From: utzoo!decvax!harpo!eagle!mhtsa!ihnss!ihuxi!otto Newsgroups: net.movies Title: Re: ET *** SPOILER *** ET Article-I.D.: ihuxi.173 Posted: Fri Jun 25 00:50:32 1982 Received: Mon Jun 28 03:43:16 1982 I thought that the "hokey" apparatus used by ET was one of the best touches in the movie. It was clearly a children's film that adults could enjoy as well. The idea that an intersteller communications device could be concocted from a combination of a Speak-n-spell, fork, string, aluminum- covered umbrella, coffee can, etc. is clearly one that a child could easily want to accept. Didn't you, as a child, think that TV's could be constructed from cardboard boxes with "something special" added to them, or that an ordinary blanked if held up "just the right way" under the light of the moon could turn it into a flying carpet or invunerable armor? I know I did, and the device ET created had *exactly* the same feel. It took me right back to my childhood. No wonder Spielberg is now considered the best director working in the US today. Right on!! George Otto Bell Labs, Indian Hill ----------------------