Steven Spielberg has made more than his fair share of sci-fi films throughout his incredible career, and both E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial and Close Encounters of the Third Kind are stellar alien films that remain popular to this day, and both are excellent pictures for very different reasons.
The films have wildly different tones, moods, and themes. Whereas E.T. is a cute movie meant for families, Close Encounters is a moody character-driven piece about one man's unhealthy obsession and descent into near-madness. And while both movies make for great viewing, choosing which one is better proves an incredibly difficult venture.
E.T.: The More Modern Production Values
Close Encounters of the Third Kind was made for about $20 million. Adjusted for inflation, that's approximately $90 million today. E.T. was made for only $10.5 million, or $30 million today.
Regardless, it arguably looks better than its spiritual predecessor. It's amazing what five simple years in the film industry can do. Whereas Close Encounters both looks and sounds a little dated, E.T. remains remarkably fresh to this day, both looking and sounding quite modern. It's arguably the more "polished" film, despite being made for significantly less.
Close Encounters: A More Memorable Ending
The ending of E.T. is obviously iconic, but it's a safer bet when compared to the one found in Close Encounters. As a result, it proves a little less memorable, as E.T. contains a fairly predictable ending of the alien finding his spaceship and flying home without Elliott.
On the other hand, Close Encounters features a surprisingly peaceful meeting with the aliens, a harmonious exchange of UFO passengers, and even the departure of Roy Neary. It all proved wonderfully original for the time (a thrilling subversion of the usual alien invasion story), and it remains remarkably effective and unpredictable to this day.
E.T.: Drew Barrymore
All the actors throughout E.T. are great, but the movie will forever remain known for introducing Drew Barrymore to the world. Just 7 years old when E.T. was released in June of 1982, Barrymore proved an obvious talent and gave a brilliant performance for a child actor.
Child acting proves notoriously slippery, and poor acting has the capability to sink an entire movie. Luckily, Barrymore proved a natural in front of the camera, both showcasing her incredible talents as a performer and gifting movie lovers one of the most adorable child characters in movie history.
Close Encounters: The Cinematography
E.T. looks great, but there's just something magical about the cinematography behind Close Encounters of the Third Kind. Shot by Hungarian-American cinematographer Vilmos Zsigmond, Close Encounters earned the director of photography his first Oscar nomination for Best Cinematography.
The movie ended up winning the award, proving one of its two Oscar wins (the other being for Best Sound Effects Editing). It's simply a spectacular looking movie, from the bright, gorgeous climax to the horrifying orange-tinted abduction of poor Barry Guiler.
E.T.: The Music
Close Encounters of the Third Kind was nominated for nine Academy Awards, including Best Original Score. E.T. was also nominated for nine Academy Awards, including Best Original Score. Both were composed by John Williams, but he would only win for E.T. (proving one of the movie's 4 wins).
The score to E.T. is nothing short of incredible, offering both excitement and unbelievable emotion when called upon to deliver. The famous climax with E.T.'s departure wouldn't be half as effective without Williams's rousing score eliciting both tears and chills.
Close Encounters: The Alien Species
E.T. is a memorable alien (perhaps even the most memorable alien ever put to film), but there's just something inherently fascinating about the alien species found in Close Encounters. The design is far more traditional than E.T.'s, but also far less kid friendly and more menacing.
Their method of communication is also fascinatingly original when it comes to alien films, and it has never been replicated or repeated since. Whereas E.T. evokes child-like fascination, the aliens seen in Close Encounters prove far more interesting.
E.T.: Far More Emotional
E.T. may forever remain one of the most emotional films ever made, and it never fails to get audiences crying. Close Encounters is more concerned with mystery and the wider expanses of the universe, whereas E.T. provides a more grounded story about childhood friendship.
It allows audiences to connect on a more personal level, and it leaves them devastated when E.T. goes to the brink of death. If movies are meant to provide an emotional experience, then E.T. is far more successful in that regard.
Close Encounters: Far Scarier
If movies are meant to provoke a visceral reaction, then Close Encounters of the Third Kind proves the more successful film. Whereas E.T. is a cute family film, Close Encounters is a horrifying drama that spends much of its running time tantalizing its audience with mystery and provoking a near-unhealthy obsession in its protagonist, Roy Neary.
It's filled with unsettling sequences, and it can often prove too much, even for adult audiences. It's a great film, but not often an easy one to watch.
E.T.: Spielbergian Sense Of Childish Adventure
Steven Spielberg has long made a name for himself as a master of the adventure genre. His films - especially the films found throughout the '70s and '80s - are filled with a wonderful sense of adventure, and they perfectly replicate the sense of freedom and abandon that many children feel playing in their backyards.
E.T. perfectly captures this child-like abandon and places it on the screen, resulting in one of the most exciting and adventurous films ever made.
Close Encounters: Spielbergian Sense Of Adult Adventure
Close Encounters of the Third Kind is essentially E.T. for grownups. And depending on the demographic and the mood of the viewer, this can either be seen as a good or bad thing. E.T. is like watching a childhood adventure, whereas Close Encounters is like watching a surreal nightmare.
Roy becomes completely enraptured by the tantalizing mystery, and the story spans multiple locales, settings, and moods before landing on a universal form of communication with an intergalactic species. It's completely magical, just on a different sort of tone.