A radio astronomer receives the first extraterrestrial radio signal ever picked up on Earth. As the world powers scramble to decipher the message and decide upon a course of action, she must make some difficult decisions between her beliefs, the truth, and reality.

Credits: TheMovieDb.

Film Cast:

• Eleanor Arroway: Jodie Foster
• Palmer Joss: Matthew McConaughey
• Michael Kitz: James Woods
• S. R. Hadden: John Hurt
• David Drumlin: Tom Skerritt
• Kent Clark: William Fichtner
• Ted Arroway: David Morse
• Rachel Constantine: Angela Bassett
• Fisher: Geoffrey Blake
• Willie: Max Martini
• Richard Rank: Rob Lowe
• Joseph: Jake Busey
• Young Ellie: Jena Malone
• Mission Director: Tucker Smallwood
• Vernon: Sami Chester
• Minister: Henry Strozier
• Drumlin Aide: Haynes Brooke
• Davio: Timothy McNeil
• Cantina Woman: Laura Elena Surillo
• Hadden Suit: Michael Chaban
• Himself: Larry King
• Ian Broderick: Thomas Garner
• KOB-TV Reporter: Conroy Chino
• Jeremy Roth: Dan Gifford
• Senator Valencia: Vance Valencia
• Herself: Donna Kelley
• Himself: Leon Harris
• Herself: Claire Shipman
• Middle Eastern Anchor: Behrooz Afrakhan
• Japanese Anchor: Saemi Nakamura
• Latina Anchor: Maria Celeste Arraras
• Herself: Tabitha Soren
• Himself: Geraldo Rivera
• British Anchor: Ian Whitcomb
• Himself: Jay Leno
• Decryption Hacker: Michael Albala
• Decryption Expert: Ned Netterville
• Major Domo: Leo Lee
• Chairman of Joint Chiefs: William Jordan
• Joint Chief: David St. James
• Major Russell: Steven Ford
• Major Russell’s Son: Alexander Zemeckis
• Major Russell’s Daughter: Janie Peterson
• French Committee Member: Philippe Bergeron
• Dr. Patel: Jennifer Balgobin
• British Committee Member: Anthony Hamilton
• NASA Public Relations: Rebecca T. Beucler
• NASA Technician: Marc Macaulay
• Mechanical: Jeffery Thomas Johnson
• Electrical: Yuji Okumoto
• Dynamics: Gerry Griffin
• Communications: Brian Alston
• Pad Leader: Rob Elk
• Security: Mark Thomason
• Controller #8: José Rey
• New VLA Technician: Todd Patrick Breaugh
• Russian Cosmonaut: Alex Veadov
• Scientist: Alice Kushida
• Project Official: Robin Gammell
• Mission Doctor: Richardson Morse
• Japanese Ensign: Seiji Okamura
• Japanese Tech #1: Mak Takano
• Japanese Tech #2: Hiroshi Tom Tanaka
• Life Support: Catherine Dao
• Dynamics #2: Kristoffer Ryan Winters
• Senator: Valorie Armstrong
• Reporter #5: Jim Hild
• Reporter #6: William L. Thomas
• School Boy: Diego Montoya
• White House Official: Jonathan Adler
• NASA Controller #2: Robert Aguilar Jr.
• Four-Star General: Mark Bailey
• Senate Observer: Matt Bennett
• Robert Hand: Tony Boldi
• Scientist: Christopher Boyer
• Protester: Mark Byrne
• Supporter: Candice T. Cain
• President’s Secretary: Aixa Clemente
• Ailing Believer: Derrick Damions
• Philanthropy Bureaucrat: Elaina Erika Davis
• Factory Worker: Joey Dente
• IMC Police Officer: Michael Egan
• Monk: Jeff Elmore
• Controller: Carl Gilliard
• TV Interviewer: William B. Kaplan
• Pod Systems Control: Ming Lo
• Puerto Rican Taxi Driver: Sunshine Logroño
• Press Secretary: Denise Loveday
• Kitz’s Aide: Neal Matarazzo
• Student Reporter at NASA: Cassidy McMillan
• Family Exchange: Molly Mueller
• Ellie’s Attorney: Paul L. Nolan
• Oval Office Secretary: Marisa Petroro
• Police Officer: Errica Poindexter
• Senator: J.A. Preston
• Ailing Believer: Frank Principe
• Ailing Believer: Leo Rogstad
• Photographer: Russell Sanderlin Sr.
• Army Officer: Frank Silva
• Senate Hearing Attendee: John A. Taylor
• News Reporter: Todd Thompson
• Reporter: Cenk Uygur
• Religious Zealot: Holly Cross Vagley
• Protester: Eric Alan Wendell
• Believer: Delaney Williams
• Self (archive footage): Bill Clinton

