History YMMV / ETTheExtraTerrestrial

* AwardSnub: It was nominated for the Best Picture and Director UsefulNotes/{{Academy Award}}s, but lost both to Creator/RichardAttenborough's ''{{Film/Gandhi}}''. Attenborough even stated in his acceptance speech that he believed ''E.T.'' should have won, since it was truly the better film. This was at least partly due to a rather sleazy Oscar campaign by Columbia Pictures, where they more or less stated that a vote against the film was a vote against Gandhi himself.

* HarsherInHindsight: Elliot's family has an Atari 2600 on top of their TV in several shots, and it's implied the kids play Atari games. ''VideoGame/ETTheExtraTerrestrial ''was one of the games responsible for UsefulNotes/TheGreatVideoGameCrashOf1983 and put a severe early dent in the ''E.T.'' name as well as haunting Warner/Disney exec Frank Wells and ''E.T.'' director Steven Spielberg.

** Any gamer worth their salt "knows" that this game is so legendarily horrible that it was single-handedly responsible for UsefulNotes/TheGreatVideoGameCrashOf1983... except it wasn't. Sure, Atari's [[ChristmasRushed rushed production]] of ''E.T.'' was TheLastStraw that culminated in the crash--especially after the backlash from their similarly rushed PortingDisaster version of ''VideoGame/PacMan'' earlier that same year--but [[OlderThanTheyThink many other factors already existed]] before ''E.T.'' was released, such as console saturation on the market and a lack of quality control on consoles[[note]]Consoles were most affected by the 1983 Video Game Crash, and indeed Creator/{{Activision}} managed to survive the crash by jumping ship to [[UsefulNotes/IBMPersonalComputer personal computers]] like the UsefulNotes/Commodore64[[/note]].
* CriticalBacklash: While nobody's saying the game is very good, quite a number have stated the game isn't as horrendously terrible as game critics and the general public make it out to be, and not even the worst game on the UsefulNotes/Atari2600, much less the worst game of all time. It's at least functional and playable (which is especially commendable considering it was such a severe case of ChristmasRushed), although repetitive and bland. There are a number of people who feel that, considering the pathetically-tiny development time, it's not that bad once you know what you're doing.
* FandomEnragingMisconception: The number of fans are limited because of the game's [[TheProblemWithLicensedGames poor reputation]] and infamy--[[VindicatedByHistory though there are more nowadays than there were in the 1980s]]--but among not only fans but gamers as a whole, do ''not'' say with a straight face that this game single-handedly caused UsefulNotes/TheGreatVideoGameCrashOf1983. This was the accepted opinion in [[TheEighties the 1980s]] after many gamers lost trust in Creator/{{Atari}} over [[ChristmasRushed their handling of the game]], but it has since been widely recognized that ''E.T.'' was the nadir of already-existing problems that culminated in the crash, not the cause. The real factors were console saturation on the market, heavy competition from [[UsefulNotes/IBMPersonalComputer personal computers]], and lack of quality control on consoles resulting in many poor-quality games, some of which being pornography disguised as "games" like ''Custer's Revenge''. All of these factors existed before '' E.T.'' was released.
* MisBlamed: The game is often mis-attributed as the sole cause of UsefulNotes/TheGreatVideoGameCrashOf1983 and subsequent closing of Creator/{{Atari}} Inc. While it certainly did contribute to both, the Crash was mostly the result of a bloated market of far more hackneyed games licensed from [[MoneyDearBoy every conceivable copyrighted property]], while Creator/{{Atari}}'s eventual closure was caused by a number of factors.

* PresumedFlop: The game is infamous as the TropeMaker for TheProblemWithLicensedGames. It is considered one of the worst games of all time, if not THE worst, and is often blamed for UsefulNotes/TheGreatVideoGameCrashOf1983. This is further exacerbated by the urban legend that Atari buried millions of copies in a New Mexico landfill. That urban legend does have some truth to it, so far as an Atari landfill existing, but in reality the game actually sold 1.5 million copies (even after seeing hundreds of thousands of copies returned), making it the 8th-most successful game on the Atari 2600. This trope is also somewhat zig-zagged, as over time, critics and audiences alike have come to acknowledge it had a ''very'' rushed production schedule and that many of its flaws were present to varying degrees in ''most'' Atari games. As for being the cause of the crash, while it's still considered a factor, most have come to see [[PortingDisaster the Atari 2600 port]] of ''VideoGame/PacMan'' as the bigger contributor... which itself is still the best-selling game for the system at almost 8 million copies.

* VindicatedByHistory: The game's reputation is a downplayed example. Most modern players [[SoOkayItsAverage only consider it boring at worst, rather than completely and utterly infuriating and unlikable]].

** Erika Eleniak, who would later be known as Shauni in ''Series/{{Baywatch}}'', in the role of Elliott's classmate on whom he has a crush. Also a mild case of DawsonCasting -- a 13-year-old girl playing 10-year-old boy's classmate? Pretty sneaky work there...

