"The success of 'E.T.' means that it no longer is important that you have Marlon Brando or John Travolta. If the special effect is created very well, most people don't think whether it's mechanical or not -- they're thinking about the story."
- Carlo Rambaldi
PS:
Carlo Rambaldi died in Calabria, Italy, on August 10, 2012. He was 86. He won a special Oscar for his work on 1976's King Kong, and two more for his work on E.T. and Alien. He also worked on Dune and Conan the Destroyer.