*Cocoon (film)

*Cocoon (film)
Name	Cocoon
Caption	Theatrical release poster
Director	Ron Howard
Producer	David Brown, Richard D. Zanuck
Writer	Tom Benedek
Based on	Story, David Saperstein
Starring	Don Ameche, Wilford Brimley, Hume Cronyn, Brian Dennehy, Jack Gilford, Steve Guttenberg, Maureen Stapleton, Jessica Tandy, Gwen Verdon, Herta Ware, Tahnee Welch
Music	James Horner
Cinematography	Donald Peterman
Editing	Daniel P. Hanley, Mike Hill
Studio	Zanuck/Brown Productions
Distributor	20th Century Fox
Released	1985, 06, 21
Runtime	117 minutes
Country	United States
Language	English
Budget	$17.5 million
Gross	$85.3 million

*Cocoon (film) is a 1985 American science fiction comedy-drama film directed by Ron Howard and written by Tom Benedek, based on a story by David Saperstein. The film follows a group of elderly residents in a St. Petersburg, Florida retirement home who discover alien pods in a nearby swimming pool that grant them rejuvenated vitality. Produced by Richard D. Zanuck and David Brown, the ensemble cast features Don Ameche, Wilford Brimley, and Hume Cronyn as the central seniors, with Brian Dennehy as the benevolent alien Antarean leader. *Cocoon (film) was a major critical and commercial success, winning two Academy Awards and sparking a 1988 sequel, Cocoon: The Return.

Plot

A team of Antarean aliens, led by Walter, secretly land in St. Petersburg, Florida to retrieve dormant comrades left in cocoons on Earth centuries ago. They rent a house with a swimming pool, using it to store the life-force-filled cocoons. Next door at the Sunny Shores retirement home, friends Art, Ben, and Joe frequently sneak into the pool, discovering it restores their youth and vigor. Their activities attract the attention of the retirement home manager and a local charter boat captain, Jack, who becomes romantically involved with the alien Kitty. When the secret is exposed, the elderly group must choose between staying on Earth with their newfound energy or joining the Antareans on a journey to their home planet, where they can live eternally.

Cast

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

Production

Development began when producers Richard D. Zanuck and David Brown acquired David Saperstein's unpublished novel manuscript. Tom Benedek was hired to write the screenplay, and Ron Howard, fresh from the success of Splash, was chosen to direct. Principal photography took place primarily in St. Petersburg, Florida and at MCA's facilities in Universal City, California. The aquatic sequences and the alien cocoons were achieved through a combination of practical effects supervised by Industrial Light & Magic and underwater cinematography. The score was composed by James Horner, and the cinematography was handled by Donald Peterman.

Release

*Cocoon (film) was released by 20th Century Fox in the United States on June 21, 1985. It was marketed with a emphasis on its blend of heartfelt drama, humor, and science fiction spectacle. The film performed strongly at the summer box office, eventually grossing $85.3 million worldwide against a $17.5 million budget. Its home media releases included VHS and Laserdisc, and it has since been released on DVD and Blu-ray.

Reception

The film received positive reviews from critics, who praised its heartfelt performances, sensitive direction by Ron Howard, and its unique treatment of aging and mortality. It holds a 78% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes. At the 58th Academy Awards, *Cocoon (film) won two Oscars: Don Ameche for Best Supporting Actor and the team of Michael Lantieri, Ken Ralston, and Stephen Hunter Flick for Best Visual Effects. It was also nominated for Best Original Score for James Horner's work.

Themes and analysis

Critics and scholars have noted the film explores themes of aging, mortality, and the human desire for eternal youth and second chances. The contrast between the vitality granted by the alien cocoons and the physical limitations of old age serves as a central metaphor. The benevolent Antareans and their offer of transcendence have been interpreted as a science fiction allegory for spiritual salvation or technological utopianism. The dynamics within the Sunny Shores community also provide commentary on friendship, love in later life, and societal attitudes towards the elderly, contrasting with the more cynical view represented by the character Bernie Lefkowitz.

Category:1985 films Category:American science fiction comedy-drama films Category:Films directed by Ron Howard