* VindicatedByHistory: Mildly, the game's reputation. Most modern players [[SoOkayItsAverage only consider it boring at worst, rather than completely and utterly infuriating and unlikable]].

* CondemnedByHistory: The whole "Worst Game Ever" reputation. Most modern players [[SoOkayItsAverage only consider it boring at worst, rather than completely and utterly infuriating and unlikable]].

* SeinfeldIsUnfunny: The whole "Worst Game Ever" reputation. Most modern players [[SoOkayItsAverage only consider it boring at worst, rather than completely and utterly infuriating and unlikable]].

** The film came out when ''TabletopGame/DungeonsAndDragons'' was still a relatively new creation, and thus it hadn't picked up the reputation of being a game for geeky losers. (Compare it to ''Series/StrangerThings'', a show heavily influenced by ''E.T.'' that was made decades later, where the main child characters who play ''D&D'' are also the school's nerds) Try to find another instance in media where the game's portrayed being played by rowdy, popular jocks (although in the 2010s onward, [[PopularityPolynomial the game's public reputation has started doing a 180]], so maybe the movie was actually ahead of its time).

** On a more lighthearted note, the film came out when ''TabletopGame/DungeonsAndDragons'' was still a relatively new creation, and thus it hadn't picked up the reputation of being a game for geeky losers. (Compare it to ''Series/StrangerThings'', a show heavily influenced by ''E.T.'' that was made decades later, where the main child characters who play ''D&D'' are also the school's nerds.) Try to find another instance in media where the game's portrayed being played by rowdy, popular jocks (although in the 2010s onward, [[PopularityPolynomial the game's public reputation has started doing a 180]], so maybe the movie was actually ahead of its time).

* NarmCharm: Elliott's "I love you" speech right before [[spoiler: E.T. gets better]] may fall into SweetnessAversion, but it's still guaranteed to get the audience crying.

** Erika Eleniak, who would later be known as Shauni in ''Series/{{Baywatch}}'', in the role of Elliott's classmate on whom he has a crush. Also a mild case of DawsonCasting - a 13-year-old girl playing 10-year-old boy's classmate? Pretty sneaky work there...
** C. Thomas Howell as Tyler (one of Michael's friends)- only a year before he famously played Ponyboy Curtis in ''Literature/TheOutsiders.''
* SeinfeldIsUnfunny: There have been tons of "child + non-human companion" films which repeat most of this film's tropes, so it now seems less innovative than it did at the time.

* CriticalBacklash: While nobody's saying the game is very good, quite a number have stated the game isn't as horrendously terrible as game critics and the general public make it out to be, and not even the worst game on the UsefulNotes/Atari2600, much less the worst game of all time. It's at least functional and playable (which is especially commendable considering it was such a severe case of ChristmasRushed), although repetitive and bland.
* FandomEnragingMisconception: The number of fans are limited because of the game's [[TheProblemWithLicensedGames poor reputation]] and infamy--[[VindicatedByHistory though there are more nowadays than there were in the 1980s]]--but among not only fans but gamers as a whole, do ''not'' say with a straight face that this game single-handedly caused UsefulNotes/TheGreatVideoGameCrashOf1983. This was the accepted opinion in [[TheEighties the 1980s]] after many gamers lost trust in Creator/{{Atari}} over [[ChristmasRushed their handling of the game]], but it has since been widely recognized that ''E.T.'' was the nadir of already-existing problems that culminated in the crash, not the cause. The real factors were console saturation on the market, heavy competition from [[UsefulNotes/IBMPersonalComputer personal computers]], and lack of quality control on consoles resulting in many poor-quality games, some of which being pornography disguised as "games" like ''Custer's Revenge''. [[OlderThanTheyThink All of these factors existed before]] ''[[OlderThanTheyThink E.T.]]'' [[OlderThanTheyThink was released.]]

* VindicatedByHistory: In recent times, there are a number of people who feel that, considering the pathetically-tiny development time, it's not that bad once you know what you're doing.

* MemeticMutation: The iconic image of the silhouetted bicycle flying in front of the full moon has been spoofed [[JustForPun to there and back]].

* CriticalBacklash: While nobody's saying the game is very good, quite a number have stated the game isn't as horrendously terrible as game critics and the general public make it out to be, and not even the worst game on the UsefulNotes/Atari2600, much less the worst game of all time. It's at least functional and playable (which is especially commendable considering it was ChristmasRushed), although repetitive and bland.

