E.T. : The Extra-Terrestrial 40th Anniversary UHD Review

Steven Spielberg’s timeless classic, E.T.: The Extra-Terrestrial makes its second appearance on 4K UHD Blu-ray with two new special features.

The Production: 4.5/5

Steven Spielberg’s E.T.: The Extra-Terrestrial is a remarkably special film, and it is no wonder it captured the hearts of so many movie goers 40 years ago, and still does so today. Not only did it introduce the world to actors Henry Thomas and Drew Barrymore, who make their film debuts, it took its audience on a memorable and emotional journey as Elliot (Thomas) meets and befriends an alien whom he names E.T. (created by Carlo Rambaldi) who was left behind by his crew in the forest when discovered by a group of government agents led by “Keys” (Peter Coyote). Elliot takes his new friend home with him, introducing him to his older brother Michael (Robert MacNaughton) and younger sister Gertie (Barrymore), stashing him in his bedroom closet to hide him from his other Mary (Dee Wallace).

What helped to make E.T. so magical and emotional was how much of the film was kept under wraps and simply marketed as a heartwarming new film from Spielberg, who had just returned to box office glory the year before with Raiders of the Lost Ark. It was also released one week after the Spielberg-produced Poltergeist, and the two films are polar opposites. My most fond memory of seeing this film in a theater in 1982 was at the Budco Barn just outside of Doylestown, Pennsylvania opening weekend with my family. It was a packed auditorium, the film was in Dolby Stereo, and a young girl who must have been five years old sitting behind us with her parents just balling her eyes out during that pivotal and emotional moment at around the 1 hour 26 minute mark. For me, I cannot watch that final shot of the movie without the hairs on the back of my neck tingling and my eyes tearing up as John Williams’ score comes to a final crescendo.

For a more in-depth review of the film, check out Matt Hough’s review of the 35^th Anniversary UHD release.

Video: 5/5

3D Rating: NA

This 2160p HEVC-encoded transfer appears to be nearly identical to the one that appeared on the 35^th Anniversary UHD release. Both are HDR10 only, but the encode used on this release has a little more breathing room. Total file size on this release is 54.3 Gb with fewer audio options than the previous release, which is 53.9 Gb. Universal has used a BD100 disc this time around to include all of the special features on the UHD disc. The included Blu-ray is also remastered and not the older Blu-ray from 2012.

Audio: 5/5

Universal has included the same spatial audio remix in DTS:X that was included on the previous release (see Matt Hough’s review for more details). Listening to the mix in a 5.1.2 speaker layout, the heights definitely assist with positioning audio cues but also spread John Williams’ score and sound effects for a much more immersive experience. Universal has also included the original matrixed surround mix in DTS 2.0.

Special Features: 5/5

This time around, not only has Universal included two new special features for the film’s 40^th anniversary, but all of the special features can be accessed on the UHD disc in addition to the included Blu-ray edition. Note: all previous standard definition features were upscaled to 1080p on the UHD disc but appear in their native 480i on Blu-ray. The exception is Designs, Photographs and Marketing, which has been upscaled for both discs.

**NEW** 40 Years of E.T.: The Extra-Terrestrial (1080p; 20:14): J.J. Abrams, Ernest Cline, Chris Columbus and Leonard Maltin reflect on seeing the film for the first time and how it impacted their lives.

**NEW** TCM Classic Film Festival: An Evening with Steven Spielberg (1080p; 27:07): Ben Mankiewicz interviews Steven Spielberg at the TCL Chinese Theater during the 2022 film festival. The two discuss the director’s long career and more specifically, making E.T.

The E.T. Journals (upscaled 1080p/480i; 53:38)

Deleted Scenes (1080p; 3:40)

Steven Spielberg & E.T. (1080p; 12:31)

A Look Back (upscaled 1080p/480i; 37:43)

The Evolution and Creation of E.T. (upscaled 1080p/480i; 50:16)

The E.T. Reunion (upscaled 1080p/480i; 17:56)

The Music of E.T.: A Discussion with John Williams (upscaled 1080p/480i; 10:04)

The 20th Anniversary Premiere (upscaled 1080p/480i; 17:49)

Designs, Photographs and Marketing (upscaled 1080p)

Theatrical Trailer (upscaled 1080p/480i; 1:57)

Special Olympics TV Spot (upscaled 1080p/480i; 1:02)

Digital Copy: An insert contains a copy to redeem a digital copy in UHD on Movies Anywhere.

Overall: 4.5/5

E.T.: The Extra-Terrestrial is still just as magical and emotional today as it was 40 years ago. The 40^th Anniversary edition utilizes the same transfer used on the previous 35^th Anniversary edition, but does add two new special features. Of course, E.T. also holds a special place in my heart, as I was honored to have interviewed Dee Wallace back in 2012 for the 30^th Anniversary Blu-ray release for Home Theater Forum.

E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial – 40th Anniversary Edit…

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Todd Erwin

Todd Erwin has been a reviewer at Home Theater Forum since 2008. His love of movies began as a young child, first showing Super 8 movies in his backyard during the summer to friends and neighbors at age 10. He also received his first movie camera that year, a hand-crank Wollensak 8mm with three fixed lenses. In 1980, he graduated to "talkies" with his award-winning short The Ape-Man, followed by the cult favorite The Adventures of Terrific Man two years later. Other films include Myth or Fact: The Talbert Terror and Warren's Revenge (which is currently being restored). In addition to movie reviews, Todd has written many articles for Home Theater Forum centering mostly on streaming as well as an occasional hardware review, is the host of his own video podcast Streaming News & Views on YouTube and is a frequent guest on the Home Theater United podcast.