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Close Encounters of the Third Kind
1977 137 min United Kingdom, United States of America PG 12+
★8.3
Science Fiction, Drama
Director: Steven Spielberg
Trailers
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Description
After an encounter with UFOs, an electricity linesman feels undeniably drawn to an isolated area in the wilderness where something spectacular is about to happen.
Budget:
$20M
US Gross:
$135.19M
Worldwide:
$306.89M
Starring
Richard Dreyfuss
Actor
François Truffaut
Actor
Teri Garr
Actor
Awards
Saturn Awards 1978
— Best Director
Academy Awards 1978
— Best Cinematography
Saturn Awards 1978
— Best Original Score
Saturn Awards 1978
— Best Actress
Academy Awards 1978
— Best Film Editing
Saturn Awards 2008
— Best Special DVD Edition
Saturn Awards 1978
— Best Director
Academy Awards 1978
— Best Cinematography
Academy Awards 1978
— Best Visual Effects
BAFTA 1979
— Best Sound
Saturn Awards 1978
— Best Original Score
Saturn Awards 2002
— Best DVD Edition of a Classic Film
Saturn Awards 1978
— Best Screenplay
Saturn Awards 1978
— Best Actor
Golden Globe 1978
— Best Screenplay
BAFTA 1979
— Best Screenplay
Academy Awards 1978
— Best Production Design
Academy Awards 1978
— Best Sound
Academy Awards 1978
— Best Supporting Actress
Academy Awards 1978
— Best Original Score
Golden Globe 1978
— Best Picture (Drama)
Golden Globe 1978
— Best Director
Golden Globe 1978
— Best Original Score
Saturn Awards 1978
— Best Visual Effects
Academy Awards 1978
— Special Achievement Award
Academy Awards 1978
— Best Director
Saturn Awards 1978
— Best Science Fiction Film
BAFTA 1979
— Best Production Design
BAFTA 1979
— Best Supporting Actor
BAFTA 1979
— Best Film Editing
BAFTA 1979
— Anthony Asquith Award for Film Music
Key opinion
Close Encounters of the Third Kind is widely regarded as a seminal science fiction masterpiece that redefined the alien encounter genre by prioritizing wonder and curiosity over traditional conflict. While its status as a classic is firmly established, contemporary viewers are sometimes divided by its methodical pacing and the perceived lack of emotional depth in its character arcs.
| Ending | The breathtaking, visionary climax stands as one of the most iconic and emotionally resonant sequences in cinema history. | |
| Production | The film features innovative, timeless practical visual effects that hold up remarkably well and create a sense of grounded realism. | |
| Originality | Spielberg effectively shifts the genre paradigm by portraying extraterrestrials as benevolent, mysterious explorers rather than standard antagonistic invaders. | |
| Pacing | The film’s deliberate, contemplative 1970s pacing rewards patient viewers with atmosphere, while others find it to be slow and exhausting. | |
| Acting | Critics are divided on the protagonist's journey, with some praising Dreyfuss’s portrayal of obsession and others finding the character unsympathetic or inadequately developed. | |
| Screenplay | The screenplay is criticized by some for being speculative and lacking clear answers, leaving plot points like the purpose of communication unresolved. |