Steven Spielberg’s Close Encounters of the Third Kind Now Streaming Free
The 1977 sci-fi classic is available on YouTube in its definitive director's cut.
1Classic Sci-Fi Now Free
Steven Spielberg’s 1977 masterpiece, Close Encounters of the Third Kind, is now available to stream for free on YouTube. This release features the 1998 Director’s Cut, which restores Spielberg’s original vision by reversing changes made in the 1980 Special Edition. Viewers can watch the film with ads as part of YouTube's current catalog.
2Scientific Origins of Title
The film’s title originates from J. Allen Hynek’s 1972 book, The UFO Experience: A Scientific Inquiry. Hynek, who served as a scientific consultant for the production, classified UFO sightings into six stages. A 'third kind' encounter refers to witnessing an animated entity, a term now more commonly recognized as first contact.
3Plot and Character Arc
The narrative follows Roy Neary, played by Richard Dreyfuss, after a UFO encounter leaves him obsessed with a specific mountain. As Neary builds sculptures from household items, his psychological state deteriorates, straining his family life. This portrayal of obsession serves as a foundational archetype for the conspiracy-monger character seen in later pop culture.
4Cultural Legacy and Influence
While often overshadowed by Spielberg’s later hits like E.T., this film significantly influenced the alien-abduction genre throughout the 1980s and 1990s. Its depiction of a character surrounded by news clippings and models presages the iconic conspiracy-board trope seen in modern television series like The X-Files and various internet memes today.
5Genre-Defying Narrative Structure
Close Encounters functions more as a strange family drama than a high-octane thriller. The second act focuses heavily on Roy Neary’s internal disintegration rather than external spectacle. This grounded approach to science fiction distinguishes it from Spielberg’s later, more action-oriented blockbusters, contributing to its unique status within his extensive filmography.
6Director's Cut vs Original
The version currently streaming on YouTube is the 1998 Director’s Cut, which is the specific edition endorsed by Spielberg. This version is significant because it removes controversial additions from the 1980 Special Edition, providing a more cohesive experience that aligns with the director's original intent for the film's pacing and final scenes.
7Historical Context of Production
Released just two years after Jaws, the film marked a pivotal moment in Spielberg’s career as he reshaped multiple genres. J. Allen Hynek, the UFO expert who inspired the title, even makes a brief cameo appearance in the film as a man smoking a pipe near the Devils Tower location.
8Enduring Cinematic Value
Approaching its 50th anniversary, the film remains an underrated linchpin of science fiction cinema. Despite fading slightly from the popular imagination compared to Spielberg’s other works, its technical craft and thematic depth make it a mandatory watch for film enthusiasts. It stands as a testament to Spielberg’s early mastery of genre-bending storytelling.
Original article: Polygon — Steven Spielberg’s Close Encounters of the Third Kind Now Streaming Free