COCOON

US, 1985, 111 minutes, Colour.
Steve Guttenberg, Brian Dennehy, Don Ameche, Wilford Brimley, Hume Cronyn, Jessica Tandy, Jack Gilford, Gwen Verdon, Barrett Oliver, Tahnee Welch.
Directed by Ron Howard.

Cocoon was one of the most popular films from the U.S. in 1984. It is a pleasing science fiction fantasy, a kind of Close Encounters of the Third Kind.

The film focuses on St. Petersburg, Florida and a group of elderly people - portrayed by some fine old stars including Don Ameche who won an Oscar for Best Supporting Actor. Some aliens come to earth to recover some of their colleagues buried in the collapse of Atlantis. The group of extra-terrestrials is led by Brian Dennehy and includes Tahnee Welch, Raquel Welch's daughter, and Tyrone Power Junior. The film is really a fountain of youth fable, Shangri-la in the galaxies.

The placing of this group of ordinary people in an unusual situation brings out characteristics in them that they might not have expected - and they have to make decisions about death, aging, immortality.

The film was directed by Ron Howard who had success with Nightshift and Splash.

1. Enjoyable film? Its appeal and success? For older audiences, younger audiences?

2. A fable about old age, the desire for immortality? Fountain of youth? Shangri-la? Heaven and immortality? Intimations of immortality?

3. The tradition of space features and close encounters, star men and the like? The dialogue about youth, rejuvenation, immortality, heaven? In the space context?

4. The film as a piece of Americana: Florida, the villages with the old age pensioners and retired people? The old and their experiences, memories? The adults and there present? David and the future? The generations and there inter-action?

5. The plausibility the plot - factually, psychologically?

6. The picture of Florida, the town, the homes, the water? The location photography? special effects - the creatures there shining power, their skins, games of cards? Space and the star-ship? the underwater sequences, the re-creation of the city of Atlantis, the Cocoons? Comedy sequences? Action, dance and sports? The musical score?

7. The elderly and their place in American society, homes and hospitals, their physical and psychological decline, activities, homes and the staff and there treatment ? Prohibitions, permissions, neglect? Husbands and wives and there finishing their lives together? Friendships, groups, jealousies? The cantankerous? The characteristics of the past magnified in old age? The experience of being rejuvenated, there strengths and weaknesses magnified? A chance to reconsider there lives, repeat, improve, relate better, forgive?

8. The group and the individuals, a variety of characters, living together, there swimming together, walking, outings? The swimming in the Pool, the neighbours, the decision to trespass? The experience of change? The return home, relationships, sexuality? The physical improvement - diving, swimming, dancing, rap dancing? The old grouch and his wife - her wandering, his unwillingness to be rejuvenated? Hesitations, arguments? The secret? The decision to keep the secret? The discovery of the secret, the invasion of the pool, mischief and mess, the destruction of the cocoons and their creatures? The antareans and their reaction? Offering the chance to be saved? The decisions of the old people, the escape from the home, going to the wharf, on the boat, the police pursuit, the spaceship and its light, going to a new life in the heavens? The ironic aftermath of the funeral sequence and people on Earth thinking they were merely dead?

9. The group of men - Don Ameche and his background of '30s and 40s stardom, his age, as a character. humour, vitality. his past work, swimming, dancing, the relationship with the dancer, the decision to marry her? Leader of the group? Wilford Brimley as the old grandfather? His wife Mary and their relationship? His sardonic comments? Pleading with Walter, the apology after the mischief? His daughter, his love for David? Hume Cronyn's reputation as an actor - portraying the terminally ill elderly man, joining the group, the change and rejuvenation, relationship with his wife, his wandering eye, betrayal of his wife, her excluding him, the clash, his begging forgiveness? Their decision to go with the Antareans?

10. The group of women - Gwen Verdon and her background as dancer, her showing her skills, her relationship, marriage? Maureen Stapleton and her dramatic skills, as wife, as mother, companion? Jessica Tandy working with her husband Hume Cronin - the portrayal of a marriage, love, hurt, betrayal, forgiveness?

11. Bernie and his wife - age, illness. senility? Bernie as the grouch, his continual caution? His vigil at his wife's bedside - and the communication of grief at her death? Their trying to persuade him to come with them to the heavens?

12. Jack as the pleasant hero, the boat, his troubles, the encounter with the Antareans, helping them with their quest. the discovery of the truth, spying on Kitty, his fear, Walter revealing the truth? His giving his help? The encounter with Kitty - and the pleasant comedy about sexual interaction? Helping with the escape, his decision to stay?

13. The Antareans as a group, their mission, their human disguise, the story of Atlantis. the underwater work. the cocoons, the pool, the trespassers. the police, the encounter with the elderly, Jack discovering the truth. their revelation? Their grief at their companions' dying? Mourning them? The new possibilities, the offer of heaven to the elderly, the escape? Walter as their genial leader? His portraying the qualities of the extra-terrestrials? Coping with the human condition - yet his admitting his mistakes? Kitty as the attractive heroine?

14. The film starting with David and his looking to the stars, the little boy loner, the broken marriage, his mother, friendship with his grandfather, fishing with him, running away to go with the elderly, his jumping overboard to divert the police and help them get away?

15. The comedy sequences - in the home, the outings? The swimming?

16. The drama of the elderly, death, the mischief in the pool, the escape?

17. A group of ordinary people put in unusual situations and discovering aspects of themselves? The quality of this kind of fantasy-fable?