Close Encounters of the Third Kind (1977)

Roy Neary, an electric lineman, watches how his quiet and ordinary daily life turns upside down after a close encounter with a UFO.

Director:

Steven Spielberg

Writer:

Steven Spielberg

Stars:

Richard Dreyfuss, François Truffaut, Teri Garr

Won 1 Oscar. Another 14 wins & 38 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Richard Dreyfuss	...	Roy Neary
François Truffaut	...	Claude Lacombe (as Francois Truffaut)
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	...	Silvia Neary
Justin Dreyfuss	...	Toby Neary
Lance Henriksen	...	Robert
Merrill Connally	...	Team Leader

Storyline

Two parallel stories are told. In the first, a group of research scientists from a variety of backgrounds are investigating the strange appearance of items in remote locations, primarily desert regions. In continuing their investigation, one of the lead scientists, a Frenchman named Claude Lacombe, incorporates the Kodály method of music education as a means of communication in their work. The response, in turn, at first baffles the researchers, until American cartographer David Laughlin deciphers the meaning of the response. In the second, electric company lineman and family man Roy Neary and single mother Jillian Guiler are among some individuals in Muncie, Indiana who experience some paranormal activity before some flashes of bright lights in the sky, which they believe to be a UFO. Roy becomes obsessed with what he saw, unlike some others, especially in some form of authority, who refuse to acknowledge their belief that it was a UFO in not wanting to appear crazy. That obsession ...

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Plot Keywords:

close encounter of the third kind | vision | alien | mothership | ufo | 

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Taglines:

We are not alone

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Genres:

Drama | Sci-Fi

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Certificate:

PG

Details

Official Sites:

Official Facebook

Country:

USA

Language:

English French Spanish Hindi

Release Date:

14 December 1977 (USA)

Also Known As:

CE3K

Filming Locations:

Mobile Civic Center, Civic Center Drive, Mobile, Alabama, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$20,000,000 (estimated)

Gross USA:

$132,088,635

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$303,788,635

Company Credits

Production Co:

Julia Phillips and Michael Phillips Productions, EMI Films, EMI Films

Technical Specs

Runtime:

133 min (Special Edition) 135 min (Theatrical Original) 138 min (Director's Cut)

Sound Mix:

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

Color:

Color (Metrocolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.39 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Many of the battery-operated toys which come to life in Barry's bedroom represent real-life objects seen during the film: a jet airliner, a helicopter, a police car, etc.

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Goofs

At Devils Tower, when the 3 smaller ships approach, the first flies in over Roy and Jillian, with the other two ships in the background. In the following reverse shot, the first ship is seen hovering over the landing area. The camera cuts back and the third ship already flies in. In the following reverse shot, all three ships are shown hovering over the landing area, but the second ship was never shown flying in.

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Quotes

Dirty Tricks #4: [Plotting about how to clear the Devil's Tower area of its population] Contaminated water. Affects people, crops, animals. Disease.
Dirty Tricks #3: Yeah, epidemic.
Dirty Tricks #1: What kind of disease?
Dirty Tricks #3: A plague. A plague epidemic.
Dirty Tricks #1: Nobody's gonna believe a plague in this day and age.
Dirty Tricks #2: *Anthrax.*
Dirty Tricks #4: Ranching country.
Dirty Tricks #3: Yes!
Dirty Tricks #2: There are a lot of sheep up in those hills.
Wild Bill: Wait, that's good, that's good, I like that. But it may not evacuate everybody. There's always some joker who thinks he's immune. What I need is something so scary it'll ...

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Crazy Credits

Near the end of the credits it starts to reads as follows: "During the filming of all animal sequences, H.L. EDWARDS, Veterinarian of Gillette, Wyoming, was in attendance at all times to aid the filmmakers and the anesthetist in proper treatment of the animals used, and at no time were the animals harmed or mistreated in any way."

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Alternate Versions

In the originally released "Special Edition," Laughlin has an extra line in the opening desert scene not present in the other two versions. As the Project Leader pulls out the 1945 calendar in the plane's cockpit, Laughlin can be overheard shouting, "You! Listen to me, will you?" This line is missing in the "Special Edition" on the 30th Anniversary Blu-ray and DVD. The 40th Anniversary 4K release and Blu-ray release corrects this, and the line is heard again whenever you select the "Special Edition".

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Connections

Referenced in Pure Bible Study: Revelation 2: The Seat of Satan (2011)

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Soundtracks

Chances Are
(1957)
Words and Music by Al Stillman (as Al Stillman) and Robert Allen
Published by International Korwin Corp.
From the Columbia Records album "Johnny Mathis' All-Time Greatest Hits"

User Reviews

Stands the test of time!

This movie is as good as it was the year it came out. The story is still original and the acting is as good as any today. Sure the special effects are not as good as today, but they are fine. You can see it again or for the first time and have a delightful, suspenseful time. So curl up with your blankets and popcorn, this is a fun uplifiting movie for all!