Close Encounters Of The Third Kind

[MacGuffin]

Spielberg issues "Encounters" on DVD, Blu-Ray

Steven Spielberg's landmark "Close Encounters of the Third Kind" is coming to DVD ($40) and Blu-ray Disc ($50) on November 13, four days shy of the 30th anniversary of its 1977 theatrical opening.

The release marks the first time a Spielberg movie has been issued on high-definition disc, and it also is the first home video release of all three versions of the film: the 1977 original theatrical cut, the re-edited 1980 theatrical special edition and Spielberg's director's cut, released in 1998.

"Close Encounters of the Third Kind: 30th Anniversary Ultimate Edition" also includes a new interview with Spielberg, a retrospective documentary and, exclusive to the 50GB Blu-ray, new "storyboard-to-scene" comparisons and the original 1977 "Watch the Skies" featurette.

Through a process known as "seamless branching," the Blu-ray version contains all three films on a single disc. The process identifies the differences between each version of the film, segments the footage and then arranges it into three unique playlists so that footage used in all three films is only included on the disc once -- minimizing space requirements.

"Close Encounters" was nominated for eight Academy Awards, including best director, and won one, for cinematography. The Academy also gave a special achievement award to Frank Warner for sound effects editing.

The original theatrical cut of the film opened in 1977 and has never been released on video. Three years later, Spielberg released a re-edited version of the film -- first to theaters and then to videocassette -- in which he deleted several smaller scenes and added others, including a sequence showing Richard Dreyfuss inside the alien mother ship at film's end. In 1998, Spielberg made more changes to the film but restored the original ending, and "Close Encounters" went back out to theaters as well as DVD.

[MacGuffin]

[MacGuffin]

'Close Encounters' DVD trailer
Sony Pictures Home Entertainment has issued a DVD trailer for this November 13th's monumental release of "Close Encounters of the Third Kind: The Ultimate Edition" to DVD and Blu-ray.


Trailer

[SiliasRuby]

so was the new edition mac?

[MacGuffin]

talk like Yoda you do why?

[SiliasRuby]

Fuck, I forgot a word.

[Redlum]

I just finished watching this on the Bluray version. The effects are an awesome sight to behold at this level of clarity. The pureness of the colours emanating from the spacecraft and the way that light interacts with the environment is beautiful. Although, at times the resolution can work against some of the opticals; some of the shots are still far more breathtaking than the majority of todays CGI. Spielberg just knows how to suspend our disbelief even the shark looks fake.

What's great about this version is the ability to watch all three versions on the same disc via seamless branching. I've never seen the theatrical cut of the film and looking at the handy time-line insert on the back of the included theatrical poster, there are few things that interest me - particularly the scenes at Roy's power plant.

The film itself is still just as powerful as ever, to me. The look Dreyfuss gives as he turns around to say thank you to Lacombe and goodbye to Gillian, before he boards the ship, says it all.

[Sleepless]

I just finished watching this on the Bluray version. The effects are an awesome sight to behold at this level of clarity. The pureness of the colours emanating from the spacecraft and the way that light interacts with the environment is beautiful. Although, at times the resolution can work against some of the opticals; some of the shots are still far more breathtaking than the majority of todays CGI. Spielberg just knows how to suspend our disbelief even the shark looks fake.

There's a shark in CE3K? Be worth getting this set just to see that version. 

[Stefen]

Amazon has the two-disc of this on sale for $10 now, but I really want the three-disc. Is it worth an extra $5?

[Sleepless]

I just finished watching this on the Bluray version. The effects are an awesome sight to behold at this level of clarity. The pureness of the colours emanating from the spacecraft and the way that light interacts with the environment is beautiful. Although, at times the resolution can work against some of the opticals; some of the shots are still far more breathtaking than the majority of todays CGI. Spielberg just knows how to suspend our disbelief even the shark looks fake.

There's a shark in CE3K? Be worth getting this set just to see that version. 

Wow I was a dick 3 years ago.