Richard Dreyfuss - Close Encounters Q&A at the 2018 Sedona Film Festival

[@headlesssoldier]

I’m a 56 year old from Wisconsin. I lived through what i think was the last great time in America. 70s in grammar school. 80-84 in high school . This guy was in both of the films that had a fantastic affect on my life. But the grande slow momentum of patient build that close encounters does until the ridiculous payoff, makes it the centerpiece of the wondrous film making of days gone by.

[@jorgebaigorri7971]

Great great actor,great great movie ,unforgetable movie

[@mr.blonde66milkyway66]

One of the Greatest Actors in One of the Greatest film's of all time!!! *As Richard Dreyfuss has said many times about Close Encounters: *"It will be studied in 300 year's if We still exist then!?...."*

[@beats2476]

I absolutely love Richard Dreyfuss since close encounters and Jaws of course. It would be amazing to have a sequel to this but then I think maybe we should leave well enough alone

[@RaikenXion]

What story would you tell in this day and age where audiences are alot more "sophisticated".

[@beats2476]

​@@RaikenXion Hi, probably the real truth about what is going on. The government is just dangling a carrot over our nose. They give a little only to tease us. I realize it is a lot worse than ET and Close Encounters. I believe there is one benevolent and one malevolent and something in between.

[@MrKnifeart]

Awesome Richard I remember bumping into you in 1995 you look at me like you knew me it was incredible.

[@priestpega]

Regarding his comment on not knowing how Spielberg managed to get that particular performance from little Cary Guffey, Spielberg himself disclosed how he did it in a 1978 Starlog magazine interview. He said he just brought a big bag in front of the window that the boy was looking through while filming his face. Then very slowly he started pulling out a toy car from the bag which made Cary's face to shine with glee and said, "TOYS!" (that line wasn't in the script, but Steven left it).

[@rickytoddbotelho9555]

Perhaps the greatest movie ever made. And one of the greatest actors I've ever witnessed😀

[@VEGANSAM]

I watched this movie last night with over 1000 people in Santa Barbara, in the glorious sunken garden of the County Courthouse. I remember when & where I saw it when it first came out, & despite it being one of my favorites of all time, I hadn't seen it for decades...however, my ringtone has been the iconic 5 notes since it was possible to choose it. And as I watched it, the thing that I kept thinking was how absolutely perfectly cast this movie was...e v e r y s i n g l e one of them! But the one that blew me away, was Cary Guffey as Barry. EVERYTHING about him, his stances, his mannerisms...his ARMS...you name it, were PERFECT. And after having just read all the people who had either turned down or didn't get all the adult roles, I'm amazed by how Spielberg nailed it by choosing this 3 year old boy. Having said all that...I'm VERY glad to discover he came out of it 'normal' & unscathed by 'Hollywood'. :-)

[@colwilliamnoydb4134]

Both myself and my brother were military pilots. He led a flight of F-14's when a target came into US Airspace. Target dropped from 30k, to 10k, then 50k and left. No one could have survived the G's.

[@L.K.916]

This man is awesome and very smart.

[@carlkillough4196]

3rd Kind was not made for kids. I saw it as a kid. That is why I love it as I have grown.

[@TheOlJWShow]

Hang on a minute... *raises hand* "uh with respect Mr. Dreyfuss...what scene in alien had a screw being taken out of a bathroom door...and uh.....didnt your movie...THIS MOVIE...the ONE WE JUST watched....Close Encounters...actually have a screw being taken out of a floor vent?" *Sits back down...wrestling with own mind*

[@SEPK09]

Legend.:)

[@bobtyrell6718]

Anyone else notice how Richards voice tones match the five tones. Observe.

[@marni1066]

Captivating. :)

[@mandofan2616]

is there longer version of this? seems to be cut.

