Comment Box

Joel Montes de Oca

12/1/05

E.T. the Biblical Extra-Terrestrial

It is no wonder that Steven Spielberg's E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial has captivated an audience from around the world. This film, about an extra-terrestrial being left behind on earth by his compares and befriending a small boy, has grasped the hearts of many. The movie starts with a great chase evolving E.T, E.T's spaceship buddies. and a group of scientists. The outcome of the chase ended with E.T. accidentally being left behind on earth to venture on his own. E.T. quickly befriends a young boy named Elliot who protects E.T. from the evil scientists. The Movie ends with E.T. phoning the spaceship which later returns with the purpose of rescuing E.T. I strongly believe that the reason why the movie E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial has became an instant hit is due to the fact that E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial has strong ties with the universal hero theme, especially with Jesus and Jesus' life.

The film opens with a dark, fogy, and mysterious outdoor scene. E.T. and his friends have just arrived to earth from the heavens by means of a spaceship. Suddenly, there is a great commotion! A group of scientists were expecting the arrival of E.T. and were on the process of locating this creature. E.T. friends panic and board the spaceship. The spaceship lifts off and disappears into the dark sky, leaving poor E.T. behind. When we examine this scene for its symbolism and how it relates to the universal hero, we can clearly see that it starts on the path of Jesus' life story. For example, E.T. descends from the heavens just as Jesus did. When E.T. arrived to Earth, scientists were on the search for him with the aim of capturing him. In Jesus' case, the same happened. When Jesus arrived and was born on Earth, there was a king who was looking for the child. He was so desperate to find the child that he later ordered for all new born males to be put to death. because Jesus was in such danger, an angle descended and warned Mary and Joseph to flee with Jesus. Although no one told E.T. to flee the forest, he did so and into Elliot's shed he hid. Keep in mind that E.T. was first discovered within a shed which closely resembles Jesus' birth place. Also, great enphesis is given to Elliot's mother, the only lead adult women in the film, which would lead you to think that she resembles Mary, Jesus earthly mother. The film goes on to show the three children, Elliot and his two siblings, befriending E.T. and swearing to always protect E.T. Jesus also acquired twelve disciples who at one point tried to protect Jesus from certain death after Jesus was betrayed. Keep in mind that E.T.'s three “disciples” is dividable by Jesus' twelve disciples. More over, now we start seeing how Elliot's family starts becoming closer with each other because of the alien, E.T.

By the middle of the film, we begin to see how E.T. is not your average extra-terrestrial. E.T. shows us that he is capable of healing physical injuries just as Jesus did in biblical times. Also, E.T. exhibits an uncanny ability to feel what Eliot feels and also to cause Eliot to feel what he feels which shows that E.T. can touch you both physically and spiritually. E.T.'s health starts failing and he is aware that he needs to go home soon. The symbolism here is strong with that of Jesus' life. Jesus also knew that his earthly life was coming to an end. He later goes out to the mount of olives for a long period of time in order to pray to God, or in a more simplified sense, communicate out of this world. Steven Spielberg was able to capture this symbolism on film by having E.T. go out into the forest and communicate out of this world by means of a home brewed radio. It appears that E.T. was also a licensed radio armature back in his native planet.

The ending of the film, I believe, has the biggest and most obvious clues that proves this story is not so original after all. Lets examine the clues that Melissa Mathison, the writer of E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial, hashed out. E.T. is captured by the scientists within a house; Jesus was also captured while being near a house. E.T. goes on to die at the hands of the scientists just as Jesus died at the hands of his captures. E.T.'s body is placed within a nitrogen coffin and Jesus' body was placed within a new cave tomb. The coming scene is the extraordinary scene where E.T. actually is resurrected from the dead and calls out to his “disciples”, which are the only people that knows that E.T. is alive. E.T. is awakened screaming, “E.T. go home! E.T. go home!” Jesus' story is similar. Jesus dies, is entombed, and then is resurrected and appears only to his disciples. The film finally concludes with E.T. ascending into the heavens by means of the spaceship while his earthly friends watch him go. Jesus' earthly life ended in a similar way, he rose into the sky on top of a cloud and only his disciples watched him leave.

In conclusion, the film E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial was interesting until I realized that I already knew the ending to the film. The obvious signs that E.T. is depicting Jesus' life makes the film loose its edge I think. My final recommendation is if you want a story packed with metaphoric symbolism, don't waste your money at block buster, just read the book of David or the book of Revelations. On a final note, I know E.T.'s radio armature call sign: ET4UFO. (Ham radio joke)

Copyright ©2005 Joel Montes de Oca