A notable portion of American moviegoers have a unique fear that they’ve been reluctant to reveal: the endearing alien E.T. from the famous ’80s film incites fear rather than affection for them.
In a recent survey, Americans disclosed just how much the quintessential extraterrestrial from the 1982 blockbuster frightens them.
Talker Research has uncovered that one in eight Americans perceives E.T. as scary in its latest study.
The lovable alien from the 1982 movie E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial, conceived by director Steven Spielberg, is eerier than expected for a significant number of Americans.
Compiled findings indicate that 13% find E.T. “very” scary, while another 36% find him only “somewhat” intimidating.
The data gleaned from a survey by Talker Research for Wealth of Geeks taps into the public’s alien-related fears.
In engaging 1,000 American citizens, the study found that a resilient 40% dismissed any fear concerning E.T., with an additional portion having never seen the film.
Interestingly, fear appears more prevalent among men (17%) than women (9%), with geographical regions also showing differing attitudes.
The Northeast leads with a 30% rate of E.T.-related fear, followed by the West at 13%, while the Southeast, Southwest, and Midwest report significantly lower fear rates at 5% or less.
This survey was part of Wealth of Geeks’s broader research into extraterrestrial topics, which revealed that one-third of participants believe aliens live incognito on Earth.
Yet, 41% of those questioned disavow the possibility of extraterrestrial life, leaving 22% undecided on the matter.
American Perspectives on E.T.’s Fear Factor
A survey has highlighted how Americans perceive the 1982 cinematic alien:
Very scary – 13%
Somewhat scary – 36%
Not very scary – 23%
Not scary at all – 18%
Haven’t seen the movie or can’t say – 11%
(Data from Talker Research)
EXCLUSIVE FIND
The sophisticated, one-of-a-kind “mechatronic” model of E.T. famously auctioned for a staggering $2.5 million in 2022.
This animatronic marvel was the brainchild of Italian SFX artist Carlo Rambaldi, a key contributor to films such as Alien (1979) and Close Encounters of the Third Kind (1977).
With twelve animators under Rambaldi’s supervision, the mechanical E.T. was capable of intricate movements mimicking human gestures.
Despite the robot’s performance, several scenes relied on a 2-foot-10-inch stunt performer, as recounted by IMDB.
The film’s fans might also be interested in seeing how Henry Thomas, who played E.T.’s human friend Elliott, has remarkably changed by 2022.
FAQ about Americans’ Fear of E.T.
What percentage of Americans are scared of E.T.?
About 13% of Americans are very scared of E.T., while 36% find the character somewhat scary.
Are men or women more likely to be scared of E.T.?
Men are nearly twice as likely as women to be scared of E.T., with 17% of men expressing this fear compared to only 9% of women.
Which region in the U.S. has the highest fear of E.T.?
The Northeastern region has the highest proportion of people who are afraid of E.T., with 30% finding him scary.
Is the belief in aliens common among Americans?
According to the survey, one-third of Americans believe that aliens are disguising themselves and living among us, while 41% do not believe in the existence of extraterrestrial life.
Conclusion
The survey’s discovery that a notable fraction of Americans, particularly men and those in the Northeast, are genuinely frightened by the ostensibly adorable E.T. prompts intriguing discussions about the perception of extraterrestrial beings in popular culture. Despite the character’s design for a family audience, E.T.’s unexpected ability to evoke fear points to the complexity of speculative fiction’s impact. The survey also exposes varying beliefs about alien life, inviting ongoing debate about our place in the universe and the potential for otherworldly encounters.