CE3K.

[John Johnson]

As 2007 will be the 30th anniversary of Close Encounters of the Third Kind, can we expect a new addition of this movie. Perhaps the deleted scenes reinstated? It's ceratinly a movie that Spielberg should go back to and give us the definitive version.

[AndyDursin]

As 2007 will be the 30th anniversary of Close Encounters of the Third Kind, can we expect a new addition of this movie. Perhaps the deleted scenes reinstated? It's ceratinly a movie that Spielberg should go back to and give us the definitive version.

Well, the last edit he made for the current DVD and last laserdisc release basically *is* the "Definitive Version". Spielberg mostly retained the Special Edition additions -- but excised the SE's superfluous new ending with Dreyfuss inside the ship -- and added a couple of minutes back from the original cut. If memory serves, wasn't this billed as the "Definitive Version"? Spielberg talked at length about how this cut is the official one he wants people to view from now on, so I'd say there's no reason at all for another version.

That DVD also has all the scenes from the two versions and a great documentary, plus a superb transfer and DTS soundtrack, and even the '77 featurette...they might repackage it, but I don't think there's any reason why they'd give us another new version, as the one out there is outstanding (and cheap!)

[Eric W.]

...but I don't think there's any reason why they'd give us another new version, as the one out there is outstanding (and cheap!)

The usual double and triple dipping (at least) that we see happen so often with DVD's from many studios?

[AndyDursin]

...but I don't think there's any reason why they'd give us another new version, as the one out there is outstanding (and cheap!)

The usual double and triple dipping (at least) that we see happen so often with DVD's from many studios?

lol. I just don't see Spielberg, though, jumping into the double/triple-dip deal. They will repackage it, I'm sure, but I severely doubt any new content of note is going to come out of it, because everything you need is there. There's also no reason to re-edit the film again. The current DVD will suffice until they do an HD or Blu Ray or whatever is coming next.

[mkaroly]

...but I don't think there's any reason why they'd give us another new version, as the one out there is outstanding (and cheap!)

The usual double and triple dipping (at least) that we see happen so often with DVD's from many studios?

lol. I just don't see Spielberg, though, jumping into the double/triple-dip deal. They will repackage it, I'm sure, but I severely doubt any new content of note is going to come out of it, because everything you need is there. There's also no reason to re-edit the film again. The current DVD will suffice until they do an HD or Blu Ray or whatever is coming next.

GOOD!!! I would be very mad if they tried to give me another version of this film. That SE they released (2 disc set) is outstanding- nothing more needs to be added.

[AndyDursin]

GOOD!!! I would be very mad if they tried to give me another version of this film. That SE they released (2 disc set) is outstanding- nothing more needs to be added.

Agreed 100%. The other thing: Spielberg is not one for double/triple dips. He's been perfectly satisfied to use the superb laserdisc documentaries of JAWS, CE3K, 1941, etc. for these DVD editions (save E..T., which had more content in the LD version than the "new" DVD doc), so I'd say there's zero chance any new supplemental material would be produced for a new CE3K DVD -- and definitely no new version of the film, that's for sure! He's already re-edited it three times, lol...and four if you count the Criterion laserdisc version (which had one shot from the Special Edition as memory serves).

[andy b]

Call me 'old fashion' but I really like the orginal version!

I had the laser disc, which I thought was great & I would really enjoy the chance to see the original 1978 version again.

Sad to say I sold off all my lasers discs to moveback home to Canada, as it seemed impossible to get a player over here.

I suppose we will have to put up with the 'special edition'?

we I for 1 would buy a 1978 version, just like to live in the past I suppose???

andy b

[AndyDursin]

Call me 'old fashion' but I really like the orginal version!

I had the laser disc, which I thought was great & I would really enjoy the chance to see the original 1978 version again.

Sad to say I sold off all my lasers discs to moveback home to Canada, as it seemed impossible to get a player over here.

I suppose we will have to put up with the 'special edition'?

we I for 1 would buy a 1978 version, just like to live in the past I suppose???

andy b

Andy, get the new DVD -- it's NOT the Special Edition!

It's basically the old edit, minus one or two scenes (but with more footage from the '77 cut than the '80 Special Edition), with the Special Edition additions -- EXCEPT for the lousy Mothership interior ending, which Spielberg tossed from this cut (and which he's always dismissed as being the commercial hook that enabled him to re-edit the film in the first place).

The DVD version is much closer to the Theatrical Cut than the Special Edition. As they say, try it...you'll like it!

