Steven Spielberg - Close Encounters of the Third Kind, 1977 - Play The Five Tones

First communication with extra terrestrial life.

[@Goryllo]

I love it that when the aliens play the two final tones at max volume and break the glass, they're saying "OK, WE GET IT!"

[@nucleartemptations3044]

"WE HEARD YA THE FIRST TIME!"

[@zerodarkthirty1045]

Wish they'd come and let us know they here instead of government cover ups

[@danski6694]

@@zerodarkthirty1045 i think its coming. On the way in maybe 10 years.

[@Khyiah2012]

yeah, like " Oh, THIS BEAT BOOOOONNNGGG"

[@andrewfallon3998]

I think it's the opposite... They're excited that WE get it. ✌️

[@LFOVCF]

Imagine you compose 5 notes, and it becomes one of the most recognisable riffs in history

[@craigharris41]

John Williams actually has a whole song written.

[@jasoncranman7284]

It was borrowed from the NBC on air tone

[@williamcastro3017]

The Five notes equal “Hello “!

[@startrekmaniac1701]

@@jasoncranman7284nbc theme is 3 notes not 5. This was all John Williams

[@CristiNeagu]

Mark Snow needed 6, to be fair...

[@jeffreyballinger133]

I love how they snuck in the Jaws theme. A musical easter egg.

[@rickogden204]

Noticed it too....very sublime

[@bxchtold]

@@rickogden204 What do you think sublime means.

[@EvanMadeSomthing]

Ethan Bechtold submarine lime

[@Skraboing649]

@@bxchtold maybe he means subliminal. Except it isn't, it's fairly obvious.

[@NigelsFunhouse]

This is basically the sequel to Jaws. Same universe.

[@kracker675]

I think these aliens travel the stars looking for life to collaborate and make some dope tunes.

[@edwardbrock3807]

Lets the bass dropppppp

[@lonewolf9390]

*SHOW ME WHAT YOU GOT!!!!!!!!!!!*

[@RCAvhstape]

@@lonewolf9390 I LIKE WHAT YOU GOT!!!

[@Xeno87]

So they're either making a mixtape or they're like birds, singing as much as possible to get laid.

[@jimjiminyjaroo300]

Who wants a rewind?!

[@AdhamOhm]

The keyboardist was played by Phil Dodds, a technician from ARP Instruments who was hired to set up the ARP 2500 synthesizer for the film. Spielberg liked his mannerisms as he was demonstrating the synth, so he hired him to play the part of the keyboardist.

[@securityrobot]

Forget his mannerisms, he looks like a member of Kraftwerk.

[@BradiKal61]

Glad I checked first before I wrote all the same stuff you did!

[@sweetness_5772]

ARP, what a great company for making the musical synthesizer. The ARP Odyssey, MK1 and MK2, was just an absolutely wicked sounding synthesizer.

[@philread6981]

"So honey, how was your day at work? Same old?"

[@ashlikewatson]

"It's the first day of school fellas" 😂 love that. My favourite scene and will never be forgotten.

[@zerodarkthirty1045]

Wish Spielberg would do another to bring back them who went and get new people

[@MAnuscript421]

I think it was stated earlier in the movie that each tone represents a number of some kind of binary language. I think it had something to do with the octaves.

[@icbm859]

i was 5 year's old when my dad took me to see this at the theater, remember it like it was yesterday, God i miss the good old day's, RIP DAD

[@TheTattorack]

Your dad was cool.

[@NikiFromTexas]

That's amazing. I was 10 yrs old.My Dad was very intelligent, & ahead of his time on many things that we're just learning about, like the power in frequencies. He took us to the movie theater as well, & made sure that we saw this movie. He was good about things like that. He was already actively on 'the internet & computers' when he passed away in Nov 1998, at age 58, from cancer. I miss him every day,but never more than these times. However, his Bday was 9/11, & he was a very wise & kind police Officer.. I wouldn't want him to see what that date & these times have become. Blessings ~

[@PetitPoneyDuVercors26]

My dad used to whistle this to me back in my childhood... (if you're reading this comment section...I love you dad, and yes I'm not that bad in english thanks to you teaching me how to download movies games and tv shows...with a lot of not accurate fanmade french subtitles...)

