| In 1985 after just releasing the hit SPLASH | | | | really about a group of elderly people who never |
| director Ron Howard's COCOON took the | | | | wanted to loose their sense of identity which in |
| multiplex by surprise and delivered a heart | | | | the film manifests itself in ageism. The film asks |
| warming tale about a group of other-worldly | | | | one of the greatest questions posed to the |
| beings on a rescue mission to save their kind | | | | human existence, "If you had the chance for |
| from human kind. Not more than three years | | | | eternal life (or youth as it may be) would you |
| earlier did E.T. THE EXTRA-TERRESTRIAL show a | | | | take it?" It's a question that's plagued mankind |
| kinder side to the alien agenda and COCOON | | | | from the Fountain of Youth to vampirism. |
| would only be one of many that would follow suit. | | | | COCOON works because it never talks down to |
| What sets this film apart from the other dredge | | | | its audience and even though there are some |
| that was produced at the time was that the | | | | heavy themes sown throughout it cleverly mixes |
| majority of the cast were aging stars Don | | | | humor with "human-emotion" for the rare |
| Ameche, Wilford Brimley, Hume Cronyn, Jack | | | | feel-good type of film that at the time Howard |
| Gilford, Jessica Tandy, and Gwen Verdon, among | | | | was known for. It also works because it was a |
| others. Although the film was told through the | | | | film that was needed just like E.T. was. |
| point of view of a child (i.e. E.T.), the film was | | | | |