Close Encounters of the Third Kind - A Movie Review

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"Close Encounters of the Third Kind" is a science fiction movie that was released in 1977. It was written and directed by Steven Spielberg. The Third Kind is "human observation of aliens or "animate beings". CAST Richard Dreyfuss - Roy Neary Francois Truffaut - Claude Lacombe Teri Garr - Ronnie Neary Melinda Dillon - Jillian Guiler Bob Balaban - David Laughlin J. Patrick McNamara - Project Leader Warren Kemmerling - Wild Bill Roberta Blossom - Farmer Philip Dodds - Jean Claude Carl Guffey - Barry Guiler Somewhere in the Sonora Desert cartographer and interpreter, David Laughlin, meets Claude Lacombe, a French scientist. Along with other government scientific researchers, they discover Flight 19, a squadron of Grumman TBM Avengers that disappeared more than 30 years ago in the Bermuda Triangle. There are no signs of the pilots; but the planes are fully functional. An old man who witnessed the event said that "the sun came out at night and sang to him". In Indianapolis, Indiana, two airline flights barely miss a collision with a UFO. The pilots are invited to make a report of a UFO sighting; but each declines to do so. In Muncie, Indiana, 3-year-old Barry Guiler's toys come to life. He gets up, discovers something off-screen in the kitchen, then runs outside with his mother, Jillian, chasing him. Indiana electrical lineman, Roy Neary, is investigating one of several large power outages. Roy is parked near a railroad crossing gate when a UFO flies overhead. He gets burned on the side of his face by the window and mailboxes and crossing signals sound, rattle and sway back and forth. Deciding to chase it, he almost hits Barry and Jillian. Shortly thereafter more craft appear overhead; and Neary gives chase along with several police cars. The UFOs fly out over the cliff and up into some storm clouds. Just then the lights of the city come back on. Roy can't wait to tell his wife, Ronnie, about his experience; but she dismisses it, even when he shows her his face. He soon becomes obsessed with images of a mountain-like shape and begins to sculpt it in shaving cream and mashed potatoes. Frustrated he yells, "What is it?" Jillian becomes obsessed with sketching the illusive "mountain" as well. Soon after a UFO swoops down on her house. The energy field makes the appliances malfunction; and Barry is abducted by unseen beings. This is an excellent, excellent movie; and if you've never seen it, you definitely should put it on your list. The screenplay is top-notch; and the actors have been chosen with great care. There is plenty of action and suspense to keep your interest throughout the whole movie. The movie achieved critical and box office success. The budget was $20 million; and the box office take was $306.1 million. The film received numerous awards and nominations from the 50th Academy Awards, 32nd British Academy Film Awards, 35th Golden Globe Awards, the 5th Saturn Awards and was acclaimed by the American Film Institute. This one gets 5 stars out of 5 from me. This movie is rated PG. Photo Credit: Pixabay