next opus, Jurassic Park, came along.

Amongst critics it’s still considered one of the industry’s greatest achievements. It was nominated for nine Oscars but lost out to Richard Attenborough’s Gandhi for Best Film.

So, why does E.T. continue to be so revered?

The quality of film making is a given, from Spielberg’s direction to the cinematography, editing and John Williams’ memorable score.

But I think there are five key reasons.

Firstly, there has never been a more lovable film creature, created by Italian special effects maestro Carlo Rambaldi ,and it’s still to be surpassed.

Secondly, the acting by all the youngsters is so natural and believable that it continues to attract new audiences.

Thirdly, the setting, location, costuming and use of technology are all presented in ways that don’t severely date the film.

Fourth, the special and visual effects are actually quite minimal and relatively under-stated and therefore haven’t aged badly (apart, of course, from the bicycle ride across the sky which has had to have some re-work)

Finally, and most importantly, it’s a magical tale that, like Bambi and The Lion King, tugs at the heartstrings in the best way possible.

Watched on Blu-ray.