E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial

Institutional Context
Production Company - Universal Pictures
Distributor - Universal Pictures
Director - Steven Spielberg
Cinematographer - Allen Daviau
Composer - John Williams
Editor - Carol Littleton
Stars - Dee Wallace, Henry Thomas, Peter Coyote, Robert MacNaughton, Drew Barrymore.
Notable related films - Star Wars, Back to the Future, The Goonies.


Historical/Political Context
The film provided a new approach to the issue of the existence of aliens. Spielberg's movies have often focused on the idea on altering public opinion regarding aliens. It is with this basic background in mind that we must then approach E.T, situated as it was in the mid 80s, when alien furor was going strong from earlier hits like Close Encounters, Star Wars, and other science fiction works.  With Close Encounters and E.T. Spielberg takes a turn from the alien norm, presenting audiences with “good” aliens, instead of the stereotypical evil aliens. In the film,  E.T. arrives on the “high place,” the traditional arrival spot of the gods in the biblical historical books. Critics have focused on the parallels between E.T.'s life and Elliott, who is "alienated" by the loss of his father. Critic Henry Sheehan described the film as a retelling of Peter Pan from the perspective of a Lost Boy (Elliott): E.T. cannot survive physically on Earth, as Pan could not survive emotionally in Neverland; government scientists take the place of Neverland's pirates.

Singin In The Rain.

Scene 1 - You were meant for me

The characters costumes used in this scene blend in well with the backdrop, however Don's clothes are much bolder. Don is dressed in full white while Cathy is dressed in a purple dress, which could represent calmness. The location is a film set possibly in a warehouse. The setting has been chosen as it is a natural place the characters would feel comfortable in. Some aspects such as the sky background give the impression that they are somewhere else, though the setting is not real. The sound in this scene is both diegetic and non diegetic as it includes them talking, but also has had the music added in the background. The props in this scene are made to make the fake location they are in seem normal. The fan is there to act as wind and smoke is added for effect. The ladder makes Cathy seem more powerful also, she climbs on it as she feels comfortable there, Don will always be lower than her on the ladder. It can also be noticed how they place their heart on the ladder which shows their feelings for each other. The length of shots is quite long in this scene, especially when the two of them are singing together. The camera angle is mostly positioned so that the whole of both the characters is in the shot. The camera angle is taken as if it were from an audience looking over at the stage.


Scene 2 - Good Morning

The costumes in this scene are old fashioned, they include the shirt and tie while Cathy is wearing a dress. Later on in the scene they each put on yellow rain coats. In this scene the location is set in a basic home, this scene is also set at night time. The props in this scene are mainly the regular household items to help fit in with the scene. The sound in this scene is both diegetic and non diegetic as it includes them talking, but also has had the music added in the background. The length of shots is long in this scene as the camera is following the characters movements. This is not seen when the characters are not singing, which shows that the length of the shot keeps the viewers attention on them singing.
Scene 3 - Final Scene

In this scene the characters are in smart outfits and fancy dresses. This is as they are attending the formal event of their film being shown to the public for the first time. The whole of the scene is well lit, there is not really any distinction between some darker areas and lighter areas. Towards the end of the scene, we see the camera zooming out on the films poster, with Don and Cathy stood together. Don is wearing a blue vest and grey trousers and Cathy is wearing a blue dress. The location of this scene is in the theatre. The sound here is diegetic as it is originating from the characters talking. Many camera shots in this scene are taken from the view of the audience. When the characters are speaking, the camera is concentrated on their faces to concentrate on emotions. The camera will sometimes follow the characters along the screen.

The Gold Rush Micro Elements

Scene 1 - 8:20 - 9:10


This scene is set in the house. Charlie Chaplin is being told to leave the house by Big Jim however the cold wind is stopping him from leaving. Big Jim is wearing a large fur coat whilst Charlie Chaplin is wearing a much smaller coat, making him much more desperate to get back inside the house when he is sent out by the cold.. The props include the furniture within the home such as the table, as well as the home itself. The lighting looks to be natural within this scene. The camera is set to film the whole room and get a side view of the characters movements. When the characters are outside, the camera will be in the same position and will not move to follow the characters. The sound in this film is non-diegetic. The original contains now sound as it is a silent film. There would have been a band playing music to fit along with the plot when the film was being viewed. The music and commentary in this version was added much later.




Scene 2 - 21:15 - 21:45




In this scene Big Jim is hallucinating and seeing Charlie Chaplin as a chicken. Chaplin is in the costume of a chicken within this scene, as well as the same small coat he was wearing in the previous scene, while Big Jim is also in the same costume as the last scene. The camera angle is also still the same, giving a view of the whole house. Nothing has changed in terms of their surroundings either. Editing is used in this scene to give the illusion that Charlie Chaplin has transformed into a chicken. This scene is designed to show how the characters are suffering being in the home surrounded by the cold with very little food. The sound in this scene is still non-diegetic as the film is a silent film. There would have been a band playing music to fit along with the plot when the film was being viewed. The music and commentary in this version was added much later.