What a treat it was to see “Close Encounters of the Third
Kind” back up where it belongs, on a big screen in the darkened, hallowed hall
of a movie theater. The movie is in wide release in theaters right now in honor
of its fortieth anniversary. And as an added bonus you get a cool behind the
scenes mini-documentary featuring J.J. Abrams, Denis Villeneuve, and clips from
Steven Spielberg’s Super 8mm home movies he shot while on the set in 1977.
It is impossible to overstate the impact this film had on
myself (and a lot of other people) when it was first released back in November
1977. Although that year is now remembered for “Star Wars” and the way it
changed movies forever (in both good and bad ways), “Close Encounters” is something
else entirely. Steven Spielberg’s UFO classic is the last gasp of 70’s epic
style filmmaking combined with the newly emerging special effects industry. It is
method acting and mise en scène auteur directing blended with the fantastic. As
in Spielberg’s other trademark masterpiece “E.T.”, his ability to present a vivid
and realistic suburban world with strong characters makes the horror and wonder
all that more suspenseful and emotionally resonant.
It is also impossible to overstate just how insanely
brilliantly the movie is directed. Spielberg pushes the narrative with careful
staging and framing, always using the camera to tell his story in a clear,
effective visual manner. This is a film that can be (and often is) used to
teach and study directing.
And speaking of visuals and insane brilliance, Douglas
Trumbull’s special effects are as beautiful and staggering to behold as ever.
It is quite a sight, even by today’s jaded standards, to see the alien spacecraft
float and zip by, seamlessly interacting with the real world of 1977. Anchored
by John William’s masterful score (seriously he composed this score and “Star
Wars” in the same year—that is ridiculous talent), all of this builds to a
final thirty minutes of transcendental cinema that is as impactful, relevant,
and moving as ever.
Bottom line: A brilliantly directed masterpiece that plays
as strong ever and one of my top ten films of all time.
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