[mkaroly]

Outside of that lousy ending with the interior of the Mothership shown, I love the film in pretty much all its guises. I prefer some of the more explicit family trouble material (though it doesn't always mesh with the pace or flow of the film as a whole) as I think it plays on that family theme I keep yapping about whenever I talk about him. But that's just personal preference.

[AndyDursin]

Outside of that lousy ending with the interior of the Mothership shown, I love the film in pretty much all its guises. I prefer some of the more explicit family trouble material (though it doesn't always mesh with the pace or flow of the film as a whole) as I think it plays on that family theme I keep yapping about whenever I talk about him. But that's just personal preference.

As memory serves Spielberg put most of the domestic '77 scenes BACK IN the DVD version (which he had cut for the '80 Special Edition). I know the scene with Dreyfuss in the power plant at the beginning remained excised, as did the Carl Weathers scene...but otherwise it plays like the '77 cut, with the '80 additions, minus the Mothership ending. Whew!

[Eric Paddon]

Although I tried to sell off the ET LD set (no takers), one LD set I'll never sell is the Criterion Close Encounters which allows you to program a complete cut of the film of *all* footage from the 77 and 80 cuts.

[AndyDursin]

Although I tried to sell off the ET LD set (no takers), one LD set I'll never sell is the Criterion Close Encounters which allows you to program a complete cut of the film of *all* footage from the 77 and 80 cuts.

Great laserdisc indeed, though I remember doing that and having a heck of a time programming all the tracks to go in sequence to do that It's basically like the old ABC broadcast edit (which I have), which threw all the footage together.

Excellent interviews and the like on that Criterion set as well! That and the Criterion BLADE RUNNER (along with ROBINSON CRUSOE ON MARS) are lasers I'll NEVER sell.

[Eric Paddon]

The LD had an insert that explained what order to program the tracks to see the "complete" cut of the film. Made it pretty simple from my standpoint at least.

[AndyDursin]

The LD had an insert that explained what order to program the tracks to see the "complete" cut of the film. Made it pretty simple from my standpoint at least.

I don't recall exactly but wasn't there an error on it? Now I want to go back and look!

[hiphats]

I think you fans need some help on this one.

In Criterion's first pressing of the CE3K LD (the CAV edition), there was some mastering errors that resulted in several sides having code errors, especially in the "special edition" sections at the end of the appropriate discs. The disc was recalled, and then reissued. I originally got the "error" box set, then contacted Criterion and they were happy to let me return the disc and they sent me the "correct" version.

Also, to be explicit as I can, the original 135-minute cut was never officially issued on LaserDisc or any home video format. The primary version that was issued on Criterion was an edit that was minus 30 seconds of trims from the original version and replaced with a shot of a shadow of a UFO seen in the 1980 special edition (this was edited at the request of director Steven Spielberg), but otherwise resembling the original 1977 cut. This edit was seen on syndicated television.

With the features of your LD player, it was possible to create an entirely "new" Special Edition edit, one combining the footage in the Criterion/syndicated cut with those used in the 1980 Special Edition. Of course, you would have had to program your LD player using the instructions on the sheet to do so, meaning there would be short transition pauses while the player moved on to the chapter in question (this was before DVD seamless branching, of course).

Assuming you have the proper video editing tools available (and if your LD player still works), it is mathmatically possible to recreate to the letter the original 135-minute cut as seen in theatres in 1977. You have to really know ALL the versions of CE3K in order to know where the pieces of the puzzle fit, but I'll give you a hint...all the trims seen in the original version that Speilberg chose not to use in the Criterion cut can be found at the end of certain sides of the Criterion LD.

Are you with me so far?

When comparing all the video releases of CE3K, I believe the Criterion CAV LD is the best video edition of the film as it is the only edition that has all the footage from the '77 cut and the '80 SE, although I'd also recommend Columbia's now out-of-print 2-disc "Collector's Edition" that has additional outtakes not seen in any previous version.

So, having said that, let's count the major versions of CE3K that have been released (blame it all on Speilberg)...

1. Original 1977 version (not on video)
2. 1980 Special Edition (the most widely seen version)
3. ABC Network TV version (combining all the footage from both versions available at the time, excepting the introduction of Roy Neary as seen in the '77 cut)
4. The 134 min. Criterion/Syndicated television cut
5. The "do-it-yourself" Special Edition (only made possible with the Criterion CAV LD and with an appropriate LD player)
6. The "collector's edition" currently on video (basically the '77 cut with a few judicious edits and additions from the '80 SE)

Questions, class?