Release CalendarTop 250 MoviesMost Popular MoviesBrowse Movies by GenreTop Box OfficeShowtimes & TicketsMovie NewsIndia Movie Spotlight
    What's on TV & StreamingTop 250 TV ShowsMost Popular TV ShowsBrowse TV Shows by GenreTV News
    What to WatchLatest TrailersIMDb OriginalsIMDb PicksIMDb Podcasts
    OscarsABFFPride MonthOutfest OutfrontsSTARmeter AwardsAwards CentralFestival CentralAll Events
    Born TodayMost Popular CelebsMost Popular CelebsCelebrity News
    Help CenterContributor ZonePolls
For Industry Professionals
  • All
  • Titles
  • TV Episodes
  • Celebs
  • Companies
  • Keywords
  • Advanced Search
Watchlist
Sign In
Sign In
New Customer? Create account
  • Fully supported
  • English (United States)
    Partially supported
  • Français (Canada)
  • Français (France)
  • Deutsch (Deutschland)
  • हिंदी (भारत)
  • Italiano (Italia)
  • Português (Brasil)
  • Español (España)
  • Español (México)
  • Cast & crew
  • User reviews
  • Trivia
IMDbPro

Close Encounters of the Third Kind

  • 1977
  • PG
  • 2h 18m
IMDb RATING
7.6/10
208K
YOUR RATING
POPULARITY
1,699
78
Close Encounters of the Third Kind (1977)
Theatrical Re-Release Trailer for Close Encounters of the Third Kind
Play trailer2:32
19 Videos
99+ Photos
DramaSci-Fi

Roy Neary, an Indiana electric lineman, finds his quiet and ordinary daily life turned upside down after a close encounter with a UFO, spurring him to an obsessed cross-country quest for ans... Read allRoy Neary, an Indiana electric lineman, finds his quiet and ordinary daily life turned upside down after a close encounter with a UFO, spurring him to an obsessed cross-country quest for answers as a momentous event approaches.Roy Neary, an Indiana electric lineman, finds his quiet and ordinary daily life turned upside down after a close encounter with a UFO, spurring him to an obsessed cross-country quest for answers as a momentous event approaches.

  • Director
    • Steven Spielberg
  • Writers
    • Steven Spielberg
    • Hal Barwood
    • Jerry Belson
  • Stars
    • Richard Dreyfuss
    • François Truffaut
    • Teri Garr
  • See production, box office & company info
    • IMDb RATING
    7.6/10
    208K
    YOUR RATING
    POPULARITY
    1,699
    78
    • Director
      • Steven Spielberg
    • Writers
      • Steven Spielberg
      • Hal Barwood
      • Jerry Belson
    • Stars
      • Richard Dreyfuss
      • François Truffaut
      • Teri Garr
    • 523User reviews
    • 236Critic reviews
    • 90Metascore
  • See more at IMDbPro
    • Won 1 Oscar
      • 15 wins & 40 nominations total

    Videos19

    Close Encounters of the Third Kind
    Trailer 2:32
    Watch Close Encounters of the Third Kind
    Close Encounters of the Third Kind: 30th Anniversary Ultimate Edition
    Trailer 1:34
    Watch Close Encounters of the Third Kind: 30th Anniversary Ultimate Edition
    Close Encounters of the Third Kind
    Trailer 1:14
    Watch Close Encounters of the Third Kind
    Halloween Trick-or-Treating Supercut
    Clip 1:38
    Watch Halloween Trick-or-Treating Supercut
    A Guide to the Films of Steven Spielberg
    Clip 2:31
    Watch A Guide to the Films of Steven Spielberg
    Close Encounters Of The Third Kind: This Is Nuts (Home Ent.)
    Clip 1:34
    Watch Close Encounters Of The Third Kind: This Is Nuts (Home Ent.)
    Close Encounters Of The Third Kind: Creating Unexplained Moments
    Clip 0:51
    Watch Close Encounters Of The Third Kind: Creating Unexplained Moments
    Close Encounters Of The Third Kind: This Is Nuts
    Clip 1:24
    Watch Close Encounters Of The Third Kind: This Is Nuts
    Close Encounters Of The Third Kind: Big Ufo Breaking Glass
    Clip 1:50
    Watch Close Encounters Of The Third Kind: Big Ufo Breaking Glass
    Close Encounters Of The Third Kind: Doors
    Clip 1:35
    Watch Close Encounters Of The Third Kind: Doors
    Close Encounters Of The Third Kind: Doors (Home Ent.)
    Clip 1:46
    Watch Close Encounters Of The Third Kind: Doors (Home Ent.)
    Close Encounters Of The Third Kind: Big UFO Breaking Glass (Home Ent.)
    Clip 2:00
    Watch Close Encounters Of The Third Kind: Big UFO Breaking Glass (Home Ent.)

