Movie Time! Alienation: Close Encounters of the Third Kind (1977) and E.T. The Extra Terrestrial (1982)

It’s Popzara’s Movie Time! Podcast, where our in-house movie nerds Ethan Brehm and Nate Evans take you on an unscripted journey yakking and chatting about some of their favorite movie moments and cinematic scenes, from past and present, presented without snark and snobbery for your listening pleasure.

On deck are two blockbusters directed by Steven Spielberg that are as much science-fiction spectacle as they are family dramas, and whose success and innovative film-making would help reshape the movie industry forever.

First is 1977’s Close Encounters of the Third Kind, Spielberg’s follow-up to 1975’s Jaws that proved the shark’s success was no fluke. By not making the aliens malevolent but benevolent, it was a revelation at the box-office, bested only by George Lucas’ Star Wars. Next is 1982’s E.T. The Extra Terrestrial, the heartfelt story of an alien lost on Earth who befriends a young boy that quickly became the most successful movie in history (a title is kept for 11 years until it was dethroned by Spielberg’s own Jurassic Park).

Our hosts examine the relatable inspirations for both films, realizing their continued success owes as much to nostalgia as groundbreaking cinematic storytelling. Listen as they discuss the surprising connections between Spielberg’s films and George Lucas’ Star Wars (did you know E.T.’s species has an official name?), how E.T. inspired a hit Neil Diamond song, and speculate if Spielberg’s 2022 autobiographical The Fablemans can be considered a thematic followup to both films. All this and more when you listen today!