"The Call" motif from E.T.

[filmmusic 1,823]

I'm sure many of you here have seen that MTV video, which is also part of the bonus material in the E.T. Bluray, with Williams referring to that E.T. motif (the one that opens and closes the film) as "The Call".

any idea why he calls it that way? what does he mean?

Is it a call, like a visit? (eg. Et's visit to earth)

is it a call like "i'm calling someone"?

and if yes, whose call is it? (E.t. to his parents?)

[Jay 37,322]

Here's the video again

And don't forget that more was posted here:

http://www.soundtracks.pl/player.php?ID=791

http://www.jwfan.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=22234

[filmmusic 1,823]

now that i see it again, maybe it is a communication motif of E.T. to earth?

an equivalent of the "signal motif" from Close Encounters?

[Tom 4,640]

"ET phone home" is more or less half the plot of the movie. To phone=to call. The theme represents ET and his search to get home.

[filmmusic 1,823]

well, the motif appears a couple of times in the first half of the film too, before the ET phone home thing..

(eg in the beginning, in the scene where Elliot is doing the dishes and looks at the sky, when he lures him into his house with the candy etc.)

[TownerFan 4,983]

I'm sure many of you here have seen that MTV video, which is also part of the bonus material in the E.T. Bluray, with Williams referring to that E.T. motif (the one that opens and closes the film) as "The Call".

any idea why he calls it that way? what does he mean?

Is it a call, like a visit? (eg. Et's visit to earth)

is it a call like "i'm calling someone"?

and if yes, whose call is it? (E.t. to his parents?)

Williams in many cases uses themes/motifs in a deliberate way, without linking them too much to a single character and/or idea, but playing with them on a broader emotional function (i.e. the theme works in an emotional way hence I'll use it even though it's apparently out of place--the most famous example is the use of Leia's theme when Ben Kenobi gets killed).

In this specific case you mention, I think the "call" motif represents a broader, more general idea within the score. While we have specific themes for E.T., Elliot and for their relationship, this motif (which however is built on similar intervals of E.T.'s theme, i.e. a perfect fifth at the beginning, followed by a descending group) seems to represent a general idea of E.T.'s loneliness on Earth and the subsequent strive to "call home" to get back there. Of course Williams doesn't use only with that purpose, because of what I stated before--his consummate musicianship makes him pretty flexible with his own thematic creations.

[Thor 7,478]

In my master thesis, I call this theme the 'longing' theme, as it represents the longing for home and the longing for companionship. But naming it the 'call' theme is basically a riff over the same idea, as Maurizio alludes to above.

[Datameister 2,037]

I like what Maurizio said about this theme, which I find to be among the most brilliant elements of this score.

[JoeinAR 1,949]

he wants to call somebody

[Sharkissimo 1,973]

Probably the best example of a Williams theme entirely in Lydian mode.

[Marian Schedenig 8,178]

In my master thesis, I call this theme the 'longing' theme, as it represents the longing for home and the longing for companionship.

Yes, that's what it always sounded like to me. A passive, psychological call, if you like.

[Joni Wiljami 1,206]

You sound like John.

[Ludwig 1,120]

When I taught E.T. in a course on film music, I referred to this theme as the "E.T. family" theme, because it always seems to relate E.T. to his own people (with the sense of loneliness and longing that Maurizio and Thor mention) rather than to Elliott. We hear it overt the opening shot of the starry sky, for example, because that is where E.T. and his people come from. When Elliott is luring E.T. into his house with Reese's Pieces, we hear it again probably because E.T. is still unsure of Elliott and more allied with his own people at this point. And of course during the closing shots, we hear it once more because E.T. is clearly reunited with his people - or family - once more.

[Datameister 2,037]

It seems to me that Williams approached the themes in this score in a very non-leitmotivic way. I mean, Keys has a theme, and the so-called flying theme does sorta earn that name, but other than that, most of Williams' thematic choices seem based more on the tone of the scene. Most of the common melodies in this score embody that sense of childlike wonderment, you might say, which makes "the call" sorta stand out. It alone evokes E.T.'s identity as...well, an extraterrestrial. It has the capacity to sound very alien, especially when you get that flat third in the bass. It often serves to highlight the character's nature as something different, something apart, something alone.

