Close Encounters of the Third Kind

Synopsis: Two parallel stories are told. In the first, a group of research scientists from a variety of backgrounds are investigating the strange appearance of items in remote locations, primarily desert regions. In continuing their investigation, one of the lead scientists, a Frenchman named Claude Lacombe, incorporates the Kodály method of music education as a means of communication in their work. The response, in turn, at first baffles the researchers, until American cartographer David Laughlin deciphers the meaning of the response. In the second, electric company lineman and family man Roy Neary and single mother Jillian Guiler are among some individuals in Muncie, Indiana who experience some paranormal activity before some flashes of bright lights in the sky, which they believe to be a UFO. Roy becomes obsessed with what he saw, unlike some others, especially in some form of authority, who refuse to acknowledge their belief that it was a UFO in not wanting to appear crazy. That obsession bo
Genre: Drama, Sci-Fi
Director(s): Steven Spielberg
Production: Sony Pictures Releasing
  Won 1 Oscar. Another 14 wins & 38 nominations.
 
IMDB:
7.7
Metacritic:
90
Rotten Tomatoes:
95%
PG
Year:
1977
138 min
4,245 Views


Are we the first?

Are we the first to arrive here?

Is the interpreter with you?

I'm not a professional interpreter.

My occupation is cartography.

I'm a mapmaker.

Can you translate French into English

and English into French?

Yes, I explained to the team leader in

Villa Hermosa.

I'm just a little taken by surprise.

-tes-vous MonsieurLoglin?

-Laughlin, oui.

Oh, Laughlin. Pardon.

They're all there! All of them!

Check for landing marks!

Mr. Lacombe wants the numbers

off the engine blocks!

M-447148!

W-445529!

Number 445529, check!

Approximately 46 gallons

in the right tank!

Tell me something.

What's happening here?

-It's flight number 1 9!

-1 9 what?

It's that training mission from the

naval air station at Fort Lauderdale.

They were doing target runs

on an old hulk.

Who flies crates like these anymore?

No one! These planes were reported

missing in 1 945.

But it looks brand-new!

Where's the pilot?

I don't understand!

Where's the crew?!

How the hell did it get here?!

He says this guy's local.

He was here last night.

He saw it happen.

Sunburn?

He says the sun came out last night.

He says it sang to him.

Ernie, keep an eye on that point-out.

He's on 1 22.5.

I'll be right back.

Indianapolis Center, you have any

traffic for Air East 31?

Air East 31 , negative.

The only traffic I have is

a TWA L-1 01 1 in your 6:00 position...

...range 1 5 miles...

...and an Allegheny DC-9 in your 1 2:00

position, 50 miles.

Stand by. I'll take a look at

broadband, over.

Air East 31 has traffic 2:00,

slightly above and descending.

Air East 31 , roger.

I have a primary target

about that position now.

I have no known traffic.

Stand by, I'll check low, over.

Check and see if they know who it is.

Center, Air East 31.

The traffic's not lower than us.

He's 1:
00 now,

still above me and descending.

Air East 31 ,

can you say aircraft type?

Negative, Center, no distinct outline.

To tell you the truth,

the target is rather brilliant.

It has the brightest anti-collision

lights I think I've ever seen.

Alternating white to red.

The colors are striking.

Center, this is TWA 517.

Traffic now looks like

extra-bright landing lights.

I thought Air East

had his landing lights on.

It could be a satellite.

I have a primary target now

in your 1 0:
00 position...

...five miles, over.

Affirmative, 31.

The traffic is proceeding northeast.

No altitude readout.

Roger, Center. It doesn't appear

he'll be a problem.

He's going to descend

about 1500 feet below me.

Wait a second!

Stand by, one.

Okay, Center, Air East 31.

The traffic has turned.

He's heading formy windshield.

We're turning immediately.

Descend and maintain flight level 31 0.

Break Allegheny,

turn right 30 degrees.

Get on the horn to the 45th Recon Wing

and see what they're testing up there.

Do you have test operations

in restricted area 2508?

Air East 31, roger.

The traffic is luminous and

exhibiting non-ballistic motion.

Roger. Continue descent

at your discretion.

Okay, Center. Descent

at pilot's discretion is approved.

The traffic is approaching head-on,

ultra-bright and really moving.

And right by us! Right now!

Now that was really close.

Air East 31 is out of340....

Ask if they want to report officially.

TWA 51 7, do you want to report a UFO?

Over.

TWA 51 7, do you want to report a UFO?

Over.

Negative. We don't want to report.

Air East 31 ,

do you wish to report a UFO? Over.

Negative. We don't want

to report one either.

Air East 31 , do you wish to file a

report of any kind? Over.

I wouldn't know what kind

of report to file, Center.

Air East 31 , me neither.

I'll try to track traffic

to destination, over.

Barry?

Honey?

Barry!

Dad, do my problems for me.

I don't have to do your problems for

you. You do your problems for you.

That's why I graduated,

so I don't have to do problems.

I don't understand these fractions.

All right. What's one-third of 60?

That's a fraction.

I don't understand it.

All right, look.

Let's say...

...that this boxcar is 60 feet long.

And one-third is across

this switch here.

And now another train is coming.

How far do you have to move

this boxcar off the track...

...so that the other train

doesn't smash it?

Quickly, Brad, there are thousands

of lives at stake.

Brad, any answer.

Remember last weekend...

...you promised everybody a movie

this weekend?

Honey?

And you also promised Goofy Golf.

Roy, what is all this stuff

on my table?

I thought I told you

this was for my stuff.

I mean, you can have that table.

I don't want this on my table.

This can cause tetanus!

-What is this?!

-You know what's playing?

Pinocchio!

The kids have never seen Pinocchio.

You guys have never seen it.

You'll love it.

I don't believe this.

Who wants to go see

some dumb cartoon rated G for kids?

-How old are you?

-Eight.

-You want to be 9?

-Yeah.

Then you're gonna see Pinocchio

tomorrow night.

That's a wonderful way

to win over your children.

I'm not serious. I'm just saying

that I grew up with Pinocchio.

And if kids are still kids,

they're gonna eat it up.

Okay, I'm wrong.

I'm Wrong Roy, all right?

Toby! You are close to death!

Come out here!

I'll give you your choice.

I'm not gonna be biased in any way.

You can either play Goofy Golf, which

means a lot of waiting and pushing...

...or you can see Pinocchio...

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Steven Spielberg

Steven Allan Spielberg is an American film director, producer, and screenwriter. A figure of the New Hollywood era, he is the most commercially successful director of all time. more…

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Submitted on August 05, 2018

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