[@Bbanzai28]

I was 7. I loved this movie so much I got in trouble because I would whistle the 5 tones constantly for the next summer.

[@mikereiss4216]

I was 7 and I would still say it's one of my favorite movies from my childhood.

[@johnfrancis1925]

One of the most compelling and clever communication scenarios in Alien Science Fiction. The two bass horn notes will always give me chills. "Interpretation: We got you"

[@andrewfallon3998]

Makes me sob every time.

[@Curien247]

"Its the first day of school fellas." after all this time, that has stuck from all the background conversations.

[@21CCommunIT]

Curien247 Yup…

[@CorsetGrace]

I love that it goes from scary to a fun music scene...then the Jaws Theme plays and you're scared shitless again.

[@mikeowen7526]

I agree about the jaws reference Its perfect for this scene I love this film I remember watching it as a kid and I never understood it properly until I got older and now it's as amazing as it was back then ❤️

[@CorsetGrace]

@chris falkenberg Are you okay? Just wondering.

[@SoddingaboutSi]

I was 10 when this film came out. I am now 53 and this part of the film still sends a tingle down my spine. For mankind's sake I hope we are not alone.

[@barliechock]

Don't worry there's no possible way we are alone

[@josephzsoka874]

I was 11... mine too. We are not alone, but we are the first to arrive.

[@CanyonWanderer]

Calculating I must have been 12..., It made quite an impact, I'm thinking it might have triggered me liking Stravinsky (when discussing classical music) at a later stage, who knows ...

[@carmenburgos1616]

I was 10 when first saw this film back in 1982

[@Assyrianland2]

We have never been alone ✌🏻

[@robertoaguirrematurana6419]

2:46 the face of Richard Dreyfuss when Jaws theme begins is like "no, not again..."

[@matthewcaughey8898]

Well Roy wasn’t there therefore no shark

[@mikearaki1559]

​@@matthewcaughey8898but remember in this movie Richard Dreyfuss played as "Roy"😉

[@bigbengamer]

What I love about this scene is, as they're communicating in the beginning, they're trying to establish the first message. Finally, the spacecraft relents, but then immediately takes control of the conversation again. It's beautiful

[@killbot86]

I don't think the spacecaraft took over the coversation....... @ 2:18 - the guy with glasses clearly says "Taking over this conversation now" and when he hit play, the keyboard started playing on its own.....

[@andrewfallon3998]

The spacecraft does take control again. First day of school, fellas. This scene haunts me. I'd like to think that this is how it would happen.

[@WizzRacing]

@@killbot86 Exactly what happen. The computer picked out the proper tone sequence. As he said they had a Communications lock. It was simply going down the scale for each word it produced or picked out..

[@rayl7335]

My favorite Steven Spielberg movie ever. "If everything is ready here in the far side of the moon, play the five tones." OMG I'll never get tired of this scene.

[@JeepersCreepers2013]

RAY L dark side of the moon

[@rayl7335]

Grasshopper, You're the first!. That was on purpose. But no one noticed it or cared till now. It lasted two months. Thanks... You do read! LOL!

[@JeepersCreepers2013]

RAY L lol, sorry it's just one of my favorite movies of all time so I had to say something....

[@rayl7335]

That's ok man. I used to do this kind of things from time to time.! One of my favorites too; believe me.

[@RCAvhstape]

@@JeepersCreepers2013 "There is no dark side of the moon. As a matter of fact, it's all dark."

[@andrewfallon3998]

I'm 42... Does anyone else still get emotional when the aliens break the glass with their reply... It's like they are so excited to finally be understood that they literally blow the speakers. ✌️

[@allison9090]

Me. Makes me cry . Its as if they are saying YES! YOU UNDERSTAND! YAY!!!

[@ai6894]

I'm 43, my name is also Andrew and yes on both counts! 🛸🎙️

[@jakepearce3196]

Me too. I'm 50, but not relevant. Best piece of cinema ever. I dream of the day that this happens. But ,sadly, it most likely won't work out this way.

