Spielberg's Mystical Masterpiece: Close Encounter's Deeper Meanings In A Film That Still Ma
"This means something."
I brought my wife and daughter to the re-screening of Steven Spielberg's Close Encounters of the Third Kind this afternoon and was not completely disappointed. I will qualify that opening statement by warning anyone who goes to see the shiny 4K remaster that some higher up type decided it was just fine to put a ten minute tribute/making of documentary right in between all the previews and the actual film. My daughter had never seen the film and knew very little about it until a decent portion of the film's grandeur was spoiled for her by this commentary. To whoever decided that this was a cool thing to do.... Dude....we already bought the tickets. The film can speak for itself. Leave the spoilers for my analysis. With that said the experience was nevertheless a fulfilling journey through what Spielberg himself has deemed his most personal film.
So, What Is Spielberg Trying To Communicate?
Roy Neary is a boy trapped in a man's body. Richard Dreyfuss' misunderstood Roy spends his free time away from his job playing with his massive train set that dominates the family living room. Teri Garr's Ronnie is the wife trying to keep order amongst the chaos. Early in Roy's first scene he tries to help his son with a math problem using the train.
Quickly, Brad. There are thousands of lives at stake.
Roy's son needs to learn fractions. The math problem gives Roy a chance to use his train as a visual aid. He places one third of a boxcar over a switch junction and proposes that it is 60 feet long. How much of it needs to go over the switch in order to avoid being hit by the oncoming train? He starts the engine and the train begins to hurtle around the track. Roy's son seems more interested in watching the collision than figuring out the answer. Of course even pointing out that "there are thousands of lives at stake," doesn't motivate his son to respond and the scene is played for a laugh. Aside from showing the family dynamic however there seems to be a larger significance to this scene.
Later Roy has his first encounter after he stops in front of a train crossing. This is an amazing scene visually and speaks to the films indelible practical effects. The third train scene though brings deeper associations as thousands of people are forced unto train cars by military police under the premise that they are being brought to safety.
Spielberg's first cinematic Holocaust address is subliminal at best but it's visually present. The math equation concerning "one third of a boxcar" denotes the 6 million Jews- one third of the total world population of Jews at the time of the Holocaust - that perished as a result of the Nazi's reign. Many were brought to death camps via train boxcar under the premise that they were going to be settled in labor camps. As Roy fights to learn the truth about his encounter we experience a systematic cover up by government authorities to hide the truth from the public and a totalitarian bent is given to the whole situation.
Buying In
Part of the films totalitarian oppression comes in the form of subverted consumerism. Product placement in film is nothing new and Close Encounters has it in spades. From Coke cans exploding from the farm house fridge to a flying saucer pausing to read a McDonalds billboard Spielberg needed to pay for his epic vision somehow. Yet he finds a way to subvert these product's meanings by using those placements to tell of an alternate narrative of mass distraction.
Baskin Robbins, Piggly Wiggly and Coke trucks smuggle the secret government forces into Wyoming as the anthrax cover story is put in motion. Conversations in the Neary household are constantly interrupted and underscored by loud television ads that faze out clear communication and understanding amongst the family. Commercials, movies and soap operas serve as a second soundtrack to the film as Roy distractedly fumbles through the fraying fabric of his home.
Through all the back ground noise is Roy's growing obsession that something isn't right. He's had an encounter that has changed him and only by pursuing that obsession and getting answers can he finally understand what it all means.
An Epic of Biblical Proportions
Just underneath the mysterious alien encounters is the subtext of Spielberg's faith. Many critics and scholars have pointed out the biblical parallels of Roy's journey ranging from Elijah's ascent into heaven via a fiery chariot, Truffout's Lacombe taking on a Moses persona, Melinda Dillion's character is told to turn away from the light much like Lot's wife is told to do and of course Devil's Tower doubling as Mt. Sinai. One aspect of the film though that I have not read or heard is the dinner table scene with the Neary's and the infamous mashed potatoes. This is the most blatant moment of religious subtext in the film. I think because so much focus is put on what Roy is doing with the potatoes the little hints about how crucial this scene is are missed. Please watch and pay attention to the background and what food has been set (and not been set) on the table.
This is a Passover dinner. I've watched the scene several times and I cannot find any meat on the table. In the background the wallpaper has a design that shows the Star of David and milk is framed in several shots between the two unlit table candles. This milk emphasizes the lack of meat as it is forbidden in the Torah to cook meat in milk. The two candles though symbolize the subliminal conflict of this scene. At Passover the woman of the house must light the candles after sunset. If the woman is not present than the man may light them. Not only are they not lit for dinner but they have never been lit. When Roy cries and says, "This means something. This is important." he's not only saying the potato mountain on his plate means something but also that this meal means something. It is a false Passover meal with no Jewish wife to light the candles and no real man to light them for her. Remember that Roy by this point has lost his job, the respect of his wife and children and become a laughing stock within his neighborhood. Re watch the scene within this context and the pain and humiliation that tears at the family becomes deeper. The hurt is not just about Dad's odd behavior but about a conflict of culture within the marriage. Strip away the alien encounter narrative and just allow the subtextual fact that Richard Dreyfuss is a Jewish man with a Gentile wife and you have a conflict of faith. Garr's Ronnie never sees things as Roy sees them and this is the source of the disintegration within their marriage.
Look closely at the bowl that holds the mashed potatoes as well. There is a lamp and an eagle. This also symbolizes conflicting elements within the meal itself. Lamps or lanterns symbolize wisdom that "lights' the way of the faithful. The eagle is a bird of carrion and is strictly forbidden to be part of any meal. Roy's young daughter also says that there is a bug in her potatoes which also denotes non kosher animals. The eagle also can symbolize imperialism and was often used by Kubrick in his films to imply this sentiment. 2001: A Space Odyssey of course inspired Spielberg's vision of this film and this may also be an artistic nod.
Regardless of your take on this dinner scene you'll really be scratching your head at what Spielberg does next. For now we enter a VERY personal aspect of what's going on with Roy's obsession over the mountain he keeps trying to build in his living room.
Cut! Print it. That's a Wrap.
Roy has obsessed for awhile over his mountain sculpture that he can't quite seem to get right. Just at the point he decides to give up and come to his senses something happens that brings everything into focus.
He pulls down all the newspaper articles about UFO's off the wall and begins to tear down his clay sculpture of the nameless mountain he keeps seeing in his mind. But when he pulls on it only the tip of the mountain comes off. Now he sees the true nature of what he's been obsessing over and goes into hyperdrive erecting an even larger mountain.
This of course is the last straw for Ronnie as she loads the kids in the car and leaves. But after seeing the mountain for what it is and then identifying where the actual Devil's Tower resides Roy regains purpose to his life. In fact, one could say he regains his manhood.
Okay, so yes, the mountain model Roy builds is phallic. Let's all be mature about this and agree that phallic symbols exist. But this is the only symbolic circumcision I've ever witnessed in cinema (I'm sure there are others I just haven't noticed) and I say bravo Mr. Spielberg. You snuck that one in just under our noses. And no one noticed for the past 40 years.
I guess it's time for us to come out of the wilderness on this one and truly appreciate this masterpiece for what it is. There are still so many layers to peel back on what some people consider Spielberg's best film but that'll have to wait for the video essay. Thank you for your time on this Reconsideration and I will see you on the dark side of the moon.