Plot hole
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Archived from the IMDb Discussion Forums — Close Encounters of the Third Kind
chrisosullivan012 — 9 years ago(October 27, 2016 08:20 AM)
So the military go to great lengths to make sure that no one is around to witness the alien encounter. Yet there is a huge operations centre with what looks to be at least a three mile long runway which has been constructed at the Devils Tower. So how could all the machinery, equipment and the manpower that was necessary for all this,have not been noticed by anyone living in the area? I can`t believe that it could have been done in the short amount of time that has passed between the supposed poison gas leak and the aliens landing, which only appears to be a few days long.
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jennielucas — 9 years ago(October 30, 2016 11:01 PM)
Good thinking. Audiences get caught up wanting to see the aliens and set aside simple logic.
Small goof: Gillian's telephone shows area code 310. In 1977, the Muncie area code was 317, while 310 indicates the playgrounds of southern California. Intentional?
Q: Do we ever (maybe on some DVD with extra features) get a backstory on Gillian & toddler Barry's lives? I'm watching it now after a 20-year hiatus. Lots of questions. OK, I covered area code, backstories..Does anyone know why Muncie, Indiana was chosen? My dad grew up there, and a friend attended Ball State to become an architect. My dad & mom came to Bloomington in 1960. We'really still here. ? I always like the part where Gillian's stereo starts playing Johnny Mathis' "Chances Are" at 53 minutes in, as my illustrious father toured with JM for about 10 years.
Finally, to any Tabaholics out there, a can appears atop a desk at about 45 minutes in.
First time I saw this was New Years' Eve, 77 going into 78. Felt sure (age 13) I would hate it. Sometimes it's good to be wrong. ? -
Blueghost — 9 years ago(November 08, 2016 04:34 AM)
Eh, I think the idea is that the military and government can do "almost anything", have known about this thing for a long time, and had a plan in place.
I mean, it is a movie. You're not supposed to think about it too much
But otherwise, yeah, it does stretch credibility some. -
chrisosullivan012 — 9 years ago(November 14, 2016 04:30 AM)
Blueghost they have known about this for a long time and do have a plan in place, but it doesn`t change the fact that there is no believable way the construction of the Devils Tower operations centre could have been done in the short amount of time that has passed since the evacuation of the area got under way, and also not before that without any local residents, visitors, tourists etc. noticing. Still I accept your point that it is a movie so credibility has to be suspended.
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chatanuga — 9 years ago(November 13, 2016 09:18 AM)
Watch the scene after the press conference where they are disguising the trucks (Piggly Wiggly, Coca Cola, Baskin Robbins, etc.). They used those to transport the equipment. They even transported the people going onto the UFO at the end in a Greyhound bus. All vehicles that wouldn't look out of place on the road.