(Applause Books). "Morton has written the definitive book on this innovative movie by Steven Spielberg...Meticulous research of this caliber is not found in other books on Close Encounters . Fans will find Morton's take informative and fascinating." Library Journal . Steven Spielberg's 1977 masterpiece used all of the power and magic of cinema to tell a story of man's first meeting with extraterrestrial beings. Renouncing the fear and pessimism of the day, writer/director Spielberg boldly envisioned this as a peaceful, spiritual event full of hope and possibility. This awe-inspiring message made a powerful impact on audiences desperate for something to believe in. The film was a massive box-office hit and revolutionized the movie industry; along with Star Wars , it helped to create the modern blockbuster and ushered in a new era of hi-tech effects. Based on in-depth research and the recollections of many of the film's principal creators, Close Encounters is the first book to chronicle the making of this classic film from its inception through its tumultuous production to its many releases in "special" editions. The book features new interviews with star Teri Garr, producer Michael Phillips, photographic effects supervisor Douglas Trumbull, production designer Joe Alves, and several cinematographers, screenwriters, and special-effects legends. John Hill, Jerry Belson, Hal Barwood, and Matthew Robbins; and special effects legends Richard Yuricich, Robert Swarthe, Dennis Muren, Scott Squires, Greg Jein, and Rocco Gioffre.

Celebrate the fortieth anniversary of 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 visual narrative of the film’s journey to the big screen. It also features a wealth of insightful commentary from every key player involved in the film, from the acclaimed director himself to the film’s stars and the key department heads who brought Spielberg’s vision to life. Special inserts and interactive elements include script pages, call lists, concept sketches, and more. Comprehensive, compelling, and filled with unseen treasures, Close Encounters of the Third Kind: The Ultimate Visual History is a fitting tribute to one of history’s most iconic films.

Donation Oct/03.

Using analogies from popular science-fiction movies, Close Encounters of the Divine Kind shows you a world that will satisfy these longings. A world that is more real than this physical world. A world with a real extraterrestrial who is waiting to be contacted. Close Encounters of the Divine Kind is not about religion. It is about having a real encounter that will transform your life. So if you are searching for truth and meaning, if you want purpose in your life, read on, and may you too have an encounter with God, the ultimate extraterrestrial. Welcome to the real world. Book jacket.

The wildly entertaining and eye-opening biography of J. Allen Hynek, the astronomer who invented the concept of "Close Encounters" with alien life, inspired Steven Spielberg’s blockbuster classic science fiction epic film and is the subject of History Channel's Project Blue Book, and made an entire nation want to believe in UFOs. In June 1947, private pilot Kenneth Arnold looked out his cockpit window and saw a group of nine silvery crescents weaving between the peaks of the Cascade Mountains at an estimated 1,200 miles an hour. The media, the military, and the scientific community—led by J. Allen Hynek, an astronomer hired by the Air Force—debunked this and many other Unidentified Flying Object sightings reported across the country. But after years of denials, Hynek made a shocking pronouncement: UFOs are real. Thirty years after his death, Hynek’s agonizing transformation from skepticism to true believer remains one of the great misunderstood stories of science. In this definitive biography, Mark O'Connell reveals for the first time how Hynek’s work both as a celebrated astronomer and as the U. S. Air Force’s go-to UFO expert for nearly twenty years stretched the boundaries of modern science, laid the groundwork for acceptance of the possibility of UFOs, and was the basis of the hit film Close Encounters of the Third Kind. With unprecedented access to Hynek’s personal and professional files, O’Connell smashes conventional wisdom to reveal the intriguing man and scientist beneath the legend. Tracing Hynek’s career, O'Connell examines Hynek’s often-ignored work as a professional astronomer to create a complete portrait of a groundbreaking enthusiast who became an American cult icon and transformed the way we see our world and our universe.

A Reporter's Notebook on Alien Abduction, UFOS, and the Conference at MIT Alien abduction is hardly the usual topic for a scientific conference, yet in 1992 just such a conference was held at MIT. Respected journalist C D B Bryan had serious doubts about UFO encounters , but decided to attend with an open mind. This startling and thought-provoking book is the result. Fascinating - compelling, terrifying, haunting, yet entirely rational' - The Baltimore Sun'