Cocoon: The Return (1988)

Director:

Daniel Petrie

Writers (WGA):

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

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 | Return | Old Age | Senior Citizen | 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
Wendy J. Cooke	...	Phil - Antarean (as Wendy Cooke)
Herta Ware	...	Rose Lefkowitz
Brian C. Smith	...	Dr. Baron - SPOI
Fred Buch	...	Alma's Doctor
Harold Bergman	...	Dr. Erwin
Glenn Scherer	...	Bess' Doctor
Tom Kouchalakos	...	Doug - SPOI
Alan Jordan	...	Orderly (as Alan R. Jordan)
Fritz Dominique	...	Orderly #2
Iris Acker	...	Mrs. Cashman
Will Marchetti	...	General Jefferds
Shelley Spurlock	...	Rebecca - SPOI
Ted Milford	...	Kid #1
Chris Fuxa	...	Kid #2
Bill Wohrman	...	Coach
Jay Smith	...	Catcher
Tony Vila Jr.	...	Umpire
Brian Jay Andrews	...	Visiting Catcher
David Easton	...	Player #1
Matt Ford	...	Player #2
Jack McDermott	...	Spectator
Darcy Shean	...	Woman in Restaurant
Barrie Mizerski	...	Waiter
Madeline Lee	...	Impatient Woman
Mal Jones	...	Man at Kiosk
Patricia Rainier	...	Man's Wife
Richard Jasen	...	Little Boy
Patricia Winters	...	Lamaze Teacher
Rachel Renick	...	Janet
Ryan Szurgot	...	Little Boy #1
Anthony Finazzo	...	Little Boy #2
Kelly Jasen	...	Little Girl #1
Stephanie Oldziej	...	Little Girl #2
Priscilla Ashley Behne	...	Little Girl #3
Glenn L. Robbins	...	Mr. Szydlo
Bruce McLaughlin	...	Man on Glass Bottom Boat
Buddy Reynolds	...	Airforce Policeman
Carlos González	...	SPOI Janitor (as Carlos Gonzales)
Kevin Corrigan	...	SPOI Security Gard
Robert Gwaltney	...	Clerk
Robert Short	...	Technician
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Sean Cunningham	...	First Mate (uncredited)
Brian Dennehy	...	Walter - Alien Leader (uncredited)
Kai Thorup	...	Basketball onlooker (uncredited)

Directed by
Daniel Petrie

Writing credits (WGA)
David Saperstein		(characters)
Stephen McPherson		(story) &
Elizabeth Bradley		(story)
Stephen McPherson		(screenplay)

Produced by
David Brown	....	producer
Gary Daigler	....	associate producer
Lili Fini Zanuck	....	producer
Richard D. Zanuck	....	producer

Original Music by
James Horner

Cinematography by
Tak Fujimoto

Film Editing by
Mark Warner		(as Mark Roy Warner)

Casting by
Beverly McDermott

Production Design by
Lawrence G. Paull

Set Decoration by
Frederic C. Weiler
Jim Poynter		(uncredited)

Costume Design by
Jay Hurley

Makeup Department
Irene Aparicio	....	hair stylist
Marie Del Russo	....	makeup artist
Elizabeth Lambert	....	makeup artist
Mona Orr	....	hair stylist

Production Management
Gary Daigler	....	unit production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Bruce Cohen	....	second assistant director
Katterli Frauenfelder	....	first assistant director

Art Department
John Balling	....	stand-by paint foreman
Holly Bird	....	storyboard artist
Will Brantley	....	set dresser
Eugene Bright	....	construction gang boss
Michael Bright	....	propmaker
Daniel Carpio	....	propmaker
Harold Collins	....	construction coordinator
Michael Collins	....	greensman
Robert Cuevas	....	propmaker
Stephen P. Durante	....	set dresser (as Stephen Durante)
Harold Griner	....	propmaker
Geoff Hubbard	....	assistant art director (as Martin Geoffrey Hubbard)
William Kellow	....	propmaker
Steven M. Levine	....	property master
James Long	....	propmaker
Rick Roberts	....	lead man
James Robinson II	....	assistant props
Nicholas J. Romanac	....	property master (as Nicholas Romanac)
Robert Short	....	cocoons
Kevin C. Tressler	....	propmaker (as Kevin Tressler)
O.C. Whiddon	....	construction foreman

