|
Close Encounters of the
Third Kind
Directed by: Steven Spielberg
Starring: Richard Dreyfuss
Genre:
Science Fiction
Run Time: 137
min.
Release Date:
November 1977
On The Web:
UnOfficial
Site
Teaser:
Movie Trailer
Reviewed by
Byron Merritt |
Whether you’re a Steven Spielberg fan or
not, this is one of those films that has dominated the science fiction
film industry and set the bar incredibly high for visual effects. Cursed
by some as "too slow", CLOSE ENCOUNTERS OF THE THIRD KIND is one of
those movie’s that focuses on the main character so prominently (Richard Dreyfuss as Roy Neary), it is truly more a human story than anything
else. There are no action sequences or shoot ‘em ray-guns. Instead,
Close Encounters takes us into the pure character and eye-candy realm.
Re-released with Dolby Digital Sound and high grade digital visuals,
this DVD should not be passed up by any film-o-phile.
The story starts out interestingly enough: Lost relics are "returning"
in odd places: a squadron of WW II planes in the Sonoran Desert, a
steamer ship in another desert. A group of scientists are sent out to
try and discover where, how, and why these things suddenly reappeared
after so many years. And why they’re all still in the same condition
they were when lost decades ago. Strange things are afoot.
Roy Neary (Dreyfuss) is a family man who works for a local electric
company in the Midwest. But when a chance encounter with a strange
flying object happens on a lonely stretch of road, an image is implanted
in Roy’s head. A strange mountainous image that he can’t explain. He
feels compelled to sculpt it and sees the shape in everything (from
mashed potatoes to shaving cream). His family leaves him. He loses his
job. He’s ready to give up ever finding this place when he suddenly sees
it on TV. Devils Tower in Wyoming. He must go there. He drives to Devils
Tower only to find that the military has isolated the area after a
"toxic spill." Not believing the military’s cover story, Roy risks
everything to get to Devils Tower and find out what lay behind it. His
life will be forever altered and aliens will swarm around him like
fireflies toward a flame.
The beautifully colored spaceships (especially the "mother-ship") are
stunning in their brilliance and scope. The inclusion of music, color
and hand movements are also well pulled into the story, giving us a very
reasonable understanding of how communication with a truly alien race
might happen.
Spielberg and Dreyfuss apparently liked to work together (this was their
second collaboration, the first being JAWS in 1975) and it’s a good
pairing. The two seem to respect each other as actor and director. And
although this was their second film together, it wouldn’t be the last.
ALWAYS with Holly Hunter made it to film in 1989, too. But Close
Encounters would be their first and only SF film.
Spielberg’s films have become the stuff of legends (the aforementioned
JAWS, as well as RAIDERS OF THE LOST ARK, E.T., THE COLOR PURPLE,
JURASSIC PARK, SAVING PRIVATE RYAN, and MINORITY REPORT) but he has had
a few "stinkers", too — most notably GHOST TRAIN, THE TERMINAL, and the
remake-turned-flop WAR OF THE WORLDS.
Still, it’s nice to revisit a time when Spielberg was emerging as a
Hollywood force, and Close Encounters may have been his science fiction
pinnacle — some might argue that E.T. was better, but my money’s on this
excellent film.
(back to top) |
Image from Close
Encounters of the Third Kind
DVD cost: $39.99
Purchase:
Barnes and Noble
Film Review Stew
Favorite? Yes.
Stew Poo-Poo? No.
Newsworthy:
Young Cary Guffey's
performances were so good that they only ever had to do one or two takes
of each shot he was in. He became known as One-Take Cary on the set, and
Spielberg had a t-shirt printed up for him with the phrase written on
it.
Movie Quote: "Ice
cream!"
Other Actors/Actresses
from Close Encounters of the Third Kind
   |
