Video: All three versions of Close Encounters of the Third Kind arrive on Blu-ray at an aspect ratio of 2.39:1 and encoded using AVC, Sony's preferred codec. Admittedly, the film's photography is unlikely to dazzle the way glossier, more modern effects spectacles so often do; both Steven Spielberg and cinematographer Vilmos Zsigmond favor ample film grain, and contrast and the presence of fine detail are both erratic, with the image noticeably degrading during its many optical effects shots and these particular anamorphic lenses occasionally leaving the edges of the frame softer than the rest. None of this is particularly unexpected, and, frankly, this is the way Close Encounters... ought to look. A more sparkling appearance wouldn't be true to the original photography.

The transfers themselves are wonderful; black levels are deep and substantial, detail and clarity may be uneven but are often striking when the camera closes in, and the palette is rich and vibrant when given the opportunity, particularly the candy-colored lights of the spacecraft and throughout the sunnier exteriors. There's no noticeable speckling or wear at any point throughout the film, and the AVC encode boasts a sufficiently healthy bitrate that the film grain never devolves into an overcompressed, blocky smear. It's also worth noting that the scenes unique to certain cuts of Close Encounters... aren't noticeably better or worse than any of the footage from the rest of the film, as consistently inconsistent as anything else.

Again, Close Encounters of the Third Kind's somewhat grainy photography and extensive use of optical effects mean it's inherently an uneven looking film, and its high-definition release on Blu-ray does not -- and should not -- approach reference quality. Considering these limitations, though, Close Encounters... looks sensational in high-def, fully living up to my expectations.