Review of Close Encounters of the Third Kind (1977) by Dallin V — 19 Sep 2010
This near-perfect piece of science-fiction pioneered the typical alien movie. Every "gimmick" seen will feel familiar because "Encounters" did it first. Richard Dreyfus is sufficiently believable as a devoted convert of the third kind, Roy Neary.
So much so, that he abandons his loving wife and kids to head to Wyoming in search of something greater. "This means something. This is important," he says repeatedly as he shapes his mashed potatoes to look like Devil's Point, the proposed landing site of Earth's alien visitors.
Along the way, Neary meets up with a woman who's young son was recently chosen to be taken aboard the mothership. Mr. Spielberg is a master at invoking terror whilst maintaining a firm grasp of his readers fascination.
Even as the aliens are invading this single mother's home, a scene that made even a grizzled veteran such as myself experience real anxiety, I couldn't look away. Again, "Encounters" is a necessary part of any film buff's repertoire.
This review of Close Encounters of the Third Kind (1977) was written by Dallin V on 19 Sep 2010.
Close Encounters of the Third Kind has generally received very positive reviews.
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