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Close Encounters of the Third Kind: The Ultimate Visual History
Celebrate the fortieth anniversary of Steven Spielberg’s sci-fi classic Close Encounters of the Third Kind with this fully authorized behind-the-scenes book exploring the creation, production, and legacy of this iconic film.
Created in conjunction with Sony Pictures and Amblin Entertainment, Close Encounters of the Third Kind: The Visual History details the complete creative journey behind the making of the film and examines its cultural impact.
Featuring rare and never-before-seen imagery from the archives, the book brings together a stunning collection of on-set photography, concept art, storyboards, and more to create a visual narrative of the film’s journey to the big screen. It also features a wealth of insightful commentary from every key player involved in the film, from the acclaimed director himself to the film’s stars and the key department heads who brought Spielberg’s vision to life.
Special inserts and interactive elements include script pages, call lists, concept sketches, and more. Comprehensive, compelling, and filled with unseen treasures, Close Encounters of the Third Kind: The Ultimate Visual History is a fitting tribute to one of history’s most iconic films.
Created in conjunction with Sony Pictures and Amblin Entertainment, Close Encounters of the Third Kind: The Visual History details the complete creative journey behind the making of the film and examines its cultural impact.
Featuring rare and never-before-seen imagery from the archives, the book brings together a stunning collection of on-set photography, concept art, storyboards, and more to create a visual narrative of the film’s journey to the big screen. It also features a wealth of insightful commentary from every key player involved in the film, from the acclaimed director himself to the film’s stars and the key department heads who brought Spielberg’s vision to life.
Special inserts and interactive elements include script pages, call lists, concept sketches, and more. Comprehensive, compelling, and filled with unseen treasures, Close Encounters of the Third Kind: The Ultimate Visual History is a fitting tribute to one of history’s most iconic films.
192 pages, Hardcover
Published October 24, 2017
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
February 24, 2018
This is another in the Ultimate Visual History series - which I will admit I do not think is a series as such just a collection of books on famous films (I stumbled across the title when I found the Labyrinth edition). They do seem to follow a similar layout and style (including mock notes and inserts apparently randomly glue to various pages).
Either way the book is an impressive re-telling of the story of how the film was made and some of the background information that made it such a part of popular film culture.
I always wonder about these types of books - where they have a huge amount of biographical information in them. You see that this book was put together a considerable length of time after the film was released (even the subsequent special edition). I wonder how much was lost or even worse mis-represented.
Well it seems reading this book that very little. As the stories recounted, the material archived and the general level of access to the films production really brought it alive even though the events happened decades ago.
I always love reading about these films as I remember seeing it for the first time and being equally amazed, confused and terrified (come on admit when the little boy goes through the cat flap..) and those memories stuck with me.
Now all those years later I can see how they filmed it - how they did the special effects and in the case of that scene how the little boy was prepared and looked after.
I guess to enjoy this book you really need to be a fan of the film first (never really occurred to me) so I guess this is not for everyone but for those that do love the film this is great additional.
Either way the book is an impressive re-telling of the story of how the film was made and some of the background information that made it such a part of popular film culture.
I always wonder about these types of books - where they have a huge amount of biographical information in them. You see that this book was put together a considerable length of time after the film was released (even the subsequent special edition). I wonder how much was lost or even worse mis-represented.
Well it seems reading this book that very little. As the stories recounted, the material archived and the general level of access to the films production really brought it alive even though the events happened decades ago.
I always love reading about these films as I remember seeing it for the first time and being equally amazed, confused and terrified (come on admit when the little boy goes through the cat flap..) and those memories stuck with me.
Now all those years later I can see how they filmed it - how they did the special effects and in the case of that scene how the little boy was prepared and looked after.
I guess to enjoy this book you really need to be a fan of the film first (never really occurred to me) so I guess this is not for everyone but for those that do love the film this is great additional.
September 4, 2019
Originally published online at BORG.com.
Timed for release as part of the 40th anniversary celebration of Steven Spielberg’s Close Encounters of the Third Kind, fans of Close Encounters finally get one of the most eagerly awaited, behind the scenes looks at the quintessential UFO film as Harper Design releases its hardcover chronicle this week, Close Encounters of the Third Kind: The Ultimate Visual History. And it’s everything fans of the film could hope for.
