Close Encounters of the Third Kind 4K (1977) Ultra HD 2160p REMUX

In the night skies near his Muncie, Indiana, home, power repairman Roy Neary experiences something out of this world. His close encounter sets into action an amazing chain of events that leads to contact with benevolent aliens and their Mothership.

Close Encounters of the Third Kind 4K (1977) Ultra HD 2160p REMUX Review
Sony's UHD release of Close Encounters of the Third Kind brings home audiences closer than ever to the movie. The film -- all three cuts thereof (Theatrical, Special, Director's) -- receive the 2160p/HDR treatment for this release, all included on the same UHD disc. The presentation is unsurprisingly excellent, similar to another classic Spielberg film to recently release on the 4K format, E.T.. The picture is gorgeously filmic, retaining a natural, critical grain structure that accentuates the innate qualities of its source photography. Presentation is largely even, though it feels a bit sharper at the outset as it swirls about during a sandstorm. A few darker corners, which cannot hold true black, also feature grain that takes on a somewhat snowier appearance. On the whole, however, the image's organic film-quality presentation is wonderful. Details are fantastic, with only the occasional softer shot or visual effects breaking up the precision. Faces are expertly presented, boasting intimate pores and complex hairs with no strain. Definition is striking elsewhere, such as during Roy's first close encounter in his truck or when Jillian's house falls under nearby alien influence and items jump out of the refrigerator and other things turn on, unscrew, and so on. Environments are crisp and there's plenty of detail to be found in the alien suits at film's end. The HDR color palette offers a pleasant boost to depth and saturation. Never does this not look like Close Encounters. There are no drastic alterations to the palette or a major tweaking of any one shade. The HDR colors are complimentary, offering an upgrade in terms of core qualities rather than redefining them. Black levels hold deep beyond a few edges that inch more towards paleness. Flesh tones are steady and some of the characters who partially turn red as a result of alien encounter are nice and flush. The image shows no compression or print anomalies of note. In direct comparison to the Blu-ray, grain is more prominent, details are much sharper, colors are significantly firmer...a noteworthy point of comparison comes during a sequence in chapter five, around 40 minutes into the film, in India. Terrain is significantly sharper, the yellow attire is noticeably more vibrant and well saturated. The UHD presentation is a very positive upward boost for the film.