Close Encounters of the Third Kind (Two-Disc Collector's Edition)

Rating:
Summary: Man, Machine and the Northern Lights
Review: "Man, Machine and the Northern Lights"
or "Pinnochio for Physics Majors"

"To the child the tree and the lamp post are as natural and as artificial as each other; or rather, neither of them are natural but both supernatural, for both are splendid and unexplained. The flower with which God crowns the one, and the flame with which Sam the lamplighter crowns the other, are equally of the gold of Fairy Tales[...]In the middle of the wildest fields the most rustic child is, ten to one, playing at steam engines. And the only spiritual or philosophical objection to steam engines is not that men pay for them or work at them or make them very ugly or even that men are killed by them, but merely that men do not play at them[...]The evil is that the childish poetry of clockwork does not remain[...]The wrong is not that engines are too much admired, but that they are not admired enough[...]The sin is not that engines are mechanical, but that men are mechanical." -G. K. Chesterton

Close Encounters of the Third Kind is an ingeniously directed and choreographed visual-musical fantasy, beautifully depicting the limits (and limited validity) of a mechanical approach to life. Such a mechanical approach has a limited and narrow range of validity, but only goes so far. This approach is portrayed in the film--in its "best form"--by the character Lacombe, the international UFO investigator professional, who apparently dedicated his life to looking for something which might not even exist (and to developing a science possibly devoid of an object). A nice scene which portrays Lacombe's attitude, is when he actually loses patience with the UFOs, which, though finally present and plainly real, delay responding to the "musical tones"-so he waves his arms in exasperation saying, "let's go!" Neary (and Barry) portray the approach of a ready-openness to reality-wherever-it-leads. Neary, who "didn't want to see this" and just walks into it all by chance meetings, has only one desire; he "just wants to know that it is really happening"-at the risk though of everything, including life and limb.

At another level the film is about a child and man (Roy Neary), who, having kindred spirits, are providentially (non-mechanically) brought together as family, a new family which feels completely at home with itself and in the cosmos. Film starts out with feigned "documentary" style but gradually shifts-effectively helping the audience identify with main characters. Said child, a toddler named Barry, even steals the show-reportedly nicknamed by Spielberg as the "one take" kid. Though outwardly a movie about aliens, they ultimately have, in this sense, the simple role of introducing the child (and his widowed mom) to the man. (The man was already married, but wife abandoned him, valuing life in the suburbs more than him; though this character, Ronnie, was a sensitive and sympathetic portrayal of someone who is, push come to shove-in its "worst form"--mechanical; she even hides newspaper clippings from her husband--not to mention nearly runs him over with the car--rather than herself face the truth.)

Though its occasional use of profanity was perhaps gratuitous, the film was also rich with religious themes; the man and mom risk life and struggle against opposition to climb a not-well-known and mysterious U.S. mountain-monument in Wyoming (symbolically, the meeting place of earth and sky, the cosmic pillar or ladder on which angels ascend and descend) in order to pursue a vision/recover a missing child (who had wandered off with new playmates from space). Honorable mention given to Einstein while visually depicting light in relation to time and eternity. Eventually standing at the end of a line of volunteer astronauts (and the only one not carrying a large duffle-bag), Neary is chosen first and playfully caressed by Barry's playmates, solidifying, confirming and celebrating the new family bonds (the most moving moment of the film, with music from Neary's favorite movie, Pinnochio, playing spaced-style ala John Williams). A truly remarkable cinematic accomplishment; taking nothing away from "alien contact," it still trumps it with a "family reunion." Dazzling visual effects have role of helping the viewer see technology with fresh eyes, as a part of nature-a pivotal theme role modeled for the audience by main characters Barry and Neary (by profession, an electrical line worker). (Barry calls them toys, Neary compares them to the aurora borealis, the northern lights.) UFO seems to rise over the mountain when seen for the first time, rather than descend from space (though the mothership-city offers the "bewildering newness" of arriving upside-down); UFOs also seem more to be composed of light, than to reflect it. "We are not alone" is the tagline of the film, not its message. Its message: we are at home.

