The new MCA/Universal Signature Collection edition of Steven Spielberg's 'E.T., The Extra-Terrestrial' is a 4-disc, 7-sided boxed set. Like the Signature Collection discs for both 'Jaws' and '1941', the movie is in CAV and there is a comprehensive supplementary section that covers everything you'd ever want to know about the making of the movie. Yet since MCA will soon be issuing CLV versions of the 'Jaws' and '1941' Signature Collection editions, I can only assume that we'll see a CLV version of 'E.T., The Extra-Terrestrial' sometime in the near future -- and this forthcoming CLV version is the one I'd suggest fans hold out for.
Don't get me wrong: this new THX-mastered special edition is fantastic. The movie looks terrific (letterboxed for its original theatrical aspect ratio, a custom-framing of roughly 1.95:1) and the sound is perfect. To be fair, Spielberg supervised the previous tape and disc transfers when the film made its home video debut in late 1988, and the old version was really quite good in the first place (despite a spatial reversal of the left/right stereo tracks on the first pressing). My main complaint about this new boxed set concerns the superfluous CAV encoding. Though great for nitpicking and studying the film's wondrous special effects, the CAV encoding necessitates four -- that's right, four -- side breaks. And 'E.T., The Extra-Terrestrial' is not the sort of movie that lends itself easily to so many interruptions.
The 115-minute film is still available in a letterboxed, movie-only version, and it's a one-disc, two-sided package. Apparently, MCA found that by merely dissecting both sides of the CLV version, the applicable side breaks would be too jarring and severely interrupt key scenes. But even by spreading the CAV film out to a fifth side, the side breaks are very problematic. A music cue is artificially curtailed at the end of side 2 and side 3 ends on a key transitional cut. The first and fourth side breaks are smooth, but the simple fact is that 'E.T., The Extra-Terrestrial' is a film that demands to be seen uninterrupted in order to maintain the emotional momentum. One side break on a CLV version is allowable. Four side breaks on a CAV version is blasphemous. There's no reason why 'E.T., The Extra-Terrestrial' has to be in CAV, and the CAV mastering not only necessarily compromises the flow of the film, but the need for extra discs has made this special edition much more expensive than it would have otherwise been.
The good news is that the supplementary materials here rival the extras on 'Jaws' and '1941', with a terrific making-of documentary that was produced for this edition. Included are new interviews with Spielberg, screenwriter Melissa Matheson, producer Kathleen Kennedy, cinematographer Allen Daviau, composer John Williams, actors Henry Thomas, Drew Barrymore, Robert MacNaughton, Dee Wallace Stone and Peter Coyote and other key technical personnel. We also get a peek at some fascinating behind-the-scenes footage of the production, Henry Thomas' original audition tape, a few deleted scenes (including one with Harrison Ford doing a back-to-the-camera cameo as Elliott's principal), and the film's original epilogue, dropped just before the movie's release. There are three theatrical trailers included, too (one is from the 1985 reissue). A still gallery of production and publicity photographs is presented after the end of the film on side 5.
Of particular note in the documentary is Spielberg's admission that he'd go back and digitally erase the guns seen during the climactic chase if he ever reissued the film theatrically. Coming from Spielberg -- one of the most devout, outspoken film preservationists around -- this statement nearly turned my hair white. What's worse, he never admits that he has already deleted something from the film way back in 1988 -- a line of dialogue on Halloween when Mom yells at Michael and tells him "You're NOT going as a terrorist!" I was hoping Spielberg would address this issue -- something that devoted fans have been squabbling over for the past 8 years since the video debut. But, alas, not so much as a peep is mentioned about the censorship already levied against 'E.T., The Extra-Terrestrial'
Though there is no audio commentary track here, John William's Oscar-winning score has been isolated, in stereo, on both analog tracks. This is a nice bonus (especially since the original soundtrack album omitted many of the film's music cues), but the inclusion in this boxed set of a separate gold CD of an expanded edition of William's score reeks of redundancy. And the analog music-only track on the laserdisc offers additional musical material that still isn't on the expanded CD (such as the eerie opening credits cue).
The design of this boxed set is MCA's most ambitious yet. The four discs are individually sheathed in numbered sleeves in a bold box with a holographic logo and a faux blue velvet interior. A cloth tab facilitates easy removal of the individual sleeves; underneath the four platters, the CD rests in a recessed pocket (just like the book and CD that were included in the 'Jaws' CAV boxed set). A 6-page color program boasts the film's original advertising campaign (which was previously used only for the first CAV edition laserdisc; all other tape and disc versions featured a secondary ad campaign), chapter stop listings, several production stills and, of course, Spielberg's signature. Curious, but nowhere on the box or in the program booklet is there a credit block for the film, or an offering of the disc's technical information.
This numbered limited edition (8,000 were produced) boxed set is a marvelous celebration of this timeless, beloved classic, but it's a bit on the pricey side. Casual collectors might not find the financial plunge feasible, and they'll probably feel like they should have gotten more (at least a Spielberg running commentary -- why doesn't he ever do one?). So unless you're an 'E.T., The Extra-Terrestrial' die-hard, and unless you absolutely must have this film in CAV, I suggest waiting for the forthcoming CLV edition. It'll be cheaper, that's for sure. But more importantly, there won't be as many side-break interruptions during the film.
VITAL STATISTICS: MCA/Universal Home Video; 4 discs, 7 sides; CAV/CLV; Widescreen (1.95:1); Stereo Surround; THX; Chapter stops; Closed captioned; $149.98
S. Damien Segal.
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