    Photos328

    Close Encounters of the Third Kind (1977)
    Close Encounters of the Third Kind (1977)
    Cary Guffey in Close Encounters of the Third Kind (1977)
    Richard Dreyfuss in Close Encounters of the Third Kind (1977)
    Steven Spielberg and Richard Dreyfuss in Close Encounters of the Third Kind (1977)
    Melinda Dillon and Cary Guffey in Close Encounters of the Third Kind (1977)
    François Truffaut, Richard Dreyfuss, and Bob Balaban in Close Encounters of the Third Kind (1977)
    David Anderson, Richard L. Hawkins, Craig Shreeve, and Bill Thurman in Close Encounters of the Third Kind (1977)
    Close Encounters of the Third Kind (1977)
    Cary Guffey in Close Encounters of the Third Kind (1977)
    Close Encounters of the Third Kind (1977)
    "Close Encounters of the Third Kind" Alien

    Top cast

    Edit
    Richard Dreyfuss
    Richard Dreyfuss
    • Roy Neary
    François Truffaut
    François Truffaut
    • Claude Lacombe
    • (as Francois Truffaut)
    Teri Garr
    Teri Garr
    • Ronnie Neary
    Melinda Dillon
    Melinda Dillon
    • Jillian Guiler
    Bob Balaban
    Bob Balaban
    • David Laughlin
    J. Patrick McNamara
    J. Patrick McNamara
    • Project Leader
    Warren J. Kemmerling
    Warren J. Kemmerling
    • Wild Bill
    • (as Warren Kemmerling)
    Roberts Blossom
    Roberts Blossom
    • Farmer
    Philip Dodds
    Philip Dodds
    • Jean Claude
    Cary Guffey
    Cary Guffey
    • Barry Guiler
    Shawn Bishop
    • Brad Neary
    Adrienne Campbell
    Adrienne Campbell
    • Silvia Neary
    Justin Dreyfuss
    • Toby Neary
    Lance Henriksen
    Lance Henriksen
    • Robert
    Merrill Connally
    Merrill Connally
    • Team Leader
    George DiCenzo
    George DiCenzo
    • Major Benchley
    Amy Douglass
    • Implantee
    Alexander Lockwood
    • Implantee
    • Director
      • Steven Spielberg
    • Writers
      • Steven Spielberg
      • Hal Barwood(uncredited)
      • Jerry Belson(uncredited)
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

    More like this

    A.I. Artificial Intelligence
    7.2
    A.I. Artificial Intelligence
    Jaws
    8.1
    Jaws
    Duel
    7.6
    Duel
    Empire of the Sun
    7.7
    Empire of the Sun
    The Abyss
    7.5
    The Abyss
    The Color Purple
    7.7
    The Color Purple
    Contact
    7.5
    Contact
    The Sugarland Express
    6.7
    The Sugarland Express
    Close Encounters of the Fifth Kind
    6.1
    Close Encounters of the Fifth Kind
    Lone Star Trixie
    9.4
    Lone Star Trixie
    1941
    5.8
    1941
    Firelight
    5.5
    Firelight

