The best film to watch on Netflix on Children’s Day

My tip for this October 12th, Children’s Dayis to review the adventures of most adorable alien in cinema history. If your son, nephew or grandson has never watched ET: The Extraterrestrial (E.T.1982), I bet you will also be enchanted by the film directed by Steven Spielbergwhich has been available since July on Menu da Netflix.

E.T. was first shown on May 26, 1982, on Cannes Film Festivalin France. The audience gave a standing ovation for 15 minutes.the fairy tale about the friendship between the boy Elliot (played by Henry Thomas) and a extraterrestrial that is lost in the forests of North Carolina, in the United States.

Created by Italian special effects artist Carlo Rambaldi (1925-2012), the small character with a big head and wrinkled face is capable of heal with a touch of your luminous finger and finds himself enchanted by sweets.

The touching story brought to tears even the organizers of the Cannes exhibition, who have a reputation for being “ruthless”.

— It was better reception I have had throughout my career — declared Spielberg, in 2002, to the French magazine Studio.

On the occasion of the 20th anniversary, the filmmaker, Universal studio and George Lucas’ company Industrial Light & Magic, remodeled the film and restored the sound and the iconic soundtrack composed of John Williams. In relation to the original, additional never before seen scenes and 60 new visual effects.

It was necessary to redo the most famous sequence, the bicycle flight in front of the full moonwhich became the emblem of Amblin Entertainment, Spielberg’s production company. But one of the main changes is the replacement of police weapons who chase the boys who protect their space friend. In the new version, they carry walkie-talkies.

— I always told myself that, if one day technology allowed it, I would take away the weapons. There was no place for weapons in E.T. — said the director, who attributed this “more responsible vision” to the fact that he is the father of seven children.

E.T. was the first film to surpass the US$700 million mark at the box office (although it cost US$10 million). And occupied the leadership of the world rankings for 10 years.

Still starring Drew Barrymore, Peter Coyote e Dee Wallace-Stonejoins the lineage of productions that captivate all age groups of the public (something incorporated, for example, by Pixar animations). Whether for the adventurous side, or for the message about friendship and tolerance for the different, or for the magic of the effects, or for the nostalgic character that, over time, it acquired among the elderly.

These characteristics currently explain the phenomenon Stranger Things, series openly inspired by Spielberg’s work. The universality of ET could be proven in Porto Alegre in 2023, during the immersive exhibition which was set up at the Praia de Belas shopping mall.

The classic for all ages competed in nine Oscar categoriesincluding best film, director and original screenplay (written by Melissa Mathison). It won four: music, visual effects, sound and sound effects. It frequently appears on lists of the most important — or at least the most exciting — works.

— The film is much more timeless than I thought — commented Spielberg in 2002. — And speaks a lot about my life. The boy in the middle of his family, with recently divorced parents (a trauma that the director would work on more directly in The Fabelmansthe undercover autobiography released in 2022). This lonely boy seeks friendship, an intense emotional relationship that could compensate for his father’s absence. Elliot is the boy I always wanted to be. As a director, I was able to invent a hero who is braver than I was during my childhood.

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