Steven Spielberg Now Regrets Editing the Guns Out of E.T.: "No Film Should Be Revised"

E.T.: The Extra-Terrestrial is one of the most beloved movies of all time. It’s one of those timeless films that holds up generations later, but while it hasn’t changed in the way it touches our hearts, one aspect of it has changed since its release.

Back when the movie came out in 1982, the theatrical cut featured a scene of officers chasing the young kids while brandishing firearms. The film’s director, Steven Spielberg, edited the guns out for the 20th anniversary release of the film and replaced the firearms with walkie talkies.

During a recent appearance in a master class at the Time 100 Summit, the Academy Award-winning director announced that he regrets the editing decision, explaining:

“That was a mistake. I never should have done that. ‘E.T.’ is a product of its era. No film should be revised based on the lenses we now are, either voluntarily, or being forced to peer through. ‘E.T.’ was a film that I was sensitive to the fact that the federal agents were approaching kids with firearms exposed and I thought I would change the guns into walkie talkies… Years went by and I changed my own views. I should have never messed with the archives of my own work, and I don’t recommend anyone do that. All our movies are a kind of a signpost of where we were when we made them, what the world was like and what the world was receiving when we got those stories out there. So I really regret having that out there.”

Spielberg’s regret over censoring E.T. led the Time 100 moderator bringing up recent news about Roald Dahl and other authors’ books being edited for offensive language and republished with language considered more inclusive by today’s standards. Spielberg responded, saying:

“Nobody should ever attempt to take the chocolate out of Willy Wonka! Ever! For me, it is sacrosanct. It’s our history, it’s our cultural heritage. I do not believe in censorship in that way.”

I think it’s tricky comparing the two instances. The guns in E.T. represented these government officials and how serious they were in getting to E.T. The changes in the Roald Dahl books were made to lessen unkind language used in the children’s books in hopes to be more inclusive. I can appreciate each side of the argument on each project. Either way, the film E.T. and the books of Roald Dahl are classics that will continue to entertain and delight.

via: Variety