Film Crew:

• Original Music Composer: Alan Silvestri
• Producer: Robert Zemeckis
• Second Unit Director: Steve Starkey
• Director of Photography: Don Burgess
• Editor: Arthur Schmidt
• Assistant Art Director: Doug J. Meerdink
• Costume Design: Joanna Johnston
• Art Direction: Lawrence A. Hubbs
• Additional Editing: Harry Keramidas
• Additional Visual Effects: Peter Jackson
• Casting: Victoria Burrows
• Executive Producer: Lynda Obst
• Chief Lighting Technician: Steven C. McGee
• Sound Re-Recording Mixer: Tom Johnson
• Production Design: Ed Verreaux
• Screenplay: James V. Hart
• Screenplay: Michael Goldenberg
• Sound Effects Editor: Steve Boeddeker
• Dialogue Editor: Michael Silvers
• Foley Artist: Dennie Thorpe
• Foley Mixer: Tony Eckert
• Assistant Art Director: Brad Ricker
• Foley Artist: Catherine Harper
• Orchestrator: William Ross
• Digital Compositors: Tim Alexander
• Co-Producer: Carl Sagan
• Unit Production Manager: Joan Bradshaw
• Stunt Coordinator: Bud Davis
• Stunts: Jay Caputo
• Dialect Coach: Tim Monich
• First Assistant Director: Bruce Moriarty
• Sound Effects Editor: Teresa Eckton
• Prosthetic Makeup Artist: Keith VanderLaan
• Assistant Art Director: Sally Thornton
• Art Direction: Bruce Crone
• Property Master: Robin L. Miller
• First Assistant Editor: Jeremiah O’Driscoll
• Makeup Artist: Deborah La Mia Denaver
• CG Supervisor: Jerome Chen
• Sound Re-Recording Mixer: Randy Thom
• Visual Effects Producer: Debbie Denise
• Senior Visual Effects Supervisor: Ken Ralston
• Visual Effects Art Director: Martin A. Kline
• First Assistant Editor: Carin-Anne Strohmaier
• Makeup Artist: Margaret E. Elliott
• Associate Producer: Steven J. Boyd
• First Assistant Editor: R. Orlando Duenas
• Casting Associate: Scot Boland
• Production Sound Mixer: William B. Kaplan
• Boom Operator: Earl Sampson
• ADR Mixer: Charleen Richards
• Set Production Assistant: Michelle Vogler
• Camera Operator: Nick Phillips
• Stunts: Lynn Salvatori
• Stunts: Kim Robert Koscki
• Stunts: Jill Stokesberry
• Production Office Coordinator: Ines Mongil-Echandi
• Special Effects Assistant: Charlie Bonilla
• Concept Artist: Steve Burg
• Hairstylist: Frances Mathias
• Video Assist Operator: David Presley
• Foley Mixer: Tony Sereno
• Dolly Grip: Jeff ‘Moose’ Howery
• Aerial Coordinator: Kevin LaRosa
• Craft Service: John Wright Jr.
• Additional Sound Re-Recording Mixer: Gary Rizzo
• Production Assistant: Nick Booth
• Co-Producer: Ann Druyan
• Visual Effects Editor: Michael McGovern
• Supervising Sound Editor: Phil Benson
• Second Assistant Director: Cellin Gluck
• Set Designer: Dean Wolcott
• Assistant Dialogue Editor: Mary Works
• Set Designer: Easton Michael Smith
• Visual Effects Producer: Julia Frey
• Set Decoration: Michael Taylor
• First Assistant Camera: Michael Condro
• Still Photographer: François Duhamel
• Camera Operator: Robert LaBonge
• Script Supervisor: Luca Kouimelis
• Visual Effects Supervisor: Stephen Rosenbaum
• Unit Publicist: Jane E. Russell
• Gaffer: David Morton
• Costume Supervisor: Pamela Wise
• Art Department Assistant: John B. Josselyn
• Additional Casting: Judith Bouley
• Key Makeup Artist: Hallie D’Amore
• Set Designer: Josh Lusby
• CG Artist: Joel Aron
• Assistant Accountant: Kevin Bowe
• Greensman: Frank McEldowney
• Special Effects Supervisor: Allen Hall
• First Assistant Sound Editor: Cheryl Nardi
• Sound Effects Editor: Douglas Murray
• Set Designer: Kristen Pratt
• Steadicam Operator: Mark O’Kane
• Location Manager: Peggy Pridemore
• Set Costumer: Kenn Smiley
• Visual Effects Supervisor: Kenneth Jones
• Music Editor: Kenneth Karman
• Location Manager: Paul Pav
• Transportation Coordinator: Joel Marrow
• Visual Effects Supervisor: Ariel Velasco-Shaw
• Camera Technician: Steven J. Winslow
• Second Assistant Camera: Chad Rivetti
• Camera Operator: Josh Bleibtreu
• Dialogue Editor: Ewa Sztompke
• Key Hair Stylist: Kathryn Blondell
• Hairstylist: Carolyn Elias
• Visual Effects Editor: Heather J. Morrison
• Sequence Supervisor: David Jones
• Hairstylist: Audrey L. Anzures
• Set Costumer: Steve Ellsworth
• Makeup Artist: Jean-Luc Russier
• Senior Visual Effects Supervisor: Michael L. Fink
• Visual Effects Editor: Kosta Saric
• Visual Effects Production Manager: Mimi Medel
• Steadicam Operator: Gregory Lundsgaard
• Assistant Location Manager: Kristin Dehnert
• Makeup Artist: Roxanna Floyd
• Art Department Coordinator: Beth Bernstein
• Construction Coordinator: Michael Diersing
• Construction Foreman: Scott E. Handt
• Construction Foreman: Jerrold F. Brooks
• Special Effects: Marzette Bonar
• Greensman: Hap Weaver
• Leadman: David Manhan
