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Close Encounters Of The Third Kind [VHS] [1978]

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Close Encounters Of The Third Kind [VHS] [1978]

VHS ~ Richard Dreyfuss

4.5 out of 5 stars See all reviews (33 customer reviews)

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4 new from �4.09 8 used from �0.01 3 collectible from �1.95

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Product details

Actors: Richard Dreyfuss, Fran�ois Truffaut, Teri Garr, Melinda Dillon, Bob Balaban
Directors: Steven Spielberg
Writers: Steven Spielberg, Hal Barwood, Jerry Belson, John Hill, Matthew Robbins
Producers: Clark L. Paylow, Julia Phillips
Format: PAL, Special Edition
Language English, French, Hindi, Spanish
Classification: PG
Studio: Cinema Club
VHS Release Date: 24 July 2000
Run Time: 127 minutes

Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars See all reviews (33 customer reviews)

ASIN: B00004U8NT
Amazon.co.uk Sales Rank: 49,349 in Video (See Bestsellers in Video)

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Product Description

Amazon.co.uk Review

Released in 1977, Close Encounters of the Third Kind was that year's cerebral alternative to Star Wars. It displays many qualities that distinguish it as the archetypal Spielberg movie: the fantasy-meets-reality storyline (to be developed further in ET of course); the struggling Everyman character (Richard Dreyfuss in one of his best roles) with an extraordinary destiny; the anonymous and apparently hostile government agents (long before The X-Files); the sense of childlike awe in the face of the magical and otherworldly; and a sweeping feel for epic filmmaking learned from the classic school of David Lean. Contributing not a little to the movie's overall success are the Oscar-winning cinematography from Vilmos Zsigmond, Douglas Trumbull's lavish effects, and an extraordinary score by John Williams that develops from eerie atonality à la Ligeti (a parallel with 2001) to the gorgeous sentiment of "When You Wish Upon a Star" over the end credits.

Not quite content with the final result, Spielberg tinkered with the editing and inserted some new scenes, including shots inside the mothership, to make a "Special Edition" in 1980 which ran three minutes shorter than the original. --Mark Walker

Synopsis

A repairman witnesses a close encounter and becomes obsessed by a strange shape. Includes a 16-page film companion.

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Customer Reviews

33 Reviews

5 star:		(25)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(3)

Average Customer Review

4.5 out of 5 stars (33 customer reviews)

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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

14 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Third Time Perfect, 3 Jan 2008

By	The Kinniburgh Kid (UK) - See all my reviews (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)

This review is from: Close Encounters Of The Third Kind (30th Anniversary Ultimate Edition) [DVD] [1977] (DVD)

I can still remember getting excited watching this for the first time.

It's still a great movie, classic Speilberg (loads of subtle domestic detail) and interesting to think how much of recent popular culture has its roots in this movie. Without this would we have had X Files, a new Dr Who or any number of non-combat, alien contact movies and TV series? Probably not.

Presented in a nice, but unfussy box, the three discs come with a booklet and fold out timelines so you can see what is different about the three versions without having to sit and watch them all with a stopwatch.

In fact, the new cut is the best - more build up, but less (in fact, none) of inside the mothership. Speilberg admits it was a mistake to put that in the Special Edition.

On a good 5.1 system with the volume turned up the musical "chat" between the synth guy and the mothership is even more schoolboy-exciting than I remember it being 30 years ago.

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6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Beauty of a Boxed Set.........., 22 April 2008

By	Ian Wantling "Ian Wantling" (The North West.) - See all my reviews (TOP 1000 REVIEWER) (REAL NAME)

This review is from: Close Encounters Of The Third Kind (30th Anniversary Ultimate Edition) [DVD] [1977] (DVD)

Aside from the contents, the presentation of this set is awsome in its own right. The box is opened by lifting the lid upwards which is held shut by a small magnetic strip. Once opened there is a ribbon which when pulled raises the contents for your perusal..... The 64 page book is full of photos and info of the production crew and cast and is a nice little read in itself.... the poster is double sided with the original cinema poster on one side and a comparitive timeline of all three versions of the movie on the other. This essentially explains the major differences and when they occur in each version......

All in all I feel this is one of the best box set issues I have ever bought...

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9 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars The Definitive Version!!!, 18 July 2007

By	nmollo (London) - See all my reviews (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)

This review is from: Close Encounters of the Third Kind--Collector's Edition (two discs) [DVD] [1978] (DVD)

"Close Encounters of a Third Kind -The Special Edition" is the definitive version of this very enjoyable movie. The final entrance by Richard Dreyfuss into the Mothership has been removed to the betterment of the whole and certain scenes that explore further his descend into madness have been restored. This film represents a Spielberg oozing with talent and confidence. The only reference he makes to another director is to Kubrick and these are in the first reel. After that we are left with Spielberg the visionary not the successful journeyman we have today.

At the time of release no one had seen anything like this on the big screen and I feel the film holds up remarkably well today. The effects are faultless and jaw dropping. The music is inspired and profound.

It is a shame Spielberg can't find that unselfconscious talent he once had in abundance and so produce another film of this quality in the new millennium. It is about time because he has made us suffer a lot in the last few years.

The DVD features the most in depth "Making Of" documentary of any film I have ever seen. It is nearly as long as the feature itself yet well worth watching. It is a shame that Spielberg and Dreyfuss could not find the time for a commentary track but I suppose everything had been covered in the documentary.

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Most Recent Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars Fantastic for any sci-fi fan!
I loved this film from the first day I saw it.

This ultimate set is the ultimate collection for a fan of the film. Read more

Published 1 month ago by Mr. M. W. Lawson

5.0 out of 5 stars close encounters of the third kind - collectors edition
close encounters is proberly one of the best films ever, the special effects are fantastic and was the best for its time when being made, the sounds are great and remeberable,... Read more

Published 1 month ago by Paul Taylor

5.0 out of 5 stars Close enough
Brilliant edition love the old school special effects , still stunning decades on , much better than all this CGI rubbish around at the moment, a classic movie BUY it.

Published 2 months ago by Billy Rubin

4.0 out of 5 stars Various options on this great film
I've always been a fan of this film, but only had it on VHS.
Now I can watch 3 versions of the same film, each with it's own style!

Published 3 months ago by Powersupply

1.0 out of 5 stars DID NOT BUY CLOSE ENCOUNTERS VIDEO
AN OUTDATED FILM THAT IS RATHER SLOW TO PROGRESS, BUT IS ENJOYABLE FOR CHILDREN TO WATCH.

Published 5 months ago by IAN

1.0 out of 5 stars Close encounters of the tut kind
I remember getting conned into watching this as a kid by my folks as ET wasn't available that weekend from the video store and feeling completely cheated and bored out of my box... Read more

Published 5 months ago by Specky

5.0 out of 5 stars Close encounters
Classic film but for some reason the menus don't work on my main dvd player, fine on everything else.

Published 8 months ago by Mark Pezzotta

1.0 out of 5 stars This means Silly
Special effects should be convincing, even when this was made, but relying on an upside down turned car and mashed tatties and dodgy miniatures spoils the story. Read more

Published 18 months ago by Ramsey Tupper Born Again

5.0 out of 5 stars cinema is best
If you had seen this film in the cinema when it first came out, it was absolutely spectacular. I came out of the cinema and immediately looked up to the sky expecting to see the... Read more

Published 19 months ago by Mrs. M. R. Fairbairn

5.0 out of 5 stars Greatest movie to embrace cinema history
Close Encounters of the Third Kind--Collector's Edition (two discs) [1978] in my books is the greatest movie to embrace cinema history. Read more

Published on 15 April 2007 by P. DATTA

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