Close Encounters of the Third Kind (1977)

Director:

Steven Spielberg

Writer:

Steven Spielberg (written by)
(more)

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
George DiCenzo	...	Major Benchley
Amy Douglass	...	Implantee
Alexander Lockwood	...	Implantee
Gene Dynarski	...	Ike
Mary Gafrey	...	Mrs. Harris
Norman Bartold	...	Ohio Tolls
Josef Sommer	...	Larry Butler
Rev. Michael J. Dyer	...	Himself
Roger Ernest	...	Highway Patrolman
Carl Weathers	...	Military Policeman
F.J. O'Neil	...	ARP Project Member
Phil Dodds	...	ARP Musician
Randy Hermann	...	Returnee #1 Flt. 19
Hal Barwood	...	Returnee #2 Flt. 19
Matthew Robbins	...	Returnee #3 Flt. 19
David Anderson	...	Air Traffic Controller
Richard L. Hawkins	...	Air Traffic Controller
Craig Shreeve	...	Air Traffic
Bill Thurman	...	Air Traffic
Roy E. Richards	...	Air East Pilot
Gene Rader	...	Hawker
Eumenio Blanco	...	Federale
Daniel Núñez	...	Federale (as Daniel Nunez)
Chuy Franco	...	Federale
Luis Contreras	...	Federale
James Keane	...	Radio Telescope Team
Dennis McMullen	...	Radio Telescope Team
Cy Young	...	Radio Telescope Team
Tom Howard	...	Radio Telescope Team
Richard Stuart	...	Truck Dispatcher
Bob Westmoreland	...	Load Dispatcher
Matt Emery	...	Support Leader
Galen Thompson	...	Special Forces
John Dennis Johnston	...	Special Forces
John Ewing	...	Dirty Tricks #1
Keith Atkinson	...	Dirty Tricks #2
Robert Broyles	...	Dirty Tricks #3
Kirk Raymond	...	Dirty Tricks #4
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Basil Hoffman	...	Longly (uncredited)
J. Allen Hynek	...	Himself - Smoking Pipe at Landing Site (uncredited)
Monty Jordan	...	Special Forces Commander / Helicopter Pilot (uncredited)
Stephen Powers	...	UN Observer (uncredited)
Howard K. Smith	...	Himself - TV News Anchor (uncredited)

Directed by
Steven Spielberg

Writing credits
Steven Spielberg		(written by)
Hal Barwood		uncredited
Jerry Belson		uncredited
John Hill		uncredited
Matthew Robbins		uncredited

Produced by
Clark L. Paylow	....	associate producer (as Clark Paylow)
Julia Phillips	....	producer
Michael Phillips	....	producer

Original Music by
John Williams

Cinematography by
Vilmos Zsigmond		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
Michael Kahn

Casting by
Shari Rhodes
Juliet Taylor		(as Juliette Taylor)

Production Design by
Joe Alves

Art Direction by
Daniel A. Lomino		(as Dan Lomino)

Set Decoration by
Phil Abramson

Makeup Department
Edie Panda	....	hairdresser
Bob Westmoreland	....	make-up supervisor
Sharleen Rassi	....	hair stylist (uncredited)

Production Management
Clark L. Paylow	....	unit production manager (as Clark Paylow)
Baba Shaik	....	production manager: India (uncredited)
John Veitch	....	executive in charge of production (uncredited)

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Jim Bloom	....	second assistant director
Charles Myers	....	assistant director (as Chuck Myers)
Eric Stacey	....	key second assistant director (uncredited)

Art Department
Sam Gordon	....	property master
George Jensen	....	production illustrator
Bill Parks	....	construction manager
Stan Cockerell	....	set dresser (uncredited)
David Coleman	....	assistant property master (uncredited)
Ralph McQuarrie	....	conceptual artwork (uncredited)

Sound Department
Neil Burrow	....	sound effects editorial staff
Gene S. Cantamessa	....	production sound mixer (as Gene Cantamesa)
Richard Friedman	....	dialogue editorial staff (as Dick Friedman)
Sam Gemette	....	sound effects editorial staff
Gary S. Gerlich	....	sound effects editorial staff
Robert Glass	....	re-recording mixer
David M. Horton	....	sound effects editorial staff (as David Horton)
Bill Jackson	....	assistant dialogue staff
Stephen Katz	....	sound supervisor: Dolby (as Steve Katz)
Robert Knudson	....	re-recording mixer (as Buzz Knudson)
Don MacDougall	....	re-recording mixer
Richard Oswald	....	sound effects editorial staff
Robert A. Reich	....	assistant dialogue staff
Jack Schrader	....	supervising dialogue editor
Chester Slomka	....	sound effects editorial staff (as Chet Slomka)
Frank E. Warner	....	supervising sound effects editor (as Frank Warner)
Raul A. Bruce	....	boom operator (uncredited)
Ellis Burman	....	sound restoration engineer (uncredited)

