Steven Spielberg's 1982 classic, E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial, gave cinema one of its most iconic and beloved creatures. This December, seven lucky -- and wealthy -- bidders can take home their own E.T. from the movie set for an estimated cost of $2 to $3 million dollars each.
Julien's Auctions has partnered with Turner Classic Movies to bring the E.T. model to auction online and in Beverly Hills on Dec. 17 and 18. The "mechatronic filming model" was created in 1981 by the legendary special effects artist and animatronics expert Carlo Rambaldi, who went on to win his third Oscar for his work on E.T. "We could not be more honored than to work with the family of Carlo Rambaldi, caretakers of one of the most incredible pop culture figures in the history of Hollywood -- E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial," Martin Nolan, executive director of Julien's Auctions, said. "Rambaldi was a pioneer in the field, and his artistry brought unreal characters to life in a way that has never been replicated with modern-day visual effects."
The astounding E.T. model is still in perfect working condition and has a total of 85 points of movement, including neck, shoulders, arms, hands, fingers, and even the ability to expand its chest and rotate at the abdomen. It is also capable of creating facial expressions by moving its nose, eyes, mouth and eyelids. During the filming of Spielberg's classic, it took a total of 12 expert animators -- coordinated by Rambaldi -- to bring the alien to life. The final effect was so convincing that Drew Barrymore recently admitted she thought E.T. was real at the time. The young Barrymore was even seen by her fellow cast members "just talking away to E.T." on the set.
It's E.T.'s 40th Anniversary
Although the auction itself may only be for those with considerable disposable income, the public can enjoy Rambaldi's animatronic wonder and other memorabilia from the film starting on Nov. 6 at the Museum of Interactive Cinema in Milan, Italy. The museum's exhibit, entitled E.T. LA MOSTRA 1982-2022, is meant to celebrate the 40th anniversary of E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial and will feature a plethora of behind-the-scenes media and props. Some highlights include an original E.T. maquette model made for Steven Spielberg and preliminary blueprint illustrations of E.T., detailing how the complicated mechanics inside the model would work.
E.T. may be the star of this particular auction, but there are plenty of other awesome items up for grabs in December, including a Nimbus 2000 broom used by Harry Potter in Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone, two lightsabers used by Darth Maul and Obi-Wan Kenobi, respectively, an iconic dress of Marilyn Monroe's and even Moses' "Holy Staff" used by Charlton Heston in the 1956 epic The Ten Commandments. The fact that Spielberg's and Rambaldi's animatronic E.T. can headline such an incredible list of collectibles is a testament to their enduring genius and the special place their adorable extra-terrestrial holds in the hearts of movie lovers the world over.
Source: Julien's Auctions, via The Hollywood Reporter