[@fernandoferreira6293]

"They're shooting at us!" (screams) "Launch!"

[@blackholeentry3489]

I recently turned 83. I have had four 'up close' and in my face UFO encounters, going all the way back to the late 60's. Have also attended the McMenamins UFO Conference three times in the last five years. Sure would love to see 'Full UFO' disclosure happen before I depart for that 'Great Flying Saucer in the sky' BHE

[@richwicz]

There's an alien blowing a tuba through a speaker on the mothership.

[@IAMLH]

Helmut McFranklinstein *plays tuba* GOD DAMMIT JIM! YOU ALWAYS DO THAT!

[@spock347]

That just reminded me of the Goodies - a British comedy show if you're wondering.

[@feltongailey8987]

It's George Clinton and the Parliament Funkadelic on the Mothership.

[@gtgt2010-qy7tg]

its a race of musicians aliens trying to talk with music

[@amazinginspiration]

Helmut McFranklinstein looollll 😂👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻

[@exposure4574]

I've never seen such a beautiful, interesting and unique science fiction scene like this. A great idea communicating with classic music. Wonderful work

[@nathanjoerndt8804]

hello Exposure!!!!!! the question is! if there really aliens out there how could we communicate with them through music ???????

[@martimxavier9690]

@@nathanjoerndt8804 Mathematics and music are considered "universal languages". Also, when you speak you're basically singing a though to another person.

[@nathanjoerndt8804]

@@martimxavier9690 okay how so ?????

[@martimxavier9690]

@@nathanjoerndt8804 Well that would depend on how the interaction with the aliens would go. Mathematics is universal because it's present everywhere in our universe, however aliens would not understand our symbology, so sounds (and maybe visual patterns like colours) would be the way to go

[@martimxavier9690]

@@nathanjoerndt8804 I don't know if you ever learned how to read sheet music, but every single music consists of time stamps, rhythms, and basic number counts like 1-2-3-4.

[@mahounoahohale-bopp6285]

I'm not fluent in music, but I like to think the little exchange at 1:23 translated to this: "How was your trip here?" "Very rough." "How come?" "The asteroids were terrible and we almost got pulled into Jupiter." "Sorry to hear about that, but we're very glad you could make it." "Thank you." "You're welcome!"

[@andrewfallon3998]

😭

[@rmo52]

Phil Dodds, ARP design engineer; playing the ARP 2500s and had a speaking line! He was a true genius and gone too soon (cancer, 2007).

[@markwaldron8954]

Saw this at the theater when it first came out, when I was seven years old. To this day I still can hardly wrap my head around the fact that one of the best First Contact movies ever made, if not the best, was made in the 1970s.

[@ETC_Rohaly_USCG]

October 11, 2023…. I’ve watched this so many times… every time I get choked up. I know there’s more than us “out there”

[@carolelder3319]

I was a kid when this came out. It was on HBO ALL the time. Now, watching it as a 48 yr old adult, this scene had me floods of tears. I couldnt stop. These are also the FIRST five notes I ever played on our old beat up piano as a child.

[@choc113]

Saw it at the one screen cinema in my town when it came out (since closed) I can vividly remember coming out of the cinema it was dark and the office blocks all lit up looked like spaceships since I had been looking at spaceships for all evening

[@blackholeentry3489]

I've been a sci/fy fan since the early 50's. I'm not sure of my age when this movie was released, but it impacted me like NO other and to this day remains one of my all time favorite movies. Another one....the off-beat Dark Star.....where bombs are so intelligent they actually have indepth philosophical discussions with humans about the meaning of life. BHE

[@aaronsrok3422]

Music is math and math is universal. Our universe is made of mathematics so the idea of communicating through it is fairly easy to imagine. And not only that, but music can convey so much more than language. There is a reason why certain arrangements can make us feel any kind of emotion, even ones we don't have a word for.

[@austinmorrison6953]

I always appreciate stories that focus on the optimistic side of meeting alien life like this.

[@JONNOG88]

Try Arrival. It's themes are very similar to this.

