Close Encounters of the Third Kind (1977)

Can you believe that until recently I had never seen Steven Spielberg's seminal sci-fi pic Close Encounters of the Third Kind? Perhaps Millie and I had been distracted all these years by another famous space flick that also came out in 1977 . . . Well reader, it's quite impressive, and if I may say, for a science fiction film made over thirty years ago, visually stands the test of time. There is one scene in particular that remains in a class all it's own. I've never seen anything made before or since to compare.

Now, one reason for watching Close Encounters, other than it being canonical in a genre I adore more and more each day, was to continue the heated debate raging about Spielberg's alleged assassination of Hollywood cinema. The debate, if you haven't been involved, began with our discussion of Jaws (here's a refresher). In it, some pretty hefty accusations were thrown at the director, the gist being that his outrageous blockbusters have exploited everything from great whites to WWII to the Holocaust and that nothing he made was every really worth a damn. Readers, especially those who have seen Close Encounters, can you really agree that Spielberg has added nothing to American cinema? Honestly?

I mean look at that sweet hat, he can't be all bad . . .

Close Encounters, written and directed by Spielberg, tells the story of a small town in Indiana that's suddenly turned into a hub for UFO's. Two folks in particular, Roy (Richard Dreyfuss, who's awesome, per usual) and Jillian (Melinda Dillon), are severely affected by the sightings and begin to hallucinate a particular image, the same image, as their lives deteriorate around them. Called to the place they imagine, as an invitation from the aliens themselves, Roy and Jillian are lead high atop a mountain for a close encounter indeed . . .

Okay, rereading that plot makes it sound a little cheesy, but here's where Spielberg's art - and yes, I'm gonna go ahead and classify him as an artist (whether he always hits his mark or no this remains true) - takes over. What could have been an otherwise run-of-the-mill alien story is originally recounted, subtly built, and tenderly filmed. By today's standards it's almost slow - the careful pacing creates an almost orgasmic build, slowly, deliberately, leading to this, as a friend watching put it, "bombastic" finish of symphonic proportion.

Plus Francois Truffaut is in it.

Nerds rejoice "this is awesome."

What makes this film truly stand out is the expert sound. Not only the quiet creaking of the ceiling lamp or careful steps of a three year old discovering intruders, but the unforgettable call sign of the aliens themselves and the righteous electronic tunes throughout. If I closed my eyes during certain scenes it was almost like attending a noise show! Human/alien communication is through music? Sweet, sweet music? I couldn't help but think of James Cameron's The Abyss, a film I simply love. Not that I feel one is a copy of the other, but rather how they compliment each other with this highly attractive concept of the intelligent, peaceful, well intentioned extra terrestrial.


And this brings us to my favorite scene. When the ship finally arrives, a keyboard player (center, above), operating the biggest synth I've ever seen, begins the tune the aliens originally used to signal the landing site. They respond. The keyboard player responds. The aliens begin to add notes, changing tone, and again the humans respond. With each note comes a corresponding colorful flash of light, like the biggest light bright you've ever seen connected to the sweetest keyboard 10-year-old-you could ever have envisioned. The result is an intoxicating, resounding symphony of noise and light wrapped up in the supernatural. It's like watching an unforgettable nerd concert, with every character in the film watching it with you, completely transfixed, completely enthralled.

Really though, did we need a line-up?

My one qualm with the film, and I hear this is perhaps to the director's distaste as well, is the physical representation of the aliens themselves. It is totally unnecessary and unfortunately becomes the one element, other than the sweet bellbottoms and feathered hair of course, that dates the film.

Super famous scene. So famous M. Night totally stole it.

Okay, so readers, what say you of Spielberg now? I mean, this film is highly regarded as darn good for its genre. I mean, M. Night Shyamalan practically ripped the entire thing off for that monstrosity of a film Signs. Close Encounters is a good film, and not just a good Hollywood summer blockbuster of a sci fi pic, but a thoughtful, interesting, highly rewatchable film. It's not fluff. And just for the record, neither is Munich!

Millie's bees to knees meter (1 bee = blah, 10 bees = hoo-rah!): 8

Director: Steven Spielberg
Starring: Richard Dreyfuss, Melinda Dillon, Francois Truffaut, Bob Balaban
Released: 1977
Distributor: Columbia Pictures