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The Video: Sizing Up the Picture

As the first full-length theatrical feature from Steven Spielberg to hit either next-gen format, expectations are particularly high for this Blu-ray release. Perhaps unreasonably so, as 'Close Encounters' is not the type of film that's ever going to look all sparkly and clean.

Indeed, although I've never seen 'Close Encounters' look better than it does here on this 1080p/AVC MPEG-4 encode, the film remains quite gritty by today's standards. Grain is visible throughout, and quite heavy at times. Director of photography Vilmos Zsigmond did amazing work on the film, but his naturalistic use of lighting combined with the fast-speed film stocks of the time only increase grain and softness. There are also a few instances of blemishes and white speckles on the print, though they are quite minor and far from intrusive.

That said, putting it all into perspective, this is still an excellent presentation of this particular film. I've never seen 'Close Encounters' look so vibrant in color. Hues no longer bleed (particularly reds and blues) -- instead they shine through with a richness and clarity that is particularly effective with the effects. (The massive mothership at film's end is a sight to behold.) Black levels hold firm, although on occasion I thought some shots looked a bit flattened out in the mid-range, which lessens apparent depth. The transfer remains largely dimensional, however, and I was really impressed with the level of detail for such a dark film (I'd venture a guess that three-fourths of the movie takes place at night). Major compression artifacts (such as posterization or macroblocking) are not a problem, but noise is frequent (and usually hard to decipher from grain).

Is 'Close Encounters' a reference-quality transfer? Probably not, if only by nature of the material. But there are some fantastic sequences that are truly demo worthy, and all things considered it's hard to imagine this one looking any better than it does in this Blu-ray presentation.

...'Close Encounters' is still so etched in the popular consciousness that it's hard to believe that it's been thirty years since it first hit theaters. Although the film has been released in a myriad of different versions (all presented in full on this Blu-ray), whichever version you personally prefer, the film remains an uplifting experience that's an absolute landmark of the science fiction genre. This first-ever high-def release truly is the 'Ultimate Edition' -- I've never seen the film look or sound better, and the extras are a great mix of both new and old. Top it all off with some nifty collectible packaging, and you've got a great release that easily earns its hefty $49.95 price tag. Mr. Spielberg, I'm ecstatic that you've finally jumped into high-def with 'Close Encounters,' and I can't wait to see what's next.

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The "4K" refers to the 4,000 lines of resolution at which the movies are scanned ? more than triple that of 1080p high-def. And for even more perspective: Your typical theatrical film tops out with a rez of 3K to 4K (few actually reach the 4K level). The idea is to squeeze every pixel of detail out of the celluloid, essentially preserving the original movie in perfect digital condition forever. After all, who knows how long high-definition will last before higher definition nudges in? And even now, select digital cinemas are popping up with 4K projection.

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Ridley Scott's masterpiece has certainly never received the definitive video release that fans have long been clamoring for. So when Warner announced last year that -- at last -- 'Blade Runner' would be given a full-bore restoration (complete with the original film elements scanned in at 4k archival resolution), it was clearly a call to rejoice.

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