Special Effects by
Roy Arbogast	....	special mechanical effects
Wayne Beauchamp	....	special effects (uncredited)
Kevin Pike	....	special effects (uncredited)

Visual Effects by
Larry Albright	....	special consultant
Peter Anderson	....	special consultant
Mona Thal Benefiel	....	project coordinator
Richard Bennett	....	special consultant
David Berry	....	camera operator (as Dave Berry)
Carol Boardman	....	animation staff
Eleanor Dahlen	....	animation staff
Cy Didjurgis	....	animation staff
Don Dow	....	laboratory technician
Jim Dow	....	model shop coordinator (as J. Richard Dow)
Ken Ebert	....	special consultant
Glenn Erickson	....	project assistant
Eugene Eyerly	....	camera operator
Rocco Gioffre	....	assistant matte artist
Joyce Goldberg	....	production secretary
David Gold	....	effects electrician
Robert Hall	....	optical photography
David R. Hardberger	....	assistant cameraman (as David Hardberger)
Alan Harding	....	assistant cameraman
Jack Hinkle	....	laboratory expeditor (as Charles Hinkle)
Robert Hollister	....	technician
Thomas Hollister	....	laboratory technician (as Tom Hollister)
Paul Huston	....	special consultant
Joseph A. Ippolito	....	editorial assistant (as Joseph Ippolito)
Don Jarel	....	matte photography
Jerry Jeffress	....	electronics design (as Jerry L. Jeffress)
Gregory Jein	....	chief model maker
David Jones	....	special consultant (as David M. Jones)
Kevin Kelly	....	special consultant
Tom Koester	....	animation staff
Jim Lutes	....	special consultant
Michael McMillen	....	model maker (as Michael Mcmillen)
Bill Millar	....	animation staff
Alvah J. Miller	....	electronics design
Harry Moreau	....	animator
Conne Morgan	....	animation staff
Max Morgan	....	camera operator (as Maxwell Morgan)
Barbara Morrison	....	effects negative cutter
Dennis Muren	....	mothership photography
Bruce Nicholson	....	assistant cameraman
Ron Peterson	....	camera operator
George Polkinghorne	....	mechanical special effects
George Randle	....	special consultant
Marcia Reed	....	still photography (as Marcia Reid)
Peter Regla	....	electronics design
Ray Rich	....	key grip
Eldon Rickman	....	camera operator
Richard Ripple	....	assistant cameraman (as Richard Rippel)
Larry Robinson	....	special visual effects coordinator
Peggy Rosson	....	production accountant
John Russell	....	camera and mechanical design
Jeff Shapiro	....	special consultant
Robert Shepherd	....	project manager: effects unit
Dan Slater	....	electronics design
Steven Spielberg	....	visual effects concepts
Scott Squires	....	assistant cameraman
David K. Stewart	....	UFO photography (as Dave Stewart)
Robert Swarthe	....	animation supervisor
Ken Swenson	....	model maker (as Kenneth Swenson)
Don Trumbull	....	camera and mechanical design
Douglas Trumbull	....	special photographic effects supervisor
Douglas Trumbull	....	special photographic effects
Jor Van Kline	....	model maker
Robert E. Worthington	....	model maker (as Robert Worthington)
Hoyt Yeatman	....	project assistant
Matthew Yuricich	....	matte artist
Richard Yuricich	....	director of photography: photographic effects
Larry Albright	....	mothership neonlight effects designer (uncredited)
Gregory L. McMurry	....	visual effects technician (1980 special edition) (uncredited)
Christopher S. Ross	....	model maker (1980 special edition: mothership interior) (uncredited)
Jonathan Seay	....	visual effects camera (1980 special edition) (uncredited)
Scott Squires	....	developer: cloud tank (uncredited)
Robert Swarthe	....	visual effects supervisor (1980 special edition: inside mother ship) (uncredited)

