'Close Encounters of the Third Kind' 40th anniversary re-release review

Close Encounters of the Third Kind

While the box office has certainly slowed down these past few weeks in August and there aren’t many new or exciting wide releases coming out, Sony Pictures has wisely used this time to re-release the Steven Spielberg 1977 classic Close Encounters of the Third Kind to celebrate its 40th anniversary.

Close Encounters of the Third Kind is an original sci-fi tale that tells the story of a man named Roy Neary (Richard Dreyfuss) and his encounters with extra-terrestrial beings. After seeing what he believes is a U.F.O. in the sky one night, Roy becomes obsessed with trying to determine what these beings are and what they want for him — despite his family believing him to be totally insane.

The film doesn’t dive too deep into the science-fiction element — we aren’t taken to other planets or galaxies that are far far away. Rather, it’s a story about what an alien encounter might look like from the perspective of someone who doesn’t want to believe in aliens — which is then accompanied by family drama and mental breakdowns, all of which the script balances well.

RELATED: Top 10 Steven Spielberg Films

The movie is masterfully directed and written by Spielberg, this being his follow up to 1975’s Jaws — which was Spielberg’s big breakout film in Hollywood. The effects and storytelling still hold up to this day — being able to see it on a big screen again is something you’re not going to want to miss — and Richard Dreyfuss delivers one of his more memorable performances through this film.

Along with the screening, Sony Pictures also released a short behind-the-scenes video on the making of Close Encounters of the Third Kind that played before the film, which even included some of Spielberg’s home videos he took on the set.

Watch the trailer for the re-release below, and let us know if you're going to go see it in theaters this weekend.

 

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