E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial: 20th Anniversary
2002, PG, 120 min.
Directed by Steven Spielberg, Narrated by , Voices by , Starring Dee Wallace Stone, Henry Thomas, Robert McNaughton, Drew Barrymore.

Newly restored for its 20th anniversary re-release, this edition of the eternal classic involves few changes apart from the obvious new-technology tweaks to the sound and some computer-enhanced imagery. More controversial edits include the replacement of guns with walkie-talkies in the climax and the substitution of the word “terrorist” with the word “hippie” when his mom decries Elliott’s Halloween costume. A couple of other brief scenes have also been added. Sweet, heartwarming, adventuresome, and joyful, E.T. tugs at the believers inside each of us. And when those kids ride their bikes over the moon – well, my heart skips a beat every time.

This article appears in March 15 • 2002.

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Marjorie Baumgarten is a film critic and contributing writer at The Austin Chronicle, where she has worked in many capacities since the paper's founding in 1981. She served as the Chronicle's Film Reviews editor for 25 years.