Close Encounters of the Third Kind (Collector's Edition)

Review by Thomas Glorieux:

The Spielberg train was rolling on wheels and anybody jumped onboard to taste the smell of success. The actors or simply the producers, or simply the composer of duty. Its of course no small composer but I bet John Williams would have had a harder time getting so much recognition if he simply worked on crappy movies such as Goldsmith was handling at that time (and still is). Of course John Williams was working on highly memorable Spielberg films and one was Close Encounters of the Third Kind, a still mesmerizing picture with special effects that haven't lost their touch still. Of course Close Encounters is one thing, the end explosion of the 5 note motif and that's it. Well yes and no. Yes, since its the only thing most people remember of the score after all the commotion has ended. But then you see the movie and you hear a score so fantastically in place with the scenes, its pure magic with the movie's visuals. And then you hear the score and you see that the effectiveness transcended to make a memorable score work as listening experience. Its Williams' effective touch that makes the score so grand, and like Star Wars and the others, its a score that lives without its counterpart on screen, but the film couldn't live a second without it when drawn away. And there you have it, why Close Encounters of the Third Kind is so treasured as all the others. Of course, its no score in the vein of Star Wars or any big classic score since its darker, less thematic in a way to be that memorable as Star Wars. But the quality is equally grand. Like the expressive opening with 'Opening: Let There be Light', a pure eerie opening with light female choir exploding briefly, leading way to the darker fanfares in the next 2 tracks, not far from the stuff that would appear in Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom later on.

The first part is rather dark, still unknown as to what we are seeing and the wonder is there for the second part. 'Roy's First Encounter' uses techniques out of Jaws, the pizzicato use while the beautiful mountain theme appears first fully in 'False Alarm', with additional soft female choir. 'Barry's Kidnapping' is a very effective piece using vocals (both male and female) and stuff that James Horner would use in Aliens for the gothic caves on LV-426. 'The Cover-Up' shows the military march and then you spot more themes then you possibly imagined first. A fantastic cue is 'TV Reveals' where the mountain theme receives brief but stunning choral support, leading further to tracks such as 'The Mountain' where it returns once more beautifully effective. 'The Escape' has a wonderful mountain theme in full orchestral mode while the alternate cue doesn't show a performance like that in the first place, but its still nice for having it on the disc. 'Trucking' shows a mighty orchestral rushing performance of the trumpets while 'Barnstorming' must truly be one of Williams' guilty pleasures. Utter dissonance and a mindblowing mix of choir through each other create magical effects nonetheless. The playful piece showing the light and the heavy five note in almost fully comedic effect lightens up 'Wild Signals' while the true finale is and will always be 'The Visitors / "Bye" / End Titles'. After countless minutes of waiting, you receive the big sendoff with the five note motif in true orchestral color, making the movie with the visuals of the mothership by then a feast for any movie and musical fan. It is this piece that people love and, like the movie, who are we to criticize them? But in all honesty, Close Encounters is more then that. The second part is actually one of stunning quality, with at times mesmerizing performances of the other themes and dissonant and choral strokes of genius together in amazing effect. I however don't embrace Close Encounters of the Third Kind like I embrace other classics, that's why I don't warrant the score to have the highest rating. But a score is a piece of art when it makes the movie better, and a classic on itself when the movie can't breath anymore without it. And that is Close Encounters of the Third Kind in all honesty.

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Tracks

Single Disc

1. Opening: Let There Be Light (0.46)

2. Navy Planes * (2.06)

3. Lost Squadron * (2.23)

4. Roy's First Encounter * (2.41)

5. Encounter At Cresendo Summit *+ (1.21)

6. Chasing Ufos ** (1.18)

7. False Alarm * (1.42)

8. Barry's Kidnapping ** (6.19)

9. The Cover-Up * (2.25)

10. Stars And Trucks ** (0.44)

11. Forming The Mountain * (1.49)

12. TV Reveals * (1.49) Excellent Track

13. Roy And Gillian On The Road (1.10)

14. The Mountain ** (3.31)

15. "Who Are You People?" * (1.35)

16. The Escape * (2.18) Excellent Track

17. The Escape (Alternate Cue) *+ (2.40)

18. Trucking **+ (2.01) Excellent Track

19. Climbing The Mountain ** (2.32)

20. Outstretch Hands * (2.47)

21. Lightshow * (3.43)

22. Barnstorming ** (4.25) Excellent Track

23. The Mothership ** (4.33)

24. Wild Signals ** (4.12)

25. The Returnees ** (3.45)

26. The Visitors *+ / "Bye" / End Titles **+ (12.32) Excellent Track

* Previously Unreleased

** Contains previously unreleased music

+ Not used in the film

Total Length: 77.21

The use of artwork or photos is posted for non profitable reasons

=== Link to Composer Site: John Williams ===