Close Encounters of the Third Kind

Although Close Encounters of the Third Kind: The Collector's Edition on DVD suffers a bit from graininess and slightly muted colors (in some scenes), these are a) minor and b) really minor concerns to rabid fans of this 1977 sci-fi tale of alien "contact" that focuses on one man's tortured odyssey (Richard Dreyfus as everyman Roy Neary) to unlock the mystery behind a vision that draws him and others towards Arizona's Devil's Tower to meet the future. One of the weakest films (IMHO) in the admittedly very high caliber Spielberg oeuvre (whether the original, the "special edition" or this 1998 re-edited third version), this edition's subwoofer shaking Dolby Digital 5.1 or DTS audio, combined with a solid second disc (including a compelling 101 minute "making of" documentary and several deleted scenes), makes this well worth the watch--even for the non-faithful. Highly recommended. (R. Pitman)[DVD Review—Nov. 27, 2007—Sony, 3 discs, 404 min., PG, DVD: $39.95, Blu-ray: $49.95—Making its third appearance on DVD, 1977's Close Encounters of the Third Kind (30th Anniversary Ultimate Edition) boasts a great transfer and features both DTS and Dolby Digital 5.1 surround sound. The set compiles three different versions of the film: the “Original Theatrical Version” (135 min.), the “Special Edition” (132 min.), and the “Director's Cut” (137 min.). DVD extras include a 106-minute “making-of” documentary spread across the three discs, the 22-minute retrospective featurette “Steven Spielberg: 30 Years of Close Encounters,” a six-minute “Watch the Skies” archival 1977 featurette, a feature comparison poster, a collector's booklet, and trailers. In addition to boasting superior image and sound qualities, the Blu-ray version also features some exclusive extras, including a whopping “Storyboard Comparisons” section (with numerous stills galleries). Bottom line: whether in standard DVD or Blu-ray, this is truly the definitive release of Spielberg's popular film.][Blu-ray Review—Oct. 3, 2017—Sony, 132 min., PG, $19.99—Making its latest appearance on Blu-ray, 1977's Close Encounters of the Third Kind features a great transfer and a DTS-HD 5.1 soundtrack. This release includes three versions of the film (theatrical, special edition, and director's cut) and “A View From Above” viewing option which provides pop-up graphics pointing out the differences in each version. Extras new to this release include “Three Kinds of Close Encounters” with all-new interviews (22 min.) and “Steven's Home Videos & Outtakes” by director Steven Spielberg (6 min.); extras carried over from previous editions include a “making-of” documentary (102 min.), a “Steven Spielberg: 30 Years of Close Encounters” retrospective featurette (22 min.), a storyboard comparison (22 min.), deleted scenes (20 min.), a 1977 “Watch the Skies” archival featurette (6 min.), and a photo gallery. Also included is a bonus UltraViolet copy of the film. This is also available in a 4K edition priced at $30.99. Bottom line: Spielberg's sci-fi classic shines in this handsome, extras-filled edition.]