Close Encounters: Communication or galactic jam session?

[Max_Carnage]

At the end of Close Encounters of the Third Kind when the mothership makes its appearance, the humans attempt to communicate with the visitors by playing back the five tones that, when translated, told the humans where to be. Ok, so they play those notes back and forth a few times. But then, the players start going off the sheet music and hitting what sounds like random notes. The question is, had the humans deciphered the tonal language and were actually communicating with the aliens? Or were the humans and aliens just jammin’ out?

[Revtim]

IIRC, a computer had taken over at one point during the “jam session”, so I assumed it was communication.

[silenus]

Somewhere in the Mother Ship, there is an alien who looks like this.

[RealityChuck]

“It’s a cookbook!”

[Airman_Doors_USAF]

@Revtim

IIRC, a computer had taken over at one point during the “jam session”, so I assumed it was communication.

I believe it was the aliens that took over the keyboard, because the player basically had the keys taken away from him. He was still playing when the keys started to move by themselves.

There were also people with perfect pitch telling the keyboardist what to play, and they were basically emulating what the aliens played, repeating it back to them. As one of them said, it appeared to be a basic tonal alphabet.

[Ike_Witt]

@silenus

Somewhere in the Mother Ship, there is an alien who looks like this.

When I get to the Mother Ship I will be mighty upset if I don’t see this guy and this guy.

[Skywatcher]

@Airman Doors

I believe it was the aliens that took over the keyboard, because the player basically had the keys taken away from him. He was still playing when the keys started to move by themselves.

No, there was definately something about a “computer interlock” being engaged.

@Max Carnage

The question is, had the humans deciphered the tonal language and were actually communicating with the aliens? Or were the humans and aliens just jammin’ out?

I think a better question is: did the humans ever figure out what their computer was doing?

[Marathon]

@Lute Skywatcher

No, there was definately something about a “computer interlock” being engaged.

Yeah, that’s it exactly. The line is something like “We have a transmission interlock on their audio signal - we’re taking over this conversation now.” Then, cut to the shot of the keyboard players hands, as the keys start moving by themselves.

[AncientHumanoid]

@adam yax

When I get to the Mother Ship I will be mighty upset if I don’t see this guy and this guy.

How about that/ I came in to post this.

-maggotbrain

[Terrifel]

For some reason I always thought this guy was the musical alien that greets you on the Mother Ship.

But the others would be cool too.

Except for silenus’ one.

[Kent_Clark]

@silenus

Somewhere in the Mother Ship, there is an alien who looks like this.

So the aliens had us squealing like pigs?

[Airman_Doors_USAF]

@Lute Skywatcher

No, there was definately something about a “computer interlock” being engaged. I think a better question is: did the humans ever figure out what their computer was doing?

Really? Where? I’ll go spin up my copy right now and find out.

[Airman_Doors_USAF]

OK, I have a direct quote, from here:

One of the mission commanders directs other audio specialists to communicate with the craft by playing the five mystical notes: “If everything is ready here on the dark side of the moon, play the five tones.” The speakers and flashing lights play the familiar tonal sequence toward the ship. The large ship answers with a deep, bass vibration played in coordination with flashing lights around the lower rim of the vessel. There is a back-and-forth musical duet as the conversational light/sound show-contact continues:

Give her six quavers, then pause.
She sent us four quavers, a group of five quavers, a group of four semi-quavers...
What are we saying to each other?
It seems they're trying to teach us a basic tonal vocabulary.
It's the first day of school, fellas.
Take everything from the lady. Follow her pattern note for note.

Jill is drawn forward and hurries toward the runway and the ship. One of the audio specialists realizes that they are actually communicating (or interlocked) in a joyful mood with the alien ship: “We have a translation interlock on their audio signal. We’re taking over this conversation now.” After the notes of the ship slowly die out, a large cargo door in the belly of the ship slides open - a blinding, brilliant white light emanates from within. The panel slides down and becomes a ramp.

It seems I was wrong. Oh well. It won’t be the last time.

[MovieMogul]

Wow, Airman, just reading that quote proves that some visual and aural experiences are simply impossible to convey through words. One of film’s most magical moments simply falls flat on the page.