The video for our analysis of E.T. the Extra Terrestrial is now online. For the podcast and storyform please visit the official analysis page for E.T.
This is a wonderful surprise.
I wonder if Keys (Peter Coyote) is a co-IC or an “extrapolation character”–for a change mc, “this could be you in the future if you continue on your current path.” I thought of this especially when ET is captured (this might be a handoff?) and Keys basically says, “I started as you. Keep pursuing and you’ll be stuck in that phase of arrested development like me.” Keys clearly represents another path, but it seems more like the polar opposite of ET with Elliott in the middle of that dilemma. A stark contrast to the steadfast character–even more so than the change character. Perhaps Keys is more of an mc handoff in that scene than an ic.
That’s an interesting idea. I know Chris talks sometimes about a “ghost” character --which is basically the same explanation as your “extrapolation character”.
Just started watching this one earlier today. If I understood it, Elliott and ET both start out with separation issues, then Elliott ends with a change off of that path while ET remains on it. Aren’t the MC and IC supposed to start on different paths and end on the same path?
I don’t claim expertise, but I think the MC & IC use 2 different approaches. The steadfast one fundamentally sticks with their original approach while the change character jumps to the approach that is the opposite of the change character’s starting approach (e.g. Elliott goes from pursuit to avoid).
Both E.T. and Elliott suffer from separation anxiety. E.T. handles it externally, the other internally. In the end Elliott adopts the external approach by staying behind while E.T. leaves.