E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial was on a mission to phone home, but the sweet creature’s bond with his confidante and protector Elliott (played by Henry Thomas) was the beautiful side effect of Steven Spielberg’s classic 1982 film E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial. The power of that bond was emphasized again this week when the original promotional movie poster painting for the film sold at auction for $394,000 to an anonymous buyer.
John Alvin, the master movie poster artist responsible for the work, used his daughter’s hand as a model for the piece and credited the inspiration from Michelangelo’s The Creation of Adam for helping him to create what would become one of Hollywood’s most iconic film images.
“The compelling image of E.T.’s finger touching a child’s with the Earth below perfectly captured the awe and wonderment of this movie that was nominated for nine Oscars,” said Ed Jaster, Senior Vice President at Heritage Auctions. “It’s incredible that the original art for the poster has survived this long in absolutely mint condition – but that only speaks to the love the owners have given the painting over the decades.”
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