Cocoon: The Return (1988)

The old age pensioners that left at the end of the first film come back to Earth to visit their relatives. Will they all decide to go back to the planet where no one grows old, or will they be tempted to stay back on Earth?

Director:

Daniel Petrie

Writers:

David Saperstein (characters), Stephen McPherson (story)

Stars:

Don Ameche, Wilford Brimley, Courteney Cox

4 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Don Ameche	...	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

Storyline

Art, Ben and Joe are back! So are their wives and good friend Bernie in their first adventure since their last! Five years since the senior citizens blasted off into space with the Antareans return to earth because their alien friends have to collect the rest of the cocoons in the ocean, believed to be in danger from an earthquake. Ben and Mary visit their family, while Art and Joe visit Bernie, who's still hangin' on. Art, Ben and Joe had forgotten what it was like on earth and immediately begin to feel their weaknesses, except for Art's wife who's pregnant! Meanwhile in the ocean, a biologist company snatched a cocoon out of the ocean and are doing research on it...

---

Plot Keywords:

spaceship | senior citizen | alien | old age | elderly protagonist | 

---

Taglines:

This holiday season, journey to the most wonderful place in the universe... home.

---

Genres:

Adventure | Comedy | Mystery | Romance | Sci-Fi

---

Certificate:

PG

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

23 November 1988 (USA)

Also Known As:

Cocoon 2

Filming Locations:

Miami, Florida, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$17,500,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$5,568,143, 27 November 1988

Gross USA:

$18,924,919

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$25,024,919

Company Credits

Production Co:

Zanuck/Brown Productions, Twentieth Century Fox

Technical Specs

Runtime:

116 min

Sound Mix:

70 mm 6-Track (70 mm prints) Dolby (35 mm prints)

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The St. Petersburg Oceanographic Institute facility seen in this film (where the Antarean was kept for observation) is actually the University of Miami's Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Sciences Center located on Virginia Key just outside of Miami (over two hundred fifty miles away from St. Peterburg).

---

Goofs

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

---

Quotes

Bernie: You work all your life, you pay taxes, you're a good citizen, and what do you end up with? A tight rug.

---

Crazy Credits

Half of the clips shown through the end credits are scenes from the first film.

---

Alternate Versions

All UK versions are cut by 1m 5s to heavily edit Bernie's attempted suicide by hanging in order to achieve a 'PG' rating.

---

Connections

Referenced in One Foot in the Grave: Who's Listening (1990)

---

Soundtracks

Sweet Georgia Brown
Written by Ben Bernie, Kenneth Casey & Maceo Pinkard

User Reviews

Journey to home

Really like the first 'Cocoon'. Don't love it and it wasn't without occasional flaws, but it was warm, funny and touching that looked great with a lovely James Horner score with a delightful older cast. Decided to see 'Cocoon: The Return', despite being prepared to be disappointed on the basis of what had been said about it.

Actually didn't find 'Cocoon: The Return' to be that bad all things considered, was definitely expecting something far worse. It is nowhere near as good as the first and one does question its point, despite being nowhere near close to being one of the worst sequels ever it is one of the ones that was not needed. Having said that, 'Cocoon: The Return' is not without its moments and good points amidst all the major problems it has.

Its selling point is that the original cast return and it is the acting (or at least most of it) that saves it. Most are quite wonderful, the sass and distinguished air as well as the likeability are still present, with the best coming from touching turns from Jessica Tandy and Hume Cronyn and Don Ameche still has the spring in his step. The film looks good enough, with some skilful photography in particular that has style and polish and the effects aren't overused, abused or stick out like a sore thumb.

James Horner's score is lush and not too sweeping or syrupy. There are some genuinely sweet and poignant moments, those involving Joe and Alma did make me well up. Although underused and not consistent with the first film, the sci-fi element intrigues somewhat.

However, the direction is nowhere near as focused or polished here, at best it's uninspired. Ron Howard's absence is noted and deeply felt. The story does have moments, but there was a much better balance of humour and drama before. Whereas 'Cocoon' managed to be emotionally impactful while not wallowing too much in the sentimentality, 'Cocoon: The Return' is caked in it and it does become mawkish and just lacks the necessary warmth and whimsy. Not enough is done with some of the too many subplots, the grandson/grandfather relationship should have been delved into more and was actually lacking in warmth.

Others didn't serve much point and parts did veer on distaste, the whole suicide thing as mentioned being treated in a comedic way does a real disservice to something so serious. The script has moments of warmth but too much of it is rather glum and resigned and too reliant on melodrama. Tahnee Welch is somewhat robotic and Steve Guttenberg is just irritating and his character could easily have been left out.

Concluding, worth a one time watch but a disappointment both as a sequel and on its own. 5/10 Bethany Cox