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Of course the irony in all of this is that E.T. as a film still holds up beautifully as a wondrous, delightful fantasy of friendship and love, one that spans generations and the very universe itself. Like the first time you saw a rainbow or tasted a hot fudge sundae, E.T. has that pure sense of childlike wonder infused into the very celluloid it was shot on. A filmmaker working at the top of his game, Spielberg took an excellent script by Melissa Mathieson, cast it beautifully, and hired award-winning cinematographer Allen Daviau to shoot it like an art film. Almost expressionist and surreal, yet wholly, remarkably accessible and universal, E.T. is that rare modern masterpiece that still matters.

It's really a shame that last year's theatrical re-release didn't fare better. While I'm not a fan of the new CGI stuff (to tell you the truth, I can't even watch the new version without wincing) the film itself has been unfairly maligned as sentimental, commercial pap, so it would have been nice to see it succeed. Seeing it again, I'm amazed at how dark and sinister a film it really is (especially without the "softening" of the guns in the new version.) Poor little E.T. Is lost all alone here on Earth, as young an alien as Elliott (Henry Thomas) is a boy. The father long since gone, it is up to Elliott's mother (Dee Wallace) to keep the family together (not easy with little Gertie [Drew Barrymore] around), and the early scenes of the awestruck Elliott trying to convince all around him of E.T.'s existence is not the light fare of most childlike fantasies. When the government begins its inexorable, terrifying march towards capturing Elliott's little friend, the film achieves a rare power, an uncanny evocation of the primal pull of early separation. I challenge anyone not to wipe away a few tears before this one is over.

Yet despite all the awards, critical accolades and mega-millions it raked in at the box office, I'm sure there are many who will forever resist ET's charms just on principal alone. Some will hate it because it was so popular. Some will hate it because it's Spielberg. Some will hate it simply to... hate it. But I for one don't care. I'm probably as unsentimental as they come, yet I continue to love E.T. unconditionally. Don't expect me to diss the squishy little brown guy just because I'm all grown up and supposed to be over it by now. E.T. rules. So there.

Video: How Does The Disc Look?

As everyone reading this probably already knows by now, despite ET's universal goodwill, there were many (myself included) out there with their knives out and sharpened, ready to eviscerate this release but good. Thanks to a heap of marketing from Universal indicating that the original, unaltered 1982 theatrical cut of the film would only be available in a pricey three-disc box set, many rightly complained, not wanting to have to pay a steep $70 just for the privilege of owning the original version. But now, at the last minute (and despite even the packaging not revealing its true contents) only Spielberg himself has stepped forward and delivered the full monty. Both the more affordable two-disc set (available in either widescreen or pan & scan) and the deluxe box set both include the 1982 cut as well as the 2002 re-release, and surprise, surprise, both look quite good.

On this two-disc set version, however, there are noticeable differences between the two, and it will be interesting to see the general fan reaction to these two transfers. The 2002 cut is included on the first disc, and the 1982 version on the second, and both are dual-layer. Surprisingly, both of these discs are not overloaded with features, with only a few extras including featurettes totaling less than an hour on each platter, so the bit rates stay about the same throughout. Director of photography Allen Daviau also supervised both, and the original 1982 version was restored and remastered before the new CGI-trickery and additional scenes were added in for the 2002 re-release. The result? A close call, and a question not so much of better or worse, but the same yet different.

First the good news. Both versions are truly as advertised, with the 2002 cut featuring the new effects, of course, and about 5 minutes of additional footage, while the original 1982 theatrical cut includes all the original material feared lost forever by fans: the original Universal opening logo, the guns, the "terrorist" line, even the correct music cues altered for the 2002 release. Just as much of a relief is that both transfers are also minted from very nice prints that are exceptionally clean and free from fading, especially for a film now 20 years old. Each is properly framed at 1.85:1 widescreen and anamorphically encoded. Blacks are excellent on both, with vibrant colors and none of the excessive noise that marred the previous VHS and laserdisc releases. However, Daviau did shoot most of the film in low light conditions, giving the film a contrasty look that suffers from some grain. He and Spielberg also seemed very fond of soft focus filters and diffused lighting at the time, so the film retains a hazy, muted look. However, this is consistent with the intended look of the picture and every theatrical showing I've ever seen.

Now, there are some noticeable differences between the two transfers. Perhaps due to the "scanning in" of many of the sequences of the film for the 2002 re-release, the entire transfer has a much more contrasted, bright look. Colors are a bit more vibrant and saturated, and detail perhaps a bit stronger... but at a price. Comparing the last shot of the opening "E.T. arrives" chase sequence - a panoramic vista of government agents silhouetted against the suburban night sky - is a good illustration of the differences. The 2002 version reveals light and shadings on the faces that are simply black on the 1982 transfer. However, the 2002 version also has noticeable edginess and sharp halos around highly contrasted objects, giving it a shimmery look that is distracting.

