Close Encounters of the Third Kind (1977)

User Rating:

7.8/10   

Director:

Steven Spielberg

Writer:

Steven Spielberg (written by)

Release Date:

16 November 1977 (USA)

Genre:

Adventure | Drama | Sci-Fi

Tagline:

Close Encounter of the First Kind - Sighting of a UFO. Close Encounter of the Second Kind - Physical Evidence. Close Encounter of the Third Kind - Contact. WE ARE NOT ALONE

Plot:

After an encounter with UFOs, a line worker feels undeniably drawn to an isolated area in the wilderness where something spectacular is about to happen.

Plot Keywords:

Vision | UFO | Desert | Military | Close Encounter Of The Third Kind

Awards:

Won Oscar. Another 11 wins & 30 nominations

Cast

Richard Dreyfuss	...	Roy Neary
François Truffaut	...	Claude Lacombe
Teri Garr	...	Ronnie Neary
Melinda Dillon	...	Jillian Guiler
Bob Balaban	...	David Laughlin
J. Patrick McNamara	...	Project Leader
Warren J. Kemmerling	...	Wild Bill (as Warren Kemmerling)
Roberts Blossom	...	Farmer
Philip Dodds	...	Jean Claude
Cary Guffey	...	Barry Guiler
Shawn Bishop	...	Brad Neary
Adrienne Campbell	...	Sylvia Neary
Justin Dreyfuss	...	Toby Neary
Lance Henriksen	...	Robert
Merrill Connally	...	Team Leader

Also Known As:

CE3K (USA) (informal short title)
The Close Encounter of the Third Kind (USA) (working title)
The Special Edition: Close Encounters of the Third Kind (USA) (reissue title)
Watch the Skies (USA) (working title)

Runtime:

132 min (special edition) | 137 min (director's cut) | 135 min (original version)

Country:

USA | UK

Language:

English | French | Spanish | Hindi

Color:

Color (Metrocolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.20 : 1

Sound Mix:

70 mm 6-Track (70 mm prints) | Dolby (35 mm prints)

Certification:

Spain:T | Netherlands:12 (original rating) | Netherlands:6 (re-rating) | South Korea:All | Brazil:Livre | South Africa:PG | West Germany:12 (f) | USA:TV-MA (TV rating) | Australia:PG | Canada:PG | Finland:K-12 | France:U | Iceland:L | Norway:12 | Portugal:M/12 (Qualidade) | Singapore:PG | Sweden:11 | UK:PG | USA:PG | UK:A (original rating) | Ireland:PG

Filming Locations:

Alabama, USA

Company:

Columbia Pictures Corporation

Trivia:

In the scene where Barry (Cary Guffey) says, "Toys!" as he looks out the window and spots the UFOs, Steven Spielberg actually pulled out a toy car behind the camera to cause Barry's unexpected one-take reaction.

Goofs:

Plot holes: In the climatic ending the first alien, a tall and spindly creature, crawls out of the huge "mother" ship's opening then stands up spreading it's long arms out wide. A very memorable and dramatic cinematic entrance with the film's score adding to the grandeur. The smaller aliens come out and stand in line then greet the humans. We do not see the first tall alien again in the film and in all released versions of Close Encounters of the Third Kind. What happens to the first creature?

Quotes:

Barry Guiler: You can come and play now.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Fright Show (1985)

Soundtrack:

THE SQUARE SONG

Great sci-fi

Close Encounters of the Third Kind is the story about a man who has a close encounter with aliens. However, no one seems to believe that it really happened except a woman who's son was abducted. They both have a similar vision apparently put in their minds by the aliens, and they set off together to go meet up with the aliens one more time.

I've never been a huge Spielberg fan. Sure, he's made some good movies, but I just never saw anything real great about most of his movies. That is, until I saw Close Encounters of the Third Kind. This movie had me so entranced in the story that the 2 hours and 15 minutes flew by. I'm not even a big sci-fi type of guy. The cinematography, acting, music score, and directing are all top-notch. The special effects, although obviously sub-par by today's standards, were phenomenal when released in 1977 and is still good enough to not make the movie look cheesy by today's standards.