# Some musings on E.T., the extraterrestrial...
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/some-musings-on-e-t-the-extraterrestrial/88537
**Category:** Cafe Society
**Created:** [October 20, 2001, 1:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/some-musings-on-e-t-the-extraterrestrial/88537 "2001-10-20T01:49:48Z")
**Posts on this page:** 20
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@Freudian\_Slit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Freudian_Slit)
#### Post date: [October 20, 2001, 1:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/some-musings-on-e-t-the-extraterrestrial/88537/1 "2001-10-20T01:49:48Z")
Okay, I know I’m going to hell for this…and as someone else told me I am probably the only one in America who feels this way, but…
**I DESPISE E.T.**
Yeah the extraterrestrial. The long creepy dripping fingers, the god awful worm like neck, the toilet bowl sized eyes, the horrible posture. I cannot stand him. I laughed till the cows came home when I saw the E.T. send up on “The Critic.” Okay, I guess it’s because I’m not terribly interested in life from another planet, and since I despise most family flicks. I feel a little bad, but I’m sorry. I can’t keep living a lie.
And I hated Elliot and his whole family, for the record.
---
### Author:  [@Miller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miller)
#### Post date: [October 20, 2001, 2:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/some-musings-on-e-t-the-extraterrestrial/88537/2 "2001-10-20T02:01:18Z")
ET: Embarassingly thin Jesus analogy, poorly plotted, child actors, birthplace of Product Placement, Stephen Spielberg, butt-ugly alien.
What’s not to hate?
---
### Author:  [@TheeGrumpy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TheeGrumpy)
#### Post date: [October 20, 2001, 3:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/some-musings-on-e-t-the-extraterrestrial/88537/3 "2001-10-20T15:49:11Z")
We all know that both of you cried at the end.
---
### Author:  [@Odesio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Odesio)
#### Post date: [October 20, 2001, 3:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/some-musings-on-e-t-the-extraterrestrial/88537/4 "2001-10-20T15:52:01Z")
When it came out. It is #1 on my list of movies that was great when it came out but has aged poorly over the years. I can’t even stand watching it these days.
Marc
---
### Author:  [@Wumpus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wumpus)
#### Post date: [October 20, 2001, 7:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/some-musings-on-e-t-the-extraterrestrial/88537/5 "2001-10-20T19:54:19Z")
I didn’t hate ET. I did, however, regard it as simply the kid’s version of Close Encounters.
---
### Author:  [@ScriptAnalyst](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ScriptAnalyst)
#### Post date: [October 20, 2001, 8:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/some-musings-on-e-t-the-extraterrestrial/88537/6 "2001-10-20T20:09:48Z")
Due only to incredible, even masochistic perserverance on my part, I actually managed to sit through this movie once, when it originally came out. That was the last and only time.
Steve Biodrowski
[http://www.thescriptanalyst.com](http://www.thescriptanalyst.com)
---
### Author:  [@Max\_Torque](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Max_Torque)
#### Post date: [October 20, 2001, 9:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/some-musings-on-e-t-the-extraterrestrial/88537/7 "2001-10-20T21:01:12Z")
I’m just pissed because I’ve heard that Spielberg wants to digitally edit out the guns carried by the FBI agents for the 2002 “twentieth anniversary” rerelease. Ugh.
---
### Author:  [@Miller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miller)
#### Post date: [October 20, 2001, 9:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/some-musings-on-e-t-the-extraterrestrial/88537/8 "2001-10-20T21:02:47Z")
> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by TheeGrumpy \*
> \*\*We all know that both of you cried at the end. \*\*
Well, yes, but I was eight at the time.
---
### Author:  [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)
#### Post date: [October 21, 2001, 3:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/some-musings-on-e-t-the-extraterrestrial/88537/9 "2001-10-21T03:12:42Z")
I agree with you. I _hated_ **E.T.** with a passion. I only saw it once, when it first came out in the summer of 1982. I’ve never been tempted to watch it again, or to get the video.
I know that movies are supposed to manipulate your feelings, but when they’re as transparent as that, and the strings are so obvious, I get disgusted. Having the ET spaceship take off and leave a rainbow in the sky practically made me nauseous. And don’t ven get me started on Neil Diamond’s “Heartlight”…
It’s interesting, nonetheless, that this film, which was in the top five all-time grossers at one point (not sure where it is now in the rankings) has never had a sequel. Spielberg must have a sense of loyalty t this film.
---
### Author:  [@Little\_Bird](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Bird)
#### Post date: [October 21, 2001, 4:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/some-musings-on-e-t-the-extraterrestrial/88537/10 "2001-10-21T04:13:29Z")
I’m just gonna say this: ET scares the everlovin’ crap outta me. Damn, now I’m gonna have to sleep with the lights on…
---
### Author:  [@Arden\_Ranger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Arden_Ranger)
#### Post date: [October 21, 2001, 4:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/some-musings-on-e-t-the-extraterrestrial/88537/11 "2001-10-21T04:33:21Z")
Add me to the list.
Hated it. Never wanted to see it at all, but I finally was forced to endure it one movie day at the preschool I was working at when the director brought it in.
Blah.