* UnintentionalPeriodPiece: Jock older brother Michael's introduction has him playing ''TabletopGame/DungeonsAndDragons'' without hinting at him having any geeky or creative HiddenDepths, which firmly grounds the film in the early 80s (the height of D&D's popularity as a fad) for fans of the film who are role-players.
** Elliott's neighborhood was still partially under construction at the time of filming (as shown during the climactic bike chase), and without the current grown-in trees and bushes, it still had a raw, "Monopoly house" look. The park with the iconic caterpillar-shaped play structure then had a full view of hills in the background; nowadays the hills can barely be seen due to all the trees, as shown in the video (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rmIFy-mj9Tk). On top of that, a wildfire had struck the area not long before construction first began; the prominent hillside behind Elliott's house still had a thin, yellow to light brown chaparral cover as opposed to the deep, greenish-brown of fully grown California chaparral.

* AndYouThoughtItWouldFail: This was going to be just a forgettable kids' movie about a lost alien, until preview audiences got a grip on its true magnificence and spread the word. It soon out-grossed ''Film/ANewHope'' and became the top worldwide moneymaker until ''Film/JurassicPark'' (by the same director).

* DesignatedVillain: The government agents, on purpose. It's no crime for them to investigate a possible alien invader who could be dangerous to humanity. While E.T. is entirely a peaceful creature, they had no way of knowing that from the beginning. However, the film is [[SympatheticPOV told from the children's point of view]], and they have no idea what the agents want with E.T. This is best shown in the hospital scenes, where Gertie think the doctors are hurting E.T, while adult viewers can see they're trying to resuscitate him.

* DesignatedVillain: The government agents, on purpose. It's no crime for them to investigate a possible alien invader who could be dangerous to humanity. While E.T. is entirely a peaceful creature, they had no way of knowing that from the beginning. However, the film is [[SympatheticPOV told from the children's point of view]], and they have no idea what the agents want with E.T. This is best shown in the hospital scenes, where the children think the doctors are hurting E.T, while adult viewers can see they're trying to resuscitate him.

** In 1982, a teenager going trick-or-treating as a terrorist would've been stupid and offensive. Post-9/11, it'll more than likely get you arrested, or at ''least'' be frowned upon. Partly justified if one was escorting his younger siblings like in the film.
** On a more lighthearted note, the film came out when ''TabletopGame/DungeonsAndDragons'' was still a relatively new creation, and thus it hadn't picked up the reputation of being a game for geeky losers. (Compare it to ''Series/StrangerThings'', a show heavily influenced by ''E.T.'' that was made decades later, where the main child characters who play ''D&D'' are the school's nerds.) Try to find another instance in media where the game's portrayed being played by rowdy, popular jocks (although in the 2010s onward, [[VindicatedByHistory the game's public reputation has started doing a 180]], so maybe the movie was actually ahead of its time).

* DesignatedVillain: Deliberately invoked the the government agents. It's no crime for them to investigate a possible alien invader who could be dangerous to humanity. While E.T. is entirely a peaceful creature, they had no way of knowing that from the beginning. However, the film is told from the children's point of view, who have similarly have no idea what the agents want with E.T. This is best shown in the hospital scenes, where the children think the doctors are hurting E.T, while adult viewers can see they're trying to resuscitate him.

** In 1982, a teenager going trick-or-treating as a terrorist would've been stupid and offensive. Post-9/11, it'll more than likely get you arrested. Partly justified if one was escorting his younger siblings like in the film.

* TheWoobie: Both Elliott and E.T.

* SugarWiki/AwesomeMusic: AwesomeMusic/JohnWilliams' epic score.

** Spielberg was so touched by Attenborough’s praise and humility that he cast him as John Hammond in ''Film/JurassicPark'' ten years later.

* MemeticMutation:
** "E.T. phone home."
** "I'll...be...right...here."
** The iconic image of the silhouetted bicycle flying in front of the full moon has been spoofed [[JustForPun to there and back]].

** Many of the effects in the 20th anniversary edition don't really hold up outside of the enhanced ship shots, but no one was fooled with the digital editing used on the shotguns even when it was released.

* AlternativeCharacterInterpretation: Some posit that E.T is mentally deficient for his race.

* AlternativeCharacterInterpretation: Some posit that E.T is mentally deficient for his race. The ''WesternAnimation/RobotChicken'' sketch in which E.T is portrayed as actually being called "Kleborp" and is bullied for his mental impairment runs with this idea.

* TheyChangedItNowItSucks: A response generated by the edits for the 2002 20th Anniversary edition, which included replacing guns with walkie-talkies and changing "terrorist" to "hippie." Mercilessly lampooned in the ''WesternAnimation/SouthPark'' parody episode "Free Hat." Incidentally, while said episode portrays Steven Spielberg as the diabolical mastermind behind editing ''Film/RaidersOfTheLostArk'', with Creator/GeorgeLucas only reluctantly following, in RealLife Spielberg later stated that editing the movie was a mistake and restored the original version for the Blu Ray release.

* VindicatedByHistory: In recent times, there are a number of people who feel that, considering the pathetically-tiny development time, it's not that bad once you know what you're doing. Hell, [[https://youtu.be/WUsQmYRfynw?t=5m34s this sums up the Angry Video Game Nerd's final opinion on it]].