Steven Spielberg's enduring children's classic E.T.: The Extra-Terrestrial has new polish, new digital effects and even some new scenes that were cut from the original.

But it is the same movie. Which is a wonderful thing.

The reasons that E.T. became a $400-million hit -- fourth all-time -- when first released in 1982 are the same reasons that it became a much-loved classic for successive generations.

It makes us laugh with sweet abandon, such as when Gertie sees E.T. the first time. It makes us cry with real emotion that wells up from the gut. It makes us reassess the beauty of innocence and the dangers of cynicism that set in with maturity.

The film also inspires us to look deep into the hearts and minds of other living things to appreciate and even celebrate differences. If any pop movie of the past two decades speaks more eloquently, and more directly to children, about the best things about being human, I don't know what it is. E.T. is a terrific entertainment and a profound social document.

In turn, those are the same reasons the new E.T. is just as effective as the old one, regardless of the meticulous work done on 140 different shots and the extension of the movie by five minutes by adding the cutenik bathroom scene and prolonging E.T.'s run after his disappearing spaceship.

Critically, we love the gentle, candy-munching, beer-swilling alien. We respect the kindness that the little boy Elliott (Henry Thomas) shows towards E.T. once the shock disappears.

We cheer the way Elliott wins allies, especially his younger sister (Drew Barrymore) and older brother (Robert MacNaughton). We admire his courageous attempts to shelter, protect and then free E.T. from the certain death he faces on Planet Earth. E.T. the movie never seems quaint or out-dated.

As for the changes, E.T. does sound and look better with its digital cleansing. The sparkle is added without destroying the essence. Some scenes now have more atmospheric effects, such as steam or smoke. Grass and trees have more wind movement. The famous bicycle moon shot has been carefully re-done with a real boy, not a miniature, and his cape billows.

In some scenes, E.T., or selected parts of the creature, are made more fluid and more realistic through digital enhancement. Most of these changes are so sly you might not notice.

There are unnecessary revisions, however. Spielberg never liked that he filmed the cops with guns. Now they are gone, replaced by walkie talkies. Frankly, they never offended me in the first place. But it's Spielberg's choice. He reversed a regret.

As for the bathroom scene, including E.T. disappearing under water, it didn't work originally because the animatronic puppet was too clumsy in that day, and the scene was cut. It still doesn't work particularly well, even with the digital boost. I would have preferred it to be shown only as a DVD extra.

These are mere quibbles. Overall, Spielberg is at his naive, intuitive finest. E.T.: The Extra-Terrestrial is a masterwork. (More on: E.T.).

(This film is rated PG)

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