---
### Author:  [@Zebra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zebra)
#### Post date: [October 21, 2001, 5:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/some-musings-on-e-t-the-extraterrestrial/88537/12 "2001-10-21T05:41:13Z")
> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by CalMeacham \*
> \*\*
> Having the ET spaceship take off and leave a rainbow in the sky practically made me nauseous. And don’t ven get me started on Neil Diamond’s “Heartlight”…
> \*\*
Yeah I thought the rainbow exhaust was a misstep. But the only misstep that the film thakes at all. Sheesh you people. Oh and Heartlight was not in the film, Diamond was just cashing in the film’s popularity. I think this is one of the Steven’s best films and I these kids are pretty realistic movie kids. They aren’t incredibly smart or have a 30 year olds vocabulary or have seemingly tons of money or special powers. They are just ordinary kids who bring home an alien. I think this film works a little better than CE3K, which IMO drags a bit at the end. (Plus I always thought the musical conversation was the aliens saying were giving these back but can we have one to dissect and then Roy goes up thinking this will be cool) The filme is remarkably efficent and the pacing is spot on with one of films best chase scenes.
But this is America and you are free to dislike the film and I won’t think any less of you.
Promise.
---
### Author:  [@MyFootsZZZ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MyFootsZZZ)
#### Post date: [October 21, 2001, 6:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/some-musings-on-e-t-the-extraterrestrial/88537/13 "2001-10-21T06:03:11Z")
you’re all just jealous because he had and Extra Testicle
---
### Author:  [@MyFootsZZZ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MyFootsZZZ)
#### Post date: [October 21, 2001, 7:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/some-musings-on-e-t-the-extraterrestrial/88537/14 "2001-10-21T07:41:53Z")
…?
---
### Author:  [@ignatzmouse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ignatzmouse)
#### Post date: [October 21, 2001, 5:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/some-musings-on-e-t-the-extraterrestrial/88537/15 "2001-10-21T17:40:08Z")
I have no cite for this, but what I heard at the time was that Diamond had read the script of E.T. and wrote Heartlight with the hope of having it included in the movie. Speilberg rejected it.
> [@](#):
>
> I finally was forced to endure it one movie day at the preschool I was working at when the director brought it in.
OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!
The director of the preschool!
---
### Author:  [@Freudian\_Slit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Freudian_Slit)
#### Post date: [October 21, 2001, 6:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/some-musings-on-e-t-the-extraterrestrial/88537/16 "2001-10-21T18:40:31Z")
LOL, **ignatzmouse** , that must have looked so weird. 🙂
I’m glad this doesn’t make me out to be some sort of devil. For the record, I wasn’t in the least enchanted by Drew Barrymore either. The whole thing makes me uncomfortable.
Hmm. **E.T.: The Extra Testicle**. Has promise as a low budget porn flick. Coming to a spice channel near you! 😉
---
### Author:  [@broccoli](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/broccoli)
#### Post date: [October 21, 2001, 10:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/some-musings-on-e-t-the-extraterrestrial/88537/17 "2001-10-21T22:41:29Z")
ET sucked. I did _not_ cry at the end, but I do remember being overwhelmed with the feeling of “aaaah, it’s over”…
The only good part was when Elliot & ET got drunk and Elliot was setting frogs free. Why is it good? Because years later, unforseeable by anyone save Ms Cleo, I would also get drunk and set a bunch of frogs loose. Only my way let them loose in my roommate’s bed. Heh, sucker…
---
### Author:  [@MyFootsZZZ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MyFootsZZZ)
#### Post date: [October 21, 2001, 10:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/some-musings-on-e-t-the-extraterrestrial/88537/18 "2001-10-21T22:42:38Z")
> [@](#):
>
> \*Hmm. **E.T.: The Extra Testicle**. Has promise as a low budget porn flick. Coming to a spice channel near you! 😉 \*\*
–OPEN CASTING–
IN SEARCH OF:
Monkey/Slug/DrewCarey Hybrid. Must have Extra Testicle! If, however, you don’t have a real extra testicle, you MUST BRING YOUR OWN ATTACHABLE/DETACHABLE NAD. It is important that the nad is attached BEFORE AUDITION!!
Must be comfortable performing both simulated and real sex acts on camera. Good pay! So if you look like a turd, and you want to have sex with trashy women, AND you can stay erect for long periods of time… THIS IS THE JOB FOR YOU!
If by chance your “man-part” lights up with an orange glow, please contact us!!
We can be reached by phone or See n’ Say
---
### Author:  [@Lodrain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lodrain)
#### Post date: [October 21, 2001, 11:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/some-musings-on-e-t-the-extraterrestrial/88537/19 "2001-10-21T23:03:22Z")
But, if _ET_ never came out, how would we all make fun of people named Edward Thomas (true story - best friend’s cousin - friend plans to tell him to ‘phone home’ when he goes out to college…)?
---
### Author:  [@MyFootsZZZ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MyFootsZZZ)
#### Post date: [October 21, 2001, 11:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/some-musings-on-e-t-the-extraterrestrial/88537/20 "2001-10-21T23:07:53Z")
ET scared the poop out of me
[Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/some-musings-on-e-t-the-extraterrestrial/88537.md?page=2)