E. T.: The Extra-Terrestrial

I choose to review the musical score of the movie “E.T. – The Extra-Terrestrial” which was composed by in approximately 1982 by John Williams. The score of “E.T.” is one of only five other scores in history ever to receive an Oscar, Golden Globe, Grammy and the BAFTA Award for Best Film Music. The original “E.T.” soundtrack included eight scores by John Williams. These tracks all fall within the classic genre he is known for but to the untrained ear it sounded like so many more due to the difference in their sounds or because of the different instruments that were used to play them at other times in the movie.

Having watched “E.T.” a couple times before it was obvious that I had never really listened to or paid attention to the music and how it affected the whole feel of this movie. As I began to watch "E.T." and pay attention to the music, I became very aware of how the score of this movie played a huge part in how we feel about this little alien we now know as E.T.

and the other aliens are investigating their new surroundings the music is so innocent and surreal, thanks to instrument choices by Williams. The organ music suggests the oddness and spiritual life of our new friend. In the following scenes, the music becomes frenzied as E.T. runs from the agents as he tries to return to his spaceship, at this time it also sounded to me that it was perfectly entwined with E.T.’s theme playing in the background. This track sounds terrifying and is played in low, brooding brass and winds. The music then reaches an enormous climax as E.T.’s ship takes off without him and then slips into even a darker tone of brooding music as the agents get close to him. During this sequence, you also hear the clinging of a triangle signify their proximity to