UFOs, Aliens & Steven Spielberg's 20-Year Obsession

The director's childhood celestial event led to 'Close Encounters' and a new sci-fi blockbuster era

SHOOTING STAR Writer-director Steven Spielberg (center) with the key components of his 1977 blockbuster Close Encounters of the Third Kind including the film’s stars Richard Dreyfuss and Teri Garr. (Photo illustrations by Dawn Camner; image credits below)

Joe Pompeo writes about Hollywood history every other Saturday. He recently revisited the feud betwe…