‘E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial’ is ready to light up concert halls

What would “E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial” be without John Williams” heartwarming, awe-inspiring score? Not the same movie, for sure.

That Oscar-winning music for the beloved 1982 Steven Spielberg film will be spotlighted when “E.T.” is screened at concert halls around the world, beginning next week. Orchestras will perform the score live in sync with HD screenings of the film about a 10-year-old boy named Elliott and the lost little alien he befriends.

The screening series is part of FILM CONCERTS LIVE!, which has given a similar big screen, big live music treatment to “Back to the Future” and J.J. Abrams” “Star Trek.”

Jamie Richardson, one of the producers of the concert screening series, told HitFix that watching recording sessions of movie scores is an experience he”s thoroughly enjoyed, and that”s partially what inspired him to start FILM CONCERTS LIVE!

“To hear [film scores] come to life with a 90-piece orchestra and see it actually recorded against the picture is a thrill,” Richardson said. “And it's a thrill, unfortunately, that not many people get to experience. This is a way of bringing that experience to the public.”

David Newman – the prolific composer whose credits include “Serenity,” “The Sandlot” and “Ice Age” – will conduct the L.A. Philharmonic when FILM CONCERTS LIVE!”s “E.T” concerts premiere at Los Angeles” Hollywood Bowl on Friday, Sept. 4. Newman also conducted the premiere and Los Angeles concert screenings of “Back to the Future” earlier this year.

(For more about what it takes to sync up a live orchestra to a film screening, read what Newman told HitFix about this challenging task here.)

The “E.T.” screenings will be preceded by a pre-taped video greeting from Williams, introducing the event.

Between this September and June 2016, FILM CONCERTS LIVE! is bringing “E.T” to several cities, including San Francisco, St. Louis and Perth, Australia. Tickets are available via the FILM CONCERTS LIVE! website.

UPDATE Aug. 27, 8:17 p.m. ET: A previous version of this post stated that John Williams would be in attendance at the Hollywood Bowl screenings to introduce the event. Due to “Star Wars” composing obligations, Williams will introduce each Hollywood Bowl concert via pre-recorded video.

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