Close Encounters of the Third Kind

IMDB
First time viewed: No
Current Release: No
Watched With: Myself

I find it hard to think of many other films that can capture me and instil me with a sense of wonder and awe, even on repeated viewings. Perhaps maybe Totoro. Both films have a stillness about them, something special and mysterious presented as if watching from a distance and being witness to a unique and rare event.

I'll admit the new trailer for Super 8 that was just released at the Super Bowl succeeded in getting me nostalgic for vintage Spielberg. You can see his influence on J.J. Abrams, the tone, the Anamorphic photography and flares and the use of music. John Williams' score in this is as iconic as the images from the film. Especially thanks to the repeated 5 tone signal through the film that works its way into the score. To think that he wrote Star Wars in the same year is incredible.

This score start out very atonal and abstract, like the scenes in the film. We see various characters in different parts of the world and there is never any exposition or explanations as to what we are seeing or how it connects. This is revealed slowly thought the course of the film until it all comes together in the end. That's also when the score takes off and soars into the heavens.

There's also that broken family undercurrent that's in many of his other films. Teri Garr's character has always been troublesome to me. Sometimes I think she comes off as annoying and sometimes I sympathise with her just not being able to cope with Richard Dreyfuss going crazy.

The film looks great on Blu-ray. You can see where all the matte painting edges are and everything. I watched the Director's Cut version which has the few extra scenes in the middle but cuts out the Special Edition ending where you see inside the mothership. There's heaps more to say but if you are a fan you already know how good this is. And if you haven't seen it, put aside a few hours to check it out. This has to be seen from start to finish in one sitting or it will ruin the build up IMO. It was great to revisit this classic, it's been far too long.