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Pretty much every single work from Steven Spielberg is an immersive cinematic gem, with pieces like those from theJurassic Parkfranchise andSchindler’s Listbeing some of the best works credited to his name. And yet, there is still one piece of critically acknowledged masterwork from the early stages of his career that the filmmaker isn’t exactly satisfied with.
![Steven Spielberg at the 2017 SDCC [Photo: Gage Skidmore]](https://i2.wp.com/fwmedia.fandomwire.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/24092856/Steven-Spielberg-at-the-2017-SDCC-Photo-Gage-Skidmore-1.jpeg)
Steven Spielberg. | Photo: Gage Skidmore/Wikimedia Commons.This piece is his sci-fi/fantasy from 1977,Close Encounters of the Third Kind, which is widely regarded as one of his most remarkable works to date. And, the problem that Spielberg has isn’t exactly with the movie, but rather, with the note the movie ended on. In fact, if anything, the director wouldn’t hesitate to change the ending of his $340 million movie in a heartbeat if it were made today.
Steven Spielberg Wouldn’t Hesitate to Change the End of This One Movie
Back in the early stages of his career,Steven SpielbergmadeClose Encounters of the Third Kind. This sci-fi/fantasy was based on aliens and a government that denies their existence until electrical lineman Roy Neary gets drawn to the Wyoming wilderness after encountering a UFO.
This story ends on a somewhat teary note as [SPOILER ALERT]Richard Dreyfuss‘ Neary gets chosen to accompany the aliens and goes off with them. But while this ending was accepted by many, the filmmaker seems to differ in his opinion on it now.
In fact, if it comes to his perspective on it now, Spielberg wouldn’t hesitate to change the ending and would go ahead to do it in a heartbeat if it were made today, as per what the mastermind director himself expressed during an interview withEntertainment Weekly.
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Getting candid on how he thinks of it now, he said:
Oh, Neary going off with the aliens? I’ve always said I wouldn’t do it if I was making the movie from scratch today, because I have seven children.
At the same time, he also acknowledged justwhy he decided on thatending back then, saying:
I had no hesitation writing that and directing that then, but I had no dependents in my life at that time.
Needless to say, it is understandable why theJawsdirector would want to change the end of the movie if he were to make it in today’s day and age. However, at the same time, it is also worth noting thatthe movie was an incredible masterpiece, just the way it was.
Close Encounters of the Third KindWas a Massive Success
While Steven Spielberg would change the 1977 sci-fi masterpiece’s ending sequence in a heartbeat if he could, it can’t be denied that the movie was a true blockbuster just the way it was, when released over four and a half decades ago — both critically and commercially.
First off, the Richard Dreyfuss-starrer is tremendously appreciated by audiences worldwide. This has been backed up not only by the 88% of Google users who approved of this movie but also by the 90% rating that the movie has from critics, and the 85% score from audiences onRotten Tomatoes.
That’s not all; the movie holds a 7.6 out of 10 rating fromIMDb, which is an average of the ratings from the 218,000 people who have voted thus far.
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Adding to this is the impressive 5 out of 5 score the movie has earned fromCommon Sense Media, which is, indeed, truly baffling.
Then there’s the fact that the film’s performance at the global box office was beyond commendable. This stands true when comparing the film’s budget with its worldwide gross, which stood at $20 million and a whopping $340 million respectively (as perThe Numbers).
Effortlessly enough, even with its original ending, Spielberg’s science fiction/fantasy piece from 1977 was a massive,massivesuccess; one that many couldn’t even comprehend and manifest in today’s day and age. And to say that Spielberg would change its end to a happier one if he could?
Well, that would have meant only roof-breaking, breathtaking, and never-seen-before success for Steven Spielberg!
You can watchClose Encounters of the Third Kindon Prime Video.
Mahin Sultan
Senior Writer
Articles Published :2478
Mahin Sultan is a Senior Writer at FandomWire, where she brings a fresh perspective to entertainment news. Having been in the field for over 3 years now, she has already written more than 2,000 articles across a variety of niches, from entertainment to health and fashion. This diverse experience has allowed her to quickly build a solid foundation and a deep understanding of the industry.
