Updated: September 09, 2023

An original extraterrestrial costume as seen worn in the Steven Spielberg film, Close Encounters of the Third Kind ( Columbia Pictures, 1977 ).

This extraterrestrial costume includes an original hand-painted rubber mask with holes present at the eyes, nose, and mouth, as well as a tan bodysuit, both from the production of the film. The interior of the mask is lined with foam padding, as well as a Velcro strap present on the back side of the mask. On the inner lining of the neck, an illegible name is present. A tag on the bodysuit reads size "M."

Close Encounters of the Third Kind, Spielberg's follow-up to the massive success of Jaws ( Universal Pictures, 1975 ), chronicled the adventures of Roy Neary ( Richard Dreyfuss ), an electrical lineman in Indiana who encounters a group of unidentified flying objects and his experience develops into an all-consuming obsession that threatens to unravel his life. He soon becomes convinced of a government cover-up and is compelled to travel to Wyoming to witness the return of the mother ship.

The movie opened to strong reviews, incredible box office earnings ( it was the studio's highest-grossing release to that date ), and was nominated for nine Academy Awards. In 2007, the film was deemed "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant" by the United States Library of Congress and added to the National Film Registry for preservation.

According to Close Encounters of the Third Kind Diary ( Paradise Press, 1978 ) written by actor Bob Balaban, who appeared in the film as a translator, the aliens were portrayed by 50 six-year-old girls. The excessive energy of the children made them challenging to direct. Spielberg would sometimes begin takes by shouting, “Girls, stop disco dancing!” Costume mask measures 13 x 9 x 10 inches.

Value: $5,000.