Gustavo Mercado defines an image system as “the use of recurrent images and compositions in a film to add layers of meaning to a narrative” (page 21). Steven Spielberg’s 1977 film Close Encounters of the Third Kind utilizes an image system to contribute to the thematic meaning of the film. Through his utilization of low angle shots of the cartographer, and the motif of the color red with Barry and Roy, Spielberg is able to visually contribute to the theme that seemingly insignificant people can accomplish great things.
The first scene in which we encounter David, the cartographer, is the opening scene. The sandstorm the crew is working in symbolizes confusion through the disorienting way that sand passes in front of the camera. In a low angle close up, David mentions that he is the translator for the American team, even though he is professionally a cartographer. The low angle close up establishes a position of power, even though he is seemingly unsuited for a job as a high profile government translator. The opening sequence ends with a low angle medium long shot of David. Examining his perplexing surroundings, he ponders the central question he asked a member of the crew during this opening scene: “what’s going on?” This final shot foreshadows David’s powerful role in locating Devil’s Point through his seemingly superfluous knowledge of maps, thus helping to explain the central question. Additionally, David is physically not a powerful or imposing man despite his important role in locating Devil’s Point and frequent portrayal in low angle shots. The use of mainly low angle shots with David establishes him in a position of power despite his stature, and unsuitability for a high profile government translating job. One could contend that since he asks “what’s going on” in a high angle shot, Spielberg is trying to imply a lack of power, however this is improbable because it is the only high angle shot of David in the opening scene among numerous low angle shots. Also, it is improbable because “what’s going on” is the catalyst and central question, and is repeated in a later scene with Ronnie and Roy. Since the film follows an ascent to power through knowledge and partial explanation of alien life, it makes sense that the catalyst would be framed in a shot that implies a lack of power. The juxtaposition between David’s character traits and the cinematography implying power reinforces the theme that seemingly insignificant people can accomplish great things.
The motif of the color red also contributes to this theme. In this film, red symbolizes danger and adventure. During Roy’s first UFO sighting, he is wearing a red shirt, and the UFOs shine red. Roy is an unusual candidate to crack this case and learn more about alien life, however in the final sequence of the film we see Roy donning a red space suit, walking onto the ship. By walking onto the spaceship, Roy is boldly exploring the unknown, entering into a realm of adventure and potentially danger. The fact that Roy is able to ascend to institutional power indicates that despite his humble beginnings, his persistence and power of will put him on the front lines of adventure and exploration. The motif of red surrounding Roy reinforces the theme that insignificant people can accomplish great things. Red is also present during Barry’s abduction. As aliens approach, red light shines through the keyhole, and eventually Barry is dragged out of the dog door into red light. When Barry walks off of the spaceship at the end of the film, red lights are above his head on the bottom of the ship. Again, the red lights symbolize adventure, and Barry’s mother’s fear for her child certainly also indicates the potential danger in unknown adventures with aliens. Throughout this however, Barry is very unphased. He is in every sense of the phrase, the “little man”, but he fearlessly walks head first into adventure, and is one of the first to interact with extraterrestrials. The motif of red surrounding Barry’s abduction and eventual return also reinforces the theme that unremarkable, insignificant people can accomplish great things.
While the motif of red light and the cinematography surrounding David certainly are only pieces of the entire image system of the film, they nonetheless are crucial to meaning creation. The juxtaposition between David’s powerful low angle shots and character traits reinforces the theme that seemingly insignificant people can accomplish great things. The motif of red shows how Roy, a man of humble beginnings, accomplishes great things in realizing his dream of being on the front lines of adventure and exploration, ascending to institutional power through power of will, and embodying a major theme of the film. Likewise, Barry is just a child, but enters into red headfirst, and is one of the first humans to contact extraterrestrial life. The little man rises to great heights. Through the motif of red and David’s cinematography, one can see how the image system of Close Encounters of the Third Kind implies the theme that seemingly insignificant people can accomplish great things.
Media Design and Criticism 