[@fernandoferreira6293]

As the young say these days: cope harder.

[@sandal_thong8631]

We sometimes forget there had to be a first movie that made human-alien contact non-violent. The trope was always to meet them with guns, which is why Spielberg didn't like the police meeting E.T. and the kids with guns in retrospect.

[@Tao_Tology]

Iirc that was part of Spielberg's reason for making the film: to depict a story about alien contact that wasn't deadly or scary or The Thing That Came From Somewhere.

[@user-gr3yc3km1k]

@@JONNOG88 You and I surely have different taste in alien movies then. Because in Arrival it's pretty much like The Day Earth stood still, as in the aliens there didn't do anything aside from being shot down by the Russians and spent 3/4 of the movie repairing their ship in the background. Meanwhile you watch a wooden actor playing as a normal guy acting like he has dementia. If you enjoy human drama then yeah you might like it, but there isn't much screen time for the aliens....in an alien movie. The scene where the general and the alien meet first time was cool though.

[@TheSaneHatter]

"You think YOU'VE got a sound system!? Try this!!!"

[@martinmendl1399]

It is just and only in this film, where you can hear humans and aliens playing a song together.

[@peakart8850]

@Xergyo Salgado Haha, nice one!

[@cbspock1701]

Spock and Uhura have y’all beat.

[@cleverusername9369]

Star Wars, Star Trek, Guardians of the Galaxy, some nerd probably has a list a mile long of movies where aliens and people play music together.

[@fernandoferreira6293]

The very first Star Wars had it.

[@xyreniaofcthrayn1195]

When alien musicians can drive a spaceship properly and only have one mission after finding the golden record and just give us a once in a lifetime concert and release their potential hostages.

[@rbilleaud]

I think what makes this movie so engaging is the acting is spot on. From Melinda Dillon's physically emotional reaction to what she's witnessing to the sly smile on the face of the guy - don't remember his name - at 2:25. You really believe that all these people are actually looking at an alien mothership.

[@mrey5678]

Especially when the ship does something and somw of the people run away

[@imnotlettingyouseemyname]

@@mrey5678 yep, nearly everyone is just reacting like the animals. Some are just stuck wondering what it is, some are skittish and backing away while trying to take in this new potential threat. Only a few people seem to be trying to use reason to figure out what is going on. It's a good reminder that we are quite simple creatures in the end.

[@andrewfallon3998]

That smile at 2:25 grounds this for me. This whole sequence is a joy, and heartbreaking, and emotional and so beautiful to watch and listen to. 💥

[@robocop5935]

One of the most amazing scenes in movie history.

[@carlwilliams7442]

i cried at the tuba blast, it made me think of how we may truly never see other life. or at least in our lifetimes. its lonely out there in space

[@danski6694]

Whatever intelligence that may be out there is probably growing more and more disinterested in engaging with us due to our petty arguments - mostly political

[@gabrieldarcy9067]

@@danski6694 It's just so insane and saddening that what is potentially the only intelligent life in existence is on the verge of wiping itself out just because one day thousands of years ago humanity decided we needed to stop getting along with one another and then built society on that belief.

[@alfieburns9019]

On such a tiiiiiiiimeless flight.

[@fernandoferreira6293]

Considering the very almighty government admits (now) to the presence of "extraterestrials" here (see "tic tac") and that there's been too large a count of direct interaction with these unidentified ufonauts, it's indeed lonely here...

[@billtribble2904]

Actually, they're here! 👽🛸

[@305kubrick]

Alot of the movies from that era were great at capturing the implications of scenes like this. Spielberg created a sense of gravity, wonder and fear and drew you in to that experience. Today, a scene like this would have the actors acting mildly affected and sterile.

[@lorib360]

If their Botox and fillers would allow.

[@work90]

Exactly and cracking jokes every fcking second thanks to marvel

[@ghastmine123]

Heavily suggest watching Arrival

[@fernandoferreira6293]

Like that curious couple coupling amidst the most wondrous scientific discovery known in Prometheus (Jesus, how bad can a film be?).

[@gregorymata9154]

After so many years I can only say how much Gustav Mahler would have been delighted with this miracle of movie!

