An original model of E.T. the loveable alien from the Steven Spielberg movie, E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial will be auctioned in New York on April 3.
The model is being sold as part of the collection of Carlo Rambaldi, a special effects artist with three Oscars to his name and work on Dune, Close Encounters of the Third-Kind, Alien, and King Kong on his CV.
Mr Rambaldi’s daughter, Daniela, said: “We are truly honored to collaborate with Sotheby’s and deeply grateful for this opportunity to bring my father’s work to auction. We hope that the artifacts being offered will bring immense joy to those who will cherish them in the years to come, just as they have brought great emotions to my family and shaped the magic of my childhood.”
Carlo Rambaldi alongside one of his most famous creations from a triple-Academy Award-winning career. Image courtesy of Sotheby’s.
Cassandra Hatton, Sotheby’s Vice Chairman, Science & Natural History said: “This model embodies the artistry of an era before CGI took hold, a nostalgic and iconic piece of Hollywood history as captivating as the stories themselves.”
Mr Rambaldi was born in Italy in 1925 and died in 2012. He had a background in fine art and used the eye he developed studying the great masters to bring imagined creatures to life.
The screenplay for E.T. had no detailed description of the alien at the heart of the story. Working with director Spielberg, Carlo Rambaldi created figures that could “act” via 150 distinct moves, and that captured the hearts of a huge worldwide audience.
This particular version of the model is one seen in the iconic “closet scene” in which the alien hides among a cupboard full of stuffed toys.
The model, around 3-feet high, is expected to realise between $600,000 and $900,000 as the star lot at There Are Such Things: 20th Century Horror, Science Fiction, and Fantasy on Screen, which opens for bidding from 21 March.
Mr Rambaldi used his family’s cat as a model during the making process. Image courtesy of Sotheby’s.
The model’s look was inspired by eclectic sources: the eyes of Einstein, Hemingway, Carol Sandburg and the Rambaldi family’s pet cat.
Other items by Carlo Rambaldi in the sale include a Sandworm from the David Lynch Dune adaptation, and sketches and design work from E.T..
The sale, a survey of special effects work in cinema, also includes pieces from Blade Runner, Total Recall and Labyrinth.
An exhibition runs in New York from March 29, to April 3. Bidding opens on March 21 and the online auction closes on April 3.
