Close Encounters of the Third Kind
“We are not alone.”
After an encounter with UFOs, an electricity linesman feels undeniably drawn to an isolated area in the wilderness where something spectacular is about to happen.
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Cast
59 people
Richard Dreyfuss
Roy Neary
Known for
Jaws
American Graffiti
John Williams
music
Also in
Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker
Star Wars: A Musical Journey
François Truffaut
Claude Lacombe
Known for
The Wild Child
The Green Room
Teri Garr
Ronnie Neary
Known for
Dumb and Dumber
Tootsie
Melinda Dillon
Jillian Guiler
Known for
A Christmas Story
Harry and the Hendersons
Bob Balaban
David Laughlin
Known for
Isle of Dogs
Best in Show
J. Patrick McNamara
Project Leader
Known for
Blow Out
Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure
Warren J. Kemmerling
Wild Bill
Known for
Family Plot
Godzilla 1985
Roberts Blossom
Farmer
Known for
Home Alone
Escape from Alcatraz
Phil Dodds
ARP Musician
Cary Guffey
Barry Guiler
Known for
Why Did You Pick On Me?
Night Shadows
Shawn Bishop
Brad Neary
No other roles listed
Steven Spielberg Director · John Williams Composer Douglas Slocombe Cinematographer
Worldwide gross $307M · Budget $20M · United States release December 14, 1977
Box office
Budget
$20,000,000
Worldwide gross
$306,889,114
Gross vs. budget
15.3×
Production
Julia Phillips and Michael Phillips Productions
Production
Columbia Pictures
Production · Studio
EMI Films
Production
United Kingdom · United States
Produced in
The Close Encounter of the Third Kind · Watch the Skies
Working titles
Languages
Original language
English
Spoken on screen
English · French · Hindi · Spanish
Release dates
United States · November 15, 1977
Premiere · New York, New York
United States · December 14, 1977
Theatrical
United States · November 26, 1990
Physical · The Criterion Collection Special Edition LaserDisc
United States
November 18, 1977 · Premiere · Los Angeles, California
January 1, 1993 · Physical · VHS
May 12, 1998 · Physical · The Collector's Edition VHS
July 14, 1998 · Physical · The Collector's Edition LaserDisc
May 29, 2001 · Physical · Two-Disc Collector's Edition DVD
November 13, 2007 · Physical · 30th Anniversary Ultimate Edition Blu-ray / DVD
September 19, 2017 · Physical · 40th Anniversary Edition 4K Ultra HD / Blu-ray
Argentina
March 9, 1978 · Theatrical
Australia
March 16, 1978 · Theatrical
Brazil
December 24, 1977 · Theatrical
Canada
February 4, 2010 · Theatrical
Denmark
March 3, 1978 · Theatrical
France
February 24, 1978 · Theatrical · Visa CNC 53377
Germany
March 5, 1978 · Premiere · Berlin International Film Festival
Greece
March 9, 1978 · Theatrical
Hungary
April 8, 1981 · Theatrical
Ireland
March 24, 1978 · Theatrical
Italy
February 24, 1978 · Theatrical
Japan
February 25, 1978 · Theatrical
Mexico
March 9, 1978 · Theatrical
Netherlands
March 13, 1978 · Theatrical
April 16, 1981 · Theatrical · Re-release
August 27, 2002 · TV · V8
October 20, 2005 · Physical · DVD
October 24, 2011 · Physical · Blu ray
Poland
May 30, 1979 · Theatrical
Portugal
March 17, 1978 · Theatrical
Romania
December 14, 1977 · Premiere
South Korea
December 25, 1978 · Theatrical
Spain
March 17, 1978 · Theatrical
Sweden
February 24, 1978 · Theatrical
April 15, 1982 · Physical · VHS
July 5, 1989 · TV · SVT
June 15, 2001 · Physical · DVD
December 5, 2007 · Physical · Blu-ray
September 25, 2017 · Physical · 4K Ultra HD
Türkiye
December 20, 1985 · Theatrical
United Kingdom
March 13, 1978 · Theatrical · Original Classification: A (Advisory)
September 18, 1980 · Theatrical · Original Classification: A (Advisory)
June 5, 1992 · Physical
August 12, 1998 · Physical
June 10, 1999 · Physical
December 3, 2007 · Physical · Blu-ray
August 29, 2017 · Theatrical · (Re-release)
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