Twenty years ago, audiences worldwide embraced a new film which almost immediately attained the status of classic, a movie that touched hearts and minds in equal measure.

The story focuses on a special friendship that develops between Elliott (Thomas), a lonely young boy living in suburban California, and a visitor from another planet who becomes lost on Earth.

Dubbed E.T., the alien was left behind by his comrades when their search for plant life was interrupted by a curious group of humans who had obviously spotted their spaceship.

Afraid, alone and 3,000,000 light years from home, the little alien is soon discovered by 10 year-old Elliott and introduced to family life.

He meets Elliott's older brother Michael (MacNaughton) and younger sister Gertie (Barrymore), and discovers such earthly pleasures as beer, TV and candy.

Yet, as much fun as he's having, all E.T. really wants to do is go home, and it soon becomes a matter of life or death to get there as quickly as he can.

Inspired by a Buck Rogers comic strip, he makes a communication device and attempts to "phone home". "Can't he just beam up?" asks one of Michael's friends, to which Elliott replies: "This is reality, Greg!"

The worst case scenario is realised when Nasa's scientists break in to Elliott's home to find E.T. in a critical condition. It's left up to Elliot and his pals to recover his newfound friend and help him on his way home.

You'd be hard-pressed to find a more magical and sweet-natured film than this and the loving care put into E.T. gives it that bit extra that has secured its place in cinema history.

Working with a small budget and cast, Spielberg proves that magic can come in small packages as the design and operation of E.T. is as amazing as the performance of young Henry Thomas.

Dominic Bloch