I'm not saying any of this to contradict what's been said above. Just offering a slightly different perspective. And for my money, the removal of this theme would hurt this score FAR more than the removal of any other - even the iconic flying theme. It elevates the score to an entirely different level, and I find it very appropriate that this is the theme Williams chose for the beginning and the end of the film.

[filmmusic 1,823]

Thank you for your replies.

Well, because I analysed E.T. yesterday, I would add to all your interpretations that generally it's an otherwordly motif linked to the extra terrestrial nature of E.T.

Some of its appearances:

-in the beginning of the film with the starry sky

-When the spacehip leaves and E.T. is looking at the sky

-When Elliot is in the sink, looking up to the sky

-When he lures him in the house

-When he shows him the earth in the book

-When E.T. is thinking about phoning (after he saw the comic book)

-When it's morning after he died

-When the kids see E.T. in the van

-When the spaceship comes, then shot of his heart, then at "I'll be right Here"

-And in the end, when they all look up at the sky

there are other renditions too which are inserted next to the flying theme (eg when the flowers bloom, when he is building the radar etc.)

So, again i would say it's a motif linked with space, otherwordliness and his out-of-earth nature.

Another theme that i was thinking about how to call, is the theme that opens the end Credits.

The "over the moon" theme.

Well, it doesn't have anything to do with the over the moon scene, so i searched for alternatives.

its appearances:

-when Elliot is in the forest with his bicycle and searches for E.T., and then when he leaves with his bicycle.

-on Michael's search with his bicycle for E.T.

-here and there in the final bicycle chase

-and of course in the End Credits

So, maybe we can call this the "bicycle theme"?

[TownerFan 4,983]

I always thought of "Over the Moon" as a theme for Elliott. But again Williams uses it with much flexibility, without linking it too much to a single idea.

When I taught E.T. in a course on film music, I referred to this theme as the "E.T. family" theme, because it always seems to relate E.T. to his own people (with the sense of loneliness and longing that Maurizio and Thor mention) rather than to Elliott. We hear it overt the opening shot of the starry sky, for example, because that is where E.T. and his people come from. When Elliott is luring E.T. into his house with Reese's Pieces, we hear it again probably because E.T. is still unsure of Elliott and more allied with his own people at this point. And of course during the closing shots, we hear it once more because E.T. is clearly reunited with his people - or family - once more.

To me, that motif is a perfect example of a technique Williams explained several times (i.e. introducing the main theme one bit at a time): the motif is constructed on similar intervals of the "Flying" theme and we tend to familiarize with that particular construction since the beginning of the movie, so when the Flying theme finally appears in full form, we're kind of already "prepared" for it and every piece fall into one single place.

[Naïve Old Fart 9,508]

Probably the best example of a Williams theme entirely in Lydian mode.

"Lydian mode"? Once again, my nose is begining to drip blood. Pleaseeeeeee heeeeeeeelp.

[TownerFan 4,983]

Wikipedia is your friend

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lydian_mode

[Thor 7,478]

It seems to me that Williams approached the themes in this score in a very non-leitmotivic way. I mean, Keys has a theme, and the so-called flying theme does sorta earn that name, but other than that, most of Williams' thematic choices seem based more on the tone of the scene. Most of the common melodies in this score embody that sense of childlike wonderment, you might say, which makes "the call" sorta stand out. It alone evokes E.T.'s identity as...well, an extraterrestrial. It has the capacity to sound very alien, especially when you get that flat third in the bass. It often serves to highlight the character's nature as something different, something apart, something alone.

I'm not saying any of this to contradict what's been said above. Just offering a slightly different perspective. And for my money, the removal of this theme would hurt this score FAR more than the removal of any other - even the iconic flying theme. It elevates the score to an entirely different level, and I find it very appropriate that this is the theme Williams chose for the beginning and the end of the film.

It was my contention that the score to E.T. has elements of both -- some parts have a leitmotivic property, other parts are there for the spectacle of the moment. In fact, it was the score's ability to underline autonomous audiovisual moments within a classical, storytelling paradigm that was the focus of my analysis. The score waves back and forth between the two approaches -- what I coined audiovisual experience vs. characterdriven engrossment.

[Sharkissimo 1,973]

Probably the best example of a Williams theme entirely in Lydian mode.

"Lydian mode"? Once again, my nose is begining to drip blood. Pleaseeeeeee heeeeeeeelp.

Basically a major scale with a raised fourth. So instead of C-D-E-F-G-A-B - you get C-D-E-F#-G-A-B.

