Blu-ray Review: Close Encounters of the Third Kind

THE MOVIE: 5 stars out of 5

Gee, has it really been 30 years already? I can still remember seeing this film in the theater and being in awe of the special effects and sound. This release has three separate versions of the film, the original released in 1977, the 1980 re-edited theatrical Special Edition and the 1998 Director’s Cut released in 1998 as the collectors edition. Bonus material includes a never-seen-before interview with Steven Spielberg created specifically for this release, a retrospective documentary and more. All three versions of the film are presented on one 50 GB Blu-Ray disc with the supplementary materials on second disc. The films are encoded with AVC with two hi rez audio options, Dolby True HD and DTS MA. How does the film hold up after all these years? Even after all these years, it is still a great film and well worth revisiting. Highly recommended.

THE VIDEO: 4 stars out of 5

The films are encoded with AVC and presented in their original aspect ratio of 2:35:1. I have this film on the Collectors Edition DVD and can state that I have never seen the film look better on home video. The Blu-Ray high def treatment does wonders for the film and it blows away the DVD in terms of picture quality. However, do not expect a stunning picture compared to more modern films. While color rendition is excellent and the black level more than adequate, the film has very heavy grain which is quite noticeable. While I have no issue with film grain as it is the result of the chemical process involved in making film, some may be taken aback by its presence here, especially in low light scenes. My main complaint with the look of the film is its overall softness. It is one of the softer looking Blu-Ray titles I have seen. This film clearly lacks the snap, pop and detail of the better high def releases on either format. I doubt that this is the result of the encode but is how the film looks on the master due to the choice of film stock and lighting conditions by the cinematographer. I can heartedly recommend this release for fans of the film as it is a significant upgrade over the DVD. Just don’t expect it to look like the best looking high def releases out there.

THE AUDIO: 4 1/2 stars out of 5

While the picture left a little to be desired in terms of sharpness, the same can’t be said of the audio which holds up very well. This is a fine audio presentation of the film. I listened to the True HD track as my player does not decode a full DTS MA track, only DTS HD. The dialogue on this release is well recorded and well placed in the mix. It is always discernible despite the more powerful audio presentations through the film. The dialogue track is never lost in the mix. The overall sound of the film is smooth and open with only the slight hint of shrillness in the high end which is noticeable when the track is cranked up to reference levels which required a drop in the rating. Bass is deep and tight and really packs a wallop where needed. The sound field is surprisingly very immersive given the age of the film. After listening to this film all these years later, it holds up quite well to more modern releases and it is easy to see why the audio received rave reviews all those years ago.

IN CONCLUSION

For fans of this film, this is a must have release. The film has without a doubt never looked or sounded better in the home. To be able to get three separate releases in one package is quite a deal and it enables you to see how subtle edits can shape the pace and overall feel of the film. Highly
recommended.

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