COCOON Turns 30: Ron Howard’s Fable is Still an Ageless Sci-Fi Classic

Death is inevitable. That’s a universal truth we all learn at a very early age and as we get older, the reality of that truism becomes more and more evident with each passing day. But what if you didn’t have to die? What if you could live forever? That wish fulfillment was precisely what a then up-and-coming filmmaker Ron Howard explored back in 1985 with his wondrous fable, Cocoon. It’s a remarkable film for many reasons, but what has always made it so memorable for me was the way Howard managed to create such a vivid, dignifying and endearing portrait of octogenarian life that demonstrated how the elderly can still enjoy a fulfilling existence even if the rest of the world no longer recognizes their vitality.

This month, Howard’s wondrously heartfelt fable turns 30 and it feels like the perfect time celebrate this remarkably unique film that defied the odds for many reasons, ended up taking home several Oscar awards, and was one of the top grossing films of 1985.

Cocoon is the story of a group of ageless aliens known as the Antareans who have returned to our planet after thousands and thousands of years to retrieve their team who has been slumbering on the bottom of the ocean after being left behind during a mission. In order to blend in, the aliens assume human forms and rent a vacated pool house in order to gather their friends and recharge them for the ride home off the planet. What these visitors are unaware of is that a group of older folks from the neighboring retirement community like to sneak into said pool house to use the facilities and one fateful day, all their paths cross, forever changing everyone’s lives as the two groups learn something about themselves and each other in the process.

You know, I can’t remember the last time I really took a risk.

When I saw Cocoon in a theater during the summer of 1985, I think it was the first time I think I ever realized my grandparents (or any of us, really) were going to die someday. Sure, you see death in horror movies or even referenced in the news but there was something about Howard’s film and his exploration of our mortality that connected to me in a way that I don’t know that I ever could fully appreciate until I got a bit older.

In fact, I don’t know that it ever truly hit home for me until I worked in a nursing home facility while putting myself through college my sophomore year either (the scene in Say Anything where Lloyd Dobbler- played by John Cusack- references Cocoon and the elderly’s affection for the film is pretty spot on, actually) as I saw a mix of older folks who were either teetering on the brink of death or doing their very best to appreciate the days they still had left. When you experience that day in and day out, you also begin to appreciate each day you’re given as well.

And during the 1970’s and 1980’s, we began seeing humanity’s life span extending longer and longer, due to advancements that were being made at that time in the medical and health professions. Our society had to quickly respond to the growing aging population and thus, we saw a boom in nursing homes, assisted living facilities as well as senior communities, especially in Florida. We found ways of letting other people carry the burden for us when it came to our aging parents and yet, no one was really addressing whether or not our dissociative treatment of that segment of the population was having a negative impact.

But Ron Howard did- or rather, screenwriter Tom Benedek tackled these issues with his thoughtful and emotionally charged screenplay based on an original story by David Saperstein. Filled with humor, heart, tragedy and an extraordinary sense of imagination, Cocoon connected with audiences through its truthful examination of what it really means to get old, how age can just be a number with the right mindset and how we all deserve to die with dignity, even if we feel that we’ve become a burden to those we love. Above all that, Cocoon was also the ultimate tale of wish-fulfillment, but with a science fiction twist. We not only saw the elderly being endowed with the chance to recapture their youth (and get a little rebellious while they were at it), but they were also gifted with eternal life, an invaluable benefaction that most of us would enjoy being on the receiving end of as well.

Portrayed by some of the greatest actors of their (or any) generation, when it came time to cast his older characters, Howard relied on the powerhouse performances from the likes of Wilford Brimley (The Thing, The Firm), Don Ameche (Trading Places, Harry and the Hendersons), Hume Cronyn (Cleopatra, Shadow of a Doubt), Jessica Tandy (Driving Miss Daisy, The Birds), and Maureen Stapleton (Reds, Johnny Dangerously) to bring some dimension and a sense of humanity to their respective roles.

As for the rest of the cast, Howard brought in veteran actor Brian Dennehy (Tommy Boy, F/X) to portray Antarean leader Walter and comedic actor Steve Guttenberg played Jack, a down-on-his-luck boat owner hired by Walter for the aliens’ rescue efforts deep in the waters of the Atlantic Ocean. Tahnee Welch (I Shot Andy Warhol) was cast in the role of Kitty, the female Antarean team member who takes on the human form of a total bombshell, catching the eye of Jack who can’t help but be pulled in by her radiant existence.

More often than not, the concept of alien invaders on Earth generally ends in catastrophe when it comes to the movies which is probably another reason Cocoon has always stuck with me- the Antareans were just a downright lovely species. Their sense of compassion and loyalty were unparalleled and even in the wake of tragedy, they chose to be gracious and tolerant rather than judgmental, and that’s a mentality we could all still probably learn a thing or two from.

And speaking of aliens, the practical effects work by acclaimed artist Greg Cannom still looks spectacular even after the passing of three decades. Cocoon also features some landmark visual effects (for that era) from Industry Light & Magic that may seem a little silly compared to the advanced CGI work that firm is creating today, but the glowing entities are still pretty fun to watch on the screen and perfectly capture the essence of these otherworldly creatures in an entirely new fashion, which I think is pretty cool (Dennehy’s glowing hand in the pool remains one of my favorite moments from the film).

While it may not be the first movie that comes to mind when someone asks you to name a film about aliens, Cocoon has long remained one of my favorite movies from the 1980’s even if it isn’t nearly as flawlessly executed as many of its peers. It was a remarkable achievement  in many ways and that type of kind-hearted genre storytelling isn’t something you see too often anymore. For Howard, it was a perfect follow-up to his 1984 hit, Splash, proving that audiences weren’t too desensitized (yet) to be invested in modernized fables- that is, as long as you can provide engaging characters and top-notch storytelling. While it may not be the film Howard will be best remembered for as a filmmaker, I’ll always appreciate the heart, wisdom and spirit of Cocoon and it’s message of acceptance and maintaining your enthusiasm for life, regardless of how old you are.