E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial: The 20th Anniversary Edition
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Free Music Notes for E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial: The 20th Anniversary Edition
Free Music Review: Different "Goodbye" cue at the end...
Hit: 4 Stars
This is a fantastic expanded edition of John Williams' last great score. This is his peak, folks, and it is one to carry with you forever.
But why the four stars, you may ask? Because the "Goodbye" cue at the end is not as it is in the film. A few bars during Elliot's goodbye to E.T. are different; the sweeping strings suddenly drop out and the woodwinds take over, losing all emotional impact. I suspect this is how the scene was originally composed, but Williams felt that it wasn't working for him so SS told him to write it the way he felt it would work best, and that he (SS) would go back to the cutting rooms and cut it to match. But that's not how it is in the film and it's really disappointing to get all the way through this glorious score just to have the dramatic power sucked out in the end. It's nice, but it isn't what's in the film. I will keep a death grip on my original album release, since that has the correct ending to "Adventure on Earth."
I've always held this score close to my heart, along with Jaws and CE3K. I remember listening to it, as a teenager, on a Walkman, while walking through the woods at night. My father was burning some brush down in the stand of trees at the bottom of our hill and just as the ominous theme at the beginning welled up in my earphones, the dark trees before me lit up with the orange glow of firelight. It was an amazing, magical and scary coincidence and I'll always associate it with the original album (since that's all that was available at the time!).
Get this disc for the body of the score, but get the original album (if you can find it) for the original ending. It is emotionally and artistically more satisfying.
Free Music Review: I Prefer The Original Album
Hit: 3 Stars
I have always been in favor of expanded edition CDs, but there is something different about this expanded edition of "E.T.-The Extraterrestrial" on its 20th anniversary. Granted, this presentation gives us the complete score as it is heard on the movie -that's good. But I notice that John Williams's music for E.T. is kind of dark, with spectacular moments at the end. In fact, it fits the movie nicely. However, on this latest CD presentation, as well as the previous one, the music tends to be long since the leitmotif of the friendship between Elliot and E.T. is heard almost all the way through the CD. I thank God for "The Magic Of Halloween", "Invading Elliot's House", "Escape, Chase, Saying Goodbye" and the end credits, which are the real highlights of this CD.Of course, if you ask me, I prefer the original E.T. album with John Williams' concert arrangements, which is more attractive and one of his best works ever.
Free Music Review: Happy Oooops
Hit: 3 Stars
I meant to buy the movie and bought this in error. However, as a fan, I listened to it and liked it. I will keep it in my car instead of in my DVD collection.Free Music Review: ET Soundtrack
Hit: 3 Stars
This is only the soundtrack not the movie. Did not state that it did not include the movie. Had to purchase the movie at Blockbuster for $12.88.Free Music Review: This is not the original motion picture soundtrack
Hit: 1 Stars
I own the original motion picture soundtrack on vinyl. I bought this CD and was so disappointed I'm ready to write a letter to John Williams.
On the original: The Flying Theme; E.T. and Me.; Halloween; Three Million Miles From Home; Over the Moon; and a few others. All are priceless. Why? Because they are complete pieces that capture the mood of the original undoctored E.T. Movie perfectly!
On this new CD, you will find extended pieces that shift from mood to mood with all the wrong timing, just as the re-released movie has. For example, on the opening scene, the composer has added some really cheesy, sickening sliding scale strings that mirror the creepy humid inside of the aliens ship. You might as well skip that track! As for the fantastic Flying Theme, which has its own track on the original LP, you won't find it on the CD! It's sandwiched and edited in between chase scenes. Likewise, "ET and Me", which captures the mood of ET in the closet when he's hearing the Peter Pan story being read to Drew Barrymore, is gone. Instead its relpaced with several tracks that contained watered down and creepized versions of the theme. Finally, Over The Moon, on the original, seems to have survived intact, although it is renamed End Credits.
Seriously, if anyone wants this brand new 25th anniversary CD, don't waste your money. I'll mail you mine.