[@RaikenXion]

Imagine if they were to "de-age" Richard Dreyfuss MCU style, and actually make a sequel to Close Encounters of the Third Kind. A sequel that is more darker in tone to the original, intelligent more in the style of say Interstellar in it's story-telling. The story of this sequel would follow Roy Neary who has been returned to earth some Thirty years later and has not aged a day, and no one believes his story or even who he is. Theres a media frenzy around him, and this is somewhat abit like The Joker Film, where Roy is seen as a fraud, his own family, his children all grown up reject him calling him a fraud and fake. No amount of experts can work out who exactly he is because Roy Neary was declared dead from the Toxic Nerve Gas spillage. And like The Joker Roy is kind of made a laughing stock by the media, but he eventually leads a massive group following of believers and UFOolgists, who all descend on Area 51, with Roy demanding the Govt reveal the truth of what happened all those years ago at Devil's Tower, and why he was abandoned. A conflict ensues between the followers and the military guarding Edward's Air-force Base resulting in some people being shot dead by soldiers on the site and Roy being injured, which then leads to thousands of people from all over the US and the world all descending on Area 51, putting pressure on the Govt to reveal the truths.

[@mcfcguvnors]

id go for that deffo

[@RaikenXion]

@@mcfcguvnors Thanx, i had more ideas to go with that but i got tired and fell asleep after i'd posted it, then forgot what was playing out in my head at that time. Really wish i would have just jotted things down. A little more i wanted to add to the whole reunion Roy has with his children, his wife who he ends up divorced from, shes sick in hospital. He meets his son and its very emotional, his son is like really crying but is angry and shouting at him, calling him a fraud, and the whole thing a sick joke. It becomes very tragic and a sad story, and the film would basically put the question to the viewer, was any of that which Roy experienced once he got to Devil's tower real!? It would be one of those really clever, intelligent sci fi films where you simply dont know what's what. But ultimately the truth would be that what occurred was very real, because there was also the issue of the woman's little boy who got abducted then returned to her. But it would basically play on this issue, exploring people's feelings toward the idea of ETs and UFOs, looking at both sides. And also how the Govt use psychological warfare, diss-information and deception to confuse and greatly manipulate public opinion. I have always found this idea a interesting twist to the classic Film, but am lost on how to end such a story. Once it gets to the point of Neary and all the followers at the Area 51 base, i kind of draw a blank. If you're a sci fi fan, or just have some ideas of your own of where this story could go further, any input would be much appreciated, thanks for taking the time to read my rough story. :)

[@StratsRUs]

The original is great

[@argustuft2394]

@@RaikenXion Right. So the US government's intelligence apparatus would not be able to recognise Roy Neary as someone they authorised to send onboard a massive alien spacecraft along with a dozen other members of an exchange team even though his physical appearance had not changed and he was publicly telling his story. Or if they did in fact recognise him rather than holding him in secret they let Neary wander around and contact his family and appear on Oprah's Book of the Month club. The fact that Earth had been contacted and had sent and received inter-stellar ambassadors had not leaked for 30 years despite this being a multi-national operation involving thousands of individuals from different governments around the world, the forced evacuation of large areas of Wyoming based on a false cover story involving anthrax contamination and a spacecraft bigger than a football field landing on Devil's Tower disgorging dozens of human abductees including all the members of Flight 19. Then Neary facing abandonment issues leads a bedraggled group of thousands of "UFOogists" [sic] to battle the guards of Edward's Air Force Base in California because they want answers about the secrets being held in Area 51 at Nellis Air Force Base in Nevada. Yep. That sure sounds like an "darker... original [and more] intelligent" story than the original, and has obviously been well researched. I reckon you should include that the aliens gave Neary a special fuel additive so that when the sinister authorities are chasing him in his car it allowed it to fly with green smoke coming from the exhaust. They also gave him a special cloak that allowed him to turn invisible so he was able to sneak into the local gym's ladies locker room so we can spice it up a bit with some T&A. When you pitch it don't accept less than $10 million for the screenplay.