• Set Designer: Evelyn Barbier
• Set Designer: Mariko Braswell
• Set Designer: James F. Claytor Sr.
• Sound Effects Editor: Marian Wilde
• Sound Re-Recording Mixer: Dennis S. Sands
• Dialogue Editor: Barbara McBane
• Supervising ADR Editor: Sue Fox
• Special Effects Coordinator: Eric Cook
• CG Supervisor: Matt Aitken
• Visual Effects Producer: C. Marie Davis
• Sequence Supervisor: Kee-Suk ‘Ken’ Hahn
• Visual Effects Producer: Mark S. Miller
• Sequence Supervisor: Jay Redd
• Sequence Supervisor: Sam Richards
• Sequence Supervisor: Laurence Treweek
• Visual Effects Supervisor: Lauren Alexandra Ritchie
• Visual Effects Supervisor: Joe Matza
• Still Photographer: Michael Douglas Middleton
• Video Assist Operator: Michael Noles
• Rigging Grip: Rand R. Vargas
• Costume Supervisor: Betty Brikowski
• Set Costumer: Patricia Bercsi
• Set Costumer: Taryn Weaver
• Location Manager: Luz Eneida Nuñez
• Production Controller: Allen E. Taylor
• CG Artist: Robert Weaver
• Hairstylist: Janice Alexander
• Conceptual Design: George Denes Suhayda
• Digital Color Timer: John Nicolard
• Digital Effects Producer: Craig A. Mumma
• Visual Effects Compositor: Kelly Granite
• First Assistant Camera: Tony Rivetti
• ADR Editor: Lindakay Brown
• Matchmove Supervisor: Charlie Clavadetscher
• Costumer: Hope Slepak
• Hairstylist: Vivian McAteer
• Associate Producer: Rick Porras
• Set Medic: Jeff Johnson
• Special Effects Technician: Roland Blancaflor
• Assistant Chief Lighting Technician: William Cueto
• Temp Sound Editor: Mark Jan Wlodarkiewicz
• Makeup Artist: Barbara Lacy
• Foley Editor: Sara Bolder
• Set Buyer: Carl Catanese
• Assistant Costume Designer: Jessica Fasman
• Foley Editor: Mary Helen Leasman
• Transportation Captain: Randy Cantor
• Assistant Sound Editor: Kent Brown
• Foley Editor: Bruce Lacey
• Projection: Edward J. Ertel
• Sound Recordist: Randolph Saucedo
• Costume Illustrator: Robin Richesson
• Visual Effects Coordinator: Theresa Corrao
• Swing: Christopher Casey
• Propmaker: Wayne Eaton
• Unit Manager: Nannette Rosa Collazo
• Casting Coordinator: Nikki Dalmau
• Location Scout: Kathleen Beall
• Color Timer: Bob Putynkowski
• Key Grip: Steve Smith
• Assistant Camera: Clyde Miller
• Standby Painter: Robert E. Denne
• Assistant Sound Editor: David Dresher
• Pyrotechnician: John P. Cazin
• Software Engineer: Rob Engle
• Negative Cutter: Mo Henry
• Driver: Dan Brizendine
• Storyboard Artist: Darryl Henley
• Second Second Assistant Director: Darin Rivetti
• Assistant Editor: Jana Lynn Gold
• Title Designer: Nina Saxon
• Assistant Sound Editor: Susan Popovic
• 3D Artist: Timothy Wilcox
• Digital Compositor: John Rauh
• Compositing Supervisor: M. Scott McKee
• Stand In: Michael Egan
• Grip: James Conroy
• Set Dresser: Sara Gardner-Gail
• Carpenter: Thomas C. Mentzer
• Digital Effects Supervisor: Victor Jimenez
• Technical Supervisor: Bill Feightner
• Transportation Co-Captain: David Diaz
• Electrician: Dave Mikutsky
• Production Coordinator: Darcy Fray
• Production Supervisor: Dawn Guinta
• 24 Frame Playback: Mark Marcum
• Mechanical Designer: Jeff Deyoe
• Assistant Sound Editor: Stephen Kearney
• Tailor: Gerardo Rosette
• Stunts: Dan Plum
• Compositing Supervisor: Stephen Kennedy
• Visual Effects Editor: Dawn Llewellyn
• First Assistant Camera: Michael A. FauntLeRoy
• Key Costumer: Nigel Boyd
• Second Assistant Director: Lucille OuYang
• 3D Animator: Spencer Knapp
• Cableman: Peggy Names
• 3D Animator: Geoffrey Harvey
• Roto Supervisor: Mary Nelson
• Graphic Designer: Doreen Austria
• Second Assistant Camera: Frank Parrish
• Best Boy Grip: Renton-Paul Medcalf
• First Assistant Camera: Ned Martin
• Second Assistant Accountant: Robert Cable
• CG Artist: Gregor Lakner
• Second Second Assistant Director: Alison C. Rosa
• Location Assistant: Primrose Fukuchi
• Digital Compositor: Jeff Doran
• Rotoscoping Artist: Gimo Chanphianamvong
• Assistant Property Master: Clifton T. Cooper
• Conceptual Illustrator: Richard Kriegler
• Visual Effects Editor: J.W. Kompare
• Compositing Supervisor: Bart Giovanetti
• Production Secretary: Carley A. Berkman
• Rotoscoping Artist: Maura Alvarez
• Travel Coordinator: Judd Nissen
• VFX Director of Photography: David Stump
• Rotoscoping Artist: Joanie Karnowski
• Assistant Sound Editor: Andrew Cowitt
• Assistant Sound Editor: Karen Harding
• 24 Frame Playback: Ira Toles
• 24 Frame Playback: Mark Wineman
• Electrician: Douglas W. Smith
• 3D Animator: Dylan Robinson
• CG Supervisor: Ron Brinkmann
• Digital Compositor: Jean François Fontaine
• Rotoscoping Artist: Aaron Smith
• Rotoscoping Artist: Lisa Kahatriya

