Close Encounters of the Third Kind (1977) — The Arrival

Steven Spielberg’s Close Encounters of the Third Kind changed the modern science fiction film forever. In this episode of Spielberg Reloaded, we explore how Spielberg turned UFO obsession, government secrecy, suburban paranoia, and spiritual wonder into one of the defining movies of the 1970s. Richard Dreyfuss stars as Roy Neary, an ordinary man whose encounter with an unidentified flying object destroys his normal life and pulls him toward Devils Tower. We examine the film’s groundbreaking visual effects, John Williams’ iconic score, François Truffaut’s performance, the influence of real UFO culture in America, and why Close Encounters remains one of Spielberg’s most personal films.A.I. was used to help with narration and creative elements of our scripts.