Another in our First Contact Series, this time we have a look at Close Encounters of the Third Kind.  If you ever wondered what a legitimate presentation of the Alien Conspiracy theories would look like, look no further as Close Encounters covers a good many.  It’s a product of it’s time, unlike the later far more cynical X-Files that would proposition large scale government conspiracies, Close Encounters presents a more benign government presence providing protection of a sort from the dangers of an alien encounter while managing a “friendly” exchange.  While faceless government motives are not entirely clear, the fact that the exchange goes off peacefully speaks of a more innocent time.  Equally it’s hard to be entirely trusting of the aliens motives, abducting people against their will.

The late 70’s gave us three defining views of Aliens, from exciting, to confronting, to terrifying, which has no doubt influenced the thinking of later film makers.  This would be the last time though that the encounter would go off so smoothly and co-ordinated.

Either we mistrust aliens, or we mistrust ourselves but I for one hope that first contact is closer to Close Encounters than Independance Day.