User blog:ARTaylor/40 Years of Close Encounters of the Third Kind

Yesterday marked the fortieth anniversary of the premiere of Close Encounters of the Third Kind. The film follows a group of people scattered across the world who begin searching for answers when they begin encountering unidentified flying objects. The film was a massive success with critics and at the box office becoming the third highest grossing film of 1977. It was praised for its innovative special effects and iconic music. The movie was nominated for eight Academy Awards and won one. It commonly ranks among the best movies ever made, with legendary writer Ray Bradbury calling it the best science fiction film ever made. The imagery and five note tune, that formed the basis of the soundtrack, have become major fixtures in popular culture being referenced in numerous other works.

The film features the talents of Lance Henriksen as Robert, the assistant to French government scientist Claude Lacombe as played by legendary director Francois Truffaut.