ET

I just watched ET because I plan to show it to my class (I want to think about child-as-innocent, child-as-alien/alien-as-child). I cried.

My first viewing of ET was as a barely-three-year old, when it was released in the theatre. This was roughly a month or so after my grandfather passed away. From the moment ET falls ill all the way through the credits and beyond, I sat on my dad's lap and sobbed and sobbed and sobbed. It turned into dry heaving sobs. Everyone in the theatre was concerned about me. People stopped on their way out to make sure I was okay.

My mom thinks this film triggered emotions around my grandfather's death, and that was my way of dealing with his death.
She could be right.

All I know is NOW I have my grandfather's death firmly linked with ET. And so tonight as I screened the film I cried my fool eyes out.

This may be one of the best films about death I have ever seen.

How's that for a college class: Death!
proposed texts:
ET
Big Fish (Tim Burton)
The Lovely Bones
The Amber Spyglass
"The Body" by Stephen King
Corpse Bride
(okay, almost anything from the Tim Burton oeuvre)
something by Edgar Allan Poe

wow, what a great class that would be.