When I went to see this film for the first time in 1977, I didn't know too much about Steven Spielberg.  I remembered watching Duel when it was on television.  I'd gone to see Jaws shortly before Close Encounters was released.

I loved the wonder of this film.  The little boy played by Cary Guffey is what I remember most about this film because his facial expressions so aptly exhibited my feelings while watching this film.  I became a Steven Spielberg fan that day.