Here, let me give you my full disclosure first, so there’s no confusion on where I’m coming from when analyzing this beloved film. Confession is always good for our cinematic soul.
Yes, I dearly love Steven Spielberg movies, and I especially love Close Encounters Of The Third Kind. I love aliens, sci-fi - DUH - and I love the awe inspiring craft, and the heart tugging mystical aliens who offer us cosmic friendship plucked from the far away stars. Who doesn’t love the stirring music score in Spielberg’s masterpiece? That musical greeting tune the scientists use to talk to the Mothership is near impossible to forget.
But there is something else which is even far more powerful.
Sorry, Steven, it’s not your expert direction nor the film’s landmark special FX which do it for me. Both are great, sure. It’s not the heart tugging moments, especially when the aliens make their grand appearance.
Of them all, for me, it’s the lead actor. In the end, Richard Dreyfuss makes the movie ride so uniquely powerful and special.
So why is Richard Dreyfuss the powerful transformational key to the iconic Close Encounters Of The Third Kind? Let’s discuss how one actor can properly sell a whole movie.
Richard Dreyfuss: The Magical Thing About 'Close Encounters Of The Third Kind'