[@turbobrony1472]

I absolutely loved this scene! John Williams must have had a field day when composing this sequence!

[@sandal_thong8631]

I heard he had a whole collection of 5 notes to suggest to Spielberg and they settled on these.

[@DeadRaymanWalking]

As do I, I still laugh my ass off during the part where the glass breaks.

[@briancooper4959]

What's amazing is that the tonal translation was figured out with a 1977 computer. Chew on that thought for a moment.

[@fernandoferreira6293]

It wasn't. A computer is more than its constitutive parts. The slightest modification gravely enhances the output if it's the needed one. The staff on that site as well as their resources are not easily if at all conventionally assessable. The state of the art of what they're capable of violates consensual prejudices. They weren't arguably even in the same century of the rest of the populace. If not millennium.

[@bryanx0317]

​@@fernandoferreira6293LMFAO

[@LifesNeverHumDrum]

I watched this film for the first time this year, and it was absolutely stunning.

[@TTGHAST]

I wasn't yet born when this movie came out... Mom showed it to me when I was about 10. I miss you. This scene still gives me the chills.

[@TheRealZachHadel]

I love the concept of having to establish communication with a species that doesn't share anything in common as far as language.

[@MizzyLQ]

Have you seen "Arrival?" A whole movie on that subject. Fascinating! (Not to be confused with " The Arrival".)

[@Sarah_270]

Music is the common language

[@christiangibbs8534]

I love the fact that, at least in this film, music is the universal language.

[@Porfmasterflex21]

Kudos to the symphony band! Loved the Tuba’s last few notes… Jaws tune 🥰🙏🏽

[@Willy2000ization]

In JAWS they used a Cello instead

[@coolperson962]

Those tones translate to SHOW ME WHAT YOU GOT!

[@jenky1044]

Can you explain that to a non- musical person.?

[@thepixelpusher]

jenky1044 watch Rick and Morty

[@jayeisenhardt1337]

I was just watching dueling banjos clip from Deliverance but really this also kinda reminds me of a game I've seen people play called Friday Night Funkin' one of them rhythm games like OSU or something... Once the door opens next thing the aliens should had a dance off or dance battle. lol

[@nitronorman1491]

Fifty years later and its still good.

[@aligator9552]

This is one of the most beautiful scene in all of cinema. Absolute genius how they used music and tonal communication!

[@pandoranbias1622]

Absolutely genius to use the tone conversation as the soundtrack to the scene

[@castlearghhh6023]

Star Wars was first and this came .....Great time ti be a kid

[@Bruce-1956]

Star Trek came first.

[@brandonallen3808]

Back when movies were good.

[@vincentmartinez5570]

One of the most iconic movie scenes of the 70’s.

[@rosemaryclifford6720]

Reading all the comments has been absolutely fascinating. I too saw this movie as a teenager and was completely enthralled too. Love it, so awesome to see it again. What a classic that hasn't aged.

[@JediPhoenix1976]

I love that pause before the hatch opens - after weve proven that we can communicate with the aliens, it's as if they're saying among themselves, "Okay, they're ready...let's go introduce ourselves."

[@NJgamer1505]

Squidward is aboard that ship playing his clarinet

[@Vipercards]

Hahaha good one

[@philiproe1661]

But then why hasn't a swarm of jellyfish come and attacked the ship?

[@cryptoxenologist]

😂

[@xZippy]

_Does this sound unsure to you?!_

[@Darkstar22177]

Patrick was also onboard playing the mayonnaise

[@w9gb]

Star Wars was release May 25, 1977. Close Encounters was released before Christmas, and set a movie revenue record for December 26.

[@kitspics526]

Spielberg is from another universe. Thank you for 50 years of inspiration and magic. John William's scores genius. What a pair.

[@armorer94]

I always thought it was cool that they included the "Jaws" leitmotif in the tones as a kind of inside joke.

[@toonbat]

This was such a brilliant idea. I remember hearing in interviews with scientists that math would be the universal language among intelligent beings through the universe. But it's hard to make math emotionally compelling to an audience. Music is a great way to make math emotionally impactful.