Stunts
Buddy Joe Hooker	....	stunt coordinator
Bobby Bass	....	stunts (uncredited)
Craig R. Baxley	....	stunt driver (uncredited)
Jerry Brutsche	....	stunt driver (uncredited)
Steven Burnett	....	stunts (uncredited)
Jeannie Epper	....	stunts (uncredited)
Buddy Joe Hooker	....	stunts (uncredited)
Monty Jordan	....	utility stunts (uncredited)
Stephen Powers	....	stunts (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
John A. Alonzo	....	additional director of photography (as John Alonzo)
Jim Coe	....	still photographer
William A. Fraker	....	director of photography: additional American scenes
Earl Gilbert	....	gaffer
László Kovács	....	additional director of photography (as Laszlo Kovacs)
'Fast' Eddie Mahler	....	video technician
Nick McLean	....	camera operator
Steven Poster	....	director of photography: second unit (as Steve Poster)
Douglas Slocombe	....	director of photography: India sequence
Peter Sorel	....	still photographer (as Pete Sorel)
Pete Turner	....	still photographer
Michael C. Butler	....	additional photographer (1980 special edition: inside mother ship) (uncredited)
Allen Daviau	....	additional photographer (1980 special edition: Gobi Desert sequence) (uncredited)
Mike Laurance	....	camera operator: additional photography (uncredited)
Rexford L. Metz	....	additional photographer: second unit (uncredited)
Tim Ryan	....	dolly grip (uncredited)
Frank Stanley	....	additional photographer (uncredited)
Robin Vidgin	....	focus puller (uncredited)
Chic Waterson	....	camera operator: India (uncredited)
Chuck Waterston	....	camera operator (uncredited)

Casting Department
Sally Dennison	....	additional casting

Costume and Wardrobe Department
James Linn	....	wardrobe supervisor (as Jim Linn)

Editorial Department
Charles Bornstein	....	assistant film editor
Bob McMillian	....	color consultant (as Robert M. McMillian)
Geoffrey Rowland	....	assistant film editor

Music Department
John Neal	....	music scoring mixer
Kenneth Wannberg	....	music editor
Tommy Johnson	....	musician: tuba soloist (uncredited)
Paul Salamunovich	....	vocalist: harmonic chanting (uncredited)
Jim Self	....	musician: tuba, voice of the mother ship (uncredited)
Herbert W. Spencer	....	orchestrator (uncredited)

Transportation Department
Bill Bethea	....	transportation
Chris Haynes	....	production driver (uncredited)

Other crew
Judy Bornstein	....	second assistant to producers
Charlsie Bryant	....	script supervisor
Patrick Burns	....	production staff (as Pat Burns)
Colin Cantwell	....	technical dialogue
Kendall Cooper	....	assistant to producers
Al Ebner	....	publicist
Rick Fields	....	assistant: Mr. Spielberg
Janet Healy	....	production staff
J. Allen Hynek	....	technical advisor (as Dr. J. Allen Hynek)
Joe O'Har	....	location manager
Dan Perri	....	title designer
Carlo Rambaldi	....	realization of 'extraterrestrial'
Gail Siemers	....	production secretary
Steve Warner	....	location auditor
Murray Weissman	....	publicist
Seth Winston	....	intern: AFI
Noreen Beasley	....	dialogue translator: French for F. Truffaut (uncredited)
Norman Brokaw	....	production counsel (uncredited)
Norman Garey	....	production counsel (uncredited)
Steve Hinton	....	pilot (uncredited)
Pat Kingsley	....	publicist (uncredited)
Kevin Von Feldt	....	assistant: Clark Paylow (uncredited)

Thanks
Johnny Mathis	....	special thanks

Production Companies

• Columbia Pictures Corporation
• EMI Films (in association with)

