Close Encounters of the Third Kind (1977)

User Rating:

7.8/10   

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:

A line worker, after a encounter with UFO's, 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 ('Major Walsh') (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 Tollbooth Attendant
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	...	Frank Taylor (Returnee #1 Flt. 19)
Hal Barwood	...	Harry Wallclage (Returnee #2 Flt. 19)
Matthew Robbins	...	Matthew McMichaels (Returnee #3 Flt. 19)
David Anderson	...	Air Traffic Controller
Richard L. Hawkins	...	Air Traffic Controller
Craig Shreeve	...	Air Traffic Controller
Bill Thurman	...	Air Traffic Controller
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 Trooper
John Dennis Johnston	...	Special Forces Trooper
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 and
Jerry Belson		uncredited and
John Hill		uncredited and
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

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	....	hair stylist
Bob Westmoreland	....	makeup supervisor
Sharleen Rassi	....	hair stylist (uncredited)

Production Management
Clark L. Paylow	....	unit production manager (as Clark Paylow)
Baba Shaik	....	production manager: India
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
Michael McMillen	....	model maker
Bill Parks	....	construction manager
Ken Swenson	....	model maker (as Kenneth Swenson)
Jor Van Kline	....	model maker
Robert E. Worthington	....	model maker (as Robert Worthington)
Stan Cockerell	....	set dresser (uncredited)
David Coleman	....	assistant property master (uncredited)

Sound Department
Neil Burrow	....	sound effects editorial staff
Gene S. Cantamessa	....	production sound mixer (as Gene Cantamessa)
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	....	stereo 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
George Polkinghorne	....	mechanical special effects
Douglas Trumbull	....	special photographic effects supervisor
Wayne Beauchamp	....	special effects (uncredited)
Kevin Pike	....	special effects (uncredited)

Visual Effects by
David Berry	....	camera operator: special photographic effects (as Dave Berry)
J. Richard Dow	....	model shop coordinator
Eugene Eyerly	....	camera operator: special photographic effects
Rocco Gioffre	....	assistant matte artist
Robert Hall	....	optical photography
Alan Harding	....	assistant cameraman: special photographic effects
Don Jarel	....	matte photography
Gregory Jein	....	chief model maker
Gregory L. McMurry	....	visual effects technician (special edition)
Max Morgan	....	camera operator: special photographic effects (as Maxwell Morgan)
Bruce Nicholson	....	assistant cameraman: special photographic effects
Ron Peterson	....	camera operator: special photographic effects
Eldon Rickman	....	camera operator: special photographic effects
Richard Ripple	....	assistant cameraman: special photographic effects (as Richard Rippel)
Larry Robinson	....	special visual effects coordinator
Jonathan Seay	....	visual effects camera (special edition)
Steven Spielberg	....	visual effects concepts
Scott Squires	....	assistant cameraman: special photographic effects
David K. Stewart	....	UFO photography (as Dave Stewart)
Robert Swarthe	....	visual effects supervisor (special edition: inside mother ship)
Matthew Yuricich	....	matte artist
Christopher S. Ross	....	model maker (special edition: mothership interior) (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	....	cinematographer: USA
Earl Gilbert	....	gaffer
David Gold	....	effects electrician
Alan Harding	....	effects assistant camera
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)
Marcia Reid	....	still photographer
Ray Rich	....	key grip
Richard Ripple	....	effects assistant camera (as Richard Rippel)
John Russell	....	camera and mechanical design
Douglas Slocombe	....	cinematographer: India
Peter Sorel	....	still photographer (as Pete Sorel)
Scott Squires	....	assistant camera: mothership photography
Don Trumbull	....	camera and mechanical design
Pete Turner	....	still photographer
Richard Yuricich	....	director of photography: photographic effects
Michael C. Butler	....	additional photographer (special edition: inside mother Ship) (uncredited)
Allen Daviau	....	additional photographer (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)

Animation Department
Carol Boardman	....	animation staff
Eleanor Dahlen	....	animation staff
Cy Didjurgis	....	animation staff
Tom Koester	....	animation staff
Bill Millar	....	animation staff
Harry Moreau	....	animator
Connie Morgan	....	animation staff
Robert Swarthe	....	animation supervisor

Casting Department
Sally Dennison	....	additional casting

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

Editorial Department
Charles Bornstein	....	assistant film editor
Charles Hinkle	....	laboratory expeditor
Joseph A. Ippolito	....	editorial assistant (as Joseph Ippolito)
Bob McMillian	....	color consultant (as Robert M. McMillian)
Barbara Morrison	....	effects negative cutter
Geoffrey Rowland	....	assistant film editor

