ET The Extra Terrestrial Live review: The Royal Albert Hall plays host to two sell-out showings of Spielberg’s classic, accompanied by the Royal Philharmonic Concert Orchestra.
ET The Extra Terrestrial Live review, Paul Heath December 2016.
Last night, The Hollywood News was treated to a magical screening of Steven Spielberg’s masterpiece E.T. – The Extra Terrestrial at London’s iconic Royal Albert Hall. The event was the latest in a long stream of music and movie screenings, following the likes of Back To The Future, The Godfather, and Jurassic Park and Aliens earlier on this year.
Spielberg’s 1982 film was projected on a huge high-definition screen and accompanied by the equally-legendary Royal Philharmonic Concert Orchestra, conducted by American composer David Newman. Taking on the work of John Williams for this new epic event, Newman and the RPCO took us all back to our childhoods in a sold-out venue with families continuing on from the magic of Christmas with arguably one of the greatest family films of all time.
The film follows a ten-year-old boy who befriends an alien in the neighbouring woods next to his family home. Full of magic and imagination, as well as some really strong themes of divorce, bullying and loss, Spielberg’s epic masterpiece enchants from the off and all of the way through to its heartbreaking though hugely uplifting climax.
Accompanying many of the visitors to the event at the Royal Albert Hall were a whole new generation, all being introduced to E.T. for the very first time – and what a way to do it. Every single film staged in this way with a live orchestral accompaniment has been superb, but there is something about Williams’ hugely recognisable theme from E.T. and the rest of the soundtrack that made this potentially the best one yet. Sniffles as the lost alien and his new friend become ill were audible throughout the 5000 strong audience in the huge auditorium, and when E.T. finally made it home were met with even more before the audience erupted and stood to a absolutely well-deserved standing ovation.
While these tickets are on the more expensive side, this is truly worth every penny and is very much an event that will never be forgotten, especially for those little ones experiencing movie magic Spielberg-style, and meeting that little bug-eyed alien for that special first time.
Pure magic.
ET The Extra Terrestrial Live review, Paul Heath.
For more on the RAH’s movie concert series, and for ticket info, click here.
