On this day in movie history - Close Encounters of the Third Kind (movie & books):

Close Encounters of the Third Kind

directed and written by Steven Spielberg,

was released in the United States on November 16, 1977.
Music by John Williams.

Cast:

Richard Dreyfuss, François Truffaut, Teri Garr, Melinda Dillon, Bob Balaban, J. Patrick McNamara, Warren J. Kemmerling, Roberts Blossom, Philip Dodds, Cary Guffey, Shawn Bishop, Adrienne Campbell, Justin Dreyfuss, Lance Henriksen, Merrill Connally, George DiCenzo, Amy Douglass, Alexander Lockwood, Gene Dynarski, Mary Gafrey, Norman Bartold, Josef Sommer, Michael J. Dyer, Roger Ernest, Carl Weathers, F.J. O'Neil, Phil Dodds, Randy Mark Herman, Hal Barwood, Matthew Robbins, David Anderson, Richard L. Hawkins, Craig Shreeve, Bill Thurman, Roy E. Richards, Gene Rader, Eumenio Blanco, Daniel Nunez, Chuy Franco, Luis Contreras, James Keane, Dennis McMullen, Cy Young, Tom Howard, Richard Stuart, Bob Westmoreland, Matt Emery, Galen Thompson, John Dennis Johnston, John Ewing, Keith Atkinson, Robert Broyles, Kirk Raymond, Bennett Wayne Dean Sr., Danyi Deats, Jenny Inge Devaney. Basil Hoffman, J. Allen Hynek, Monty Jordan, Shay McLean, Dejah Moore, Carl Neal, Monty O'Grady, Julia Phillips, Murray Pollack, Stephen Powers, David Rambow, Howard K. Smith.

Recommended reading:

Close Encounters of the Third Kind

By Steven Spielberg.

Published 1978.

ISBN-10: 0440114330

ISBN-13: 978-0722180808

Back cover description:

Watch the skies …

Close Encounter of the First Kind:

Sighting of an Unidentified Object.

Close Encounter of the Second Kind:

Physical evidence after UFO sighting.

Close Encounter of the Third Kind:

Actual contact between human observers and UFO occupants.

All over the world, millions of reliable witnesses – including respected scientists – have been reporting UFO sightings for the past thirty years. Experts everywhere concede the overwhelming probability of intelligent life elsewhere in the Universe. From these indisputable facts, Steven Spielberg, brilliant young director of Jaws, has created the most beautiful, frightening and significant motion picture adventure of all time.

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Close Encounters of the Third Kind Fotonovel

By Steven Spielberg.

Published 1978.

ISBN-10: 0440109795

ISBN-13: 978-0440109792

Back cover description:

Close Encounter of the First Kind:

Sighting of a UFO.

Close Encounter of the Second Kind:

Physical evidence.

Close Encounter of the Third Kind:

Contact.

Mankind is off on the greatest adventure in the history of our planet.

And nothing will ever be the same.

For now there is no denying the inescapable conclusion:

We are not alone.

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Close Encounters of the Third Kind Diary

By Bob Balaban.

Published 1978.

ISBN-10: 0931550009

ISBN-13: 978-0931550003

Back cover description:

“I loved it. This is a book I would like to have written myself. I could kick myself for not keeping my own diary.” – Richard Dreyfuss.

Bob Balaban plays Francois Truffaut’s interpreter in Close Encounters of the Third Kind. Since all journalists and writers were barred during the shooting of the movie, his diary is the only on the spot account of both the making of the movie and, more importantly, the off-screen lives of the people involved in this fantastic project.

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Close Encounters of the Third Kind:

The Ultimate Visual History

By Michael Klastorin.

Published 2017.

ISBN-10: 0062692992

ISBN-13: 978-0062692993

Back cover description:

Celebrate the fortieth anniversary of director 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 complete visual narrative of the film’s journey to the big screen. It also features a wealth of insightful commentary from the film’s key contributors, including exclusive new interviews with director Steven Spielberg, star Richard Dreyfuss, and composer John Williams.

The book also features a wealth of special inserts and interactive elements, including script pages featuring notes from Spielberg, concept sketches of the film’s UFOs and aliens, and much, much more.