Sound Department
Vanessa Theme Ament	....	foley artist (as Vanessa Ament)
Sandina Bailo-Lape	....	foley editor
Gloria S. Borders	....	supervising adr editor
Karen Brocco	....	assistant sound editor
Gloria D'Alessandro	....	assistant sound editor
Hank Garfield	....	sound mixer
Tim Holland	....	sound effects editor
Richard Hymns	....	supervising sound editor
Robert Marty	....	assistant sound editor (as Bob Marty)
Shawn Murphy	....	sound re-recording mixer
Martha Pike	....	assistant sound editor
Gary Rydstrom	....	sound designer
Gary Rydstrom	....	sound re-recording mixer
Paige Sartorius	....	assistant sound editor
Karen Spangenberg	....	dialogue editor
Gary Summers	....	sound re-recording mixer
Scott Warren	....	boom operator
Mark Weber	....	cable person

Special Effects by
Greg Cannom	....	special alien creatures and effects
Mitch Devane	....	creature effects crew: Cannom
Keith Edmier	....	creature effects crew: Cannom
Loren Gitthens	....	creature effects crew: Cannom
Camilla Henneman	....	creature effects crew: Cannom
J.B. Jones	....	special effects coordinator
Richard Lee Jones	....	special effects (as Richard Jones)
James Kagel	....	creature effects crew: Cannom (as Jim Kagel)
Ve Neill	....	creature effects crew: Cannom
Larry Odien	....	creature effects crew: Cannom
John Vulich	....	creature effects crew: Cannom
Bruce E. Merlin	....	special effects technician (uncredited)

Visual Effects by
Jon Alexander	....	optical camera operator: ILM
Gordon Baker	....	animator: ILM
Bill Barr	....	grip: ILM
John Bell	....	effects art director: ILM
Tom Bertino	....	roto supervisor: ILM
Timothy Björklund	....	animator: ILM (as Tim Berglund)
Barbara Brennan	....	roto artist: ILM
Charlie Clavadetscher	....	motion control camera operator: ILM (as Charles Clavadetscher)
Jeff Doran	....	optical camera operator: ILM
Dick Dova	....	key grip: ILM (as Dick Dova Spah)
Scott Farrar	....	visual effects supervisor: ILM
Ellen Ferguson	....	roto artist: ILM
Bob Finley III	....	best boy: ILM
Pat Fitzsimmons	....	gaffer: ILM
Jenny Fulle	....	production coordinator: ILM
Ralph Gordon	....	optical photography supervisor: ILM
Joanne Hafner	....	roto artist: ILM
David Heron	....	grip: ILM (as Dave Heron)
Rebecca Heskes	....	roto artist: ILM (as Rebecca Petrulli Heskes)
Eric Hossner	....	motion control camera operator: ILM
Peg Hunter	....	optical line-up: ILM
Brad Jerrell	....	electrician: ILM
Keith Johnson	....	optical camera operator: ILM
Brad Kuehn	....	optical line-up: ILM
Mickey McGovern	....	assistant effects editor: ILM (as Mike McGovern)
Terry Molatore	....	roto artist: ILM (as Terry Sittig)
Steve R. Moore	....	visual effects editor: ILM
Patrick T. Myers	....	motion control camera operator: ILM (as Pat Myers)
Lori J. Nelson	....	optical line-up: ILM
Thomas Rosseter	....	optical line-up: ILM (as Tom Rosseter)
Thomas J. Smith	....	optical camera operator: ILM
Wes Takahashi	....	animation supervisor: ILM
Peter Takeuchi	....	unit production supervisor: ILM
Sean Turner	....	animator: ILM
Bruce Vecchitto	....	optical line-up: ILM
Bruce Walters	....	motion control camera operator: ILM
Jim Poynter	....	set decorator: ILM (uncredited)
Pat Turner	....	camera operator: visual effects unit (uncredited)

Stunts
Chick Bernhardt	....	stunts
Mindy Branston	....	stunts
Alex Edlin	....	stunts
Arthur J. Edwards	....	stunts
Philip Hoelcher	....	stunts (as Phil Hoelcher)
Richard Lee Jones	....	stunts
Artie Malesci	....	stunt coordinator
Artie Malesci	....	stunts
Candice Orsini	....	stunts (as Candy Orsini)
Ruth A. Redfern	....	stunts (as Ruthie Redfern)

