US (1977): Adventure/Drama/Sci-Fi
Steven Spielberg followed Jaws (1975), his first major box-office success, with this epic science fiction adventure about a disparate group of people who attempt to contact alien intelligence. Roy Neary (Richard Dreyfuss) is an electrical lineman who, while sent out on emergency repairs, witnesses an unidentified flying object, and even has a "sunburn" from its bright lights to prove it. Neary's wife and children are at first skeptical, then concerned, and eventually fearful, as Roy refuses to accept a "logical" explanation for what he saw and is prepared to give up his job, his home, and his family to pursue the "truth" about UFOs. Neary's obsession eventually puts him in contact with others who've had close encounters with alien spacecraft, including Jillian (Melinda Dillon), a single mother whose son disappeared during her UFO experience, and Claude Lacombe (celebrated French filmmaker François Truffaut), a French researcher who believes that we can use a musical language to communicate with alien visitors. Lacombe's theory is put to the test when a band of government researchers and underground UFO enthusiasts (including Neary) join for an exchange with alien visitors near Devil's Tower, Wyoming. The cast also features Teri Garr, Bob Balaban and Lance Henriksen.
In 1980, a "Special Edition" was released. While its primary selling point was the addition of scenes inside the alien spaceship, Spielberg claimed that he also cleaned up some choppy editing in the second act. (EMI, Columbia) (Mark Deming, All Movie Guide)
9 nominations, 1 Award, 1 Special Achievement Award
· Cinematography 1977: Vilmos Zsigmond
· Special Achievement Awards 1977: Frank E. Warner - Sound Effects Editing
· Supporting Actress 1977: Melinda Dillon
· Directing 1977: Steven Spielberg
· Art Direction/Set Decoration 1977: Joe Alves & Dan Lomino - Art Direction, Phil Abramson - Set Decoration
· Film Editing 1977: Michael Kahn
· Music Scoring Awards (Best Original Score) 1977: John Williams
· 1977 1977: Robert Knudson, Robert J. Glass, Don MacDougall & Gene S. Cantamessa
· Special Visual Effects 1977: Roy Arbogast, Douglas Trumbull, Matthew Yuricich, Gregory Jein & Richard Yuricich