Contemporary physics has concluded that the material world itself is not really mechanical. It is a strange paradox how our sentiments are sometimes so out of step with this reality. This film, though a visual fantasy, has gone far in putting our imaginations in touch with the world as it really is. As it is in physics, so it would be with alien encounters-and so it is, and will always be, in life. Even machines can only be "man-handled" so far (if we want them to work, that is). If we don't want to fry our microwave ovens by cooking things which don't belong in them, or then go on to burn the same food, by trying to make the conventional oven produce the "instant" results we wanted from the microwave, then we had better make some room for "reverence." At any rate the aliens are wise enough to know only to play with our machines, like Barry's toys, since they were not constructed according to their purposes. After waving hello to Lacombe, the alien is beautifully portrayed as gracefully awestruck (one of the most breathtaking moments in cinema), looking upon all of us.

Neary and Barry do have the failing of not being notably articulate. Neary even once quotes Barry in trying to describe the UFOs as "like an ice-cream cone"-adding only that its flavor was "orange." Jillian, more sensitive to the interpersonal side of things, does a better job when she calls the visits in the sky "Halloween for grownups." Neary was "special" in the end because he was the only one who happened to persevere (in the right attitude) that far--and partly by the chance meeting with Jillian, for he was helped by her hand when he couldn't make it on his own. Yet when Barry gazes directly at Neary (the Pinnochio moment), then turning up to his mom, we glimpse humanity in its full dignity. At the sky-port, Barry's mom had "stayed back" and taken her son off to the side, as she wasn't quite ready to go for any rides and didn't want Barry to wander off again. Here Neary returns a favor. From this "moment" on she was no longer motived by fear, rather, she was perfectly happy to stay on earth, "at home." Even though Neary is about to leave, Barry, this time, does not cry when he sees the ship "getting ready" to leave! When Barry merely thought the aliens were leaving, before Neary was ready (hadn't yet met them face to face), Barry and (thus) Jillian cried (and cried). Now Jillian has tears of joy! And Barry, who had gleefully ran after the UFOs through the tall grass and under the night sky, delightfully giggling, is no longer afraid of being an "orphan." He has a new "father"...; "he is not alone."

Close encounters of the third kind? First kind, plane through the sky, mailbox in the wind, highway under the stars--or CE3K (introducing a new genre of special effects) on the screen. Second kind, you see Sam the lamplighter or Neary the line worker. Third kind, contact. Your next-door-neighbor. Your child/your spouse. Your dearest friend.
Yet did I mention? It is also a plain good space story! -John Frederick


Rating:
Summary: A bit slow and dated, but worth adding to your collection
Review: It's a pity that Close Encounters was so badly overshadowed by "Star Wars" when it was released, because it IS an intriguing movie. Although a bit slow, the ending is exciting and the realism makes it worth watching. Just how WOULD aliens contact earthlings (and would anybody believe them?), how would the government handle it, and what would happen..... Spielberg gives us a definite hint of his greatness to come with this 70s classic. Worth adding to your collection. John William's score alone is worth buying

Rating:
Summary: The ending justifies the time it takes to get there!
Review: Even though Spielberg "trimmed" the film a few years after its initial release, there still remain some really slow scenes, especially at the home of stars Dreyfuss and Garr. The actors do there best to work the "family thing" but the scenes are prolonged and drag the story line. More effective are the ones with Melinda Dillon and the precocious Cary Guffey as a mother and son, respectively, terrorized by nocturnal and unseen visitors.

That said, the end when the Earthmen and aliens finally make contact is breathtaking. Coupled with the special effects and John Williams's magnificent score, CETK is a science fiction classic that still manages to captivate.

Rating:
Summary: Close Encounters of the Third Kind (1977)
Review: Lost in the hype around Star Wars, this gem of a movie is the smart man's "sci-fi" film. Superbly written and acted, featuring Spielberg's favorite everyman in Richard Dreyfuss who sees lights in the night sky. He can't explain it and against the wishes of those around him, feels compelled to investigate this frustrating enigma that becomes clear. Featuring powerhouse special effects and awesome score by John Williams. This is the movie that makes you think: ARE WE ALONE?