Music Department
John Neal	....	music score manager
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
Larry Albright	....	special consultant
Peter Anderson	....	special consultant
Mona Thal Benefiel	....	project coordinator: photographic effects
Richard Bennett	....	special consultant
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
Don Dow	....	laboratory technician
Ken Ebert	....	special consultant
Al Ebner	....	publicist
Glenn Erickson	....	project assistant
Rick Fields	....	assistant: Mr. Spielberg
Joyce Goldberg	....	production secretary
Janet Healy	....	production staff
Robert Hollister	....	technician
Thomas Hollister	....	laboratory technician (as Tom Hollister)
Paul Huston	....	special consultant
J. Allen Hynek	....	technical advisor (as Dr. J. Allen Hynek)
Jerry Jeffress	....	electronics design (as Jerry L. Jeffress)
David Jones	....	special consultant (as David M. Jones)
Kevin Kelly	....	special consultant
Jim Lutes	....	special consultant
Alvah J. Miller	....	electronics design
Dennis Muren	....	mothership photography
Joe O'Har	....	location manager
Dan Perri	....	title designer
Carlo Rambaldi	....	realization of 'extraterrestrial'
George Randle	....	special consultant
Peter Regla	....	electronics design
Peggy Rosson	....	production accountant
Jeff Shapiro	....	special consultant
Robert Shepherd	....	project manager: effects unit
Gail Siemers	....	production secretary
Dan Slater	....	electronics design
Steve Warner	....	location auditor
Murray Weissman	....	publicist
Seth Winston	....	intern: AFI
Hoyt Yeatman	....	project assistant
Larry Albright	....	mothership neonlight effects designer (uncredited)
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)
Ralph McQuarrie	....	conceptual artwork (uncredited)
Scott Squires	....	developer: cloud tank (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 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 (video)
• Columbia-EMI-Warner (1980) (UK) (theatrical) (special edition)
• Columbia-Warner Distributors (1978) (UK) (theatrical) (original version)
• Criterion Collection, The (laserdisc)
• 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 Disc)
• Sony Pictures Home Entertainment (2007) (USA) (DVD)
• Sony Pictures Releasing (1998) (re-release)
• Warner-Columbia Filmverleih (1978) (West Germany) (theatrical)

Special Effects

• Future General Corporation

Other Companies

• Arista Records  soundtrack
• Dolby Laboratories  sound post-production
• Fries Engineering  camera design
• Fries Engineering  mechanical design
• Pickwick Public Relations  publicity
• Rourke Engineering  special consultant

Also Known As:

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

Jerry Belson, Matthew Robbins, Hal Barwood, David Giler and Walter Hill all worked on the screenplay at some stage.

Goofs:

Errors in geography: The wrong camels appear in the Gobi desert scene. The camels used were Dromedaryand they should have been Bactrian. And, anyway, horses, not camels, are used for transportation in Mongolia.

Quotes:

[Roy's wife does not believe how he got the burns on his face]
Roy Neary: Well they're not moon burns, goddamnit.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Benson: Close Encounters on the Third Hole (#4.13)" (1983)

Soundtrack:

WHEN YOU WISH UPON A STAR

Spielberg Takes You Into A Realm Beyond the Known

Strange things are happening around the world; things that challenge the imagination and open the mind to possibilities almost beyond imagining. Things that only director Steven Spielberg can explain, which he does in his monumental epic of man's encounter with alien life, `Close Encounters of the Third Kind.' Planes lost in WWII suddenly appear in a Mexican desert; a long lost ship turns up in the middle of the Gobi Desert; and in Dharmsala, Northern India, hundreds of people are gathered together, singing--a short `tune' that consists of a mere five notes, over and over, repeatedly. When they are asked where they heard this tune, the throng, as one, dramatically thrust their hands into the air and point to the sky. And, indeed, in the skies all around the world, strange things are happening.

And even as these events are transpiring, one evening in Muncie, Indiana, the city is suddenly blacked out by an inexplicable power outage. Roy Neary (Richard Dreyfuss) is at home when it hits, and he is called in by the power company for which he works, then sent out in the darkness to an unfamiliar location. Lost, he sits in his pick-up truck at a railroad crossing, studying a map, when all at once he notices a `disturbance' around him. Mailboxes along the side of the road are clanging open and shut by themselves; then things inside his truck begin to move, subtly at first, then erupting and flying about as if caught up in a tornado--and then just as suddenly his truck is engulfed in a blinding light. He leans out the window for a look, but it's too bright and he has to pull back. Then just as abruptly, it all stops-- the disturbance, the light-- everything. And he looks out the window again; but this time he sees something. And though he doesn't realize it at the time, at that moment, his life changed forever.

In this wonderfully realized, highly imaginative film that is extremely well crafted and presented by Spielberg, he takes you along with Roy in the days that follow that strange occurrence in Muncie. Roy becomes lost in thought, drifting, unable to focus on anything, much to the consternation of his wife, Ronnie (Teri Garr). But he can't help himself; something-- an image-- has begun to form in his mind. He has no idea what it is or what it means, but it becomes an obsession, and slowly it begins to take shape: First in a handful of shaving cream, then in a plate of mashed potatoes, which he piles up and begins to sculpt with his fork, while Ronnie and his kids look on in bewilderment. But he can see it in his mind, and it's like a mountain-- a mountain shaped like a `tower.' And Roy isn't the only one. Around the world, others are being drawn to the same image in their minds, and it's a force that compels them, pushing them on to find whatever it is, a power so strong in cannot be denied or refused. They know only one thing: Whatever it is, it's important, and they have no choice but to follow where it may lead. And it becomes a great adventure, one in which they discover what Man has long suspected: We are not alone.

Richard Dreyfuss is perfectly cast as Neary, a regular guy-- he could be your neighbor or the man who comes to install your phone-- and gives a thoroughly convincing, introspective performance while creating a character with whom it is easy to relate and through whom you are able to share this unique adventure. Garr does a good job, as well, as Ronnie, the wife concerned with her husband's sudden and seemingly bizarre behavior, someone with whom you can certainly sympathize. Dillon delivers, too, as the single mother who suddenly finds herself caught up in these inexplicable and extraordinary events, and also turning in a memorable performance is the young Cary Guffey, as Barry, Jillian's son, who makes his own connection with the other-worldly visitors.

The supporting cast includes Francois Truffaut (Lacombe), Bob Balaban (Laughlin) and Lance Henriksen (Robert). An uplifting, positive motion picture, `Close Encounters of the Third Kind' is thoroughly entertaining, as well as thought provoking. Spielberg draws you in as few filmmakers can, with a great story and with characters who are readily accessible and with whom it is easy to identify-- all of which adds up to an absorbing, memorable and enjoyable experience, and a perfect example of the real magic of the movies. I rate this one 10/10.