[Some spoilers included.]
"Close Encounters of the Third Kind" is a book written by Steven Spielberg, and it was published 1977. Even though it is nearly play-by-play to the movie of the same name, it's a little odd to call it an adaptation since it was written by the same man who wrote the script for the movie. But I guess it doesn't matter either way.
This book deals with a lot of strange things involving UFO's, aliens, and their effect on normal every day people. It also deals with how the government interacts with them and how they would rather push us normal people out of it. It all comes together at the end though, and that's sort of where this book shines.
"Close Encounters of the Third Kind" is not an alien conspiracy book as much as it is an alien encounter book. It's all about the magic of the actual meeting than anything else. And even though it does get a bit scary (it really does), the whole thing feels more like a super awesome global event than something out of a horror story.
The initial encounters themselves are probably the scariest parts. They show a certain level of--I don't want to say cruelty as much as--mischievousness to or against the human race followed up by an open invitation to be their... friends or something. It can be a bit vague at times as to why they are kidnaping children and ruining a man's life. I mean... that seams kinda bad, right? I initially thought so. But the point of the book seems more that all these things are ultimately worth it because the most important thing in human history is about to happen, and I guess that is a bit of a thrill honestly. That's why this story tends to be a compelling experience.
Don't get me wrong. I'm not assuming anything about what's happening here. I'm just taking in a story as it is delivered. I don't want to talk about what I think is going on as much as what the book is trying to say. By the end of the story, I honestly feel like I have mistakenly entered into one of the strangest places that could possibly exist. It's like finding an over-night theme park that only government people are allowed to attend. It's uncanny, surreal, and magical, but I have always loved it whether it be in the movie or this book.
It is this end sequence (the final two chapters) that really make the book worth the effort. And I am not saying that the book was bad. It had trouble with using too many brand names when it should have left everything ambiguous, but those two final chapters are so gobsmackingly magical that it will just about knock you on your ass. It's about as close as you can get to watching a Disney World fireworks display in the form of a book. It's great. I mean... It's just an absolutely brilliant performance of writing and storytelling.
There was a lot of really unexpected Christian references in those last scenes written with shocking respect for the Biblical source material. I know this because... I recently read all that stuff. The thing that I just can't quite figure out is if they think these aliens are angels or if they are asking God's angels to help them on their quest with the aliens. It's vague, but it's written with such candor and respect that I got really intrigued. I don't know another way to say it. The author just went all out in the way that it was written, and it just sort of blows the mind up a little.
I think I'll just wrap it all up by saying that this book is worth your time, if you can find it. It was not a popular book. It did not really sell as well as the movie, but the book does explain a lot of what the movie doesn't. It's a solid read. I wholeheartedly recommend "Close Encounters of the Third Kind" for being every bit as good as the movie and then some. It is a brilliant read, and I think it is really too bad that it doesn't seem to have really stood the test of time like the movie did.
This blog was written on September 18, 2022.
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Interesting that the entire project was one man's vision. He even bothered to write the novelization. His fascination enchanted a movie and book with the idea, so that you felt as he did, it seems. Concerning the truth of the matter fictionalized: Yeah, those little creatures are spooky. They give off creepy vibes... and that is not a good thing. BESIDES: We know what they truly are. Our fairy tales have been warning us all along.
ReplyDeleteYeah, I know the truth, but the story is just rife with so much sincerity. That's what draws me to it.
DeleteIt's obvious that the book and movie were something very dear to Steven Spielberg. I would have been really surprised if this was a bad review, I'm glad you got some extra insight from the book. It's a shame the book isn't more popular.
ReplyDeleteHe put his all into this project. There was so much love in all of its forms. Even in the soundtrack.
DeleteTo meet an alien is by its nature to meet something that is not human. We cannot judge them by our standards. In making contact, we would need to set aside our preconceived notions.
ReplyDeleteEasier said than done. This is a good book about how difficult that sort of thing is.
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