E.T. Page #4

[The audience still does not have a clear view of E.T.'s face nor body.

This holds their attention during the scene. They are waiting for that

wonderful moment.]

Elliott throws a blanket over E.T. as they stare at each other. E.T. is

finally revealed to the audience.

Elliott moves his hand in front of his face, a gesture indicating

bewilderment. E.T. mimics this action.

[This is the beginning of their efforts to communicate, but also the start

of the audience emotionally identifying the two characters as one object of

empathy.]

Elliott places his fingers to his lips to see if E.T. will respond in the

same manner, which he does. Elliott then places one finger to his ear,

which E.T. also mimics. Elliott smiles, then holds his left hand up with

all five fingers spread apart. E.T. raises his left hand with three fingers

spread apart. Elliott closes his fingers until there is only one remaining

up. E.T. does the same. They both wiggle this one finger. A poster on the

wall between Elliott and E.T. has the word "SUPERSTAR" printed on it.

[These actions help the audience to conceive of these two characters as

"mirror images" of one another, worthy of equal empathy. It also bonds the

young children in the audience to them, because the characters are speaking

in a language they too can understand. All the children in the audience

have just been through the experience of learning a language. They can

easily identify with the problems that that two characters in the story are

having in communicating with each other. This forges a bond between the

children and both Elliott and E.T. This also forms the basis for the repeat

viewing of this film which was essential for its phenomenal box-office

success.]

Suddenly, Elliott becomes tired and yawns, then sways as if in a trance. He

slowly walks backwards and sits down in a chair. Elliott seems asleep as

the camera moves up for a closeup of Elliott's face.

[Presumably, E.T. has used his telepathic powers to place Elliott into a

trance in order to merge their minds and feelings.]

[This is the end of the first act. Elliott has succeeded in gaining

possession of the dramatic objective E.T.), and has him in his room. But

E.T. has also taken possession of Elliott by merging their feelings, so

that they both become one protagonist. The second act will end when they

are both captured by the antagonist.]

EXT:
FOREST: DAY

Mist envelops the fence and gate in the section of the forest where E.T

originally landed. Men with flashlights and floodlights search throughout

the area. "Keys" walks into the forefront, holding a flashlight in his

hand. He bends to the ground and finds some candy.

[The objective of the faceless antagonist is to capture the alien. The

candy is a prop that will lead them to Elliott's house just as Elliott used

them to lead E.T. into his room. This scene shows that the protagonist is

in jeopardy, because he is still being pursued.]

INT:
ELLIOTT'S ROOM: DAY

Elliott lies in bed with a thermometer in his mouth. His head rests on an

orange pillow (same color as his mother's dress in the first scene) while

his mother sits besides him. She takes out the thermometer, reads it, then

says "Okay, you're hot." She then leaves the room. Elliott quickly swings a

lamp back over his head and heats the thermometer. He also places a blue

heating pad over his face, to heat himself. He then places the thermometer

back into his mouth, swings the lamp away, and places the heating pad under

the covers as his mother enters the room. She opens his closet and

separates the hanging clothes as she walks into the closet. Elliott sits up

in bed and intensely watches her.

[Elliott's objective is to stay home from school in order to be with E.T.

His obstacle is his mother, who wants him to go to school. To overcome this

obstacle he must persuade her that he's sick. A crisis occurs when she

enters the closet in which E.T. is hiding. This creates jeopardy for the

protagonist.]

EXT:
DRIVEWAY: DAY

Mike backs the car down the driveway.

INTERCUT:
ELLIOTT'S ROOM

Mary walks out of the closet carrying a blue sleeping bag. Elliott is

tense, then relieved, once he realizes that she didn't find E.T. He falls

back into bed.

INTERCUT:
DRIVEWAY

Mike backs the car over part of the lawn.

[This scene functions not only as comic relief, but also as a set up for

the scene here Mike has to drive the van during E.T.'s escape sequence.

This demonstrates both his incompetence, and that he is only allowed to

drive the car backwards down the driveway.]

INTERCUT:
ELLIOTT'S ROOM

Mary covers Elliott with the blue sleeping bag as Elliott puts the

thermometer back into his mouth (first backwards, then he corrects it).

[Humor is generated because the audience knows that he is fooling his

mother.]

INTERCUT:
DRIVEWAY

Mike continues to back the car down the driveway. He overshoots the edge

and goes out into the street. He then pulls forward across the sidewalk.

INTERCUT:
ELLIOTT'S ROOM

"You were outside waiting for that thing?" says Mary. Elliott nods.

[Elliott is covered in blue-white colors, which traditionally signify

innocence, and which generates audience empathy for him.]

She tells him not to watch TV, kisses him, then leaves the room. Elliott

quickly closes the blinds.

EXT:
DRIVEWAY: DAY

Mary runs down the driveway towards the car. Gertie points out the patches

of lawn that Mike pulled onto the driveway as he was driving the car. Mary

pulls her into the car.

INT:
ELLIOTT'S ROOM: DAY

Elliott gestures for E.T. to walk out of the closet, which he does. He is

wearing Elliott's robe. Elliott asks him if he talks.

[Elliott's objective is to communicate with E.T., his obstacle is that E.T.

does not speak the English language.]

"Me Human. Boy. Elliott, Elliott, Elliott" says Elliott.

E.T. turns away and walks towards the work table. Elliott picks up objects,

such as a can of coke and toy soldiers, from the table then names them for

E.T. Elliott points to the fish and explains how the fish eat the fish

food. He places a wooden toy shark into the fishbowl, then states that the

shark eats the fish but nobody eats the shark.

[In his effort to communicate with E.T., Elliott tries to teach him the

language by showing him objects that are used in everyday life. This

process is similar to that experienced by the children and parents in the

audience everyday as they also learn and attempt to communicate with each

other. This type of scene solidifies the audience's emotional bonding with

Elliott and E.T.]

E.T. takes a toy car into his mouth on chews on it.

[Like many a child would.]

Elliott takes this to mean that E.T. is hungry. Elliott tells E.T. to stay

where he is.

[Elliott's new objective is to get food for E.T. and himself.]

Elliott opens the door and Harvey tries to run into the room. E.T. groans

with fear and backs into a corner as Elliott pulls Harvey out of the room.

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