Close Encounters of the Third Kind [US Import] [Blu-ray] [1977]

Not content with the final result, Spielberg tinkered with the editing and inserted some new scenes to make a "Special Edition" in 1980 which ran three minutes shorter than the original, then made further revisions to create a slightly longer "Collector's Edition" in 1998. This later version deletes the mothership interior scenes that were inserted in the "Special Edition" and restores the original ending.

On the DVD: CE3K is packaged here with confusing documentation that fails to make clear any differences between earlier versions of the film and this "Collector's Edition"--worse, the back cover blurb misleadingly implies that this disc is the 1980 "Special Edition" edit. It is not. A gorgeous anamorphic widescreen print of Spielberg's 1998 "Collector's Edition" edit occupies the first disc: this is the version with the original theatrical ending restored but new scenes from the "Special Edition" retained.

The second disc rounds up sundry deleted scenes that were either dropped from the original version or never made it into the film at all--fans of the "Special Edition" can find the mothership interior sequence here. The excellent "making-of" documentary dates from 1997 and has interviews with almost everyone involved, including the director speaking from the set of Saving Private Ryan. Thankfully the superb picture and sound of the feature make this set entirely compelling and more than compensate for the inadequate packaging. --Mark Walker

Richard Dreyfuss, in a stellar performance, is an ordinary man who is suddenly possessed by something, but is not sure what. We, and he, gradually discover that he is not alone in this obsession; a small group of people across the country have been summoned to Devil's Tower in Wyoming. There is also a sudden increase in UFO sightings across the country. The summonees gradually converge on Devil's Tower, while the scientific community tries to keep everyone away, out of legitimate and sincere safety concerns. The scientists have figured out that a spaceship is on its way and plans to land. The entire movie runs like Ravel's "Bolero": a slow crescendo culminating in a roaring climax.

The special effects are not only extremely good but are also beautiful. The alien scout ships look like luminescently surreal Christmas tree ornaments and the mother-ship looks like the surreal tree they came from. Everything glows in outlandish colors. The musical score fits the movie perfectly (well, it was done by John Williams) and can stand alone as an orchestral masterpiece. The acting is also very good, and especially so for Richard Dreyfuss.

This film redefined the whole genre of aliens-visit-Earth. Before "Close Encounters", such movies had the aliens attacking us, the aliens appearing friendly but actually here for nefarious reasons, or the aliens being here for genuinely friendly reasons but we don't get it and end up attacking them. "Close Encounters" showed benign, intelligent aliens being met by benign, intelligent humans for information exchange and mutual gain. Of all the garbage and violence we've broadcast out into space (for everything seen on broadcast television is also transmitted Out There), I hope that any would-be visitors, if they exist, see this film before arriving. Even without understanding a word, they'll get the message: if you come in peace, you'll be received in kind. I'm not some fanatic who's convinced there is someone on the way, but, just in case there is, I hope we can respond as maturely and intelligently as this film portrays.


Even better on DVD, but...   January 22, 2002
 7 out of 9 found this review helpful

Close Encounters has just become No. 1 again in my favourite films of all time (Blade Runner was there for years) because of the DVD. The picture and the sound quality, especially, are amazing.
When you don't have time for the film, pop on disc 2 - the documentary is fascinating, as well as the numerous other bits.
just ONE caveate - I had no idea that in this version, they would not show the "inside the mother ship" sequence at the end. I was crushed!! Still worth getting though.