How The Ku Klux Klan Interfered With Steven Spielberg’s Close Encounters Of The Third Kind

When Steven Spielberg began pre-production on “Close Encounters of the Third Kind,” he was determined to avoid the myriad production difficulties he encountered during “Jaws.” Though the science fiction epic would be a location-heavy shoot, at least he’d be spared the logistical nightmare of filming on open water, which proved so perilous that he was nearly fired. Having survived that production to make what was then the highest-grossing movie of all time, his follow-up film was a risk well worth taking. Columbia Pictures earned the honor of rolling the dice, and it paid handsomely for the pleasure.

“Close Encounters of the Third Kind” wound up being a blockbuster masterpiece, but…