Henry Thomas Talks About Filming E.T. in Chronological Order (Exclusive)

It has been more than 40 years since E.T. became a pop culture phenomenon, etching the image of a young Henry Thomas into the collective imaginations of Gen-X for life.The movie was considered revolutionary for its time, innovating practical and visual effects, warming hearts, and introducing the world two not just Thomas, but another child star who would go on to great things, Drew Barrymore. Unlike most huge blockbuster movies, E.T. was shot in chronological order. That requires a lot of advance planning by the filmmakers, but in the case of a movie with a lot of child actors also likely helped ease any studio worries about continuity if somebody has a growth spurt during production.

It also helped director Steven Spielberg create a more believable bond between the young actors and the character of E.T. That means when E.T. has to go home at the end of the movie, their reactions were more genuine. According to Thomas, who spoke with ComicBook.com’s Chris Killian recently in support of Guillermo del Toro’s Cabinet of Curiosities on Netflix, no other filmmaker has captured that same strategy in his career.

“I’ve been on films where they tried to do it, with limited success, and E.T. was pretty close to chronological order,” Thomas said, “although on the first day, we shot all of the school sequence, so it was a little out of synch. But all the emotional stuff was on track in terms of building a relationship with E.T.“

Below, you can check out the official description for the E.T. 40th anniversary 4K release:

In 1982, acclaimed director Steven Spielberg created iconic movie magic with his classic film, E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial, the unforgettable and emotional adventure of an adorable alien lost on Earth and the lonely boy who befriends him. Winner of four Academy Awards®, including Best Music, E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial has become a cinematic touchstone for generations of moviegoers and one of the most beloved films of all time. Now, Universal Pictures Home Entertainment celebrates the film’s original theatrical release with a special gift set, E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial 40th Anniversary Limited Edition on 4K Ultra HD + Blu-ray™ + Digital available on September 12, 2017. This special gift set features premium packaging, includes a re-mastered CD soundtrack of the original Grammy Award®-winning album, is packed with over three hours of bonus features and includes a collector’s booklet with behind-the-scenes stories and rare images from the archives. E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial 40th Anniversary Limited Edition retains all the excitement, drama and warm-hearted humor that made it an instant worldwide classic.

Fans can also relive the adventure and magic of one of the most beloved motion pictures of all-time, with the 4K Ultra HD Combo Pack along with the new Blu-ray™ Combo Pack and DVD editions that showcase new artwork of the beloved cast on September 12, 2017. All releases include a code to redeem the film on Digital plus over three hours of bonus features such as deleted scenes and revealing interviews that bring back the film’s humor, suspense and wonder, making this a must-own movie for everyone’s library.