Close Encounters of the Third Kind...Which version is better?

[wnicholas76]

I finally got Close Encounters of the Third Kind on Blu-ray today, and truthfully, I haven't seen the movie in years. Since there are 3 versions of the movie, which one is the best? The 1977 original theatrical edition, the 1980 "Special Edition" cut, or the 1998 director's cut? For anyone that has the movie on Blu-ray, please let me know. Thanks!

[Slec]

Originally Posted by wnicholas76

I finally got Close Encounters of the Third Kind on Blu-ray today, and truthfully, I haven't seen the movie in years. Since there are 3 versions of the movie, which one is the best? The 1977 original theatrical edition, the 1980 "Special Edition" cut, or the 1998 director's cut? For anyone that has the movie on Blu-ray, please let me know. Thanks!

Always go with the Director's vision. The DC allows for things they couldn't get done initially or that the studio forced on the film...or just something the Director thought would improve the film...

[owa]

The director's cut.

[JadedRaverLA]

Personally, I hate the very IDEA of director's cuts. I think the audience deserves a single version of films. If a director's version of the film is so good, then that should be the version released in theatres -- period. [/end rant]

BUT... for this particular film... go with the Director's Cut -- it's definitely the best version. There are a few films (like CE3K and Brazil) where the director's cut is definitely better (and different enough to justify a separate release) than the original studio cut of the film,so I completely understand the additional release.

[Heart&Soul]

Director's cut.

[Lucy Diamond]

I saw that recently....I don't remember it being that loooooooooong.

Great flick though. I'd love to see the director's cut.

[ClaytonMG]

Originally Posted by JadedRaverLA

Personally, I hate the very IDEA of director's cuts. I think the audience deserves a single version of films. If a director's version of the film is so good, then that should be the version released in theatres -- period. [/end rant]

BUT... for this particular film... go with the Director's Cut -- it's definitely the best version. There are a few films (like CE3K and Brazil) where the director's cut is definitely better (and different enough to justify a separate release) than the original studio cut of the film,so I completely understand the additional release.

However due to problems at Columbia and an extremely rushed schedule, they weren't able to do the movie the way Steven Spielberg wanted. Which is why there's a director's cut.

[PS3_Kiwi]

I watched the Director's Cut yesterday. I had already seen the other versions a while ago.

The Director's Cut was very good, and if you have a subwoofer in your system, be prepared for some serious earth shaking bass when Roy Neary first comes into contact with the alien mothership.

I was listening to the DTS HD MA audio track. There is a Dolby True HD track as well, which should be very similar to the DTS track.

[JadedRaverLA]

Originally Posted by ClaytonMG

However due to problems at Columbia and an extremely rushed schedule, they weren't able to do the movie the way Steven Spielberg wanted. Which is why there's a director's cut.

... which is why on this particular film I completely understand the necessity of a director's cut, and recommend it as the preferred version. Same with 'Brazil,' where the studio completely butchered the film and attempted to create an entirely different movie out of the film elements.

Normally, though, I just miss the days when there was ONE version of each movie that came out, and you could discuss film's with others without having to figure out which version each had seen.

[Blu-Jawa]

I wish there was a verson that put ALL the cut parts into one film!
Verson 1 has the Power Plant part.
Verson 2 has the inside the spaceship, and when Roy was Trashing his Home.
Verson 3 is a Dir. Cut

the parts are like 3 or 4 mins!? why is it split??

[mdtulp]

Originally Posted by JadedRaverLA

Personally, I hate the very IDEA of director's cuts. I think the audience deserves a single version of films. If a director's version of the film is so good, then that should be the version released in theatres -- period. [/end rant]

BUT... for this particular film... go with the Director's Cut -- it's definitely the best version. There are a few films (like CE3K and Brazil) where the director's cut is definitely better (and different enough to justify a separate release) than the original studio cut of the film,so I completely understand the additional release.

do you think that every release we see in the theater is what the director envisioned all the time, directors have to make cuts for studio demands, (running time, fx shots that weren't complete, schedules, release dates etc) but with homw video none of that really matters, directors cuts are a better movie 99% of the time(the 1% goes for Lucas making Greedo shoot first, totally stupid) Have you ever done anything that you'd like to do over, or add to (like this post)LOL

[neo_reloaded]

Originally Posted by Blu-Jawa

I wish there was a verson that put ALL the cut parts into one film!
Verson 1 has the Power Plant part.
Verson 2 has the inside the spaceship, and when Roy was Trashing his Home.
Verson 3 is a Dir. Cut

the parts are like 3 or 4 mins!? why is it split??

Sometimes a director's vision includes cutting unnecessary or bad scenes. The best version of a movie is not simply the one with the most scenes included.

In this case, the 'inside the spaceship' scene in the special edition was considered a mistake (by both Spielberg and many fans) as it demystified the alien craft and could in no way compete with our imagination of the unknown - some things are just better not shown.

[wrsprow]

Originally Posted by wnicholas76

I finally got Close Encounters of the Third Kind on Blu-ray today, and truthfully, I haven't seen the movie in years. Since there are 3 versions of the movie, which one is the best? The 1977 original theatrical edition, the 1980 "Special Edition" cut, or the 1998 director's cut? For anyone that has the movie on Blu-ray, please let me know. Thanks!

Why don't you watch them yourself and come to your own conclusion. Someone else's opinion may not be agreeable to you.

[GregBlu5]

All things considered, with what got added and then removed and then re-added, I ended up preferring the original cut.

[Yeha-Noha]

Originally Posted by GregBlu5

All things considered, with what got added and then removed and then re-added, I ended up preferring the original cut.

I love the director's cut. However, it did seem to me that in the original cut in the scene at the power plant where Roy worked added a little more continuity to the film. I don't know why Spielberg cut that part out. But usually Spielberg's cut tended to make the movie less choppy than the original version in my opinion.

[lgans316]

D.C but IMO the movie sucked. Poor acting and slow pace killed my viewing experience. Could have been a great movie in the past but it looks too silly now. War of the Worlds and Minority Report rocks.

[w_tanoto]

all of you who answered, thanks. I've been holding off watching this BD for months, because I am not sure which to watch.

[DarkClown]

You need to watch all 3 versions. Hell you paid for all 3 versions didn't you?

[wnicholas76]

Originally Posted by DarkClown

You need to watch all 3 versions. Hell you paid for all 3 versions didn't you?

Well, I paid for all 5 versions of Blade Runner on Blu-ray also, but that doesn't give you the right to make a smart-ass comment like that!

[digibob]

I prefer the Director's Cut but all three are great movie experiences. Still one of my all time favorite movies.