Out of all the three versions of CE3K (1977, 1980 and 1998), my favorite is the last one, of course.

The 1980 version is the one most of us grew up watching since it was the only version available on home video from 1981 to 1998 (aside from the 1990 Criterion laserdisc which "messily" combined the first two versions). However, this version actually shows inside the Mothership when Roy Neary enters. Totally unnecessary, IMHO. It's supposed to be left to our imagination only. But Maestro John Williams wrote such a wonderful piece for that scene that made me like it, in fact. One of the powers of a well written and well performed score... :)

The 2007 Blu-ray/DVD provided us a chance to listen to this still unreleased music piece (in any OST, that is) in glorious 5.1 remastered sound. Now that I'm getting quite intimate with this ripping thing, I got my Blu-ray and tried to present it the best way I could, which led me to upload three options (all from the same 5.1 DTS-HD MA stream, properly decoded to FLAC and properly dithered from 24bit to 16bit):

1 - The full 5.1 channels downmixed to 2.0;
2 - The front channels (Left/Center/Right) to 2.0;
3 - The surround channels (Left Surround/Right Surround).

My personal favorite is the last one (Left Surround/Right Surround), as it's the one with less SFX. The least favorite is the full 5.1 because of it's heavy SFX "interference". What about the Left/Center/Right? It's just as heavy in SFX as the full 5.1, but there's some nuances in it that makes me go back and fourth between this and the surround channels.

One thing is for sure: no matter which one you choose, they're all good representative of the genius John Williams is. It's a shame this piece was not included in the 1998 expanded OST... :(

Mega:
https://mega.co.nz/#!DZcgGY7S!zZq_W2vzFkxXWVvtqTVYVTKBeCM_hEO8OmKXY0O S9tw

Thank you!

thank you :)

Yeah, it's interesting about the Mothership scene; we know Spielberg himself wished he hadn't gone back and shot it for the SE, but that aside, it's a beautiful scene and thematically it actually brings the film together perfectly, with Roy's transformation into the alien more literal than in the other versions, accompanied by the sparkling energy that transformed Pinocchio into a real boy and the orchestra swelling up with When You Wish Upon a Star. It's actually a perfect climax and rendered so beautifully with more effects from John Dykstra that I prefer it. It is too bad there isn't a clean version of the score available.

thanks

Yeah, it's interesting about the Mothership scene; we know Spielberg himself wished he hadn't gone back and shot it for the SE, but that aside, it's a beautiful scene and thematically it actually brings the film together perfectly, with Roy's transformation into the alien more literal than in the other versions, accompanied by the sparkling energy that transformed Pinocchio into a real boy and the orchestra swelling up with When You Wish Upon a Star. It's actually a perfect climax and rendered so beautifully with more effects from John Dykstra that I prefer it. It is too bad there isn't a clean version of the score available.

Yes, it's a not a bad scene at all. But I still prefer what my imagination creates for it, instead of actually seeing it. But the John Williams' music for that scene is what makes me admire it so much.

Thanks

Thanks for your great work on this. A worthy addition to my CE3K soundtrack, as is this, for those that don't already have it:

https://mega.co.nz/#!WFVxnD6L!yYfQLu2FKwR6fqHvzs9P0bCvuNWytXBqcKhoEvN PtEY

It's The Square Song!

Thanks!!

thankyou for this. - I always thought Spielberg was a bit ashamed of the special edition so the music was never released

The studio kind of forced the Mothership scene on Spielberg, in exchange for him adding other scenes that he had wanted to for the original release, but had not had time to incorporate - mainly the family breakup scene about midway through the movie.

To be honest, the only version of CE3K that exists in my mind is the original 1977 release. Spielberg should have trusted himself that it was a perfect film as first released.

As far as John Williams' music for the interior of the Mothership, he did perform that on one of his early Boston Pops recordings. Don't ask me the title, I don't remember it, but it was probably the first or second recording.

As far as John Williams' music for the interior of the Mothership, he did perform that on one of his early Boston Pops recordings. Don't ask me the title, I don't remember it, but it was probably the first or second recording.


That would be "Pops in Space". I found the Inside the Mothership music and will be incorporating it into my CE3K soundtrack (a WIP at the moment).

Thank you share!

Here's the clean version in 320kbps...

https://mega.co.nz/#!RNpWGQ6C!2pT3rekPkrRVORJVXaDEcJLIRmGXnC5L1Uv6gWg SQBw

I've faded the end out to keep it as an isolated cue.

It's the same track from the "By Request..." CD.


Still, a great addition!
I know that JW is, like, almost 82 by now. But wouldn't it be great if he could compose like his Boston Pops years?

This piece included in the special edition was not recorded by "the london symphony orchestra",
but was performed for the film recording by the Boston Pops during the special edition sessions.

So the "Pops in space" version must be quite the same as the one included in the film.

To my ear, it is indeed the same.

Thanks.

Does anyone have a copy of the "Pops in Space" Boston Pops album which has the concert version of the Special Edition from Close Encounters of the Third Kind? I had a copy on my other computer but lost it when my computer died on me. Any help would be very much appreciated.

---------- Post added at 08:04 PM ---------- Previous post was at 07:54 PM ----------

I believe the version on the "Pops in Space" album, recorded in 1980 is the best performance of the special addition. John Williams put allot more energy into that performance then later recordings.

Plus thanks to phbart for a fascinating thread.

This is great. Thank you.

To be honest I love the 1980 Special Edition. There are so many extra scenes that add to the overall movie, especially the new introduction to the Neary family, it makes it hard to watch the other 2 versions. I understand the studio forced Spielberg to include the internal shot of the Mothership but the music for that scene is simply masterful and compliments the rest of the score immensely. I've no doubt that without John Williams' music this scene would have failed.

As for the track it's on many BP albums but I first heard it on the Australian released "1984 - A Space Odyssey" that was later re-released without the "1984". It was from one of these BP albums that I took the track and made my own version of Inside The Mothership cue to insert into the final track of CEOTTK.

phbart's link is down but appreciation for the effort, and thanks again to Spanglemania and MrGhostface.