Steven Spielberg directed “E.T., the Extra Terrestrial (1982)” and J.J. Abrams,
Spielberg’s protégé, directed “Super 8 (2011)”. In some ways, these two films are similar. Although the children involved with both stories respected their alien, E.T. was loved so much he became part of the earth family that adopted him.
In “Super 8”, a gang of kids work together to rid a town of terror and restore peace. “E.T.” was about a cute child-like space traveler who missed the spaceship home and becomes stranded on earth. The teens in “Super 8” rescue a ugly space traveler who came in peace, but was tortured and almost destroyed. This alien was a “guest” at a US Airforce Base next to the kids’ town. In “E.T.”, the extraterrestrial was saved from NASA scientists bent on examining the alien; dead or alive.
In “Super 8,” the Air Force experimented for years on poor the scary-looking alien while keeping it prisoner in a sealed room. Air Force scientists were confronted with something large and mysterious. In typical military style, they saw the thing as an enemy from outer space.
Even scientists can become fearful and believe powerful living things must be
controlled. Scientists have been trained to investigate phenomena. To discover the truth about what makes up of the universe. But nobody thought about calming down King Kong. Although, Ann Darrow (Faye Wray) had the best shot at it.
In “Super 8”, a bunch of young teens set were making a movie and happened upon something much bigger than their storyline. Then Alice Drainard (Elle Fanning), the sole female actor in their movie falls into real-life trouble, and they follow their instincts and free their heroine.
When the kids’ movie began production, Joe Lamb (Joel Countney) and Alice became acquainted and were attracted to each other. Charles “Charlie” Kaznyk (Riley Griffiths), Joe’s closest friend, witnesses their union and becomes jealous. Charlie invited Alice to join the production because he wanted her. Charlie losses his jealousy because he realizes that Joe and Alice share a mutual attraction, and Joe did not intend to steal her away from him.