Cocoon (1985)

Director:

Ron Howard

Writers:

Tom Benedek (screenplay)
David Saperstein (story)

Release Date:

21 June 1985 (USA)

Genre:

Adventure | Comedy | Romance | Sci-Fi

Tagline:

It is everything you've dreamed of. It is nothing you expect.

Plot:

When a group of trespassing seniors swim in a pool containing alien cocoons, they find themselves energized with youthful vigour.

Plot Keywords:

Cocoon | Alien | Swimming Pool | Senior Citizen | Ballroom

Awards:

Won 2 Oscars. Another 3 wins & 11 nominations

Cast

  (Cast overview, first billed only)

Don Ameche	...	Art Selwyn
Wilford Brimley	...	Ben Luckett
Hume Cronyn	...	Joe Finley
Brian Dennehy	...	Walter
Jack Gilford	...	Bernie Lefkowitz
Steve Guttenberg	...	Jack Bonner
Maureen Stapleton	...	Mary Luckett
Jessica Tandy	...	Alma Finley
Gwen Verdon	...	Bess McCarthy
Herta Ware	...	Rosie Lefkowitz
Tahnee Welch	...	Kitty
Barret Oliver	...	David
Linda Harrison	...	Susan
Tyrone Power Jr.	...	Pillsbury
Clint Howard	...	John Dexter

Runtime:

117 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

70 mm 6-Track (70 mm prints) | Dolby (35 mm prints)

Certification:

Canada:A (Nova Scotia) | Netherlands:AL | Iceland:L | Peru:PT | New Zealand:PG | Argentina:Atp | Australia:PG | Chile:TE | Finland:S | France:U | Norway:12 (1985) | Sweden:11 | UK:PG (cut) | USA:PG-13 | West Germany:6 | Singapore:PG

Filming Locations:

Clearwater, Florida, USA

Company:

Zanuck/Brown Productions

Trivia:

The tinted map Walter gives to Jack showing him the underwater location of their search for cocoons is actually an infra-red aerial photograph of Bay County, Florida (where Panama City Beach is located) printed on a transparency.

Goofs:

Audio/visual unsynchronized: When people are commenting on the old people's dancing.

Quotes:

Mary Luckett: Well I for one don't believe any of this alien crap.
Alma Finley: You mean you don't believe your husband?
Mary Luckett: No, I don't believe him.
Alma Finley: Well I believe him and I'm scared.
Bess McCarthy: Well I don't believe him and I'm still scared!

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Suburban Girl (2007)

Soundtrack:

Chattanooga Choo Choo

Let's swim in a pool that has weird boulders dumped into it

Some seniors find the long sought-after Fountain of Youth by accident, just by regularly sneaking into a neighbor's pool. I don't know if I'd swim in a pool that has moss-covered boulders tossed into it, but these guys do, and find their youthful vitality returning.

Unbeknownst to the men, aliens on a mission have rented the neighbor's place, and set up the pool as their base of operations. Fortunately, these were post-ET/Close Encounters beings, so they had benevolent intentions.

Great cast of some familiar faces, and the screen chemistry of the cast members is wonderful as they range from highly emotional to contentious in their interaction. The nursing home residents are marvelous in portraying their renewed joy of life. Don Ameche is dashing with the ladies, and acts the role of a youthful character very well. Hume Cronyn, Jessica Tandy, Mareen Stapleton, and Wilford Brimley are all great. However, the movie is certainly not all a feel-good warm fuzzies type of story; there are some sad tragedies that occur as the plot moves forward.

My one criticism is that the film lacks the courage to address its central theme, the idea of eternal life, only skirting its ramifications. Only one character rejects the idea, but generic platitudes (like "belonging here") he says explain nothing of his reasoning. The film doesn't analyze the people who desire immortality enough, either. We get a few morsels about missing baseball, fishing, and grandchildren. But this shallow analysis gives insufficient insight to this infinitely critical decision the characters are faced with.

It's an interesting tale, with a bittersweet message about our own mortality. A well done production that has you wishing the best for the characters, and contemplating what you might do if you were in their shoes.