Steven Spielberg Calls This Movie “Pretty Perfect” Among His Films

Steven Spielberg has made some of the most famous movies in Hollywood, but to him, one film stands above the rest: 1982’s E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial.

The sci-fi classic tells the story of Elliott, a young boy who befriends a stranded alien named E.T. The film stars Dee Wallace, Henry Thomas, Peter Coyote, and a young Drew Barrymore. It won four Oscars, including Best Visual Effects and Best Original Score.

Speaking to Stephen Colbert on The Late Late Show, Spielberg reflected on his work. “I don’t look a lot at my movies after I’ve made them,” he said. “I don’t look back that often, but every once in a while, I’ll see a movie with my kids.”

He added that he enjoys watching E.T. with his children for the first time. “I want to accompany my kids when I see E.T. with them for the first time. I don’t want them to see E.T. without dad sitting there, especially the scary parts at the beginning.”

Spielberg also shared why E.T. remains special to him. “Sometimes I see things that I had intended to do that I didn’t do, and sometimes I see things that would have been a better idea than what I’m now seeing all these years later – but for the most part, E.T. is a pretty perfect movie,” he said. “It’s one of the few movies I’ve made that I can actually look back at again and again.”

The film was written by Melissa Mathison and based on a story Spielberg developed from his unrealized project, Night Skies. It was inspired by an imaginary friend Spielberg created after his parents’ divorce.

Filming took place in 1981 on a $10.5 million budget, with the young cast shot in rough chronological order to capture authentic emotions. Animatronics for E.T. were designed by Carlo Rambaldi.

E.T. premiered at Cannes on May 26, 1982, and opened in the U.S. on June 11. It became a massive box office success, surpassing Star Wars to become the highest-grossing film of all time, a record it held until Jurassic Park in 1993. The movie received universal acclaim, nine Academy Award nominations, and won four Oscars. It also earned multiple Golden Globes and Saturn Awards.

The film has been re-released several times, including in 1985, 2002, and 2022 for its 40th anniversary, with updated visuals and additional scenes. In 1994, the Library of Congress added E.T. to the National Film Registry, calling it “culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant.”

E.T. remains an iconic piece of cinema, celebrated by both audiences and filmmakers. Spielberg’s reflection on the movie shows the personal connection he has with his work, especially through the eyes of his children.

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