[@CoCotheTurtle]

What are you talking about? We were at Nibby's last night and you told me _and_ Monica that you thought this was the stupidest scene in the history of cinema! And here you are now saying just the opposite, because you didn't think I would be here.

[@toonbat]

I only said that to annoy Monica! You gotta agree she's pretty hilarious when you get her riled up over her favorite movie scenes.@@CoCotheTurtle

[@CoCotheTurtle]

@@toonbat She is so gullible too, as she fell for your phony butt sex story hook line and sphincter.

[@dianalee3059]

Can you imagine writing down and arranging every note of this conversation? Such is the brilliance of Mr. John Williams

[@RGVNC]

we're going to need a bigger Moog...

[@anoniconoclast2030]

Arp

[@classicarcadeamusementpark4242]

@@anoniconoclast2030 The ARP 2500 was the largest ARP made actually. I got a chance to play one about 20 years ago. I had a smaller ARP at home.

[@greenbobberg]

@@anoniconoclast2030 Moog is funnier

[@anoniconoclast2030]

@@greenbobberg The sound you hear is an ARP 2500.

[@kathrynanderson8766]

@@anoniconoclast2030 But, "Moog" is funnier

[@christophermunoz2004]

Im envious of this era of cinema. The movies would have been a blast to go to compared to now. Original ideas, great acting, and breath taking visuals.

[@jimjiminyjaroo300]

It’s so spine tinglingly good. Nothing surpasses this. It’s perfection.

[@gems8426]

Love how Steve placed Jaws in there 🤣 This movie was so well put together The work that went into bringing us this Master piece is mind blasting 🤯

[@Dregkar]

My favorite thing about this scene is that since the aliens have abducted humans before, they know we're intelligent. They're literally just having fun with us at this point, this entire scene with the musical battle is just them having fun with us. It's a theme I wish more sci-fi movies would explore, we have dozens of ALIENS BAD movies, I wish we had more like this.

[@CarissaConti]

Spielberg cornered the market on the "ALIENS GOOD!" propaganda movies to condition generations of naive people to seek them out/invite them into their lives/think of them as wonderful. "ET." "Close Encounters." "Taken." Etc. He's a shill. But not only do we need more "ALIENS BAD!" movies, we need them to be portrayed in a truly accurate way. What they really look like, and what they're really here for. Not presented as innocent, childlike and adorable (CE, ET) nor super intelligent yet trying to create positive "helpful" hybrids that will usher people into the next step of our positive spiritual evolution. ("Taken.") The true story. Mantids, Gray, and Mantid-Grays, forcing thousands of humans over a 70 year period to give up their genetic material to create very maladjusted hybrids that are intended to replace us over the next 50 years. (First you wipe out the existing humans down to the lowest number possible, while simultaneously integrating the replacements into society.) There were positives showing up in the 50s and 60s, trying to warn everyday people, along with world governments, about the Mantids and Grays, but the governments didn't want listen. The Mantids and Grays were offering a deal that was too good to pass up. Technology, in exchange for some of our people. Then they reneged on the agreement once permission was granted for them to fully access our realm/world. Started taking as many as they wanted, as often as they wanted. And now it's a full on invasion. I've met one of their abductees that's specifically being used in the hybrid breeding program, and have met several integrated hybrids in the everyday world. There's no mistaking them when you see them. You know EXACTLY what you're looking at. That's the story we need. But Hollywood won't tell it. As it is, that one abductee I personally know took part in a documentary that was intended to be released on Netflix, giving her story/testimony, along with multiple other abductees about what's REALLY going on here (she also worked extensively with Dr. David Jacobs, who's written multiple books exposing the hybrid breeding agenda - "The Threat," and "Walking Among Us," among others) and it was financed by Dr. Dre of all people. But more money was needed to complete it/get it done correctly and professionally and up to standards, but Dre balked at coughing up the money, despite having plenty of it. So it's been shelved for the time being. Not surprising. :/ That's how it goes in this reality. The truth gets stifled as much as possible, and meanwhile the naive types praise Spielberg and his movies and all the positive ET "researchers," saying things like what you're saying here. "We need more positive alien movies!" No, we don't. Trust me. We need the *truth.*

[@OfLanceTheLonginus]

I feel sorry for Carissa’s parents not gonna lie, imagine raising something like that, EESH

[@victorbonilla4634]

The most famous 5 notes in history!

