E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial 30th Anniversary – The Guns are Back!

I was refereeing a typical toddler squabble when I heard a knock at the door.

“Publisher’s Clearing House! You just won $5,000 a week for life! You’ll have to forgive me for the lack of balloons… there’s a helium shortage, you know.” Cue the confetti! Sound the alarms! Bring in the band! Wait… what? As amazing as it would have been had the FedEx man been telling the truth, unfortunately, it was just another delivery. Or was it? While I can no longer bask in the thought of being financially set for life there IS something to celebrate. It is an unbreakable bond, an endearing and everlasting friendship, generations of children learning of love; it breaks all barriers of “skin deep,” and is an anniversary of pure theatrical magic.

Have I clued you in yet? Are you on the edge of your chair? No? Alright, well, I never claimed to be Steven Spielberg’s protégé but a girl can try.

E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial was a groundbreaking film when it premiered in 1982 and it has continued to enamor generations of viewers ever since. Unfortunately, I wasn’t able to see it in theaters originally because, well, I was not born yet but it is one of the very first films that I can remember seeing. I was so drawn to it that I can vividly remember playing out the bicycle scene… and then crashing into and flipping over a mailbox as opposed to flying. Regardless, the movie stuck with me just as it did for countless others. We connected with the characters, the emotion was overwhelming, and the plot is a timeless masterpiece.

 

Trying to get our little ones to enjoy any movie that doesn’t feature ridiculous, overjoyed, bubbly, singing characters is a task that is easier said than done. This, however, is one that they wanted to see despite the lack of the aforementioned qualities. The beginning of the movie was full of popcorn tossing and chatter thanks to E.T., himself, even before he appeared on screen. Universal covers all of the bases and our children actually fell in love with E.T. before ever seeing the film. It is probably impossible to put a child on a real flying bike, get an adorable little alien say their name, and have them not like it. Our trip to Universal Studios and, of course, the E.T. Adventure ride set the stage for our movie adventure with two alien loving little ones.

In honor of its centennial anniversary, Universal Pictures is proudly saluting 100 years of unforgettable films that have touched the hearts of millions across the globe. E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial is, without a doubt, one of those movies. The Academy Award winning film celebrated its 30^th anniversary with the release of the beloved classic on Blu-Ray for the first time! Spielberg’s unforgettable adventure has been digitally remastered and debuted in a Blu-Ray and DVD combo pack that also includes digital and ultra-violet copies.

“When E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial premiered in 1982, it captured the imaginations of people young, old and everyone in between in a way that was unparalleled in modernmovie history,” said Craig Kornblau, President of Universal Studios Home Entertainment. “A global cultural phenomenon—and the biggest box-office blockbuster of its day—E.T. brought out the child in all of us. We are thrilled audiences will now be able to experience the film in the astounding quality of Blu-ray.”

E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial is loaded with bonus features that include everything from deleted scenes from the 2002 release and journals about the film to an interview with Steven Spielberg, himself, and the cast’s reunion. The film also reverts to its original form and omits something (from the 2002 version) that has irritated fans for years – the walkie talkies. Yes, the guns are back! The Ultra-Violet copy was new to me and, definitely, pretty amazing in itself. It allows you to instantly stream the full movie to computers, tablets and smartphones to relive the mystery, laughter, and wonder of the iconic film at any time and on any platform. Refusing to let the boundaries of Earth stop them, Universal (in partnership with Chillingo) now allows us to visit E.T. at his home on The Green Planet (an interactive game available for iPhone and iPad).

It has been three decades in the making but the timeless story of E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial has officially come full circle. I am beyond thrilled to have the opportunity to, now, share this adventure and all that it entails with my own children and reminisce in the magic with glorious high definition. After thirty years and just in time for the next generation of movie goers, E.T. has, once again, phoned home.

Make sure that you keep up with the E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial social media pages, Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest, for a chance to win the Universal Pictures 100^th Anniversary Centennial Sweepstakes. You can also enjoy E.T. related crafts and recipes below.

*Randi received the above product(s), free of charge, to facilitate this review. All opinions are those of reviewer only.