[Datameister 2,037]

Another theme that i was thinking about how to call, is the theme that opens the end Credits.

The "over the moon" theme.

Well, it doesn't have anything to do with the over the moon scene, so i searched for alternatives.

its appearances:

-when Elliot is in the forest with his bicycle and searches for E.T., and then when he leaves with his bicycle.

-on Michael's search with his bicycle for E.T.

-here and there in the final bicycle chase

-and of course in the End Credits

So, maybe we can call this the "bicycle theme"?

That's my other favorite theme from this score, haha! It has a delightful quality of..."moving along", somehow. And again, I would say Williams primarily just used it when it felt right, not really to represent any particular thing or character. That makes naming it pretty tough, but it sure works wonders in the score.

[Ludwig 1,120]

Another theme that i was thinking about how to call, is the theme that opens the end Credits.

The "over the moon" theme.

Well, it doesn't have anything to do with the over the moon scene, so i searched for alternatives.

its appearances:

-when Elliot is in the forest with his bicycle and searches for E.T., and then when he leaves with his bicycle.

-on Michael's search with his bicycle for E.T.

-here and there in the final bicycle chase

-and of course in the End Credits

So, maybe we can call this the "bicycle theme"?

I would say so. As you point out, it's always associated with bicycle riding. But there's another bicycle theme - the one with the repeated staccato notes in triplet rhythm before jumping up a fifth (usually on trumpet). So it would probably be good to differentiate them in their names.

[filmmusic 1,823]

Another theme that i was thinking about how to call, is the theme that opens the end Credits.

The "over the moon" theme.

Well, it doesn't have anything to do with the over the moon scene, so i searched for alternatives.

its appearances:

-when Elliot is in the forest with his bicycle and searches for E.T., and then when he leaves with his bicycle.

-on Michael's search with his bicycle for E.T.

-here and there in the final bicycle chase

-and of course in the End Credits

So, maybe we can call this the "bicycle theme"?

I would say so. As you point out, it's always associated with bicycle riding. But there's another bicycle theme - the one with the repeated staccato notes in triplet rhythm before jumping up a fifth (usually on trumpet). So it would probably be good to differentiate them in their names.

yes, that one is associated more with the "bad" guys following the one in the bicycle (be it Michael or Elliot, or the kids)..

[Ludwig 1,120]

Another theme that i was thinking about how to call, is the theme that opens the end Credits.

The "over the moon" theme.

Well, it doesn't have anything to do with the over the moon scene, so i searched for alternatives.

its appearances:

-when Elliot is in the forest with his bicycle and searches for E.T., and then when he leaves with his bicycle.

-on Michael's search with his bicycle for E.T.

-here and there in the final bicycle chase

-and of course in the End Credits

So, maybe we can call this the "bicycle theme"?

I would say so. As you point out, it's always associated with bicycle riding. But there's another bicycle theme - the one with the repeated staccato notes in triplet rhythm before jumping up a fifth (usually on trumpet). So it would probably be good to differentiate them in their names.

yes, that one is associated more with the "bad" guys following the one in the bicycle (be it Michael or Elliot, or the kids)..

Exactly.

[Uni 306]

Interesting to see you guys having this conversation. I've actually given this some thought in the past. Whereas a score like Raiders uses specific motifs for specific characters and situations, and Close Encounters uses a broad palette of simple, abstract motifs for a variety of situations, E.T. is somewhere in between. He seems to have laid out several very flexible themes that he can use where and when they seem most appropriate.

I always differentiated between the two themes discussed above in the most basic terms of all: motion and emotion. The one you refer to as "The Call" tends to represent an emotional idea or concept, where the other one tends to represent action. It reaches its climax during the escape in the van (the "first act" of "Adventures on Earth"). There's a sense of urgency and movement inherent to it. "The Call" is content to underscore quieter moments with less activity.

Probably the best example of a Williams theme entirely in Lydian mode.

"Lydian mode"? Once again, my nose is begining to drip blood. Pleaseeeeeee heeeeeeeelp.

Basically a major scale with a raised fourth. So instead of C-D-E-F-G-A-B - you get C-D-E-F#-G-A-B.

The Lydian has a sound that's both bright and, at times, mysterious. The Rohan theme from LOTR is in Lydian as well (giving it its ancient, epic feel).

- Uni