[@spock11189]

Not just great movies. Iconic movies

[@weon_penca]

0:51 in the cinema must have been awesome, you can tell this is a movie made for a theater experience.

[@carolineorchange21]

I just saw it yesterday at a fathom event screening! It was my first time seeing it and the score is indescribable in the theater.

[@kristinschermann6581]

If we ever communicate with life from other planets/galaxies, this is probably the way it would start out- Mr. Spielberg, you are a TOTAL GENIUS!! Your biggest fan is waiting for you here in Mpls!! And how about the 'omage' to the Jaws theme used at 2:46 - LOVE IT!!! 💕💕

[@sandal_thong8631]

No, it would probably be one-way communication. Like they're 100s of light-years away and so we can only exchange messages over hundreds of years. See SETI or the movie, _Contact._

[@leighsaunderson9203]

Saw this several times with my Dad as a kid, including the 'special edition', amazing film and brilliant sequence. When it slows and stops, you can almost feel the tension. Also, probably the most expensive game of 'Simon' ever (70's / 80's kids will get that ref :-) )

[@munrofraser9639]

I remember this well, was always astonished that he buggered off to space leaving his wife and kids behind

[@caronstout354]

Pity the poor "Man In Black" that had to break the news to his wife and kids

[@DevInvest]

Cool the mothership ended the tone greeting with the notes from JAWS- to really freak RICHARD Dreyfus out! lol-

[@michaelreyes7641]

This famous 5 tone is also heard on the Key pad lock to Hugo draxs secret laboratory in the bond film moonraker. As well as Lucas power glove as he in puts and activates it in the movie the wizard.

[@VTX00128]

When i heard the five tone in the bond film i was thinking someone on staff is was there.

[@caronstout354]

And they pop up in "Paul" as a mega- bulk firework package...

[@Lemurian_Leilani]

I was 12 yrs old when this movie came out I always loved this movie it reminded me of home and I know the truth now that we are related to other solar systems and that a lot of us are starseeds that came to Earth

[@MKR5210]

I was lucky enough to see this when it first came out in the most fantastic cinema I ever went to. It had quadrophonic sound which vibrated your internal organs and a wrap around screen which extended the picture into your peripheral vision. When the spaceship appeared over the lip of the Devil's Tower

[@idpzk99]

Every time I watch this, it gives me goose bumps 🥺 I swear John Williams made my whole life ❤️

[@jazzx251]

1977: "I think we've established contact - this is an awesome moment for the human race!" 1979: "Oh Jesus - no ..."

[@devinsymonds1602]

Steven Spielberg: See, guys. Aliens aren't scary. Ridley Scott: Hold my beer.

[@bruinman1012]

This movie was many years ahead of its time.

[@FlyingHeadbutt100]

"I thought if I assigned numbers to the notes..." Pure mathematics.

[@mattsharpe2861]

Love it when they they start “talking” to each other .... Also anyone notice the Jaws reference? 😉

[@user-xz9gd4kn5j]

Notice how the five men’s heads are arranged in a row, like musical notes on a sheet of music (“It’s the first day of school, fellas”).

[@carolinehirst4921]

Iconic. I was 7 when I saw this in the cinema on holiday in Edinburgh in 1977. It gave me my love of sci-fi.

[@DDSilver2024]

So, they have this whole rapid-fire conversation using the tones, eventually adding rhythm, harmony, chord progression, and counterpoint to the basic five-tone greeting. Then at 2:45, the aliens are like, "Oh, man... while we were in town, we went and saw "Jaws!" Great flick! The director is a total genius!"

[@allison9090]

This scene always makes me cry and I'm not even sure why.

[@DaniRocksaurier]

Saw it back then in Cinema. Best Sci-Fi movie ever!

