E.T. Page #12

Mary backs into the living room as the spaceman enters and reaches out for

her. She goes in the opposite direction, only to run into another man in a

spacesuit. She runs into the kitchen, followed by Mike carrying Gertie. The

are blocked by still another spaceman with outstretched arms. Mary and her

children are backed into a corner. Another man in a spacesuit opens up the

window blinds from the outside. Mary shouts "THIS IS MY HOME."

EXT:
STREET: DAY

Dawn. The sun rises as a line of men wearing helmets and uniforms march up

the street.

INT:
BATHROOM: DAY

E.T., his skin discolored to a grey-white hue, lies on the floor as a man

in a space suit enters the room. "Home," says E.T.

[This is the end of act two. The antagonist and his forces have invaded the

home of the protagonist and taken them into possession. This terrifying

invasion of the privacy of their home generates more empathy for Mary and

her children.]

EXT:
STREET: DAY

Men in helmets walk up a street as they push a large plastic tunnel. Police

cars slowly drive up the street, as faceless men march to a drumbeat.

[This is the beginning of the third act with the forces of the antagonist

in complete control.]

EXT:
STREET: NIGHT

Men with welding torches work on a truck. The plastic tunnel leads up the

driveway to Elliott's house. The faces of the men are still not shown. They

are either wearing helmets or are silhouettes.

CLOSEUP:

The man with keys jangling on his side is putting on a pair of light-blue

pants.

INTERCUT:
STREET

Men are working outside. Large bright lights flood the area.

INTERCUT:
"KEYS"

The man in the blue suit puts on a white pair of plastic gloves. Red and

black colors on his cuff are associated with his keys as ominous music

fills the soundtrack.

[This is the only instance in this film where the traditional colors of the

antagonist (red and black) are associated with the antagonist ("keys").

Putting on a light-blue outfit starts the transformation of the antagonist

into a character worthy of audience empathy, for blue-white is the

traditional production design colors signifying "innocence."]

The man in the light-blue suit gets up walks through the plastic tunnel

towards Elliott's house. He exits the tunnel and walks into the house which

has been completely enclosed by plastic.

Finally, the antagonist's face is shown. His head is covered by a blue hood

while a light under his face mask accentuates his white shirt.

Mary stands in the middle of the room with Gertie at her side. A doctor

asks her questions about E.T., but Mary is more concerned with Elliott's

state. A nurse cuts a lock from Gertie's hair (presumably for analysis),

while both Elliott and E.T. can be seen on a video monitor. This nurse

walks to Mike and cuts a piece of his hair while a doctor asks him

questions about E.T. A video monitor shows Elliott and E.T. "Elliott thinks

his thoughts," asks the doctor. "No, Elliott feels his feelings," answers

Michael.

[This is the first time in the film that the merging of Elliott and E.T.

has been explicitly stated. Yet, this condition has been revealed to the

audience non-verbally throughout the story. The verbalization seems

redundant and not necessary, but does make sense as an explanatory comment

to a character new to the story.]

INT:
CHAMBER: DAY

A man stands in what appears to be a decontamination chamber.

INTERCUT:
MEDICAL INSTRUMENTS

Hands push buttons on electronic equipment used to gather medical

information about Elliott and E.T. Graphs representing E.T. and Elliott run

in exact parallel.

[This is another representation of the fact that E.T. and Elliott have

merged and are to be considered as one being.]

INT:
MEDICAL ROOM: DAY

Two people in white suits zip open a plastic covering and enter the room

where Elliot and E.T. are being examined.

[The color white traditionally signifying purity. A transition in the

audience's emotional alliances is being manipulated at this stage of the

story. Their hatred will be transferred from "keys" who will become much

more sympathetic to "death itself" which threatens the life of E.T. It

would be too much to ask of the adult audience to remain sympathetic to the

emotional pleadings of a child when space scientists are trying to save the

life of a sick alien.]

"You're scaring him," cries Elliott, as the doctors examine both Elliott

and E.T. as they lie on adjacent tables. E.T's head rests on a blue piece

of cloth.

"Leave him alone, leave him alone. I can take care of him," moans Elliott.

[Which, of course, he can't. But this is something that both he, and

probably most of the children in the audience, really believe.]

Elliott looks up into the face of "Keys," who says that he's been to the

forest. He wants to know what the machine does. Elliott says that it's a

communication machine, and asks if it's still working. He then states that

"He came to me. He came to me." "Keys" explains that he's been wishing for

this too, ever since he was ten years old. He doesn't want the alien to

die. He asks what more can they do that they are not already doing.

Elliott's image reflects in "Keys" face gear. Elliott tells him that E.T.

was calling his people because he needs to go home.

["Keys" is no longer the threat. He has been transformed into a friend who

also wants to help the alien. A new antagonist must now be created in order

to maintain conflict in the story. In this scene DEATH will serve that

function. For the rest of the film the forces of the United States

Government, who attempt to block E.T.'s escape, will function as the

antagonist.]

Another Doctor dressed in white enters the room and announces that E.T. has

DNA. Suddenly, a display screen shows a drop in E.T. and Elliott's graphs.

One doctor says there's a drop in the creature's blood temperature, while

another states that Elliott's condition is stabilizing: his blood pressure

is coming back up.

E.T. calls Elliott's name, and the medical personnel become aware that he

can talk. Elliott pleads with him to stay. E.T. repeats the words "stay,

stay," then slowly turns his head away.

Their graphs separate. One doctor announces that the boy is coming back,

but they are losing E.T.

INT:
CLOSET: NIGHT

Michael enters the closet space where E.T. stayed. He looks at the objects,

including the cartoon page from the newspaper, then huddles down among

E.T.'s possessions.

[These actions create more empathy for Michael who suffers at the thought

of losing E.T.]

The is a time transition, for Michael is asleep in E.T.'s space when the

morning sun shines on his face. Michael wakes up, then watches the plant

(which represents E.T.'s life force) wilt. He screams.

INT:
MEDICAL ROOM: DAY

"E.T., don't go" screams Elliott.

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