Movie Reviews:

• talisencrw: I would readily admit this is one of my favourite science fiction films from the 90’s. It’s intelligent, well-acted and directed, and the special effects it has HELPS the story rather than IMPEDES it. Though she hasn’t done much lately, either in the director’s chair or acting, Jodie Foster is one of my favourite contemporary American actresses, and it’s intriguing how her great talent’s been utilized of late (ie., ‘Elysium’, and I’m still very mad at Spike Lee for having Christopher Plummer call her a ‘cunt’ in ‘Inside Man’).

  Personally, I must admit that I myself have worried what other worlds’ inhabitants would think of our civilization from the messages it might get from Earth. Though I thankfully haven’t lost any sleep over it (I have ‘Thumper’ in the apartment above me to thank for that), as Led Zeppelin would say in the classic ‘Stairway to Heaven’, ‘…and it makes me wonder’.

  As what happens in most of these movies, it’s rather anticlimactic once the different cultures meet. I’ll say to my dying day that the most difficult thing to do in cinema is end a film. Here (unlike perfect sci-fi masterpieces, like ‘2001: A Space odyssey’ or the more recent ‘Children of Men’) the decent but otherwise unspectacular ending makes me avoid a perfect rating here. But it’s awfully close, worth both owning and rewatching, and provides fairly early evidence (which would come to bold fruition in ‘Killer Joe’) that Matthew McConaughey could actually act. It’s also a tossup between this, ‘Who Framed Roger Rabbit’ and ‘Back to the Future’ for my favourite Zemeckis moment.

• JPV852: Random viewing but decided to finally watch after its been in my to-do bin for a while now. It didn’t strike an emotional cord that I thought it would but Jodie Foster was quite good as were a respectable supporting cast. Never quite bought into the relationship between Foster and McConaughey though in fairness, probably due to the lack of screen time together (felt like maybe 15 minutes in a 2.5 hour movie). Some of the effects were alright for its time including integrating Clinton footage with the cast and the sci-fi specific visuals were alright. In the end, never was bored and found it to be entertaining. **4.0/5**