DVD Reviews

Cocoon - Blu-ray Review

By Jeff Swindoll Apr 15, 2010, 11:32 GMT

When visitors from a distant galaxy return to Earth on a secret mission, their otherworldly powers afford a group of senior citizens - who had expected nothing more from life than bingo, shuffleboard, aches and pain - the chance to recapture their youth. With Don Ameche in an Academy Award(R) Winning role, and an all-star cast, "Cocoon" is a magical story of love, friendship and the human spirit. ...more

A group of old folks is given a new lease on life when aliens visit Florida.  Not those from across the border, but that kind from the stars.  Soon the old timers are having a grand old time, but their meddling threatens to sabotage the alien’s overall mission.  

Ben (Wilford Brimley), Art (Don Ameche), and Joe (Hume Cronyn) are old pals who live in a Florida retirement community.  They lead pretty uneventful lives, but their big thrill is sneaking into the abandoned mansion next to the community and using the pool.  These elderly rebels’ thrills are cut short when a group of people rent the house and their only fun outlet appears to come to an end. 

However, that group, Walter (Brian Dennehy), the leader, Kitty (Tahnee Welch), Pillsbury (Tyrone Power Jr.), and Doc (Mike Nomad), spends most of the day on the sea with a chartered boat captained by Jack (Steve Guttenberg).  So the group decides to go to the pool while the strangers are away. 

Suddenly they feel full of vim and vigor after swimming in the water, that contains some odd looking objects on the bottom.  Ben goes home to wife Marilyn (Maureen Stapleton) to surprise her in the shower, Art takes sweetheart Bess (Gwen Verdon) dancing, and Joe asks his wife Alma (real life wife Jessica Tandy) to not sleep in her twin bed but join him in his. 

These randy trespassers ask their skittish pal Bernie (Jack Gilford) to join them in their fountain of youth, but they also discover that the strangers are indeed strange and from a place far, far away.  

We’re all going to die.  Mother Nature cheats us all in our old age.  Now that we’re suitably depressed lets get a little uplift from this fun fantasy from Opie Taylor. 

Ron Howard directs this look into the lives of some aging pals who find the fountain of youth in the pool next door.  Of course, it’s thanks to some alien visitors but the cast is game and full of familiar faces.  Currently most of the cast has gone into the great beyond but we can still revel in their great performances. 

Wilford Brimley is still around, but that was because he was a young whippersnapper in his 50s when the film was shot.  He’s always looked older.  Ameche, who won a supporting actor Oscar for his role, Tandy, Cronyn, Stapleton, Gilford, et al are all gone.  Well, we’ll always have the movies. 

These folks did get a bit of a “fountain of youth” for their careers as the film renewed interest in many of them.  We all enjoy an underdog story and our home full of seniors meets the bill.  We can’t help but cheer as the magic waters restore their will to live. 

Sadly I fear that when I’m moved into a home that the only thing next door to it will be a sinkhole and not an alien infused swimming pool.  Cocoon is still a fun film and a walk down memory lane with some elder actors.  The transfer looks pretty good and is the best I’ve ever seen it.  Grain haters beware though.  

Cocoon is presented in a 1080p high definition transfer (1.85:1).  Special features are presented in standard definition and include a commentary by director Ron Howard. 

Next is a 7 minute behind the scenes featurette, a 2 minute profile of Ron Howard, a 3 minute look at the underwater training, a 3 minute look at the actors, a 4 minute bit about how they created the aliens, the 1 minute teaser, 1 minute theatrical trailer, 3 TV spots totaling 90 seconds, and a 1 minute trailer for Cocoon: The Return.  All of these special features are from 1985 so don’t expect much new.  

Youth is wasted on the young, but Cocoon presents us with a cinematic fountain of youth.  Dive in and have a good time. 

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