More than any other film, Close Encounters comes closest to expressing Spielberg's personal outlook on the cosmos. Of the movie, Spielberg states that it is "my vision, my hope, and philosophy." ¹⁰ Arguably more than any other narrative film, Close Encounters realizes the essential and deep-seated need of human beings to create meaning in the universe, the will to surpass earthbound limitations, and the unshakable conviction that "we are not alone." After viewing, Ray Bradybury insightfully stated, "this is a religious film, in all the great good sense, the right sense, of that much-battered word."¹¹ Religious, derived from the Latin "religio" meaing to "bond," referring to the human's relationship to the infinite.

Close Encounters, as author Joseph McBride states, Spielberg's "Spellbinding dream of the transcendence of mundane reality,"¹² perfectly reflects the archetypal configuration informing Spielberg's psyche at the time of the movie's creation. Jupiter, Neptune, and Uranus, were either actively transiting his birthchart or the recipients of major transits themselves. Taken together, these archetypes represent the transcendent (as opposed to imminent) religious impulse. Forcing our gaze heavenward, Neptune, Jupiter, and Uranus symbolize the inherent capacity to dream about the absolute nature of reality (Neptune), form systems of belief and faith in those dreams (Jupiter), and the reason to reflect and the consequent ability to create technology to transcend limitations to better experience those dreams (Uranus). More than any other combination, Uranus, Jupiter, and Neptune is associated with the peak and mystical experience. Uranus shocks and stimulates the Neptunian capacity to alter ordinary experience and perception. Neptune fills the Jupiterian belief system that the cosmos is a harmonious, innocent, whimsical and divinely "perfect" universe. Finally Jupiter expands and elevates the religiously transcendent principle to reach unheard of heights and aspirations.

At the time of Close Encounter's release in late 1977, Neptune was opposing Spielberg's natal Uranus, Uranus conjoined his natal Jupiter, Pluto conjoined his natal Neptune, and finally, Jupiter squared his natal Neptune.(see chart) The hyperstimulation of these three archetypes reflects the awe-inspiring and benign view of the universe that is captured in the film. As a point of reference, arguably the only other major commercial hit that so inspiringly captures the need for humans to explore the cosmos, spurned by the religious impulse is Contact, released under the triple conjunction of Uranus, Jupiter, and Neptune in 1997.

E.T. (released 1982)