[@RaikenXion]

​@@argustuft2394 Thanx for sharing your opinion. I see it as ever since the Devil's Tower event, no other form of contact was made with the ETs. They never visited Earth again after that. Infact the whole event took a rather dark turn and the US Govt, as well as all other Nation-Govts involved took part in a global cover up of the event. The Alien's technology was so far advanced, it was able to cover it's appearance across mile radius. Blurring any sensitive photography equipment of that specific time. The US Intelligence Community, along with all other European and Eastern intelligence communities would be i on the act, ignoring Roy Neary's return, because it would serve their interest; believing mankind not ready for such disclosure. Roy Neary would be the only volunteer return with full knowledge of his experience with the ET race(s), but instead of taking Neary and subjecting him to all kinds of experiments, the Govts were caught off guard when Neary was returned out of the blue. Without any prior knowledge. This is what would cause the Govts to disavow any prior knowledge of his involvement; because he had already caught the attention of the World Media. From their cynical viewpoint they would see it as too much of a risk to even acknowledge the man. But to ignore him entirely, would convince the public overall that he is a "nutjob". But they would keep eye on him from a very far distance. The Govts would be left in puzzlement as to why the ETs never kept in contact, and without anykind or regular dialogue with eachother. All "channels" as it were would be left open with no response for decades. This was specifically the part i wanted to keep a mystery with no explanation, with the main questions posed to the audience, why did the ETs keep in touch, "why" did they return Roy Neary at such a random time, and without any proper "contract" between them and the Govt's secret intel communities? It is important to remember the secret Intel divisions within the Govts, sent Roy Neary completely in the spur of the moment. They already had a good dozen candidates, psychologically and physically trained as best they could, prepared for such a life-changing "mission". It was the ET minions who specifically chose Roy; just as Lacombe predicted, "they were chosen to be here". So in a sense, the REAL ones in power of the whole contact or "Close Encounter", were the ETs all the long The human Govts and their secret divisions were just winging it all the long, they didn't know what to expect from the get-go. Even that whole color coordinated music note communication the humans electec to use, was a extremely primitive form of communication they didn't even realize. The ETs just went along with their gesture, if they had used other forms of communication, it might have proved too much for human intellect to fully understand in one go. I.e. the "Aliens" were actually handling us with "kid gloves". Ofcourse this is just all my own ideas, the way i personally perceive it lol.

[@alexmac770]

Richard is bipolar, and as a fellow traveller myself, I wonder if that informed his performance as the guy losing his mind. I've done some erratic things, and there's a kind of internal logic and focus in the midst of the madness.

[@RaikenXion]

I have bipolar too, i've had a few episodes, people can set me off sometimes. I had it when some people are patronizing.

[@jedijones]

In the sequel, we find out that they gave Richard Dreyfuss radiation treatments that turned him into a shriveled up little creature who appeared in another movie we've already seen. Richard Dreyfuss was E.T. all along!

[@515aleon]

I agree with Dreyfuss and not Spielberg re: leaving the kids. I don't think he planned to do it. It wasn't like he said, "wow that would be a good thing to do." He was for lack of a better term "implanted". People of completely intact, do leave their families to go to war, going on the Space shuttle, etc. which are dangerous and there is a good chance they won't come back.

[@caseycallahan8767]

I agree. From my vantage point he tried as hard as he could to get his wife to help and support him. She left him.

[@jedijones]

I think Spielberg is just saying that because it sounds good. It's the virtue-signaling thing to say. But if he had to make the movie again, I agree with Dreyfuss that he wouldn't go through with changing the ending.

[@dustywilson5461]

CEOTK absolutely needs a sequel. While Dreyfus is still alive.

[@tommym321]

Nah.

[@dustywilson5461]

@@tommym321 Yeah.

[@davebooshty299]

The Sequel , Only In Fun Sake , Should Have Been Close Encounters Of The Third Kind Aliens VS Jaws.

