NEW ULM — The New Ulm Film Society’s Steven Spielberg film series continues to be out of this world with a screening of “E.T.: The Extra-Terrestrial.”

The screening begins 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 9 at the New Ulm Public Library.

Before “E.T.” was released in 1982, Spielberg was already one of the most popular directors in the world. His work on “Jaws,” “Close Encounters of the Third Kind” and “Raiders of the Lost Ark” cemented his reputation for creating hugely successful spectacle-driven movies. “E.T.” would continue that trend, but would also show Spielberg was adept at combining spectacle with human emotions.

“E.T.” tells the story of a young boy named Elliot who finds and befriends an extra-terrestrial creature that was accidentally abandoned on Earth. Elliot works to help the alien contact his home planet, all the while keeping him hidden from the government.

The film is often compared to Spielberg’s earlier film “Close Encounters of the Third Kind.” The two films have a lot in common. The aliens and their spaceships are similar in both films, as are the intentions of the aliens. In both films, the aliens are friendly and are actively trying to communicate. The only real antagonists in the two films are government agents who are trying to conceal the existence of extra-terrestrials from the public. The biggest difference between the two films is the point of view of the main character. “E.T.” is told from the perspective of a child instead of an adult.

In “Close Encounters,” the main character is an adult father with multiple children. His obsession with the UFOs causes him to alienate his family, whom he ultimately abandons. “E.T.” begins with Elliot struggling with his parents’ divorce. His father no longer lives with the family. In a sense, Elliot’s friendship is almost a coping strategy for the loss of his father. Spielberg has even acknowledged this theme in interviews.

Spielberg has said that “E.T.” was inspired by a childhood imaginary friend he created after his parents’ divorce. In a way, “E.T.” could be interpreted as semi-autobiographical, with Elliot representing Spielberg as a child.

“E.T.” is the first film in which Spielberg told a story from a child’s perspective. In order to better match this perspective, Spielberg intentionally filmed the movie from low angles. The camera is literally filming the story from a child’s point of view. This simple technique gives the entire movie a sense of child-like wonder and makes everything seem larger than life. This also makes the film accessible to a larger audience.

Within a year of its release, “E.T.” became the highest-grossing film of all time, taking that title away from “Star Wars.” The movie also has one of the longest theatrical runs in history. The movie played in theaters for over a year straight.

The success of “E.T.” led many studios and filmmakers to attempt to copy the formula. There were dozens of films in the ’80s about young kids in the suburbs going on fantastical adventures. Some critics have argued that Spielberg had created a new genre of filmmaking with “E.T.”

Throughout the ’80s and early ’90s, Spielberg would take a greater focus on telling stories for a younger audience, producing many kids centric films through his production company, Amblin Entertainment. It is no coincidence that Amblin Entertainment uses the image of Elliot and E.T. riding a bicycle in front of the moon as its logo.

Over 40 years after its release, “E.T.” is considered a major turning point in Spielberg’s career, but it also changed the direction of filmmaking in the 1980s and remains an iconic film four decades later.

The New Ulm Film Society’s screening of “E.T.” is free to the public. Before and after the film, there will be a discussion about the movie’s place in film history.