Review: Cocoon
Blu-ray: Cocoon (1985)
Beginning with a soft light falling through the ocean onto some frolicking dolphins, the camera gives us an opening clue to the ‘otherworldliness’ of this story by focusing on the ruined signs of an ancient civilisation of the lost city of Atlantis. Made in 1985 by director Ron Howard, Cocoon was his follow up to the hugely successful Splash and similar to that film we have a family friendly tale of good aliens helping and being helped by a gang of elderly friends and Steve Guttenburg.
The three principal oldies are played by Hollywood legends Don Ameche, Hume Cronyn and Wilford Brimley. This trio sneak off every day from the retirement home they live in to break into an abandoned neighbours pool for a daily swim. Meanwhile a young, struggling boat owner (played by Police Academy star Steve Guttenberg) is hired by Brian Dennehy and Racquel Welch’s daughter Tahnee to retrieve ‘something’ from the sea. These cocoons are put for safe keeping in the pool the oldies swim in. Suddenly the oldies gain a new lease of life.
Made before the term ‘silver-screening’ arrived to describe ‘older’ people going to the cinema to watch films made specifically for them, such as ‘The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel’ and ‘The Queen’ (which personally I think is insulting and untrue! ) this wasn’t sold as an oldie-friendly film, but rather the lovely (yes, lovely) family film it is. Seeing a story that mainly concentrates on the desires, fears, illnesses, sex lives and friendships of our more senior citizens is as delightful today as it was in 1985.
Although a little slushy in places, it doesn’t detract from the central theme of grabbing life and bloody well enjoying it, it’s also very refreshing to see fully rounded characters that don’t stop feeling just because they’re over 60.
A fantastic film that looks amazing in High Def.
SPECIAL FEATURES:
- New high definition transfer of the film
- Optional English subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing
- Feature-length audio commentary with Director Ron Howard
- Five featurettes: Behind the scenes, Ron Howard profile, Underwater training, Actors, Creating Antareans
- Three TV spots
- Original theatrical trailer
- Teaser Trailer
- Cocoon: The Return theatrical trailer
- Collectors booklet featuring a new article on the film by critic James Oliver, and archival imagery
Review by Tina (co-host of 60 Minutes With) from a disc kindly supplied by Eureka.
