E.T.: The Extra-Terrestrial 4K Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		5.0
Video		4.0
Audio		5.0
Extras		4.5
Overall		4.0

E.T.: The Extra-Terrestrial 4K Blu-ray Movie Review

No walkie-talkies? No problem!

Reviewed by Randy Miller III December 3, 2023

Five years after the debut of its first 4K release (which was also available as a Limited Edition with a bonus CD), Universal reminded us how old we're getting with a 40th Anniversary Edition of Steven Spielberg's E.T., which just so happens to be the first movie yours truly watched in a theater. Core memory unlocked. In typical big-studio fashion, however, this combo pack features very similiar (but not identical) A/V merits to that earlier 4K edition, with the main draw being a pair of brand-new retrospective featurettes alongside the original legacy bonus features.

For a synopsis and appreciation of E.T., please read Kenneth Brown's review of the 30th Anniversary Edition Blu-ray released by Universal in 2012. This is a well-made and effective film and, though my personal love for it is partially due to nostalgia bias (and might just account for my slightly higher star rating), its mixture of great performances, terrific special effects, great pacing, and a truly memorable score are enough to ensure that E.T's existence will be celebrated for decades to come... and we'll probably have to buy at least one more home video re-release in the future.

E.T.: The Extra-Terrestrial 4K Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

NOTE: This review's screenshots are sourced from the included Blu-ray, available separately and reviewed here.

Although the 2160p/HDR10 transfer included on this 40th Anniversary Edition might seem identical to the first 4K edition released back in 2017, a few slight behind-the-scenes tweaks make this the best-looking version if you squint hard enough. The main and perhaps only difference is better encoding, as this 40th Anniversary Edition is authored on a full triple-layer (BD-100) disc instead of a measly BD-66, a decision likely made to ensure sufficient room for the two new retrospective featurettes. With more room to breathe, the film itself features fewer compression-related issues than the previous 4K edition... which, just for the record, I'd rate at a much stricter 3.5/5 for comparison's sake. (It's rare that I disagree fairly strongly with an earlier site review but, even back then, Universal's treatment of E.T. on 4K left something to be desired in my opinion.) But while these encoding improvements clearly don't yield night-and-day improvements and may not even be detectable on small to mid-sized displays, the differences are indeed there if you're actively looking for them. At this point, the only way for E.T. to look any better on home video is for Universal to fund a new ground-up restoration (and/or at least one with less noise reduction in the recipe), which probably won't happen for another 5-10 years if at all... but this is anything but a terrible-looking disc.

NOTE #2: Astute fans may also remember that Universal initially teased a Dolby Vision encode for this release, but it only appears to support HDR10. A small disappointment, but a disappointment nonetheless.

E.T.: The Extra-Terrestrial 4K Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

Unlike the surprisingly not-quite-identical transfer, the included audio options on both discs are identical to the first 4K release: a full-bodied DTS:X remix as well as the original theatrical 2.0 audio in DTS 2.0 Surround (447 Kbps). While a lossless 2.0 track would've been a nice touch, it's nice that fans have both options to choose from.

E.T.: The Extra-Terrestrial 4K Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

This two-disc release ships in a keepcase with Elliott-free cover art, a matching slipcover, and a Digital Copy code. Two brand-new extras are detailed below; otherwise, everything here is identical to the first 4K release, which in turn ported over extras dating back to the 30th Anniversary Edition Blu-ray and much earlier home video releases.

• NEW! 40 Years of E.T.: The Extra-Terrestrial (20:14) - This short trip down memory lane features director J.J. Abrams, screenwriter Ernest Cline, director Chris Columbus, and film historian Leonard Maltin (all recorded separately), who share how E.T. influenced them in their formative years. It's pretty surface-level but enjoyable nonetheless, and a few rare bits and pieces of behind-the-scenes footage are sprinkled throughout.

• NEW! An Evening with Steven Spielberg (27:07) - Recorded during the 2022 TCM Classic Film Festival's opening night on April 21, 2022 at the TCL Chinese Theatre in Hollywood, this one-on-one interview is hosted by Ben Mankiewicz and features the director in good spirits as he candidly discusses his favorite movies as a kid, early career highlights, getting advice from industry professionals, being "the warden of Jaws", how negative experiences during childhood affected him later in life, the development of E.T., and much more.

• The E.T. Journals (2 parts, 53:38 total)

• Deleted Scenes (2 clips, 3:40 total)

• Steven Spielberg & E.T. (12:31)

• A Look Back (37:43)

• The Evolution and Creation of E.T. (50:16)

• The E.T. Reunion (17:56)

• The Music of E.T.: A Discussion with John Williams (10:04)

• The 20th Anniversary Premiere (17:49)

• Designs, Photographs and Marketing (6 self-playing galleries, 45:01 total)

• Theatrical Trailer (1:55)

• Special Olympics TV Spot (1:02)

E.T.: The Extra-Terrestrial 4K Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Steven Spielberg's E.T. is a perennial family favorite around these parts, a truly classic family film that holds up thanks to its superb craftsmanship and broad, enduing appeal. Universal's new 40th Anniversary Edition 4K release is, on the surface, extremely similar to their 35th Anniversary Edition although it features a slightly better 2160p/HDR10 transfer and two new retrospective featurettes. At just over $10 as of this review, it's a relatively low-risk upgrade for die-hard fans and currently the best home video edition available... until E.T.'s 45th anniversary in 2027, at least.