Cocoon (1985)

User Rating:

6.6/10   

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 | Dancing

Awards:

Won 2 Oscars. Another 2 wins & 11 nominations

Cast

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:

1.85 : 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:

Ron Howard's brother, mother and father all appear in the film.

Goofs:

Continuity: Water in the pool becomes instantly still after the old men get out of it the first time.

Quotes:

Bernard Lefkowitz: I'm a citizen. I believe in this country. In 1945, Dutch Scholtz walked into my store and he said...
Joseph Finley: Bernie, if you don't wanna do this for Rose and you don't wanna do this for yourself that's fine, that's your business, but if you screw this up for the rest of us...
Bernard Lefkowitz: Don't threaten me, Joe, I don't need any of your threats. We're not doing it and that's final!
[Walks away]
Ben Luckett: Anyone having second thoughts?
Art Selwyn: I'm a citizen too. I was in the navy. I don't see anything wrong with it.
Ben Luckett: Then you drive. I got no license.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "At the Movies: Summer Special 2008/09" (2008)

Soundtrack:

Dance Track

Movie to make you think.

Movie about some adventureous older people who discovered the fountain of youth. Of course, as with anything too good to be true, the fountain turned out to be a life support tank for aliens! The life support tank was a swimming pool which contained some mysterious energy to bring back ancient alien comrads which were contained in some large seed-like pods. The mysterious energy also had the ability to give life back to the elderly humans who stumbled on it. Of course the aliens discover that the older people are having a good time with with this scenerio. To say more would be to give away the important messages the movie is trying to present.

May not be the best movie ever made, but far better than average. It showed both the young at heart and the old, even though all of them were physically old. I'm not that old but it makes you appreciate what getting old is about. Remember that when you see an elderly person, some of them may be old but some of them are more alive then people much younger. Don't just respect them but indulge them.

Ron howard rarely disappoints.