Close Encounters of the Third Kind (1977) - Steven Spielberg | Synopsis, Movie Info, Moods, Themes and Related | AllMovie (2024)

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What is the theme of the Close Encounters of the Third Kind? ›

Offers a hopeful picture of interplanetary events, rather than the typical predatory, violent movie aliens. Rather than fearing the unknown, the Earth's population just as easily might look forward to a peaceful, friendly encounter. Themes include perseverance and humility.

Science fiction adventure about a group of people who attempt to contact alien intelligence. Roy Neary (Richard Dreyfuss) witnesses an unidentified flying object, and even has a "sunburn" from its bright lights to prove it. Roy refuses to accept an explanation for what he saw and is prepared to give up his life to pursue the truth about UFOs.

Close Encounters of the Third Kind / Film synopsis

Scientists broadcast the phrase to outer space, but are mystified by the response, a seemingly meaningless series of numbers (104 44 30 40 36 10) repeated until Laughlin, with his background in cartography, recognizes it as a set of geographical coordinates, which point to Devils Tower near Moorcroft, Wyoming.

Cary Guffey, who played the young boy abducted by aliens in Steven Spielberg's 1977 classic Close Encounters of the Third Kind, now oversees $170 million in assets as a financial advisor. He says the money mistakes he made early on often resonate with the clients he works with.

Melinda Dillon came to prominence with the role of Jillian Guiler, a mother whose child is abducted by aliens in Steven Spielberg's Close Encounters of the Third Kind (1977). Dillon's performance in the film earned an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actress.

Composer John Williams won two Grammy awards in 1979 for his soundtrack to Steven Spielberg's big-budget sci-fi spectacular Close Encounters of the Third Kind.

Douglas Trumbull in a publicity portrait from the film Close Encounters Of The Third Kind. Douglas Trumbull, the pioneering, pre-digital, effects wizard who brought to life the impossible landscapes in 2001, A Space Odyssey, Blade Runner and Star Trek: The Motion Picture has died at age 79.

A Reflection of Personal Pain. Spielberg's parents divorced when he was a teenager, a traumatic experience that deeply influenced his work. The character of Elliott, the young boy who befriends E.T., comes from a broken home, mirroring Spielberg's experiences. E.T.

Spielberg's first major directorial effort was The Sugarland Express (1974), with Goldie Hawn, a film that marked him as a rising star. It was his next effort, however, that made him an international superstar among directors: Jaws (1975).

Close Encounters, which celebrates its 45th anniversary this year, takes place primarily in Muncie, Indiana. Electrician Roy Neary (Richard Dreyfuss) sees an alien spaceship during a blackout.

What synth was used in Close Encounters of the Third Kind? ›

The ARP 2500 in Steven Spielberg's classic 1977 film, Close Encounters of the Third Kind. ARP Instruments' VP of Engineering, Philip Dodds, was sent to install the unit on the film set.

Spielberg, who both wrote and directed Close Encounters, sent Joe out to find “an unusual piece of topography” for the film. He visited several unique landmarks, as far away as India, but Devils Tower stood out among them all. “Nothing that I had seen, whether you go to Zion or Bryce…

Cary Guffey is an American former child actor and financial planner. He is best known for his debut in the role of Barry Guiler in the film Close Encounters of the Third Kind (1977).

The movie is “Close Encounters of the Third Kind,” Steven Spielberg's 1977 sci-fi classic filmed here, on the land where the Devils Tower KOA campground now stands.

Cover the top of... After the success of Close Encounters Of The Third Kind, Steven Spielberg was eager to start work on Night Skies, a sequel to his alien masterpiece that would turn into a horror story of a family terrorized by a group of aliens, in a sort of Straw Dogs meets E.T storyline.

I retired and went to Oxford for four years to learn this subject… of civility and civics. And the damage being done to my country," he noted. Dreyfuss, who authored the book "One Thought Scares Me," revealed, "I had led a blessed life, and I gave it up for a blessed life."

David Anderson: Air Traffic Controller

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