By Mary Beth Gentle
The blockbusters have left the theatres. The Premiere of the new TV Season is still weeks away. And the late night summer barbeque's are being packed away as we ready for the fall. Which can mean only one thing; it’s time for a Flashback Movie Night! Dust off the stack of DVD classics hidden on the back shelf or visit your local rental store and pick out a long forgotten title. There are so many movies to choose from. There are comedies, dramas and action adventures that promise hours of enjoyment to you, your family and your friends.
For my Flashback Movie Night, so many titles filled my head. Should I go with a classic screwball comedy from the thirties? It’s been years since I sat down and watched Clark Gable and Claudette Colbert in It Happened one Night or Cary Grant and Irene Dunne in The Awful Truth. Maybe my flashback movie night required a trip down the memory lane of my childhood with the classic Walt Disney animation of Cinderella or the light hearted Walt Disney adventure of The Swiss Family Robinson. Or maybe my movie night required one of the movies that helped define the modern day blockbuster, Star Wars or Raiders of the Lost Ark. And then it came to me, a movie that I had not watched in years, a movie that had me on the edge of my seat, a movie that the whole family could enjoy, Steven Spielberg’s E.T.: The Extra-Terrestrial.
E.T.: The Extra-Terrestrial is one of those movies that has it all; heart, adventure, humor and at its core is the bond of friendship. It is a movie that reminds of us that anything, including friendship with a wayward alien, is possible. The young hero of the movie, Elliot, perfectly embodies the innocence of childhood. We see the world through his eyes as he sits up all night with a flashlight in hand hoping to lure the mysterious creature out. It is a story of Aliens in the suburbs, of family and friendship and of the amazing power of love. As Elliot and the alien bond, Elliot knows that no matter the cost, he must save his new friend and help him find his way home. Elliot enlists the help of his siblings and friends to outwit the government powers and rescue E.T.
With its 10.5 million dollar budget, Studios today should take a lesson in how to make a movie that will make audiences everywhere line up again and again. In today’s movie making world, Studios are lucky to keep budgets under 100 million dollars and few have the heart and charm of Steven Spielberg’s classic tale. So if you are one of the few that haven’t seen E.T.: The Extra-Terrestrial or like me you haven’t watched it in years, I recommend you add it to your Flashback Movie Night list and settle in for a heart warming tale filled with wonder, tears, humor and adventure. Enjoy!
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