E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial (40^th Anniversary) [4K Ultra HD]

Director: Steven Spielberg

Cast: Henry Thomas, Drew Barrymore, Dee Wallace

Release Date: October 18, 2022

A Review By: Kevin Lovell

Disc Rating: 9/10

Synopsis:

Captivating audiences of all ages, this timeless story follows the unforgettable journey of a lost alien and the 10-year-old boy he befriends. Join Elliot (Henry Thomas), Gertie (Drew Barrymore) and Michael (Robert MacNaughton) as they come together to help E.T. find his way back home, E.T. THE EXTRA-TERRESTRIAL is “one of the great American films” (Leonard Maltin) that forever belongs in the hearts and minds of audiences everywhere.

Please Note: Universal Pictures Home Entertainment provided me with a free copy of the 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray I reviewed in this Post. The opinions I share are my own.

The timeless and touching cinematic gem ‘E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial’ tells the unforgettable story of a lost alien stuck on our unfamiliar planet and the friendship and bond that he develops with a 10 year old boy named Elliot. After realizing that the alien is slowly struggling here, Elliot enlists the help of his siblings and daringly sets out on a mission to find a way to help his new friend contact his family so that they can return and bring him back home. Unfortunately, once others start to uncover hints of the alien’s existence on our world it only makes Elliot’s quest that much more dangerous.

The film was directed by legendary filmmaker Steven Spielberg and written by Melissa Mathison, with a beautiful and unforgettable score composed by John Williams. Also featuring a wonderful cast that includes Henry Thomas, Drew Barrymore, Dee Wallace, Robert McNaughton, Peter Coyote and more who each help in their right to make this one work so beautifully, ‘E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial’ has continually stood the test of time and proved itself to be one of the greatest adventures of its generation. It still serves up all of the heart, humor and wonder that it did a whopping forty years ago when initially released in 1982, ready to be introduced to a whole new generation of fans.

Universal Pictures Home Entertainment brings director Steven Spielberg’s beloved classic ‘E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial’ home once more in celebration of its 40^th Anniversary with a new 4K Ultra HD release (as well as on Blu-ray, a 4K deluxe collector’s set and in various store exclusives on top of it) that features a quite spectacular Ultra High Definition video presentation with HDR-10. Further complemented by a pretty great DTS:X soundtrack and numerous extras including a couple of brand new supplements exclusive to this 40^th Anniversary release, it all makes for a rewarding 4K Ultra HD release of this unforgettable cinematic gem. While I don’t have access to the previous 4K release of the film, it appears (based on what I’ve been able to ascertain) that the transfer and film presentation are more or less identical to the previous edition and the couple of new extras therefore serve as the only new addition this time around (aside from the artwork and any physical inclusions in the deluxe edition of course). Therefore, those of you who already own the previous 4K release will have to decide whether it’s worth double dipping on, but for anyone else that doesn’t already own this masterpiece on 4K Ultra HD it’s definitely recommended.

VIDEO:

The 40^th Anniversary 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray release of ‘E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial’ features a full 2160p Ultra High Definition presentation with HDR-10, presented in its original 1.85:1 Aspect Ratio. The video presentation looks great as a whole and provides a clean, sharp and source faithful presentation from start to finish that never lacks or disappoints. It holds up nicely throughout even during the many darkly lit and occasional fast moving moments occurring throughout, while still retaining a nice grain structure that beautifully showcases its film source, not to mention added detail in nearly everything from background details to character specifics. The HDR addition only contributes a more faithful and sharp collection of colors that are perfectly complemented by deep and notably rich blacks and the end result is a real treat of a presentation that should have fans thoroughly satisfied. Overall, this is a pretty wonderful Ultra High Definition video presentation that looks great and holds up well every step of the way.

AUDIO:

The 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray release features a DTS:X (DTS-HD Master Audio 7.1 channel compatible) soundtrack. Please note that this review pertains solely to the DTS-HD Master Audio 7.1 audio presentation. This multichannel soundtrack is rather impressive in its own right and offers a clean, crisp and surprisingly immersive audio presentation throughout. It regularly takes advantage of all seven available channels in order to send the iconic score, along with some nature effects, background elements and plenty more throughout the various speakers whenever appropriate, while never conflicting with any dialogue or other audio elements that might be occurring at the same time. Overall, this is a solid DTS:X (DTS-HD MA 7.1 compatible) soundtrack that makes a splendid complement to the beloved tale and shouldn’t disappoint in the slightest.

SPECIAL FEATURES:

The 40^th Anniversary 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray release of ‘E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial’ includes a nice collection of bonus content featuring a couple new extras and plenty of carryover supplements. Included on the release are the brand new extras ’40 Years of E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial’ (running approximately 20 minutes in length) and ‘TCM Classics Film Festival: An Evening with Steven Spielberg’ (running approximately 27 minutes). Also included are numerous previously released extras including ‘Deleted Scenes’ (running approximately 4 minutes combined) from the movie, along with various Behind the Scenes Featurettes and other fun videos that include interviews/comments with the cast and crew, plus behind the scenes footage and plenty more. They include the Documentary ‘The E.T. Journals’ (approximately 54 minutes), along with ‘Steven Spielberg & E.T.’ (approximately 12 minutes), ‘E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial: A Look Back’ (38 minutes), ‘The Evolution and Creation of E.T.’ (12 minutes), ‘The E.T. Reunion’ (18 minutes), ‘The Music of E.T.: A Discussion with John Williams’ (10 minutes) and ‘The 20^th Anniversary Premiere’ (18 minutes). The ‘Theatrical Trailer’ (2 minutes) for the movie is also included, along with a ‘Special Olympics TV Spot’ (1 minute) and still galleries for ‘Designs, Photographs and Marketing’.

*Please note that the above images are taken from the Blu-Ray disc included in the 4K UHD Combo Pack and resized. They do not represent the quality of the 4K Ultra HD disc itself and will additionally suffer quality loss as a result of .jpg compression. Larger versions of each image can be viewed by clicking on the image. All images and content included on the 4K UHD & Blu-Ray release are the property of their respective owners.

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Disc Rating: 9/10

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‘E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial: 40^th Anniversary Edition’ is Now Available to Own on 4K Ultra HD, Blu-ray & Digital from Amblin Entertainment & Universal Pictures Home Entertainment

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