Throughout the rest of both transfers, these differences seem to persist. The 1982 version looks more film-like, dark and smooth, but also less artificial and "pumped up." Shadow delineation also can be superior on the 1982 version, not suffering from the high contrast and sharp falloff of the 2002 version. It is important to note that the 1982 version, however, looks great and much better than the old VHS and laserdisc versions, with very nice colors, smooth and stable hues, and an overall sharp look. To be honest, I actually slightly preferred the 1982 version overall, if only because it is a bit less harsh and more film-like. I will look forward to the general fan reaction on the Internet in the coming weeks to see how consumers react to the differences.

One last note: If you plan on buying the 2-disc set, be aware that neither the full frame or widescreen versions are labeled as such at all on the front packaging. Pay close attention to the back spec grid to make sure you are buying the proper version. The 3-disc set does not include a full frame version of either the 1982 or 2002 cuts, only 1.85:1 anamorphic widescreen.

Audio: How Does The Disc Sound?

Another surprise is the quality of the soundtracks included for both the 2002 and 1982 versions. Sadly, the lousy packaging on the 2-disc set makes mincemeat not only of what is on the disc in terms of different versions of the film, but also the soundtrack and subtitle options and the extras. Both the 1982 and the 2002 versions include Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround EX and DTS ES 6.1 matrixed tracks, while the 2002 version also includes John Williams' excellent "Live" score conducted for the re-release world premiere in full Dolby Digital 5.1 surround, plus a French 5.1 surround track. The 1982 cut offers French and Spanish 2.0 Dolby surround tracks only. Subtitle options on each include English captions encoded as subtitles, Spanish subtitles, and no true Closed Captioning. Note that the packaging of the 2-disc set indicates French subtitles, but they are not included on any version of the film.

All that gobbledygook out of the way, how are the actual soundtracks? Both sound pretty great, and in fact I could not detect any discernible differences between the 1982 and 2002 versions, save for the newly expanded sound cues. As only a filmmaker of Spielberg's stature could likely command, E.T. Has been fully remixed from its source, with the sound team going back to the original elements and creating a truly new and discrete surround experience. (Note, however, that on the 2002 version, the new scenes do include newly restored sound elements as most of the cut scenes were never finished. I detected no such alterations on the 1982 version.) Comparing over ten scenes between the two versions, I couldn't hear any difference, leading me to suspect the original soundtrack was remixed and restored, then simply augmented for the 2002 release. Very impressive.

In terms of sheer sonic quality, E.T. certainly has never sounded better. While dynamic range is maybe just a bit shy of today's best soundtracks - this film is 20 years old - it still has a wide presence despite some occasionally tinny highs. The front soundstage benefits the most from the remix, with nice balance between the music, dialogue and effects. Williams' score now sounds even more grand, nicely deployed even to the rears, and now alive and lush were previous video versions sound canned. While surround ambiance could have been stronger - the use of the discrete rears really only kicks in with "whooshes" and the big action set pieces - it is obvious this is no mere digital process of dated elements. The .1 LFE is also quite strong, and the opening and close UFO bits rocked my couch as strongly as any mix I've ever heard.

In terms of the DTS and Dolby Digital tracks, there are some slight differences but nothing exceptional. I compared three scenes - the opening chase, E.T. and Elliott in the forest at night, and the climatic bike chase - and after proper level matching, both performed very well. Dynamic range sounded a bit more real with a warmer midrange, and imaging from front to back is slightly improved. Surprisingly, the .1 LFE sounded about equal on each, providing enough kick to rival today's soundtracks. Either way you slice it, these are very nice presentations, and those lucky enough to have EX and/or ES decoding capabilities will get an even more enveloping experience.

Last but certainly not least, we have John Williams new 2002 "Live" score, which I found very exciting. The same yet different, not only is this exceptionally recorded with wonderful dynamic range and powerful low bass, but the subtle tweaks and changes required by the presence of a live orchestra makes for a truly unique E.T. experience. My only complaint is that once again Universal doesn't feel consumers should be able to switch audio tracks on the fly. Not only can you only access this live track via the special features menu (not the audio setup, where logically it should be), but it would have been great to be able to switch between the theatrical and live soundtracks on the fly to compare. Ah, well, at least it is here, and it does sound pretty terrific.

Supplements: What Goodies Are There?

Now, here's were it all gets complicated. After sitting through so many versions and audio permutations of the movie, I had already let go of most of my cynicism towards these releases after all the controversy. But even so, I am still a bit disappointed with the extras on the 2-disc set. Once again, the back of the packaging is misworded or simply wrong. I suspect that Spielberg got directly involved at a late date, hence the outdated packaging. Once thing that is consistent, however, is that all the video-based extras were produced by longtime Spielberg collaborator Laurent Bouzereau, are presented in 4:3 full frame, and no subtitle or caption options are provided for the hearing impaired.