[@ripelivejam]

It’s aways great seeing the mix of reactions. Some flee in terror, some are hesitantly affixed to a spot, others tentatively or even eagerly step forward.

[@openeyefilms]

“Let AI take over this conversation…now.” And then the music stops. It’s crazy how films still tell us messages of today.

[@DC-zv1hh]

A legendary scene that always gives puts me in awe. I'm wondering if anyone knows if there's any actual mathmatical relevance to the tones portrayed in the scene? i would like to think so, but i would assume the music would sound a bit more like a 56k dialup modem or maybe a NOAA satellite if it did. Any mathematicians or someone with some deep knowledge on the topic that could chime in? Now I'm going to be hunting for interviews of the orchestrator for the next few days for hints.

[@CarissaConti]

"If everything's ready on the dark side of the moon...." Interesting insertion into the dialogue. Clueing people in to what happens on the real dark side of the moon.

[@briandubois-gilbert8182]

Brilliant collaboration between Spielberg and John Williams, to come up with the idea that orchestral music could be literally the “universal” language to communicate when humans and interstellar beings finally meet. This scene was spectacular and so fascinating as was the whole film.

[@Afib95]

I had what was known at the time as a quadraphonic stereo system in my theater room, and I remember turning this up to the point where we almost broke glass in the house😂 this was a great movie

[@theh0r5e90]

I just want to give the credit to the guy that's actually playing having eight people shout notes and note length at him

[@sandal_thong8631]

They should have show the switch to the computer a little earlier. I can't see him handling the keyboard to listen and respond that quickly with that many notes.

[@FelipeRamos-oj8wk]

Leaked footage of Kraftwerk getting inspired for the making of their discography

[@FREAKE_DJ]

I did NOT expect a Kraftwerk reference here, hats off to you sir.

[@gordonhoughton3095]

I loved this film, I watched it ten at the cinema when it was only 50 pence (UK) its still in the top three of my all time favourite films.

[@allanegleston4931]

hard to belive that the bottom of the ship was a map of the san fernando valley in california. and the top of the ship was an oil refinery. of all the scenes of this movie , i love it . hard to beleive that the fellow driving the moog in the movie was the actuall salesman for the company, he got a key part in the movie i think. :)

[@MuzixMaker]

It wasn’t a Moog it was an ARP.

[@cjheaford]

We are lucky the aliens use the same 12-note chromatic musical scale we do. That would be unlikely.

[@Glidescube]

This could be 30 mins long and I would not complain

[@MudGirl8]

There is a full score version somewhere! It’s like ten minutes long and it’s awesome. =D

[@lancekeller23]

It starts off with simple 5 tone call and response then the U.F.O leaves them in the dust after shattering the glass.Saw this movie in the theatre in 1977. John Williams is the master of the soundtrack.

[@lunalgaleo1991]

I actually went to the Devil's Tower where this all took place once.

[@marysmith7534]

The note sequence played a huge role

[@TheHolyMongolEmpire]

Still have never seen this movie but this is one of my favorite scenes from any movie…

[@SSusek-ef2sg]

My grandfather loved this movie and so do I.

[@wednesdayaddams851]

I love how the Jaws theme is played... the context is fantastic. From the skies comes the good. From the deepness of ocean comes evil.

[@AnEverydayGamer]

God i wish i was alive to see this premiere in theaters

[@geoffshaw346]

It was unreal,coming just before STAR WARS.Mind numbing,awesome.

[@allison9090]

The days before streaming or even cable tv. I went back to the theater to see it 2 more times.

[@sbetini]

Eu tinha 12 anos quando assisti a esse filme com minha falecida tia. Ela frequentava o Círculo Exotérico da Luz e sempre dormia com a janela aberta na esperança de um dia "eles" a buscarem. Esteja onde estiver, muitas saudades de minha tia Ruth. Eles estão chegando...

[@davidgriego549]

What fascinates me is that the aliens in about the middle audio visual conversation drop in a tempo into their audio visual communications

[@helenkreissl]

How come I've only just noticed the Jaws theme at the end????

[@rbrtck]

They traveled across the galaxy, perhaps even the universe, to find a good jam session.