Stranded on Earth - by Max Evry (Hardcover)

Book Synopsis

Stranded on Earth is a thrilling insider's look at the long, winding road that brought 1982's E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial to the big screen. Following Steven Spielberg's journey from his teenage UFO film Firelight in the 1960s through 1977's Close Encounters of the Third Kind, the book then explores the creation -- and collapse -- of the nightmarish alien project Night Skies, ultimately reborn as the heartfelt classic E.T.

Along the way, Stranded on Earth uncovers the creative chaos, studio politics, and radical rewrites that transformed a dark and unsettling sci-fi film into one of the most beloved movies ever made. The book also reveals how pieces of the abandoned Night Skies lived on in classics like Poltergeist and Gremlins, helping shape the explosion of sci-fi horror from the early '80s to today.

Featuring brand-new interviews with Spielberg collaborators, actors, artists, and industry insiders, Stranded on Earth is a fascinating chronicle of the making, unmaking, and remaking of a cinematic phenomenon.

About the Author

As a film journalist, he has worked as a writer, interviewer, graphic designer, video creator, and managing editor for outlets including Wired, MTV, IGN, Box Office Pro, and Den of Geek. He has also contributed audio commentaries and featurettes for home video companies including Arrow, Kino Lorber, and Vinegar Syndrome, covering classic and contemporary films such as Foul Play, Blackhat, and the Best Picture Oscar winner Marty.