The Aliens have arrived in Close Encounters of the third Kind
“Have you recently had a close encounter?”
-David Laughlin
In the year of 1977 two great science fiction films were
released; the first, George Lucas’ Star Wars is a grand space opera that is
legendary for its effects and adventurous plot. The second Stephen Spielberg’s
Close Encounters of the Third Kind is a simpler more grounded film but it also
is a great film with fantastic characters and great uses of suspense and a
great finale in which the aliens that the humans encounter are actually nice
and playful. All these years, and re-cuts, later Close Encounters remains as
fresh and fantastic as it ever was.
The first thing that stands out about Close Encounters is
John Williams’ score. Unlike Star Wars Williams’ score in Close Encounters is
quiet and atmospheric setting the tone of everything that is to come. Of course
the biggest achievement of the score is the unforgettable five tone alien call
that would resonate with viewers while. Everything that Close Encounters
embodies is embedded in its score which is one of the great John Williams’ very
best.
Combined the great score and great visuals present within
Close Encounters are perhaps the greatest elements of the film. While the
aliens are indeed friendly at the end of the film Spielberg doesn’t let the
viewer know this until the very end of the film and provides a tense and
unsettling atmosphere throughout the film that is as engaging as anything. This
wouldn’t be achievable without some great characters in the film.
Spielberg
cast largely unknown actors who each provided relatable characters for the
audience to latch on to. Each of the characters helps convey the tension and
ultimately wondrous resolution that would follow in truly grand fashion.
Close
Encounters is just a film that few films are its likes are made anymore. It’s simple yet deep, familiar yet fresh. It provides
the power of atmosphere and the beauty of old fashioned scores and visuals.
They simply just don’t make them like this anymore.
-Frederick Cholowski
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