Steven Spielberg is regarded as Hollywood’s greatest and most successful director of all time. Known for his versatility as a filmmaker, Spielberg has directed films across genres like science fiction, drama, adventure, and historical films.
One of his most memorable and successful films includes Close Encounters of the Third Kind, which became so popular that the original release has been followed with multiple cuts and re-releases. Talking about his 9 times Oscar-nominated movie, the talented filmmaker revealed some surprising details and how the movie ended up having multiple re-releases.
Steven Spielberg Was Forced To Finish Close Encounters Before Deadline
Steven Spielberg has a unique way of storytelling and the way the stories of his movies unfold. His unique ability to introduce and create suspense has helped his audience connect with his creations and for the Schindler’s List director to continue to dominate the box office and create critically acclaimed movies one after the other.
However, not all of his movies have been made to his liking. Talking about his popular sci-fi movie, Close Encounters of the Third Kind, Steven Spielberg revealed how he was under pressure from the studio to finish the movie as quickly as possible.
“I was trying to get Columbia to let me finish the movie the way I wanted it to be finished, but…they needed the film to come out during Christmas. I was hoping to come out the following summer, but they kept insisting, ‘Not only must you make Christmas, because our whole company is at stake and we’re all counting on this film. You have to make November.’ So I had no choice.”
Despite finishing the movie with haste, Close Encounters of the Third Kind became one of the most successful of Spielberg’s movies and earned wide acclaim and praise.
Steven Spielberg Regretted Adding One Scene In His Oscar-Nominated Movie
Despite the level of success, his movies have achieved, Steven Spielberg still feels regret about some or the other aspects of his movies. One such movie that he regrets is Close Encounters of the Third Kind. In an interview, the Jurassic Park director revealed how he was forced to add a scene that he never intended to shoot.
He revealed how after having finished the movie in haste he went back to the Studio to finish the movie as he wanted to but was instead forced to add an extra scene.
“And then they said to me, ‘We’ll give you the money… if you show the inside of the mothership. Give us something we can hang a campaign on.’ And so I compromised and had Richard Dreyfuss walking inside the mothership. I never should have done, because that should have always been kept a mystery, the inside of that ship.”
After the 1980 cut, Steven Spielberg finally released a 1998 Director’s Cut that was originally how he wanted to create the movie in the first place.
You can stream Close Encounters of the Third Kind on AppleTV.
Source: The Digital Fix