Erin Batey
A timeless family favourite. The beloved eighties film, E.T, the extra-terrestrial warms ours hearts and jerks our tears from just a screen in our homes. But what about seeing such a loving, moving performance live. Impact reviewer Erin Batey tells all in her experience of seeing this comforting story in a live International Orchestra at Nottingham Theatre Royal and Concert Hall.
Watching E.T. with a live orchestra is an experience I won’t forget any time soon. Spielberg’s 1982 classic is already a deeply emotional and nostalgic film for many, but hearing John Williams’ iconic score performed live alongside the memories we have of this film brings the story to a whole new depth.
IT DIDN’T JUST ACCOMPANY THE FILM, IT BROUGHT IT TO LIFE IN A REALLY POWERFUL WAY.
The film played on a big screen high above the orchestra, and as the first notes rang out, it became instantly clear we were in for something special. The music was perfectly timed with the action, and it didn’t just accompany the film, it brought it to life in a really powerful way.
What stood out the most was how much more dominant the music became. How tension-inducing and emotionally grabbing it became, despite being familiar with William’s music. In a regular cinema experience, it is not always when we realise just how responsible the soundtrack is in manipulating our attention to the most emotional moments. But with an orchestra in front of you, every little detail alongside the monumental emotional swells, hits as hard as ever. The atmosphere made familiar scenes feel like fresh air again, especially the flying bicycle sequence we all know so well. What is already a spellbinding scene became genuinely goosebump-inducing with the full force of the orchestra behind it.
However, the final few scenes were especially moving, as we equally remember them in the film. When E.T. says goodbye to Elliott, the music gently builds and then bursts into this huge, emotional crescendo. It was incredible. The way the live music captured all the emotion of that moment so perfectly, it was a pleasure to witness.
But with music, you need the musicians behind it, which were all fantastic throughout. Staying perfectly in sync with the film, they shifted effortlessly between quiet and tender moments to full-blown dramatic sequences. The conductor, like always, did a brilliant job in keeping everything tight and expressive without ever overpowering the screen above.
IT WAS A CHANCE TO REVIST A CHILDHOOD FAVOURITE IN A COMPLETELY NEW AND MOVING WAY
One of the most breath-taking things about the night however, was the atmosphere. Everyone seemed genuinely excited to be there, which created such a real sense of shared experience. For those younger audience members, it must have been an amazing way to discover both the film and orchestral music. And for the rest of us, it was a chance to revisit a childhood favourite in a completely new and moving way. An opportunity to love a film we didn’t know would be possible to love even more.
But all in all, E.T. in Concert was so much more than just a film screening alongside with the scores we know so well. It was an event that blended nostalgia with cinema, and live performance into something utterly magical. A captivating and bewitching experience to say the least. If you ever get the chance to see a live orchestra I would highly recommend, but as a classic family favourite like E.T… well that should be at the top of your list.
Erin Batey
Featured image courtesy of Alex Watkin. Permission to use granted to Impact. No changes were made to this image.
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