E.T. Phone Home

Isn't it interesting that for lots of you the header line for this blog is still familiar, one of those pop catchphrases of a generation. The E.T. is an ugly/cute Extra Terrestrial who lands in a suburban American neighbourhood and changes the lives of a group of kids. The film E.T. was a huge Steven Spielberg hit and part of a golden age of pre-CGI films which were sort of for children but also for adults who are still children at heart. Today is the 30th anniversary of E.T., which is sobering. Sweet little Drew Barrymore is now a mom pushing forty (okay, 37.) She says she can hardly wait to show the film to baby Olive.

At the time there was a fair amount written about all the Christian imagery in E.T., which was rather curious given Spielberg's Jewish roots.  I recall an article about the Christian background of screen writer and co-producer Melissa Mathison but I can't find it anywhere and who knows how accurate it was.

There is the alien-come-to-earth messiah figure of E.T. who is both an innocent and a healer. There are the  young"disciples" who try to figure out who E.T. is with a "Messianic Secret" kept from parents and other adults who just wouldn't understand. There is a death of the messiah, a miraculous resurrection, a tearful departure, and a promise that E.T. would remain with them, right in the heart. Why, there is even a Sistine Chapel touching of fingers.

Did any of you see that imagery at the time? I did, but I see Christian stuff everywhere. Have those of you who are parents with younger kids shared this movie with them? Should we be having a Theology of E.T. showing at St. Paul's?
http://groundlingearthyheavenly.blogspot.ca/2012/10/tree-hugging-prophet.html