We are not alone ...

"Close Encounters of the Third Kind" is Steven Spielberg's 1977 science fiction masterpiece about a series of UFO sightings and other strange occurrences that occur across the globe. Those who witness the UFOs become obsessed with visions of a towering rock formation -- Devils Tower, in northeastern Wyoming, USA. Their journey to Devils Tower culminates in a close encounter of the third kind -- contact with an alien race.

My Lego version of "Close Encounters of the Third Kind" depicts the climactic scene in the movie, when the alien mothership arrives at Devils Tower. With just over 500 pieces, this set is a must-have for any science fiction fan.

Devils Tower

Devils Tower is a stunning rock formation that rises 867 feet (265 m) above the forest of Wyoming. The tower is renowned for the hundreds of vertical cracks that run from its base to the top.

To duplicate the unique geology of Devils Tower in Lego form, I used the 1x2 grille piece -- 77 grille pieces, to be exact. The interior of the tower is built in the Lego BrickHeadz style, and I used a variety of sloped and curved bricks to form the base.

The Mothership

A unique feature of the mothership is that the stud direction reverses in the middle of the ship, using "1x2 with 4 knobs" bricks and "1x1 with 2 knobs" bricks. These bricks also anchor the 16 rapiers that form the antenna for the ship.

For the towers on the top of the mothership, I used a number of special parts including a paint brush, lipstick, and a ski pole. As a tribute to the classic 1970s Lego Space sets, I've also added several parts that were included in many sets from that era -- see if you can figure out where they are!

40th Anniversary Collectable

As a 7-year old boy in 1977, "Close Encounters of the Third Kind" captivated my imagination much more than that "other" 1977 science fiction film. Under the careful direction of Steven Spielberg and the moving score by John Williams, Close Encounters dared to explore our place in the universe and ask if humankind is ready to face the truth: We are not alone.

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