Films of the 1970s, No. 20

 


Throughout 2023 I'm looking at my favorite films from the decade of the 1970s. I'll be counting down from 50 to 1 throughout the year, posting a new installment each Friday. Agree? Disagree? Want to share a story? Post it in the comments below!

Roy Neary: I know this sounds crazy, but ever since yesterday on the road, I've been seeing this shape. Shaving cream, pillows... Dammit! I know this. I know what this is! This means something. This is important.

Close Encounters of the Third Kind (1977)
Starring: Richard Dreyfuss, Melinda Dillon, Teri Garr, and François Truffaut
Director: Steven Spielberg
About: We enter the Top 20 of the countdown and it's a place where a number of directors have multiple entries. That includes today's director, Steven Spielberg. This is one of his classic films, with a solid performance from Dreyfuss. It's not exactly a happy story, but it stands out for me because of the visuals, particularly in the third act. The way the "close encounter" happens is a memorable cinematic sequence. That helps cover over a story that should give us all pause, especially when it comes to Roy Neary and his family. But when you think of classic Spielberg stories, and you think of films of the 1970s, it's impossible not to think about this film. That's a large part of why it's on the list.

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