Known for his work as a publicist on more than fifty films, author Michael Klastorin worked with Sony Pictures and Amblin Entertainment to unearth rare and never-before-seen imagery from their archives. The book is a stunning collection of on-set photography, concept art, storyboards, and recollections of the cast and crew to create a visual narrative of the film’s journey to the big screen and through the entire production process. First created as a story idea by Spielberg in his twenties, Close Encounters is still considered by Spielberg as one of his most personal projects. Spielberg recounts his efforts to sell the film, his attempts to get a known screenwriter to write it only for him to finally decide to write it himself, and his original story synopsis, which remained hardly altered. Spielberg initially wanted to reflect Watergate in his film to reflect the current zeitgeist, something of a government trying to cover up the aliens like Project Blue Book, but by the time the film was far along in pre-production it was determined audiences were tired of conspiracies as the sole defining theme. Spielberg’s discussion of his early vision seems very similar to what Chris Carter would develop more than a decade later in his television series The X-Files.
Except those who are no longer with us, all of the players you’d expect provide contributions in the book. Actor Bob Balaban provides some of the most interesting stories from the set, including his casting process for the film and development of his working relationship with internationally known director and film co-star Francois Truffaut. Richard Dreyfuss’s recollections focus on his campaigning Spielberg to be cast for the role, the difficulty in the Nearys’ location shoot for the family home, and his realization from his very first discussions about the project with Spielberg that Close Encounters would stand up as a noble film pursuit. Melinda Dillon’s role changed throughout the shoot, cutting one scene for financial reasons and adding the scene where she has the revelation that Devil’s Tower is the image in her dreams. She also filmed much of the movie with a broken toe, followed by another leg injury caused on-set jumping from a helicopter.
The most fascinating behind-the-scenes effects discussion comes from Doug Trumbull. His UFO storm development effect work was extraordinary. You’ll find location photographs, visual effects explanations and process development discussions, photos of the Mother Ship model and other set models, concept art from Ralph McQuarrie, and many views of the film’s extra-terrestrials.
As with many recent film books in the “Ultimate Visual Guide” realm, look for special tipped-in inserts and interactive elements including script pages, call lists, and concept sketches–even a copy of a telegram from Truffaut to Spielberg. These inserts are becoming the norm, and they are quite fun additions to a genre of book that is already chock full of interesting facts and images. Key to this is the inclusion of oddities and film development ephemera, and not simply copies of movie tickets or post-production marketing brochures as found in earlier “vault” type book collections.
Spielberg also provides the foreword to the book. A must-read for every Close Encounters fan, Close Encounters of the Third Kind: The Ultimate Visual History is available now.
Timed for release as part of the 40th anniversary celebration of Steven Spielberg’s Close Encounters of the Third Kind, fans of Close Encounters finally get one of the most eagerly awaited, behind the scenes looks at the quintessential UFO film as Harper Design releases its hardcover chronicle this week, Close Encounters of the Third Kind: The Ultimate Visual History. And it’s everything fans of the film could hope for.
Known for his work as a publicist on more than fifty films, author Michael Klastorin worked with Sony Pictures and Amblin Entertainment to unearth rare and never-before-seen imagery from their archives. The book is a stunning collection of on-set photography, concept art, storyboards, and recollections of the cast and crew to create a visual narrative of the film’s journey to the big screen and through the entire production process. First created as a story idea by Spielberg in his twenties, Close Encounters is still considered by Spielberg as one of his most personal projects. Spielberg recounts his efforts to sell the film, his attempts to get a known screenwriter to write it only for him to finally decide to write it himself, and his original story synopsis, which remained hardly altered. Spielberg initially wanted to reflect Watergate in his film to reflect the current zeitgeist, something of a government trying to cover up the aliens like Project Blue Book, but by the time the film was far along in pre-production it was determined audiences were tired of conspiracies as the sole defining theme. Spielberg’s discussion of his early vision seems very similar to what Chris Carter would develop more than a decade later in his television series The X-Files.
