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E.T.
THE EXTRA TERRESTRIAL
On
March 22 Steven Spielberg's E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial was re-released
in theaters nationwide with never-before-seen footage, state-of-the-art
computer-generated enhancements and a digitally-remixed soundtrack.
With that in mind...
How
well do you discern the "salt and light" in pop culture? Score one
point for each correct answer.
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This
page was created on January 1, 2002
This page was last updated on May 23, 2005
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THE
SOL O. MANN TOP 10
[E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial]
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On
March 22 Steven Spielberg's E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial was re-released
in theaters nationwide with never-before-seen footage, state-of-the-art
computer-generated enhancements and a digitally-remixed soundtrack.
With that in mind...
How well
do you discern the "salt and light" in pop culture? Score one point
for each correct answer.
THE
SOL O. MANN TOP 10
[E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial]
"The heart
of the discerning acquires knowledge; the ears of the wise seek it
out." -- Proverbs 18:15
1. The
E.T. screenwriter remarked in an interview: "I don't think [E.T.'s]
anything like 'The Wizard of Oz.' Maybe they keep saying that because
E.T. kept saying 'Home.' I think it's more like 'Peter Pan' in that
if you keep hoping and believing, fairies will be real. And then there's
the Christ symbolism." Name the screenwriter.
2. What
Presbyterian minister writes in his 1983 book, "The Gospel From Outer
Space": "Both E.T. and Christ are 'extra-terrestrials,' coming into
the world from 'outside in.' Both begin their 'adventures on earth'
in less-than- auspicious circumstances -- E.T. in a shed behind the
home where he takes up residence, Christ in an animal shelter behind
the 'inn.' ".
3. A large
sign containing a single word is seen on Elliott's bedroom door. What
word?
4. As
Elliott and E.T. gather supplies to build a communicator for contacting
the spaceship, what does Elliott cut his finger on?
5. E.T.
tells Elliott repeatedly: "E.T. phone home." What Bible verse is known
as 'God's telephone number'?
6. While
E.T. lay dying, he calls out "Mom" to Elliott's mother. What's her
first name?
7. What
time was it when one of the doctors pronounced E.T. dead?
8. Matthew
27:51 mentions that after Jesus died, the "earth shook and the rocks
split." Who wrote in his 1982 E.T. novel: "They [the doctors] hardly
noticed the momentary flicker in the lights, and in the equipment,
nor did they fully perceive the trembling of the house, the valley.
This was reserved for other men, other equipment, those that monitor
disturbances deep in the Earth's core...".
9. After
Elliott and Michael help E.T. down from the back of the van, what
is he covered in?
10. Before
His ascension, Jesus promises his disciples: "And surely I will be
with you always..."(Matthew 28:20). Before E.T.'s ascension in the
spaceship (which resembles "a gigantic old Christmas tree ornament")
what does he promise Elliott?
Answers:
1. Melissa
Mathison. Mathison, educated in a Catholic school in Hollywood, said
that during the filming of E.T. she and the cinematographer suddenly
realized the similarities between her plot and the story of Jesus
Christ: "His being left on Earth, being found, His apostles, dying,
the resurrection. We were cracking up when we figured out that one.
When we told Steven [Spielberg], he said, 'I'm Jewish, and I don't
want to hear anything about this.' " [quoted in "The Gospel From Outer
Space", p. 65]
2. Robert
Short, who continues: "Both E.T. and Christ arrive on earth at night,
and hence they arrive during a literal darkness that is symbolic of
a more profound spiritual situation. While Christ was born 'by night,'
in him 'the people who sat in darkness have seen a great light' (Luke
2:8; Matt. 4:16). Stranded and alone in the darkness of a California
night, E.T.'s first contact with humanity is with a little family
who is sitting at dinner and is deeply troubled by the fact that the
father of this family has left them."
3. ENTER.
Jesus states: "I tell you the truth, unless you change and become
like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven."
(Matthew 18:3). Elliott (to Gertie): "Grownups can't see him. Only
little kids can see him." And from Mark 9:37: "Whoever welcomes one
of these little children in my name welcomes me..."
 4.
a saw blade. After E.T. touches Elliott's finger with his, the cut
is completely healed. "And he [Jesus] touched the man's ear and healed
him." (Luke 22:51b). The image of E.T. and Elliot's fingers touching
seen in movie advertising strongly
resembles the fingers of God and Adam in Michelangelo's "Creation
of Man" fresco. E.T. also had the power to defy gravity and 'hold'
others up with him. Similarly, Peter's faith kept him above the waves
when he walked on the water to Jesus (Matthew 14:28-33)
5. Jeremiah
33:3. ["Call to me and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable
things you do not know."] In Rolling Stone magazine (Jan. 18/01) Bono
confirmed that he changed the airport gate-sign on the cover of U2's
latest album ["All That You Can't Leave Behind"] to J33-3. Bono told
RS: "It was done like a piece of graffiti - It's known as 'God's telephone
number'."
6. Mary.
Shortly before his death on the cross, Jesus sees and speaks to his
mother Mary (John 19:25-27)
7. 15:36
(3:36 p.m) Doctor: "Alright, I'm callin' it. What time do you have?"
[response: 15:36] "Fifteen hours, thirty-six minutes. Okay. Let's
pack 'im in ice....Let's leave." Matthew 27:45-50 places the death
of Jesus at some brief time after the 'ninth hour'. As the Hebrew
day began at 6 a.m., the ninth hour would have been 3:00 p.m.
8. William
Kotzwinkle http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0743216024/hollywoodjesus
9. a shroudlike
white cloth. The police then finally catch up with the van and "when
the doors were fully opened, it was seen to be empty." Matthew 28:3
states that after Jesus' resurrection, "his clothes were white as
snow."
10. "I'll
be right here," he said, fingertip glowing over Elliott's chest. [E.T.'s
own chest contains a glowing heart-light, analogous to the Sacred
Heart portraits of Jesus.]
Scoring
- Knowledge level:
0-1 kindergarten
2-3 primary
4-5 intermediate
6-7 secondary
8-9 college/university
10 Congratulations! You're as wise as Sol O. Mann.
Copyright
© 2002 SOL O. MANN PRODUCTIONS. All rights reserved. SOL O. MANN is
an avid collector of trivia from a Judeo-Christian perspective, To
suggest questions, SOL O. MANN can be reached by email at http://www.rockrebel.com/solomann.htm
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LINKS
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For
further reference:
"Despite
changes, 'E.T.' remains superb"
He's
the perfect playmate. Could anyone ask for anything more than to
be befriended by someone who's a great companion and turns out to
be a Christ figure? So it is with the title character in "E.T. The
Extra-Terrestrial." http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/tribune-review/entertainment/s_62339.html
---
http://www.leaderu.com/ftissues/ft9505/articles/zaleski.html
First
Things
The Strange Shipwreck of Robinson Crusoe
by
Philip Zaleski
First Things 53 (May 1995): 38-44.
Excerpt:
"Popular media, too, display everywhere the cracks and fissures
of religion erupting after long suppression. At this very moment,
more angels cluster on the New York Times best-seller list than
on the head of any medieval pin. Science fiction in particular has
kept alive the eschatological imagination in a skeptical age, albeit
in camouflaged form: Stephen Spielberg's ET is a transparent Christ
figure, and his return to his spaceship a blatant technological
Ascension."
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