We are not alone
These rubber bendy figures by Imperial are some of the few bits of merchandise that Close Encounters recieved and they certainly served a purpose to me as a kid.
Mostly because I was incredibly curious as to how the aliens looked in the film.
I’m not sure they were big sellers however, I seem to recall these hung on shelves at my local “Dominion Playworld” until it closed it’s doors in 1983.
Close Encounters is probably my favorite movie… period. The fact that I've only seen this bendy, a frisbee, a terrible board game, and a halloween costume, just enhances my love of the film. Who needs all that silly merchandising anyway?
I had one of these toys and he was my constant companion on my Summer 1977 vacation. I almost lost him at one point when he fell out of the hand-powered pedalo I was riding around in – luckily a passing teenager took pity on me and managed to – thanks to his longer arms – retrieve him from the shallow pool we were in.
Does that tag say FIFTEEN DOLLARS on it? No wonder the poor guy was hanging around so long. That price is…..astronomical.
I'm guessing the 15 dollars is a price he sold for later as a "mint in package" collectible at some convention dealer's booth, not his original retail cost.