Hey Max and Dylan! It’s Kathleen and I’m writing this post to once and for all decide if Close Encounters of the Third Kind is the best Spielberg film or if he is just overly sentimental in his filmmaking. Max you are being a douchebag by saying it’s “twee wish-fulfilment dressed up as serious science fiction.” And Dylan you will shut up about the models and practical special effects. Please. To me what makes Close Encounters so great is how it is both a character piece and an exploration of first contact with aliens.
A common theme we’ve noticed with most of these films is how they view “first contact” with aliens. Some see it as the end of humanity, others see it as the solution to all of our problems. Close Encounters dared to be different when it came out in 1977 (Britannica). Humanity was dealing with post-Watergate PTSD and the beginnings of environmentalism. Spielberg was able to make a movie about first contact that didn’t treat it like Armageddon but instead an awakening. A belief that perhaps meeting other intelligent life could heal us rather than destroy us.
| Director | Steven Spielberg |
| Year Released | 1977 |
| Genre | Science Fiction / Drama |
| Runtime | 2h 18m (IMDb) |
| Our Rating | 9/10 |
Roy Neary has an experience that changes his entire life. He sees something in the sky that he can’t take his eyes off of. After witnessing the spacecraft for himself, Roy continues seeing it everywhere. He feels compelled to recreate the spaceship from his memory by collecting scrap metal. This pulls him further and further away from his wife and son.
The beauty of Close Encounters is how it portrays the fallout from experiencing something beyond our understanding. It’s fascinating because it takes a sincere look at how these people’s lives are irrevocably altered. For some it destroys their lives, but for others like Roy it’s what they need to become something more.
## Obsession will tear your life apart
At the centre of this mystery is obsession. These characters become consumed by what they know is happening. You watch Roy’s family life fall apart as he becomes more unpredictable. His wife is frightened by his behavior but we understand where he’s coming from. It’s a loss for him too. He’s just not sure how to manage the grief of losing Barry with the excitement of what’s to come.
Jillian Guiler, the wife of Barry Guiler, also experiences the loss of a child at the hands of these creatures. Her reaction to the entire situation is what’s fascinating. She does everything in her power to get herself and her son back. Where Roy becomes erratic, Jillian channels that energy into determination.
## The mystery of it all
A big focus of Spielberg’s approach is how unimaginable the idea of first contact truly is. From the moment we see that abandoned airplane in the desert we are in awe. This plane was discovered in 1945 but was in perfect condition and located miles away from where it was supposed to be. The mystery of it all is why Spielberg dedicates so much time to the UFO.
These moments where we see the spacecraft are magical. Dylan, you are correct about how incredible the models and practical special effects are. They still hold up today because of how Spielberg framed these moments. Everything from the way the ship moves to how it is lit just looks otherworldly.
## Music is the universal language
You know I love Euler’s identity(Opens in a new window) but the five-note song Roy whistles is pure mathematical beauty. John Williams makes you believe that maybe music is the one thing we have in common with these aliens. As the film goes on, we learn this “song” is how we are to communicate with them. I love how Spielberg literally builds a mountain in the middle of the desert for these creatures to communicate with us.
The mothership that we are graced with in the end credits is awe-inspiring. Here we have this massive mothership that looks like it could actually exist out there somewhere in space and Spielberg doesn’t let it take away from what we just experienced with Roy. He comes back from the dead sort of speaking and we finally understand that he needed to leave his old life behind to become something more.
## Spirituality and First Contact
When I think of contact with aliens I don’t think of the science behind it. I think spirituality. Close Encounters approaches this theme with grace. We watch Roy go through something that is very similar to a religious experience. He sees something that changes his life forever. He questions everything and decides to leave his family behind to seek out these aliens.
It’s interesting how spiritual this film actually is without being religious at all. There are no deities in this movie nor are the aliens worshipped as such. It’s as if Spielberg is telling us that contact with otherworldly beings can be its own spiritual experience.
What’s your opinion of the scriptures appearance at the end? We also have François Truffaut’s character Claude Lacombe. He acts as a bridge between us and the aliens. Truffaut was a master filmmaker in his own right and he helps Spielberg show different perspectives on what’s happening.
Lastly we have Barry Guiler, the son of Jillian and Thomas. Children are the universal symbol for innocence and Spielberg uses that to his advantage. It’s clear that Barry is handling the whole situation much better than the adults are. When he is returned to his mother at the end of the film he is changed. Hopefully one day we will all be as cool as Barry when we decide to abduct us.
## The environment we live in
Close Encounters was released during a time when UFO’s were extremely popular in our culture. There had been a boom in UFO/space-related films during the late 70’s and Spielberg taps into that. Earth had just celebrated it’s 200th birthday and I feel like Close Encounters was America saying “Hey we may not know what happened to the planet in those last 200 years, but we believe there is something bigger out there.”
It makes sense that this film did so well. It was able to tap into questions many of us had about life beyond Earth. With a worldwide gross of $306 million (The Numbers) on a $19 million budget (The Numbers) it’s clear that people were ready for a film like this.
I believe before Close Encounters aliens were either here to save us or kill us. We didn’t really get the “mystery” of them before this film. There are so many amazing first contact films that took inspiration from Spielberg’s masterpiece. I’m sure we will touch on them as we work our way through this list.
Close Encounters wasn’t just a smash hit with viewers. Critics loved it as well. Scoring an amazing 90 on Metascore(Metacritic) and 93% on Rotten Tomatoes (Rotten Tomatoes). Not only that but it was loved by audiences as well scoring an 84% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes (Rotten Tomatoes)
## Why does Close Encounters of the Third Kind Still Matter?
Why does Close Encounters continue to resonate with us? I believe it’s because there are no answers. Sure we know what the aliens want but we never really learn why they came. The characters we spend time with are ripped apart from life as they know it. There are no other films about first contact that come close to capturing the mystery and wonder of meeting a civilization greater than our own.
What are your thoughts on Close Encounters? Let us know in the comments below!
Kathleen’s a lifelong reader who believes science fiction is literature, full stop. From her book-filled home in Seattle, she writes about thoughtful, character-driven sci-fi that challenges ideas and lingers long after the last page. She’s a champion for under-read authors and timeless storytelling.