Some years ago I listed my favourite all-time film scores for the UK produced
magazine, Classic CD. I included John Williams's score for Steven
Spielberg's Close Encounters of the Third Kind in that list. This music is
still my favourite of all of Williams's brilliant scores. The original Arista
soundtrack recording LP has had a special place in my collection since its
release in 1978; it was stunningly recorded with the best musical selections
from the film. [Charles Gerhardt's suite from the film recorded with the
National Philharmonic Orchestra was also a treasured album. (It was issued
with a suite from Star Wars; since available on an RCA CD.)]. Now my old
LP has been superseded by this new collector's edition which not only brings
the original soundtrack music back in CD format but also boasts an extra
37 minutes of additional music which was either previously unreleased or
not used in the film.
The producers of this new album went back to the original recording sessions
of the score and selected a generous 78 minutes of music. The cues, given
in their entirety (even those that were shortened in the film), are presented
in the order they appear in the film to recreate the progression of the narrative
structure. Thus we hear the music that gives a sense of awe an mystery and
vivid evocation of the opening scene shrouded in a swirling desert sandstorm
as the lost planes form the 1940s are discovered in a condition as though
they had left their base only an hour before.
Later in "Roy's First Encounter" we hear the ambiguous shifting out-of-this-world
tonality that we associate with the aliens. These alien sonorities are developed
in the substantial and very impressive 6½-minute cue "Barry's Kidnapping"
the music takes on a menacing dimension for we are seeing their threat through
the young mother's eyes; she instinctively knows the little aliens are after
her son and the threat comes from every corner of the house; the chimney,
the ventilation grilles and at length through the cat flap. The music shimmers,
shifts, slithers, screeches; voices and instruments twist, turn and rise
swiftly away... It is also good to have the music which accompanies the young
mother and hero Richard Dreyfuss to the tower shaped mountain rendezvous.
Williams's music with its driving rhythms splendidly and sympathetically
conveys their rising excitement and anxiety. In "The Mountain" cue containing
previously unreleased material, their overwhelming sense of wonder as they
first see the Devil's Tower is palpable as the music reaches (with the addition
of women's wordless chorus) an ecstatic climax but the elation is mixed to
with a sense of tragedy and regret as the pair pass animals struck down dead
(or drugged). In "The Cover Up" Williams uses snare drums, timpani and bass
drums up front to underscore the ruthless efficiency of the military machine
in deterring public interest in the alien's impending visit.
But it is of course, the music for the climactic meeting with the aliens
which everybody anticipates starting form the point when Dreyfuss reaches
the rendezvous point on the other side of the mountain and the smaller space
craft swoop down. Here we have 30 minutes of Williams's remarkable music
which brilliantly captures and makes credible the amazing series of events.
Starting with the swooping down of the advance guard of smaller space craft
Williams conjures music that underscores the vivid colour and brilliant lights
of the space vehicles and parallels their breathlessly swift trajectories.
The arrival of the giant "Mothership" begins as something of a concerto for
the orchestras bass instruments the music rising through the orchestra as
it descends through the clouds passes majestically over the mountain and
reverses itself for touchdown. Then we have the almost comical interchange
of data between the mothership and the base's electronic console commencing
with that famous five-note figure. It is interesting to note that Williams
achieved this dialogue using acoustic instruments only ( probably double
bassoon, bass trombone and tuba for the mother ship's contribution). The
last sequence "The Visitors/Bye/End Titles, represented her with 12 minutes
of material includes material not used in the film. It covers of course those
last very affecting scenes as the tall stick-like alien waves goodbye and
the mothership leaves. Williams responds with really inspired music which
truly uplifts the soul and spirit. All is perfect, the allusion to When You
Wish Upon a Star is kept subtle and oblique. Unhappily the music that was
not included in the film and very wisely was an overt reference to the song
which brings you crashing back to earth with a bang. My advice is to slowly
drop the volume when you get to about 10:20 in this last cue and switch off.
Nevertheless a wonderful souvenir of what must be for many a treasured cinematic
experience.
It is very attractively presented in chrome etched packaging with a sumptuously
produced well illustrated, full colour booklet with notes about John Williams's
work on the score and an interview with the composer.
And a review of the associated video:-
CLOSE ENCOUNTERS OF THE THIRD KIND - THE COLLECTOR'S EDITION
This video is presented in the same design and chrome etched packaging as
the CD so that they are effectively a matched pair. But the rub is that who
wants it except the Close Encounters fanatics (all right I will admit to
being numbered among them). We have had Close Encounters videos in normal
ratio then wide screen editions then digitally enhanced editions and now
this special edition. So what's really special about it? Well the main thing
is that you gain the 15 minute documentary about the making of the film tacked
onto the end. But you also loose the scenes in the mother ship which has
distinguished most other editions. So has Spielberg now decided that his
definitive edition should be sans these scenes? He is interviewed for this
documentary on the set of Saving Private Ryan. He first of all talks about
his childhood experience of being taken out in the middle of the night by
his father to see the spectacle of a meteor shower. It was this experience
he says that prompted his desire to make sci-fi pictures like Close Encounters
and E.T. Later in the interview he talks about his youthful naivety and idealism
of twenty years ago when he made the film. Now that he is older and maturer
he would make the film quite differently, he claims. He says that he would
never allow the Dreyfuss character to become so obsessed with his encounter
and cause his family so much distress and allow them to leave home so that
he could pursue his dream and go off in an alien spaceship. He chose to make
the Dreyfuss a very ordinary guy so that the majority could identify with
him. In my opinion that was the main weakness of the film; he was too much
of a nerd and his family were pretty obnoxious too. I would like to respectfully
suggest to Mr Spielberg that he should have another go at Close Encounters
but that he might consider starting from the premise that there were other
mothership's making other rendezvous at the same time so that he could invent
another set of main characters and use today's computer-based technology
to enhance the same basic story (maybe taking it a little further to hint
at the aliens short/long term purpose) but, please, giving the equivalent
Dreyfuss character more dignity, sensitivity and intelligence. Interestingly
the documentary includes comment by Richard Dreyfuss who was attracted to
the film because of its noble theme and its idea of suggesting that we are
not alone but that we probably have nothing to fear and that the aliens could
be friendly. This concept broke new ground. The two female leads also contribute
thoughts; Melinda Dillon noting the extreme heat when they were filming Garry's
abduction scenes. The actor who played Garry, now a young man, is also seen.
Douglas Trumball talks about the visual effects for which he was responsible.
He says that Spielberg wisely wanted to get away from the conventional flat
saucer-like images to make the space-craft seem more credible. When Spielberg
saw the lights of a huge oil refinery he hit on the idea of making the mother
ship look like a huge city in the sky. John Williams appears briefly just
to explain how the five note theme was developed.
Think twice about spending money on this special edition if you already have
the digitally enhanced wide screen version of the film. This edition is not
all that special
Reviewer
Ian Lace
The Collector's Edition
Soundtrack