Disc one includes only meager extras, outside of the John Williams live soundtrack. Starting our journey off is a 2-minute video intro to the 2002 version by Spielberg. The 2002 World Premiere is a nice 17-minute featurette on the buildup to the big show, made quite exciting by the addition of John Williams' live orchestral backing. We get a very fast-paced but thorough glimpse at the tension and technical challenges involved, then all the red carpet arrivals, followed by an except of the live show-only "Overture" expressly written for the one-time-only event by Williams. Finishing off this nice bit of nostalgia is Spielberg's on- stage introduction of the main cast and crew. Since so few of us got invited to this little shindig, this is about as close as you're gonna get without actually having been there.

Also on disc one is one of the most bizarre extras I've seen in a long while, the "exciting" Space Exploration. Clearly meant for the kids, click this one and be treated to an interactive "map" of our solar system. Click on a planet and a bad voice imitation of E.T. delivers a 1-minute lecture on the respective planet's facts and history. This would likely have worked better as a ROM extras, or simply dropped altogether. It's always nice to offer something educational, but this isn't very entertaining. Not sure what drugs they were taking when they thought up this one...

Moving onto disc two, we have The Making of E.T., a 24-minute "greatest hits" version of the full doc on the 3-disc set. (Note that the back packaging on the 2-disc set is once again erroneous. The full-length documentary "The Evolution and Creation of E.T." is not included here in its entirety, only in this slim-size form.) While certainly a far cry from the old Bouzereau 2-hour laserdisc documentary, this is still a perfectly fine retrospective on the creation of the landmark film. Given such a short time frame in which to document such a complex, often fascinating production, we get a few brief bits on the casting (including a cute screen test of Henry Thomas), lots of playful behind-the-scenes footage, and a nice little 2001 reunion of the cast and crew. Also included on disc two is The Reunion, an 18-minute extended version of that final coda on the making-of featurette. There is some overlapping of comments from Spielberg and friends, but it all kinda warms your heart and made me feel quite fuzzy inside. Awwwww...

Next up on disc two is a fairly extensive Designs, Photographs and Marketing gallery, divided into six subsections: "E.T. Designs by Production Illustrator Ed Verreaux," "E.T. Designs by Carlo Rambaldi," "Spaceship Designs by Ralph McQuarrie," "Designs by Production Illustrator Ed Verreaux," "Production Photographs" and "Marketing E.T.". Containing a little over 100 stills, these are all video montages that total nearly 18 minutes of screen time, which would have been fine except for one major annoyance. Universal has decided for some unknown reason to disable the still, fast forward and rewind capabilities, so you have no control over any of these galleries. Very frustrating. What is the point of putting up such great stills if the user can't stop and enjoy them?

Rounding out the two-disc set is the film's 2002 re-release theatrical trailer in non- anamorphic widescreen and Dolby 2.0 surround and a DVD promo spot for the upcoming Back to the Future trilogy (no other E.T. trailers are provided.) Also included are some onscreen production notes that are a bit more extensive than those printed on the enclosed 8- page foldout, basic cast and crew filmographies, and a little ditty called Special Announcements. Here you'll find three new 2002 TV spots featuring E.T., for the Special Olympics, Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption, and Universal Studios theme parks.

DVD-ROM Exclusives: What do you get when you pop the disc in your PC?

Pop in the second disc the 2-disc and be greeted by a custom ROM interface with a nice array goodies. The main attraction, of course, is Universal's Total Axess portal, which gives you an exclusive pass to exclusive content, which the accompanying promo blurb (found on the disc two special features menu) touts will change every week, and in the case of E.T., Is due to launch at street date on October 22nd.

First, however, the E.T. custom interface has its own exclusive features you can access without a live web connection. Fun for the kids are three interactive games (just click on the "Games" button on the bottom of the interface.) "Dress Up E.T." Is a cute little diversion with an infuriatingly catchy underscore, giving you the chance to torture poor little E.T. by dressing him in various embarrassing costumes. E.T. as a fireman, or a pirate? Say it ain't so! (One costume even makes him look like a pimp! Priceless!) Up next is "Save E.T.," a simple if addictive flash-based challenge where you have to collect pieces of the communicator and make E.T. fly. Perhaps the best game for both kids and adults alike is the "E.T. Trivia Challenge," which is straightforward but has some pretty hard questions. (I couldn't even answer them all without cheating!)

The rest of the ROM extras are all accessible via the Total Axess portal. Click over and you're taken to the main entry page, and if you click on the E.T. icon, the DVD in the drive grants access to an exclusive site. Although it is due to launch on the 22nd, when I checked it out it was already functional. Extras up so far include the usual weblink to the official re-release website, the chance to be a Charity Torchgiver for the Special Olympics, and the exclusive E.T. Space Station hosted by NASA, which houses only vaguely E.T.-related solar system images, sounds and games. Expect more E.T.-specific extras to appear after the official launch date.

My only caveat with all of this? While the interface is relatively easy to use and navigate, the only problem is that most of the pop-up windows stay open behind the main window as you travel through the various sites. Hopefully in the future, Universal will cut back on the windows as your desktop can get really cluttered very fast.

Parting Thoughts