Two years after “Jaws”, Steven Spielberg releases another movie with the brilliant Richard Dreyfuss, who stars as Roy Neary, a man unlucky enough to have seen something he can’t explain. Teri Garr co-stars as his wife, Roni, Melinda Dillon as Jillian Guiler, also unfortunate enough to see the same thing Roy sees, and French actor Francois Truffaut as Lacombe. Also included are Dreyfuss’ nephew, Justin, as his son, and an amazing performance by 3 1/2 year old Carey Guffey as Jillian’s son, Barry. Short appearances by Lance Henrikson and Carl Weathers, and guest appearances by Rev. Michael J. Dyer, and J. Allen Hynek (real-life UFO debunker/skeptic turned proponent) as themselves. Though a fictional story overall, many UFOlogists say this sci-fi classic is the most accurate depiction of UFO sightings and how they affect the experiencers’ lives (most often negatively).
Neary (Dreyfuss) gets the unfortunate call to check out the power outages from his job at the Indiana power company. This proves to be the event that changes his life and costs him everything. Even the “moonburn” doesn’t convince wife, Roni (Garr), that what he’s saying is real. It costs him his job, his family, his standing in the community, and his sanity. Keep your ears open for the subtle background conversations that tell you so much. Meanwhile, fellow experiencer (as some of them prefer to be called), Jillian (Dillon), has her own problems with her son, Barry. Not to give it away if you haven’t seen it, but the scene with her, Barry, and the visitors is a classic scene sure to terrify every parent. And, yes, all of those things that happen in that scene are often reported in events of that kind. Believe it or not!
Is it enough to talk about the superb acting of all involved, or the masterful directing of Spielberg, or do we know all of that already? Personally, I was surprised by the quality of special effects for a movie in 1977. The effects are good enough to stand up to all but the newest animation techniques (i.e. Avatar). In the scene where Neary first encounters the craft, the shadow of the craft and the lighting from it are unbeaten in realism. (And yes, what happens in his truck is commonly reported in similar real life cases, as well.)
Overall, this movie is classic for a reason. It is a theory among many UFOlogists that Spielberg had inside information on an actual government project dealing with extraterrestrial contact and that this movie is a fictionalization of that event. But that’s only theory… at least in theory! I highly recommend this movie for anyone looking for a realistic view of sightings and realistic experiences. The last half hour of the movie alone is worth buying the widescreen special edition… and a big screen TV!
~KIT