Tuesday, August 19, 2008

DJG / Movie Morning Monday


E.T.: The Extra Terrestrial * * * * *
Directed by: Steven Spielberg / 1984

In two letters I could sum up the definition of “Movie Magic” with ease. “E.T.” does something new and magical for me every time I watch it and I find it to be more engaging, heart-tugging and genius the older my eyes get. And I again find that I’m still wet behind the eyes as it creeps higher up my all-time top 25 film ladder. I won't expand too much on Steven Spielberg's masterpiece as assuredly almost all of you reading this have probably seen “E.T.”, and many times at that. If you have not, then what are you waiting for? And I feel bad for those of you who aren’t even fans of sci-fi because this film about a boy’s special bond to an alien is more than just the stuff of science fiction and you’re really missing out on the magic of movies. We should all approach things in more childlike awe and wonder like E.T. and like the children who extend a like-minded helping hand of friendship and understanding of E.T.’s wish to just BE and hope to go home. Similar to “Peanuts”, the first two acts of “E.T.” rarely show an adult above the waste or even out of the shadows (besides the main mother). I love how this gives the illustration of man as the monster and hammers it home further in the final act when the government men come to plastic the house and take E.T. away for dissection and inspection. It's a dominating scene that has always chilled me to the core at the movies and in life. This past week I was enthused and bewildered to read about the possible remains of a Sasquatch discovered in a wooded area of Georgia My fascination quickly turned to disappointment as I read further that the next goal is to catch a live one. Debatable yes, but this personally bothers me as I feel that instead of letting something BE, why must we put things under a microscope, poking and probing and profiting?

-djg

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