Film Review - Close encounters of the Third Kind (1977)

 Figure 1

Close Encounters is at first what appears to be about aliens and life outside of our solar system. It appears to be an epic of discovery and gaining knowledge which is currently light-years ahead of us. Once the surface is scratch, the majority of "The film is more of a drama with conspiracy thriller overtones." (Sobczynski, 2017) suggests, which is arguably what the majority of the film is concerning, the plot to evacuate the area of Wyoming due to 'nerve gas', along with keeping the public in the dark about certain things, interrogation and deportation are possibly factors in the conspiracy which can be likened to many events concerning government in real life. This makes the film arguably very relatable to the audience, and lends weight to the narrative because there is a connection resonating with our own curiosity and primal urges from sentience which drives us to constantly learn, question why and ask ourselves what our place in the universe means. 

Figure 2

The sound score in Close Encounters is remarkable and serves to enhance the experience, "It’s the perfect accompaniment to Spielberg’s wondrous, awe-inspiring movie." (guzman, 2017), convincingly so as mood and pace would struggle to be set as is intended without the use of the sound. There is something which fills the audience with joy and listening to the music cunningly created from the aliens spacecrafts diegetic sound. Imagining a space faring species which communicates through the use of music is totally whimsical and joyful. 

Figure 3

It's arguable that the reason we enjoy this film so much is the ability we possess to in some way relate to the protagonist, "It turns you, the viewer, alongside Roy, into a preoccupied, vision-driven auteur, and you can forget about that noisy, mundane domestic life in Muncie." (Phillips, 2017) Phillips suggests, we do this because the addition of the frontal lobe in our brain (which sets us apart from animals and arguably the reason we have 'sentience') allows us to wonder and forward think a scenario. This drives our hunger for knowledge and greases the wheels of evolution. We long to be fascinated and inspired. This is exactly what Spielberg hands us on a plate.  

Bibliography:

Phillips, M. (2017). ‘Close Encounters’: Messy as it is, it means more to me than 'Star Wars' ever did. [online] chicagotribune.com. Available at: http://www.chicagotribune.com/entertainment/movies/sc-mov-close-encounters-40th-anniv-0831-2017-story.html [Accessed 1 Mar. 2018].

Guzman, R. (2017). ‘Close Encounters’ still soars 40 years later. [online] Newsday. Available at: https://www.newsday.com/entertainment/movies/close-encounters-of-the-third-kind-review-steven-spielberg-s-classic-still-mesmerises-1.14102669 [Accessed 1 Mar. 2018].

Sobczynski, P. (2017). Close Encounters of the Third Kind Movie Review (1980) | Roger Ebert. [online] Rogerebert.com. Available at: https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/close-encounters-of-the-third-kind-2017 [Accessed 1 Mar. 2018].

Illustrations:

Figure 1 - Close Encounters of the Third Kind (1977) [Film] - Steven Speilberg: Columbia Pictures

  

Figure 2 - Close Encounters of the Third Kind (1977) [Film] - Steven Speilberg: Columbia Pictures

igure 3 - Close Encounters of the Third Kind (1977) [Film] - Steven Speilberg: Columbia Pictures