Cocoon: The Return (1988)

Director:

Daniel Petrie

Writers (WGA):

David Saperstein (characters)
Stephen McPherson (story) ...

Release Date:

23 November 1988 (USA)

Genre:

Adventure | Comedy | Mystery | Romance | Sci-Fi

Tagline:

This holiday season, journey to the most wonderful place in the universe... home.

Plot:

The old age pensioners that left at the end of the first film come back to earth to visit their relatives...

Plot Keywords:

Cocoon | Senior Citizen | Old Age | Return | Alien

Awards:

4 nominations

Cast

Don Ameche	...	Arthur 'Art' Selwyn
Wilford Brimley	...	Benjamin 'Ben' Luckett
Courteney Cox	...	Sara
Hume Cronyn	...	Joseph 'Joe' Finley
Jack Gilford	...	Bernard 'Bernie' Lefkowitz
Steve Guttenberg	...	Jack Bonner
Barret Oliver	...	David
Maureen Stapleton	...	Marilyn 'Mary' Luckett
Elaine Stritch	...	Ruby Feinberg
Jessica Tandy	...	Alma Finley
Gwen Verdon	...	Bess McCarthy Selwyn
Tahnee Welch	...	Kitty
Linda Harrison	...	Susan
Tyrone Power Jr.	...	Pillsbury - Antarean
Mike Nomad	...	Doc

Also Known As:

Cocoon 2 (USA) (working title)
Cocoon II: The Return (USA) (working title)

Runtime:

116 min | UK:115 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

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

Certification:

Canada:A (Nova Scotia) | Iceland:L | Australia:PG | Netherlands:MG6 | West Germany:6 | Finland:S | Sweden:11 | UK:PG (cut) | USA:PG | Singapore:PG

Filming Locations:

Miami, Florida, USA

Company:

Zanuck/Brown Productions

Trivia:

Producers Richard D. Zanuck and his wife, Lili Fini Zanuck, co-owned the rights to the sequel with 20th Century-Fox. Initially opposed to the concept of a second film, they only went ahead with it out of a need to preserve the integrity of the original. As it transpired, Lili, who was very much opposed to doing a sequel, had only nominal interest as she was busy prepping her own directorial debut, Rush (1991).

Goofs:

Continuity: When Bernie tries to hang himself, the rope is in front of his left ear in close-ups and lower, around his neck, in the longer-distance shot.

Quotes:

Art Selwyn: There's no justice! If there were, it'd be *me* in there instead of her! *I'd* trade places with *her* in a *heartbeat*!

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Seinfeld: The Stakeout (#1.1)" (1990)

Contradicts the spirit of the original

The original Cocoon was touching, sweet, optimistic, and heartfelt. Most of the wonderful ensemble cast reunited for this sequel, but sadly, something went awry.

You learn nothing about what they've seen during five years spent with the aliens . Further, it seems like everything the characters accomplished the first time around was repealed in this story. Their desire to join the aliens in the first place was predicated on a variety of factors, but each of those reasons is dissected and trashed this time out. Suddenly, there is conflict and suffering during a brief one-week visit. Characters get sick, everyone argues, nobody seems happy. As if that isn't bad enough, a tragic suicide attempt is played almost like a joke. Since when is suicide funny? Steve Guttenberg's character was integral to the first movie, but now he's just written as a clownish buffoon. The grandson's teen angst is annoying.

There are a few notable moments, however. One scene between Jessica Tandy and Hume Cronyn is deeply touching. The plight of a captured alien being studied is properly sympathetic. But scenes like these are intermingled with a menagerie of subplots which dart around between serious and comedic.

This sequel wanders too far afield from the spirit of its predecessor. The result is gloomy and disappointing. See the original, instead.