    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      During the Neary dinner scene, just before Roy piles on the mashed potatoes, the little girl Silvia (Adrienne Campbell) says: "There's a dead fly in my potatoes." This was unscripted and almost caused the rest of the cast to laugh. The scene was kept as-is.
    • Goofs
      The coordinates received by the scientists (40°36'10" N, 104°44'30" W) aren't very close to Devils Tower at all. The coordinates are actually in a farm paddock about 200 yards east of hwy 85, half way between the towns of Pierce and Ault, Colorado (17mi [27km] east of Ft. Collins, Colorado), 276 miles (444 km) due south from the Devils Tower monument (they got the north latitude wrong by 4 degrees, it SHOULD have been 44°35'25"N. In addition the longitude is incorrect, it should be 104°42'54"W)
    • Quotes

      Project Leader: He says the sun came out last night. He says it sang to him.

    • 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."
    • Alternate versions
      A print of the film screened at the American Cinematheque (Los Angeles) several times features most of the Special Edition's edits, but also includes the Roy's tree-tossing sequence and his climb through the window. What's missing from this version is all of the footage from inside the spaceship.
    • Connections
      Edited into The Dream (2010)
    • Soundtracks
      Chances Are
      (1957)
      Words and Music by Al Stillman and Robert Allen
      Performed by Johnny Mathis
      Published by International Korwin Corp.
      From the Columbia Records album "Johnny Mathis' All-Time Greatest Hits"

    User reviews523

    Review
    Review
    Featured review
    10/10
    This is how you make a movie
    I was forced to watch this (again) because there simply nothing else on Netflix. There is, of course, but not nothing quite like this.

    Close Encounters is Spielberg at his best. It has the same feel as Jaws. A very down-to-earth, lower-middle class suburban feel mixed with extra-ordinary out of this world.

    Spielberg knows how to make a film. He knows how real people talk. What real people look and sound like.

    This is a great film about the inexplicable and how it communicates with man. It's about seeing the world with different eyes.
    helpful•26
    4
    • concrndone
    • Jun 1, 2021

    Top picks

    Sign in to rate and Watchlist for personalized recommendations
    Sign in

    FAQ13

    • Why & how didn't the bright lights of the spacecraft that Roy Nealy boarded hurt his eyes?
    • Why did the aliens keep the abductees for so many years before returning them but Barry Guiler was returned after only a few days?
    • What is 'Close Encounters of the Third Kind' about?

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • December 14, 1977 (United States)
    • Countries of origin
      • United States
      • United Kingdom
    • Official site
      • Official Facebook
    • Languages
      • English
      • French
      • Spanish
      • Hindi
    • Also known as
      • CE3K
    • Filming locations
      • Devils Tower National Monument, Wyoming, USA(Devil's Rock)
    • Production companies
      • Julia Phillips and Michael Phillips Productions
      • EMI Films
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

    Edit
    • Budget
      • $20,000,000 (estimated)
    • Gross US & Canada
      • $135,189,114
    • Opening weekend US & Canada
      • $1,767,758
      • Sep 3, 2017
    • Gross worldwide
      • $306,889,114
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      2 hours 18 minutes
    • Color
      • Color
    • Aspect ratio
      • 2.39 : 1

    Related news

    Contribute to this page

    Suggest an edit or add missing content
    Close Encounters of the Third Kind (1977)
    Top Gap
    By what name was Close Encounters of the Third Kind (1977) officially released in Germany?
    Answer
    • See more gaps
    • Learn more about contributing
    Edit page

    More to explore

    Recently viewed

    Please enable browser cookies to use this feature. Learn more.
    Get the IMDb App
    Sign in for more accessSign in for more access
    • Get the IMDb App
    • Help
    • Site Index
    • IMDbPro
    • Box Office Mojo
    • IMDb Developer
    • Press Room
    • Advertising
    • Jobs
    • Conditions of Use
    • Privacy Policy
    • Your Ads Privacy Choices
    IMDb, an Amazon company

    © 1990-2023 by IMDb.com, Inc.