When technology advanced far enough to let audiences wean themselves from analog video cassettes into the streamlined world of digital DVDs, many cheered. But for some, those cheers turned to boos when some directors decided to use the new digital tech to rejigger some of their most beloved movies. George Lucas got dunned for making adjustments to his "Star Wars" films, and Steven Spielberg took some heat when he sanitized 1982's "E.T.: The Extra-Terrestrial" in 2002 by putting walkie-talkies in the hands of the FBI men, and taking out their rifles.
Now, in time for the film's 30th anniversary, Spielberg has decided to mend his ways by un-"mending" the film. The guns are coming back, according to Vulture.
As Spielberg told an audience at a screening last fall, he knows that he erred in editing them out in the first place.
"I tried (changing a film) once and lived to regret it. Not because of fan outrage, but because I was disappointed in myself," said Spielberg. "I got overly sensitive to (some of the reaction) to 'E.T.' and I thought if technology ever evolved (I might go in and change some things) ... it was OK for a while, but I realized what I had done was I had robbed people who loved 'E.T.' of their memories of 'E.T.'"
So for the Blu-Ray of "E.T.," which will be released in October, the firepower has been restored. Just check out the new trailer (at the top, around :25 is when the guns appear) and the old one (below; they're replaced with walkie-talkies around 1:13) to see the difference.
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