What’s So Great About ‘Close Encounters Of The Third Kind’?

You would think the question posed in the title of this piece would be easy to answer. The truth is, there’s a lot to love about Steven Spielberg‘s overshadowed, underrated 1977 science fiction picture. Bookmarked between the years when “Star Wars” and Ridley Scott‘s “Alien” gained wide acclaim in the realm of science fiction cinema, “Close Encounters Of The Third Kind” remains a classic and one of Spielberg’s most ambiguous and personal movies.

A video essay from ScreenPrism breaks down the reasons “Close Encounters” is one of Spielberg’s best, citing his exploration of inspiration, human connection, and religion in a modern context. Laden with metaphor and symbolism, “Close Encounters” personifies the cost of being an artist and the childlike wonderment of the world. Spielberg is able to comprise multiple readings of his film that all bear truth. Whether it is dealing with the exhaustiveness of suburban family life or the lack of communication between human beings, the takeaways are multifaceted and multidimensional.

One of only three films Spielberg both wrote and directed, the two other films being “The Sugarland Express” and “A.I. Artificial Intelligence,” the video essay sees “Close Encounters” as a leaflet from Spielberg’s life at the time. Seen in certain ways bearing likeness to David Lynch‘s “Eraserhead,” ‘Close Encounters’ finds Spielberg grappling with the artists’ dilemma; balancing domestic life with the passion and sacrifice necessary for artistry. Within the struggles of the artist, and in the context of Richard Dreyfuss‘ Roy Neary, there’s an essence of obsession. Explored more recently in the filmography of directors like Darren Aronofsky, obsession is a constant for Neary. But this theme is juxtaposed by the childlike whimsy featured both in ‘Close Encounters’ and in other Spielberg films, most notably “E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial.”

Above is a simple contextualization of the many facets and readings offered in “Close Encounters of the Third Kind.” The film is full of stunning visuals that add to and mirror the complexity and beauty the film bears in meaning. Break out your model train set and revisit this unique classic.