(There are a number of versions of this movie, the original 1977 release is different to the version seen on TV these days. This review was on the version seen on TV in January 2003.)

War planes, and then a ship, are discovered in the middle of a desert. How did they get there?

Our hero, Roy Neary (Richard Dreyfus), while out in his truck, is 'encountered' by a UFO which switches off his engine. It then flies off. Later that night he sees UFO's flying overhead.

When Roy returns home he has a sun tan on one side of his face... his young family don't believe him and he starts acting strangely.

"Richard Dreyfus acts strangely and then sanely with equal gusto."

"Tiny tot Barry should be taken away from his mother, she clearly has no idea of how to manage her child."

"A UFO lovers dream of a movie - however the thing that annoys most is that a Frenchman (speaking in French!) plays such a pivotal role - this is completely unbelievable. I want my money back!"

"This is not the version I saw at the pictures in 1977. I remember the ending well: a small white van came down from the sky and one single alien came out with a lit match."

Tiny tot, Barry Guiler, goes missing, and this time for good. His mother, Gillian, and Roy, start to obsess over a tall rock type structure: she draws it, he builds it in his living room (the family have since left him).

TV news show the rock and it draws everyone to it. But when our heroes get there security is tight, and animals seem to be dying. Our heroes put on gas masks and break through the road blocks. They climb the rock and behind it they find a landing strip.

A UFO makes contact and returns personnel (who have not aged) from the plane and ship seen at the beginning of the movie - Barry also walks out into the arms of his mother.

Roy decides to go back with the aliens and he is last seen entering the ship.

Oh, sheer hysteria from Mr Dreyfus, and, perchance, a French man who is not an oaf... A spell binding motion picture of the out there kind. However, after a moment or two of rock building in the living room, his hysteria is adaptable so as not to screw up the plot too much...

A borderline classic. To be quite honest I preferred Twister which bares many resemblance's to this movie even though it is not about UFO's at all.

The child acting is very impressive and the spectacle of the ending memorable. If you saw this movie when they brought it out in 1977 and have not seen it since, have another look: they've finished it now and it is much more impressive.

Rock shaped (but bite size) chocolates.

With your children securely fastened.

There are few stunts in this movie, and little running. A few fist fights (or at least some back flips) would help, especially with the aliens at the end.

This is the surprise of watching this movie again. That the expert, Claude Lacombe, is French (played by François Truffaut no less) is one thing, but that he speaks in French through translation at times is unthinkable in a Hollywood movie today... Clearly an attempt to telegraph the multi-linguistic paradigm of interstellar communication, but a shock none the less. Probably filmed during a short thaw in French-US relations.

Burrowing pets will be in their element, especially during the improbable 'building a mound of earth in the living room' bit - strictly enforce the wiping your feet when you come back into the house rule for the next year...

Cats could get frustrated at the amateur climbing skills around the rock face, especially when they hide from helicopters flying overhead by laying flat on the ground even though they are wearing stripy tops... expect kitty tuts throughout.

Dogs could be more enthusiastic than usual on their next walk, hoping for a UFO to chase - keep a firm grip on the lead with both hands at all times.

The rock formation which drives everyone wild is basically a very tall, brown Uluru (Airs Rock, Australia) - many people who have been to Uluru claim a form of unspeakable otherworldliness. Ya ha ha hargh... (behind you)

6 minutes.

A small animatronic alien (big head, bluish-silky skinned, bandy legs, big eyes.)

Thankfully there isn't much, it's more just a strange not sure why we're doing this kind of thing... No diagrams. Just a strange uneasiness throughout.

Always high up in movie top 100's, this movie is a bit of a disappointment. The acting is a little over-shouty, and the madness in the main character miraculously clears up when the plot needs it. The child actors are superb however, and the special effects good.

The 5-bar melody, used for contact, is now part of the music of world movie culture, however the hand signals that went with it have been conveniently forgotten, apart from by a few of the older TV game show hosts...

Not a terrible movie, but no longer an all time great either. If over-exuberant-shouty acting peppered with plot improbabilities annoys, give this movie a miss.

January 21st 2003.