Comprehensive, compelling, and filled with unseen treasures, Close Encounters of the Third Kind: The Ultimate Visual History is a fitting tribute to an unforgettable film.

Born on this day – Melinda Dillon:

Melinda Dillon

Actress

October 13, 1939 – January 9, 2023

On this day in movie history - F.I.S.T. (1978):

F.I.S.T.

directed by Norman Jewison,

written by Joe Eszterhas, Sylvester Stallone and Norman Jewison,

based on a story by Joe Eszterhas,

was released in the United States on April 13, 1978.
Music by Bill Conti.

Cast:

Sylvester Stallone, Rod Steiger, Peter Boyle, Melinda Dillon, David Huffman, Kevin Conway, Tony Lo Bianco, Cassie Yates, Peter Donat, John Lehne, Henry Wilcoxon, Richard Herd, Tony Mockus Jr., Ken Kercheval, Elena Karam, Joe Tornatore, James Karen, Stuart Gillard, Brian Dennehy, Sam Chew Jr., Robert Lipton, John Bleifer, Frank McRae, Rozsika Halmos, Earl Montgomery, Harry Basch, Nada Rowand, Chuck Gradi, Alphonse Skerl, Reid Cruickshanks, Sidney Clute, M. Patrick Hughes, Bill Zuckert, Martin Braddock, Barry Atwater, Sandy Ward, Andy Romano, Frank Whiteman, Hugo Bolba, Ron Delagardelle, Robert Courtleigh, Judson Pratt, David Greene, Jimmy Murphy, René Le Vant, Tony Mendia, Anthony Kiedis, Deonne Fator, Richard Dioguardi, Tony Crupi, Herman Poppe, Frank Bongiorno, Antonio Canino, Michael Twaine, Walt Davis, Sam Woods, James Jeter, Jack Slate, George Barrow, Norman Rice, Ed Call, Russell Shannon, Fil Formicola, Brass Adams, Eric Carlson, John R. Setard, John Bisenius, Joseph W. Schuver, Carl Vander Meulen, Charles McCarthy, Ethel Kohler, William B. Bicksler, Luther Fear, Fritz Ford, Jenny Inge, Bruce McGill, Loren G. Teggatz.

On this day in movie history - Hellinger’s Law (1981):

Hellinger’s Law

directed by Leo Penn,

written by Lawrence Vail and Jack Laird,

based on a story by Lawrence Vail and Ted Leighton,

was released in the United States on March 10, 1981.
Music by John Cacavas.

Cast:

Telly Savalas, Morgan Stevens, Ja'net DuBois, Roy Poole, Rod Taylor, Melinda Dillon, James Sutorius, Tom McFadden, Lisa Blake Richards, Kyle Richards, Arlen Dean Snyder, Thom Christopher, M. Emmet Walsh, Robert Phalen, Jack Ramage, Patsy Rahn, Don Hanmer, Francis X. McCarthy, Cindy Fisher, Bill Cross, Randy Holland, Sean Penn.

On this day in movie history - Slap Shot (1977):

Slap Shot

directed by George Roy Hill,

written by Nancy Dowd,

was released in the United States on February 25, 1977.

Music by Elmer Bernstein.

Cast:

Paul Newman, Strother Martin, Michael Ontkean, Jennifer Warren, Lindsay Crouse, Jerry Houser, Andrew Duncan, Jeff Carlson, Steve Carlson, David Hanson, Yvon Barrette, Allan Nicholls, Brad Sullivan, Stephen Mendillo, Yvan Ponton, Matthew Cowles, Kathryn Walker, Melinda Dillon, M. Emmet Walsh, Swoosie Kurtz, Paul D'Amato, Ronald L. Docken, Guido Tenesi, Jean Rosario Tetreault, Christopher Murney, Blake Ball, Ned Dowd, Nancy N. Dowd, Barbara L. Shorts, Larry Block, Paul Dooley, Dan Belisle, Jr., Rod Bloomfield, Bruce Boudreau, Galen Head, Susan Kendall, Connie Madigan, Mark Bousquet, John Gofton, Rod Masters, Joe Nolan, Dick Roberge, Ray Schultz, Carol Shelton, Ross Smith, Steve Stirling, Cliff Thompson.