Close Encounters of the Third Kind: The Making of Steven Spielberg's Classic Film

by Ray Morton

Book Overview

"Morton has written the definitive book on this innovative movie by Steven Spielberg...Meticulous research of this caliber is not found in other books on Close Encounters. Fans will find Morton's take informative and fascinating." - Library Journal. Steven Spielberg's 1977 masterpiece used all of the power and magic of cinema to tell a story of man's first meeting with extraterrestrial beings. Renouncing the fear and pessimism of the day, writer/director Spielberg boldly envisioned this as a peaceful, spiritual event full of hope and possibility. This awe-inspiring message made a powerful impact on audiences desperate for something to believe in. The film was a massive box-office hit and revolutionized the movie industry; along with Star Wars, it helped to create the modern blockbuster and ushered in a new era of hi-tech effects. Based on in-depth research and the recollections of many of the film's principal creators, Close Encounters is the first book to chronicle the making of this classic film from its inception through its tumultuous production to its many releases in "special" editions. The book features new interviews with star Teri Garr, producer Michael Phillips, photographic effects supervisor Douglas Trumbull, production designer Joe Alves, and several cinematographers, screenwriters, and special-effects legends. John Hill, Jerry Belson, Hal Barwood, and Matthew Robbins; and special effects legends Richard Yuricich, Robert Swarthe, Dennis Muren, Scott Squires, Greg Jein, and Rocco Gioffre.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1557837104
• ISBN13: 9781557837103
• Release Date: November 2007
• Publisher: Applause Books
• Length: 382 Pages
• Weight: 0.05 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.0" x 6.5" x 9.0"

Customer Reviews

enjoyed the book

I liked this book very much. I have been involved in film work and digital imaging for years and enjoyed the technical descriptions of the difficult effects work. One of my favorite films and this book helped me appreciate the effort of all involved.

A remarkable tome

Ray Morton has done the impossible..He has managed to convey a movie that is so particular an experience in sound and vision, as to be almost inexpressible in words. This is an extraordinary book! The detail is vast and comprehensive, and written by a man who fell in love with this Spielberg-jewel as a child. His affection pours from every paragraph of this 383 page love letter to CE3K. I cannot think of any error in fact or judgement Mr. Morton has made. A flawless chronicle! The choice of photographic material is all rare and from personal archive. The interviews are soo many as to be dazzling. I never would have imagined that Ray Morton was not actually there, way back in 1977! And for that achievement alone.. this book is a marvel.

An excellent read

One can tell that Mr. Morton is not just a wonderful writer, but an great fan of Mr. Spielberg and "Close Encounters." He delves into the movie so completely that you almost feel you were there when the movie was being made. This is not just a great book for Spielberg fans, but should be a must read for all film students out there.

A WELL-DETAILED LOOK INTO A SCI-FI CLASSIC

I literally grew up on Spielberg's early films and was lucky enough to enjoy in my youth such classics as JAWS (an all-time fave), E.T. and CLOSE ENCOUNTERS. I can't put into words how amazing it was to see these films in a theatre with a fresh audience. Most prominent in my mind is CLOSE ENCOUNTERS for the simple fact that I got to see it at one of the best movie houses in L.A. -- The Cinerama Dome in Hollywood which featured a massive, arched screen (this was decades before IMAX) and incredible sound system. Ray Morton has been able to bring back such fond moviegoing memories with his well detailed book on CLOSE ENCOUNTERS OF THE THIRD KIND that explores virtually every aspect of this movie's genesis. I felt like a kid again as I found myself reliving an incredible movie that has stood the test of time. And now there is a book to stand proudly at its side. I should also mention that Mister Morton has another book called KING KONG: THE HISTORY OF AN ICON that I also found very entertaining and taught me pretty much every thing there is to know about the furry icon.

great research!

This is an exhaustive supplement to existing books that cover this movie. It surprisingly goes into step by step detail over the effects.