Fun
Frisky
Nostalgic
Intense
Adventurous
Choked Up
Curious
Romantic
Weird
Today we celebrate the 35th anniversary of one of the most beloved movies of all time: E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial. Few films are as well-regarded or evoke such genuine feelings of joy than Steven Spielberg’s wonderful tale of courage and friendship. Elliott, E.T., and flying bicycle rides will always hold a special place in my heart, but tucked away amidst all the reverie and wonder is a horrifying scene that scared the holy Reese’s Pieces out of a generation of children.
I’m of course talking about the infamous moment in which a withering E.T. fights for his life on the bathroom floor. Viewer discretion is not just advised; it’s required.
First things first: No. This is not an acceptable image for a human eyeball to consume. Seeing E.T. in this grisly state reduced me to a blithering puddle of hysterics as a kid. It’s a straight-up harrowing sight! Hell, even watching this as an adult makes me want to phone home to my mom and have her reassure me that the plucky visitor from far, far away is going to be okay. But perhaps I’m wrong. Maybe I’m just a giant baby overreacting to the ghastly image of a ghost white E.T. struggling for survival. I decided to slack the above gif to my co-workers to gauge their level of repugnance.
Turns out that I wasn’t the only one horrified by this image as a child. Everyone else here at Decider responded in a similar manner. The only outlier was Lea Palmieri, who also hated the scene but holds the unpopular opinion that Elliott should have kicked E.T. out of his house from the get-go and made some “real, non-alien friends.” Lea’s Grinch-esque non-heart notwithstanding, I wasn’t alone. This scene engendered a visceral reaction in an entire generation of children. We were petrified of this image. Yes, Spielberg gifted us with an inspirational film that celebrated the true essence of loyalty and friendship, but he also gave us this:
Was watching E.T. really worth the litany of nightmares it produced? You better believe it. As an adult, I understand that the film’s magical ending wouldn’t be as special without the emotional obliteration of being forced to endure the image of a dying E.T.
Breaking news, that Spielberg guy is a decent filmmaker.
Did he irrevocably scar an entire generation of moviegoers? Sure. Did I have an existential crisis because my E.T. nightlight — a device designed to assuage my fear — only reminded me of the very terror I was desperately trying to forget? You know it! But Spielberg also crafted awe-inspiring moments like E.T.’s emotional farewell and the legendary bicycle scene, which is one of the most whimsical sequences in cinematic history.
I’d say all the nightmares were well worth it.
Happy 35th birthday, E.T.!
