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I unironically love that Close Encounters of the Third Kind is obviously about Richard Dreyfuss's midlife crisis and that it ends with him getting away from his family and the movie celebrates this 100% unapologetically like it's the greatest thing of all time. There are perhaps other reasons to like Close Encounters of the Third Kind, but it's all just icing on the cake IMO. 
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Mar 24, 2021 12:15
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I think it came up in the E.T. thread, but E.T. is apparently possibly a stealth sequel to Close Encounters, which makes a point of the human protagonist not joining his alien buddy on space adventures since he spent the whole movie learning the importance of family even and especially in tough times.
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Mar 24, 2021 17:03
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I saw it at Devils Tower, which was cool, but I didn't think it was very good. I was also like 12 or something.
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Mar 24, 2021 20:07
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Was Devil's Tower not a famous landmark before Close Encounters? The movie acts like no one has ever heard of it before.
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Mar 25, 2021 12:54
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Its been a national monument since 1906. Its a striking looking thing, shame its in about as close to the middle of nowhere as actually exists.
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Mar 25, 2021 14:18
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I very much appreciate that the subtitles go out of their way to point out that the alien mothership starts playing the Jaws theme, though since it doesn't specify that it's a subtle winking fourth-wall-breaking reference I wonder if those hard of hearing might get the mistaken impression that the aliens have suddenly become hostile...
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Mar 25, 2021 16:07
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That just makes me think of the aliens just having seen the movie and liking the tune without really understanding the context, and the inevitable hilarious misunderstandings that result.
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Mar 25, 2021 17:48
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Mar 26, 2021 00:11
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Ghost Leviathan posted:That just makes me think of the aliens just having seen the movie and liking the tune without really understanding the context, and the inevitable hilarious misunderstandings that result.
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Mar 26, 2021 11:39
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SidneyIsTheKiller posted:I unironically love that Close Encounters of the Third Kind is obviously about Richard Dreyfuss's midlife crisis and that it ends with him getting away from his family and the movie celebrates this 100% unapologetically like it's the greatest thing of all time. Apparently Spielberg did regret that later, although thankfully the movie wasn’t edited post facto like his buddy George would have. One thing I’ve always wondered; I know the famous tone was supposed to be mathematical communication of some sort, but did they actually design it as something that could work as such or was it just a cool tune they picked with math as an excuse? Honestly I assume the latter, but I’m not sure really.
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Mar 27, 2021 14:55
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MadDogMike posted:Apparently Spielberg did regret that later, although thankfully the movie wasn’t edited post facto like his buddy George would have. As I said, apparently that inspired E.T. as basically a thematic counterpoint to his earlier movie, which I think is pretty drat rad. Could use more filmmakers who take an obviously evolving approach to stories.
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Mar 27, 2021 15:52
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MadDogMike posted:Apparently Spielberg did regret that later, although thankfully the movie wasn’t edited post facto like his buddy George would have. And of course the ironic thing about that statement (I'm sure you're aware) is that with Close Encounters Spielberg did the whole "Special Edition" re-release a good 15+ years before Lucas did. It was only recently that I watched the original version and realized I had only ever seen the Special Edition my whole life before this. With that as a possible bias I think I do prefer the Special Edition, it just has a better flow. The shot inside the mother ship isn't necessary but it's a very impressive effect for 1980 and the ship is so gigantic that there's still plenty left to the imagination so I don't think it hurts the end at all. MadDogMike posted:One thing I’ve always wondered; I know the famous tone was supposed to be mathematical communication of some sort, but did they actually design it as something that could work as such or was it just a cool tune they picked with math as an excuse? Honestly I assume the latter, but I’m not sure really. The five notes were conjured by John Williams from what I understand so I imagine the notes were chosen mostly for aesthetics, but hey for all I know Williams did create something that actually works out the way the movie says.
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Mar 27, 2021 17:43
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I just love the mothership because so much 70s and 80s sci-fi can all be cross-referenced with early Heavy Metal Magazine and while it's adolescent Boomer poo poo, there's just something about it that works.
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Mar 27, 2021 23:38
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SidneyIsTheKiller posted:And of course the ironic thing about that statement (I'm sure you're aware) is that with Close Encounters Spielberg did the whole "Special Edition" re-release a good 15+ years before Lucas did. I suppose I should have said "edited enough to change/ruin things in an effort to 'fix' the film", yeah, though my twisted mind is now imagining the Mothership shattering glass with a loud "Maclunky!"... quote:It was only recently that I watched the original version and realized I had only ever seen the Special Edition my whole life before this. With that as a possible bias I think I do prefer the Special Edition, it just has a better flow. The shot inside the mother ship isn't necessary but it's a very impressive effect for 1980 and the ship is so gigantic that there's still plenty left to the imagination so I don't think it hurts the end at all. Yeah, honestly it just added to the wonder really. quote:The five notes were conjured by John Williams from what I understand so I imagine the notes were chosen mostly for aesthetics, but hey for all I know Williams did create something that actually works out the way the movie says. To be fair it was the aliens that taught the humans that sequence, so maybe it WAS just meant as sounding cool and it was the humans reading too much into it  .
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Mar 28, 2021 05:51
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| # ? Apr 26, 2024 02:07 |
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Close encounters is a guilty pleasure because it features a Secret Government Agency that is Benevolent and Competent. It is the highest peak of Spielberg's happy ending saccharine bullshit. Our first actual contact will probably end with someone mooning the aliens for  , and them declaring exterminatus on us.
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Mar 29, 2021 23:00
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