[@HeyMykee]

Speilberg was forced by the studio to use the ending where we see Neary inside the ship after it takes off, and he hated that. He said it killed all the mystery and wonder he worked so hard to create, and I agree. So nothing wrong with him going in and cutting that out, putting on the ending he wanted from the get-go. Hey, at least he didn't add Jar-Jar Binks!

[@danielsalisbury245]

Poor Cary Guffey getting confused for Cary Elwes in RD’s opening remarks.

[@cameron1975williams]

Charisma to spare.

[@GjpgrD]

He's always charized me!

[@sandierzen7300]

cool !

[@jm-dq4qg]

Jim here mater water but God and us alll

[@freemandiaz5123]

Baby steps...

[@ToyotaGuy1971]

Nah, Neary's wife was the child in the movie.

[@AriocKaichi]

He straight up lied that Stephen has not seen something of this nature. What they won't tell you is that an event like this actually happened and that's where they got this idea from in the first place...

[@Private-Hudson]

Project Serpo.

[@AriocKaichi]

@@Private-Hudson I bet it was a wonderful experience and i want to be there next time they do it.

[@mortalclown3812]

What he says at about 12:00.

[@Nigel-Webb]

1:03 needs auto-tune!

[@jm-dq4qg]

I found God water and water found us life and life is u and me jim

[@tonydiaz788]

This man is shot out

[@daleandrews3552]

You know, with RIchard Dreyfuss' money, you'd think he'd try to look a little younger. What with the massive balding and all that grey hair, I think if it were me, I'd do something about it. I mean, a toupee and a little hair color would take years and years off of his appearance with very little money spent. You know, though, it looks to me he doesn't even need a facelift. Just take away the grey hair and baldness and you;d have a forty-something year old man.

[@StratsRUs]

Prick

[@mortalclown3812]

Your own shallowness is unyielding.

[@janedavis4160]

Freak

[@brianorakpohit]

I feel sorry for you that you're so shallow

[@allthingshorrorrelated]

It's called old age. nobhead

[@ianpearson8976]

Sounds very dodgy. Spielberg has an ability to yield from kids. Another Michael Jackson?

[@mortalclown3812]

Says far more about the mind of the commentator.

[@lostintechnicolor]

@Mr Right Yeah she had Crohn’s disease that went undiagnosed and it ended up killing her. It happens. All the other stuff is bullshit. How many kids and young people, and people in general have worked with Spielberg? A LOT. TONS. Don’t you think BY NOW there would be serious charges levied against him? He’s been making movies since the early 70s…

[@robbiereilly]

It's great Richard did this. Wonderful. I always love hearing him. Great storyteller. I have to say, I don't care for the Special Edition. I don't think they could possibly show the interior and do better than our own imaginations. It was a disappointment and didn't match the rest of the film in terms of look of FX and awe. Also, they cut some parts that I like, when the power grid supervisor (Roy's boss) yells to his crew after he sends Roy out on a job to get the lines connected, 'We're going to candlepower in ten minutes!' (same actor appeared in Duel and Star Trek, by the way). I do like the ship in the Gobi desert, though. But that was shot originally and added later. whereas the interior of the mothership was shot later, and it shows. I'm glad Richard took this topic. A film is a collaboration. A group effort. And sometimes the producer is right, as he pointed out in his David Lean anecdote about 'Lawrence of Arabia'. Steven wanted to show the shark in the beginning of Jaws, and because it broke, he couldn't. Fate stepped in and that problem made Jaws a masterpiece.

[@joeldf6859]

The Collectors Edition version is Spielberg's final cut and it takes out the interior of the ship ending, and adds back in all the stuff that was cut in the Special Edition. He keeps the ship in the desert. Easy to find on DVD and Blu-ray. In fact, you can get the Blu-ray set and the UHD release with all three version - original theatrical, the Special Edition, and the Collectors Edition.