Continuity mistake: In the exterior front shots of Elliott's house there are some significant changes to the landscape in different shots. For instance, the two lampposts at the bottom of the driveway change to an entirely different style in some shots, and the huge garden boulders repeatedly vanish and reappear. Also, note when Michael takes off on Elliott's bike to go search for ET, the in-ground lamppost that should be beside the mailbox has vanished, but it reappears when all the government agents are setting things up outside the house.
Continuity mistake: While Elliott and ET are saying goodbye, in the original 1982 version in the shot facing Elliott, ET lifts his right hand to point his finger at Elliott's forehead and ET's finger glows (note the weird angle of ET's raised right hand), but in the next shot facing ET when he says the iconic words, "I'll be right here," it's actually ET's left hand up by Elliott's face. This was digitally corrected in the 2002 version, so that in the first shot ET lifts up his left hand.
Visible crew/equipment: When the two government agents pull over at the bottom of the hill one of the agents remains in the vehicle, and in the shot from inside the car just as Greg rides his bike over it, the crew member's (presumably cameraman) hand can be seen behind the agent's head in the rearview mirror's reflection. (It can't be the driver's hand since it gets blocked from view by the driver's head, within the reflection).
Continuity mistake: When Elliott's holding the Kromedge saw blade in his hands, note the position of the writing on the blade and the position of his fingers within the blade's teeth, then after he slices the index finger of his left hand there's a closeup of the blade with Elliott's blood on one of the teeth. The problem is that Elliott's index finger was actually on the blade tooth further along the blade's circumference (note the writing).
Continuity mistake: After ET levitates the balls of modeling clay (which Gertie had been playing with) Elliott tells Michael "something scary" is happening, and when Elliott runs toward the shed the swings on the swing set are motionless, but in the next shot one of the swings is suddenly swinging back and forth, but in the next shot it's perfectly idle once again.
Continuity mistake: While all the boys are trying to escape with ET, there are black brake levers/clamps on Michael's and Greg's bike handlebars, and brass brake levers/clamps on Tyler's and Steve's handlebars, but in some closeups this changes. For example, after Steve shouts, "Let's split up," Michael's are brass, when Tyler pulls off his balaclava his are black, and when Greg shouts, "Tell me when it's over," his are brass. Presumably bikes were switched for closeups.
Visible crew/equipment: After Mary and all the boys look in the shed and find tracks, when they head back to the house Tyler stops at the pizza box, and note the three distinct marks on the ground to inconspicuously signify where actors should stand while discussing the pizza. Michael stands at his curved mark, Elliott stands at his L-shape mark, and Mary's mark is in the shape of a T-mark.
Continuity mistake: After Mary carries Elliott downstairs the government agents start entering her home, and in the next closeup of ET lying on the floor there's a large bath towel hanging over the side of the bathtub, but in the next shot of ET from behind the "spacesuit", there's now a small bath mat (same color as the previous towel) hanging over the side of the tub.
Continuity mistake: When Mary and the boys go to the tool shed after Elliott's encounter, as Tyler and Michael kneel down to inspect the tracks on the ground, the trash can beside Tyler is partially under the table and a roll of fencing is upright behind him. However, after Michael mentions the coyote, the trash can is now to the left of the table, the roll of fencing is lying on the ground in front of the trash can, and some long-handled tools have moved as well.
Continuity mistake: When Elliott is trying to lure ET into his room by leaving Reese's Pieces on the carpet, the red helmet is lying on the table with its white stripe facing the doorway and its opening facing the bunk-bed, but when ET reaches the doorway the helmet has turned itself around so it's facing the opposite way.
Continuity mistake: When the two government agents pull over at the bottom of the hill to cut the boys off, in the shot from inside the car we see Greg and Tyler riding their bikes over the car and zooming off, then the agent inside the car lifts his head as yet another bike lands on the car, but in the next exterior shot it's Tyler (note his black high-tops) who lands on the car's roof, knocking off the magnetic beacon light. (Elliott's conspicuously missing from these few shots).
Revealing mistake: Elliot takes his dishes to the sink, opens the faucet and steam rises all over the kitchen. When the camera pulls back, one can notice that the huge cloud of steam is coming from somewhere along the window, not from the narrow stream of water from the faucet.
Continuity mistake: When the kids and the mother go outside to see what scared Elliot, ET's footprints on the sand are smudged. When the shot changes they're neatly marked.
Revealing mistake: During the scene in the woods with the communication machine, Elliot tells E.T. that they need to go. You see the machine still working at a regular interval because a rope is pulling it. The shot pans to the left a touch and the rope stops moving, as if the person pulling it realises it's no longer in the shot.
Continuity mistake: The weather during the end chase changes three times. When they first leave it is full on sunny. When they arrive at the playground it is overcast. The next scene it's sunny again.
Other mistake: When Elliot's mother is reading to Gertie, there is a scene looking into the closet and we see her shadow as she is reading. Why don't we see Gertie's shadow? When we see them through the closet door they're sitting next to each other. We should see both.
Other mistake: When the kids pedal away from the FBI and turn towards the homes under construction, skidmarks from previous takes are visible before the FBI cars arrive.
Continuity mistake: When Elliot shows up behind the fridge his mom kneels down and puts her head on his chest. From the opposite angle she is standing taller, with her head by his right elbow.
Continuity mistake: When the movie starts and ET is about to arrive to his spaceship with the cops behind, the scenes involving ET and the cops are filled with smoke, the ones with the spaceship are smoke clear. This swaps back and forth.
Revealing mistake: When the boys' bicycles lift off they cast no shadow on the police cars nor on the road below.
Answer: The BMX stunt riders were aged between 15 and 20, so older than the kids in the film who were about 10.
Sierra1 ★