CLOSE ENCOUNTERS OF THE THIRD KIND: SPECIAL EDITION

Close Encounters of the Third Kind: This Special Edition of a very popular film purports to offer what writer/director Steven Spielberg originally intended. The aftermath of Roy Neary going into the spaceship is very brief but rounds off the film. I didn't find the original persuasive because of the end, the gaps in explanation and the characterisation of Neary. This special edition is, at least, more persuasive. Cuts and additions give greater credibility to Neary's obsession as well as the effect of the encounters on him and his wanting to go to the Devil's Tower. This is a much smoother and tighter film than before - the editing helps it - though it remains a film for its devotees.

1. The popularity of this film in 1977-78, the atmosphere of Star Wars, space films? The advances in technology? Interest in U.F.O.s? The reality, the unreality, the hypotheses? Popular response? The work of Steven Spielberg? Awards? The decision to make a Special Edition - its popular commercial success? The value of a revised edition of a film? The omissions, the additions? The change in characterisation of Roy Neary, his family? The vision of U.F.O.s and meeting visitors from outer space? The entry into the spacecraft?

2. The technical bravura of the film: Panavision, location photography from Indiana to Wyoming, the deserts, Mexico, India? The special effects of the U.F.O. flights, landings? The Devil's Tower? The spacecraft centre? The flying of the visitors' spacecraft, its immensity, landing? The special effects for the inhabitants and their coming to meet the people of Earth? The inside of the spacecraft? The special sound effects? Musical score, use of old songs?

3. The film in the cinema tradition of science fiction: the early developments of science fiction and fantasy, B-grade productions, visitors from outer space, The Day The Earth Stood Still? Growing interest in U.F.O.s? Aliens? Exploration of space and contact? The mysterious disappearance of people? The possibilities of space exchange? The background of technology and jargon? The American film tradition of families, family arguments, the emphasis on children? Television background, the ten commandments, cartoons? Songs?

4. The breadth of scope of the background: Mexico and the discovery of the old planes, Claude Lacombe and his interpreter David Laughlin? The Gobi Desert and the ship? India and the melody? The discoveries of planes, ships? Lacombe's work and interpretation of the music? The importance of the sequence of getting frequencies and sounds on airport controls?

5. The character of Lacombe - and Francois Truffaut and the need for translation? His work, interest, his going around the world? The evidence of disappearance and rediscovery of planes and ships? His presence at the Devil's Tower? The cover at the tower? Training the exchange visitors? The interrogation of Roy, allowing him to go on the flight? His delight at the encounter with the visitors from space?

6. Roy Neary as an everyman figure? The average American? The detailed scenes of home life, relationship with his wife, children? His job? The ordinary man confronted by the extraordinary? The sense of vision, oddity of behaviour, his attempts at reassurance? The inner drive to seek what he didn't know? The interior shape of the Devil's Tower? The build-up of the home arguments, the effect on all the family, leaving home? (The different versions emphasised particular aspects of his drive: the shaping of the potato at the meal, the discussion about ice cream shapes, shaping the shaving soap, and in the original version building a huge mud model of the Devil's Tower in the living room?)

7. The build-up to the first encounter - the repercussions on blackouts, electric gadgetry working, toys moving, households being upset? The movement overhead and the brilliant light, the shaking of the railway booms? The burn on Roy's face? Roy almost killing Barry as he ran on the road? Finding the people waiting for the space ships? Sharing with them, returning different?

8. Gillian's story and her waking up, Barry and his delight, his wandering away, her being burnt in the face? Sharing with Roy? The impact of Barry disappearing?

9. The repercussions for Roy: excitement, drive, losing his job, seeming mad? His family arguments and departure? The neighbours watching? The parallel with Gillian and her obsession with drawing models of the Devil's Tower?

10. The film's use of horror techniques for shuddering rooms, eerie happenings in the households, lights and machines, televisions going on? The irony of the Devil's Tower on the television and the discovery of both Gillian and Roy of Wyoming?

11. The cover-up about Wyoming and the Devil's Tower, the elaborate mans taken, dead cattle, the escaped gas story, the huge evacuation scene? Making the impact of this evacuation larger than life? Media coverage?

12. Roy and Gillian and their compulsion to go to Wyoming? Roy and his driving, the maps? Meeting one another at the railway station? Their determination to go on, going through the gates, the fields? Running away from the helicopter and the guards, climbing the mountain? Their being taken and discovering that there was nothing wrong with the air? The others removing their gas masks? Coming down from the mountain and discovering the set-up for the space ships? The delight and anticipation of the huge event? The audience sharing their vision and anticipation?

13. The arrival of the spaceship and its enormous size, lights? The communication by music and the elaborate means taken? The opening up of the space ship and the disappearing people coming, including Barry coming back to his mother?

14. The preparation of the group going on board, the patriotic build-up, the priest blessing?

15. Roy and his delight, a type of visionary ecstasy, the picture of the creatures appearing and the way that the special effects presented them, partly human, partly eerie, gentle? An effective imagination of creatures from outer space? Their encountering the humans? Roy? Lacombe's delight?

16. The build-up for Roy going inside the space ship? The grandeur of the interior, lights, magnitude of size, music? Satisfying the audience about the inside of the alien space ship? A satisfactory ending to the film?

17. The success of the film: technical, a portrait of middle America and its vision, science fantasy of the future, science fiction?