Camera and Electrical Department
Marcy Bolotin	....	still photographer
James P. Crapser	....	grip (as Jim Crapser)
Robert Destolfe	....	still photographer (as Bob de Stolfe)
Sean Gray	....	electrician (as Sean Grey)
Craig Haagensen	....	camera operator
Jordan Klein Sr.	....	underwater camera operator (as Jordan Klein)
Edward Knott III	....	dolly grip (as Ed Knott III)
Ed Knott Jr.	....	key grip
David M. Lang	....	first assistant camera (as David Lang)
Gregory Lundsgaard	....	panaglide operator
William McConnell	....	first assistant camera
Walter G. Morris Jr.	....	gaffer (as Walter Morris Jr.)
Patrick Morris	....	best boy electric
Casey Osborne	....	best boy grip
James M. Reeves	....	electrician
Rob Scott	....	electrician (as Robert Scott)
Bob Smaling	....	grip (as Robert Smaling)
Thomas Smaling	....	grip
William Smaling	....	electrician
Warner R. Wacha	....	second assistant camera (as Warner Wacha)
Jim Whitson	....	light operator: Musco
Jordan Klein Sr.	....	camera operator (uncredited)

Casting Department
Penny Perry	....	casting: original "Cocoon" cast
Terri Rand Poggendorf	....	casting assistant

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Mickey Antonetti	....	costume supervisor
Mary Lou Byrd	....	costumer
Jennifer Jobst	....	assistant to costume designer

Editorial Department
Phil Hetos	....	color timer (as Philip Hetos)
Steven Ramirez	....	additional editor
Yôko Seto	....	assistant editor (as Yoko Seto)
Robert Yamamoto	....	assistant editor (as Bob Yamamoto)

Music Department
Jim Henrikson	....	music editor
Billy May	....	orchestrator
Greig McRitchie	....	orchestrator
Shawn Murphy	....	music scoring mixer
David Slusser	....	assistant music editor
James Horner	....	conductor (uncredited)
Greig McRitchie	....	composer: additional music (uncredited)

Transportation Department
William Foster	....	transportation captain
Henry San Souci	....	transportation co-captain

Other crew
Sondra Dee Boyachek	....	assistant production coordinator
Henriette Christensen	....	production assistant
Tim Christensen	....	production assistant
Dawn Darfus	....	assistant production accountant
Bob Dosh	....	marine coordinator
Marjorie Farber	....	production assistant (as Marjie Farber)
George Fuller	....	video coordinator
Cate Hardman	....	script supervisor (as Cate Hardman-Roach)
Don Henry	....	production accountant (as Donald B. Henry)
Roy Kieval	....	technical advisor
William D. McLane	....	video coordinator (as Bill McLane)
Mary Morgan	....	location manager
Ruth A. Redfern	....	production assistant (as Ruthie Redfern)
Cynthia Streit	....	production coordinator
Charles Workman	....	technician: BFL
M. Rutledge McCall	....	production coordinator: Los Angeles (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Zanuck/Brown Productions (for)
• Twentieth Century-Fox Film Corporation

Distributors

• Twentieth Century-Fox Film Corporation (1988) (USA) (theatrical)
• Fox Network (1991) (USA) (TV) (broadcast premiere)
• Twentieth Century Fox (1989) (Austria) (theatrical)
• 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment (2004) (USA) (DVD)
• Abril Vídeo (Brazil) (VHS)
• CBS/Fox Video (1989) (Belgium) (video)
• Fox Video (1989) (USA) (video) (laserdisc)
• Fox Video (1996) (USA) (VHS)
• Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment (199?) (Netherlands) (VHS)
• Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment (2006) (Netherlands) (DVD)

Special Effects

• Cannom Creations (creature effects)
• Industrial Light & Magic (ILM)

Other Companies

• Control Data Corporation  computer equipment
• Pacific Title  titles
• Rogers & Cowan  publicity
• Sprocket Systems  post-production sound services

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: The color of Ben's hair changes from white to gray throughout the film.

Quotes:

Jack Bonner: You're my favorite Martian.

Movie Connections:

References First Blood (1982)

A worthy follow up to the original

After I enjoyed the first Cocoon so much I decided that the sequel could not be too bad. For the most part, the Cocoon: The Return remains a generally enjoyable film even if most of the magic remained in the original. In this one, the elderly friends return back to earth to catch up on everything that had missed out on while they were away. The biggest problem when they get back to earth is that all of the special protection from illness and aging that they had with the aliens eventually wears off, and if they don't get back to their planet with the aliens quickly, some of them may die. Overall, an enjoyable and harmless sequel to the original. If you liked the original you will most likely enjoy this sequel. ***1/2 out of *****.