Distributors

• Columbia Pictures (1977) (USA) (theatrical)
• American Broadcasting Company (ABC) (1981) (USA) (TV) (broadcast premiere)
• Columbia-EMI-Warner (1980) (UK) (theatrical) (special edition)
• Columbia-Warner Distributors (1978) (UK) (theatrical) (original version)
• Warner-Columbia Film (1978) (Sweden) (theatrical)
• Warner-Columbia Filmverleih (1978) (West Germany) (theatrical)
• Columbia Home Video (Brazil) (DVD)
• Columbia Home Video (Brazil) (VHS)
• Columbia TriStar Home Entertainment (2001) (UK) (DVD)
• Columbia TriStar Home Entertainment (2001) (Netherlands) (DVD) (retail)
• Columbia TriStar Home Entertainment (2003) (Netherlands) (DVD) (retail)
• Columbia TriStar Home Video (1998) (Netherlands) (VHS) (rental)
• Columbia TriStar Home Video (USA) (DVD)
• Columbia TriStar Home Video (USA) (VHS)
• Columbia TriStar Home Video (USA) (laserdisc)
• Columbia TriStar Television (????) (USA) (TV)
• Columbia TriStar (video)
• Criterion Collection, The (laserdisc)
• Nordisk Film (2001) (Sweden) (DVD)
• RCA/Columbia Pictures Home Video (USA) (VHS)
• RCA/Columbia Pictures Home Video (USA) (laserdisc)
• Sony Pictures Home Entertainment (2007) (Brazil) (DVD)
• Sony Pictures Home Entertainment (2008) (Brazil) (DVD) (Blu-ray)
• Sony Pictures Home Entertainment (2007) (Netherlands) (DVD) (Blu-ray)
• Sony Pictures Home Entertainment (2007) (USA) (DVD)
• Sony Pictures Releasing (1998) (re-release)
• Sony Pictures (2007) (Sweden) (DVD)
• Sony Pictures (2007) (Sweden) (DVD) (Blu-ray)
• Universal Pictures Nordic (2004) (Sweden) (DVD)

Special Effects

• Future General Corporation (uncredited)

Other Companies

• Pickwick Public Relations  publicity
• Fries Engineering  camera and mechanical design
• Rourke Engineering  special consultant
• Dolby Laboratories  sound post-production (as Dolby System)
• Arista Records  soundtrack (uncredited)
• B/G Engineering  camera and mechanical design (uncredited)
• Chapman/Leonard Studio Equipment  camera cranes (uncredited)
• Chapman/Leonard Studio Equipment  camera dollies (uncredited)
• Government of India  the producers wish to thank: for their valuable help and cooperation
• Kodaly Musical Training Institute  the producers wish to thank: for their valuable help and cooperation
• Paramount Pictures Corporation  excerpts provided by: "The Ten Commandents", © 1956

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

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:

The last scene to be filmed was the opening scene in the desert.

Goofs:

Errors in geography: When the numbers sent by the aliens are interpreted as geographic coordinates, there is no indication of the hemispheres of the latitudes nor longitudes. The coordinates as they are sent - 104°44'30" 44°36'10" - actually describe a point in north-central China.

Quotes:

[last lines]
Barry Guiler: [looking up at the space ship flying away] Goodbye.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Saturday Night Live: Christopher Lee/Meat Loaf (#3.15)" (1978)

Soundtrack:

LOVE SONG OF THE WATERFALL

A terrific movie about alien contact.

Close Encounters Of The Third Kind is a film about aliens landing on earth, but instead of descending into the usual laser-gun confrontations between humans and aliens, this one dares to remain "peaceful". It is a film about contact, not conflict. It is also a wonderfully thoughtful film and a prime example of compelling story-telling. If there is a weakness with Close Encounters Of The Third Kind, it is that the director Steven Spielberg occasionally allows sentimentality to enter into the proceedings, but in truth it is a very minor weakness and it doesn't significantly spoil this tremendous movie experience.

Several missing aircraft turn up over 30 years after they were reported lost. More baffling still is the fact that they vanished over Florida but have turned up, in pristine condition and without pilots, in the middle of Mexico. Other weird things happen: an aeroplane pilot reports a near collision with a brightly lit spacecraft; a Navy warship missing for decades is found in the desert; thousands of Indians report a light in the sky which "sang" to them; and across America there are scores of inexplicable UFO sightings. Electrician Roy Neary (Richard Dreyfuss) is a normal family man who sees one of the UFOs. Soon after, he is tormented by a vision apparently implanted in his mind by the aliens. His torment becomes obsession as he tries to figure out the meaning of a hill-like shape that has become embedded in his mind. As his marriage collapses, he desperately tries to find answers and is finally gratified when he discovers that the picture in his head is trying to tell him where to go in order to witness an extra terrestrial landing.

The fact that Roy Neary is just an everyday guy cast into the most incredible of circumstances gives this film a real human dimension. Roy could represent any one of us - you, me, your next door neighbour, your father, whoever. Spielberg tells his story very carefully, adding clues and more layers of mystery before actually revealing where the story is heading. It is probably the most controlled and skillfully paced of Spielberg's '70s films. The ending, featuring the alien arrival, is a technical tour-de-force, but it works well on an emotional level too because the viewer has grown to know Roy and has been drawn into his quest for answers. John Williams provides yet another legendary music score - including an iconic five-note tune which the aliens and humans use to communicate with each other. Close Encounters Of The Third Kind is a classic sci-fi film, as fresh and absorbing now as it was back in 1977.