Except those who are no longer with us, all of the players you’d expect provide contributions in the book. Actor Bob Balaban provides some of the most interesting stories from the set, including his casting process for the film and development of his working relationship with internationally known director and film co-star Francois Truffaut. Richard Dreyfuss’s recollections focus on his campaigning Spielberg to be cast for the role, the difficulty in the Nearys’ location shoot for the family home, and his realization from his very first discussions about the project with Spielberg that Close Encounters would stand up as a noble film pursuit. Melinda Dillon’s role changed throughout the shoot, cutting one scene for financial reasons and adding the scene where she has the revelation that Devil’s Tower is the image in her dreams. She also filmed much of the movie with a broken toe, followed by another leg injury caused on-set jumping from a helicopter.
The most fascinating behind-the-scenes effects discussion comes from Doug Trumbull. His UFO storm development effect work was extraordinary. You’ll find location photographs, visual effects explanations and process development discussions, photos of the Mother Ship model and other set models, concept art from Ralph McQuarrie, and many views of the film’s extra-terrestrials.
As with many recent film books in the “Ultimate Visual Guide” realm, look for special tipped-in inserts and interactive elements including script pages, call lists, and concept sketches–even a copy of a telegram from Truffaut to Spielberg. These inserts are becoming the norm, and they are quite fun additions to a genre of book that is already chock full of interesting facts and images. Key to this is the inclusion of oddities and film development ephemera, and not simply copies of movie tickets or post-production marketing brochures as found in earlier “vault” type book collections.
Spielberg also provides the foreword to the book. A must-read for every Close Encounters fan, Close Encounters of the Third Kind: The Ultimate Visual History is available now.
March 20, 2025
An amazingly thorough and well written documentation of the writing, filming, special effects, editing and reception of Close Encounters of the Third Kind.
I was 6 years old when this film was released and I recall seeing it in during its original release and subsequently in rerelease. Although the finer points of the plot and interpersonal relationships probably went over my head, the visuals stuck with me into my adult years. I was lucky enough to bring my own son, now 11, to see the film when it was released in theaters again for the 30th anniversary.
This book lavishes attention on the details of the creation of the film. There are hundreds of pieces of amazing preproduction art and on location photographs. The whole book is beautifully put together with high quality paper and excellent printing.
If you’re a fan of the film (and you should be!) you owe it to yourself to take a look at this great book.
I was 6 years old when this film was released and I recall seeing it in during its original release and subsequently in rerelease. Although the finer points of the plot and interpersonal relationships probably went over my head, the visuals stuck with me into my adult years. I was lucky enough to bring my own son, now 11, to see the film when it was released in theaters again for the 30th anniversary.
This book lavishes attention on the details of the creation of the film. There are hundreds of pieces of amazing preproduction art and on location photographs. The whole book is beautifully put together with high quality paper and excellent printing.
If you’re a fan of the film (and you should be!) you owe it to yourself to take a look at this great book.
April 15, 2019
Encuentros Cercanos... es la película que me llevaría a una isla desierta. La vi a la edad justa (8 años) para que me marcara a fuego. Y en todo este tiempo me hice con cuanto material llegaba a mis manos: las tres versiones (repasadas al menos una vez al año), la novela, el documental...
Cuando pensaba que ya lo sabía todo, llega este librazo homenaje por sus 40 años. Lujoso, plagado de fotos y anécdotas que no conocía, y reproducciones de bocetos y páginas de guión.
No puedo ser objetivo, o sí. Un libro imprescindible, tanto para quienes aman la película como para quienes disfrutan del cine en general.
La edición en español es de Norma, y respeta al detalle la original inglesa.
Cuando pensaba que ya lo sabía todo, llega este librazo homenaje por sus 40 años. Lujoso, plagado de fotos y anécdotas que no conocía, y reproducciones de bocetos y páginas de guión.
No puedo ser objetivo, o sí. Un libro imprescindible, tanto para quienes aman la película como para quienes disfrutan del cine en general.
La edición en español es de Norma, y respeta al detalle la original inglesa.
January 21, 2019
A perfectly adequate and nicely designed, though somewhat listlessly written companion volume.
November 12, 2020
Not as great as some of the other "making of" titles I own, but still okay.
September 5, 2021
It's an amazing book. Full of valuable in-depth details and behind the scene information. A must-read book for all filmmakers, as well as film enthusiasts.
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews