Cocoon: The Return
Encyclopedia
Cocoon: The Return is a 1988 science fiction film that is the sequel to the 1985 film Cocoon
. All of the starring actors from the first film reprised their roles in this film, although Brian Dennehy
only appears in one scene at the end of the film. Unlike its predecessor, the film was neither a commercial nor a critical success.
Having returned with the aliens, the elderly couples from the original film face indecision about whether to return to Anterea or stay on Earth and become mortal again. Joe (Hume Cronyn
) learns that his leukemia
has returned, but he knows it will be cured again as soon as he and Alma (Jessica Tandy
) leave Earth. However, when Alma is hit by a car, Joe gives up the last of his lifeforce to save her. Arthur and Bess (Don Ameche
and Gwen Verdon
) learn that Bess is pregnant, and decide to raise the child on Anterea so they will live long enough to see him grow up. Ben and Marilyn (Wilford Brimley
and Maureen Stapleton
) decide that being with their families is more important than living forever, so they decide to stay.
The group manages to infiltrate the lab and rescue the captured Anterean. Jack (Steve Guttenberg
) sails them out into the ocean, where the space travellers and the cocoons are picked up by an alien craft. Jack then sees Sara (Courteney Cox
), and they walk away from the docks.
Brian Dennehy held out returning as alien leader "Walter" but finally agreed to a 3 minute scene at the film's end. He accepted no salary and did appear only as a favor to his cast mates from the first film.
who had scored Cocoon. The score mostly consisted of recycled themes and material from the first film. The soundtrack was released 23 November 1988 through Varèse Sarabande
and features nine tracks of score at a running time of just over fifty-three minutes.
of the Chicago Sun-Times
gave the film two and a half out of four stars saying "Yes, the performances are wonderful, and, yes, it's great to see these characters back again. But that's about it. For someone who has seen Cocoon, the sequel gives you the opportunity to see everybody saying goodbye for the second time." Cocoon: The Return maintains a 36% rating at Rotten Tomatoes
.
The film brought in less than $19 million domestically, less than the first film's $85 million worldwide gross.
Cocoon (film)
The score for Cocoon was composed and conducted by James Horner. The soundtrack was released twice, through Polydor Records in 1985 and a reprint through P.E.G. in 1997 and features eleven tracks of score and a vocal track performed by Michael Sembello...
. All of the starring actors from the first film reprised their roles in this film, although Brian Dennehy
Brian Dennehy
Brian Mannion Dennehy is an American actor of film, stage and screen.-Early years:Dennehy was born in Bridgeport, Connecticut, the son of Hannah and Edward Dennehy, who was a wire service editor for the Associated Press; he has two brothers, Michael and Edward. Dennehy is of Irish ancestry and was...
only appears in one scene at the end of the film. Unlike its predecessor, the film was neither a commercial nor a critical success.
Plot
Five years after they left, the Antareans return to Earth to rescue the cocoons that were left behind. Before they can be retrieved, one of the cocoons is discovered by a science research team and taken to a secure laboratory for testing. The aliens and their human allies must find a way to retrieve the cocoon in time for their rendezvous with the rescue ship.Having returned with the aliens, the elderly couples from the original film face indecision about whether to return to Anterea or stay on Earth and become mortal again. Joe (Hume Cronyn
Hume Cronyn
Hume Blake Cronyn, OC was a Canadian actor of stage and screen, who enjoyed a long career, often appearing professionally alongside his second wife, Jessica Tandy.-Early life:...
) learns that his leukemia
Leukemia
Leukemia or leukaemia is a type of cancer of the blood or bone marrow characterized by an abnormal increase of immature white blood cells called "blasts". Leukemia is a broad term covering a spectrum of diseases...
has returned, but he knows it will be cured again as soon as he and Alma (Jessica Tandy
Jessica Tandy
Jessie Alice "Jessica" Tandy was an English-American stage and film actress.She first appeared on the London stage in 1926 at the age of 16, playing, among others, Katherine opposite Laurence Olivier's Henry V, and Cordelia opposite John Gielgud's King Lear. She also worked in British films...
) leave Earth. However, when Alma is hit by a car, Joe gives up the last of his lifeforce to save her. Arthur and Bess (Don Ameche
Don Ameche
Don Ameche was an Academy Award winning American actor with a career spanning almost sixty years.-Personal life:...
and Gwen Verdon
Gwen Verdon
Gwenyth Evelyn “Gwen” Verdon was an actress and dancer who won four Tony awards for her musical comedy performances. With flaming red hair and an endearing quaver in her voice, Verdon was a critically acclaimed dancer on Broadway in the 1950s and 1960s...
) learn that Bess is pregnant, and decide to raise the child on Anterea so they will live long enough to see him grow up. Ben and Marilyn (Wilford Brimley
Wilford Brimley
Allen Wilford Brimley is an American actor. He has appeared in such films as The China Syndrome, Cocoon, The Thing and The Firm. He had a recurring role on the 1970s television series The Waltons...
and Maureen Stapleton
Maureen Stapleton
Maureen Stapleton was an American actress in film, theater and television.-Early life:Stapleton was born Lois Maureen Stapleton in Troy, New York, the daughter of Irene and John P. Stapleton, and grew up in a strict Irish American Catholic family...
) decide that being with their families is more important than living forever, so they decide to stay.
The group manages to infiltrate the lab and rescue the captured Anterean. Jack (Steve Guttenberg
Steve Guttenberg
Steven Robert "Steve" Guttenberg is an American actor and comedian. He became well known during the 1980s, after a series of starring roles in major Hollywood films, including Cocoon, Three Men and a Baby, Police Academy, and Short Circuit.-Early life:Guttenberg was born in Brooklyn, New York, the...
) sails them out into the ocean, where the space travellers and the cocoons are picked up by an alien craft. Jack then sees Sara (Courteney Cox
Courteney Cox
Courteney Bass Cox is an American actress, she is best known for her roles as Monica Geller on the NBC sitcom Friends, Gale Weathers in the horror series Scream and as Jules Cobb in the ABC sitcom Cougar Town, for which she earned her first Golden Globe nomination....
), and they walk away from the docks.
Cast
- Don AmecheDon AmecheDon Ameche was an Academy Award winning American actor with a career spanning almost sixty years.-Personal life:...
... Art Selwyn - Wilford BrimleyWilford BrimleyAllen Wilford Brimley is an American actor. He has appeared in such films as The China Syndrome, Cocoon, The Thing and The Firm. He had a recurring role on the 1970s television series The Waltons...
... Ben Luckett - Hume CronynHume CronynHume Blake Cronyn, OC was a Canadian actor of stage and screen, who enjoyed a long career, often appearing professionally alongside his second wife, Jessica Tandy.-Early life:...
... Joe Finley - Courteney CoxCourteney CoxCourteney Bass Cox is an American actress, she is best known for her roles as Monica Geller on the NBC sitcom Friends, Gale Weathers in the horror series Scream and as Jules Cobb in the ABC sitcom Cougar Town, for which she earned her first Golden Globe nomination....
... Sara - Brian DennehyBrian DennehyBrian Mannion Dennehy is an American actor of film, stage and screen.-Early years:Dennehy was born in Bridgeport, Connecticut, the son of Hannah and Edward Dennehy, who was a wire service editor for the Associated Press; he has two brothers, Michael and Edward. Dennehy is of Irish ancestry and was...
... Walter - Jack GilfordJack GilfordJack Gilford was an American actor on Broadway, films and television.-Early life:Gilford was born Jacob Aaron Gellman on the lower East Side of Manhattan in New York City, and grew up in Williamsburg, Brooklyn...
... Bernie Lefkowitz - Steve GuttenbergSteve GuttenbergSteven Robert "Steve" Guttenberg is an American actor and comedian. He became well known during the 1980s, after a series of starring roles in major Hollywood films, including Cocoon, Three Men and a Baby, Police Academy, and Short Circuit.-Early life:Guttenberg was born in Brooklyn, New York, the...
... Jack Bonner - Maureen StapletonMaureen StapletonMaureen Stapleton was an American actress in film, theater and television.-Early life:Stapleton was born Lois Maureen Stapleton in Troy, New York, the daughter of Irene and John P. Stapleton, and grew up in a strict Irish American Catholic family...
... Mary Luckett - Jessica TandyJessica TandyJessie Alice "Jessica" Tandy was an English-American stage and film actress.She first appeared on the London stage in 1926 at the age of 16, playing, among others, Katherine opposite Laurence Olivier's Henry V, and Cordelia opposite John Gielgud's King Lear. She also worked in British films...
... Alma Finley - Gwen VerdonGwen VerdonGwenyth Evelyn “Gwen” Verdon was an actress and dancer who won four Tony awards for her musical comedy performances. With flaming red hair and an endearing quaver in her voice, Verdon was a critically acclaimed dancer on Broadway in the 1950s and 1960s...
... Bess McCarthy-Selwyn - Herta WareHerta WareHerta Ware was an American actress and political activist.Ware was born Herta Schwartz in Wilmington, Delaware, the daughter of Helen Ware, a musician and violin teacher, and Lazlo Schwartz, an actor who was born in Budapest...
... Rosie Lefkowitz - Tahnee WelchTahnee WelchTahnee Welch is an American model and actress.She was born in San Diego, California, the daughter of actress Raquel Welch and her first husband, James Welch. She appeared in Time magazine in a photo with her mother.Her film career began in Italy starring opposite Virna Lisi. Returning to the U.S...
... Kitty - Barret OliverBarret OliverBarret Spencer Oliver is an American actor and photographer. He is best known for his role as Bastian Bux in the film adaptation of Michael Ende's novel The NeverEnding Story.-Career:...
... David - Linda Harrison ... Susan
- Tyrone Power Jr. ... Pillsbury
- Clint HowardClint HowardClinton "Clint" Howard is an American film and television actor. He is a character actor with numerous brief appearances on television and films. He has played many bit parts in movies directed by his brother, actor-turned-director Ron Howard. He is also the uncle of actress Bryce Dallas Howard...
... John Dexter - Charles Lampkin ... Pops
Brian Dennehy held out returning as alien leader "Walter" but finally agreed to a 3 minute scene at the film's end. He accepted no salary and did appear only as a favor to his cast mates from the first film.
Soundtrack
The music to Cocoon: The Return was composed and conducted by James HornerJames Horner
James Roy Horner is an American composer, orchestrator and conductor of orchestral and film music. He is noted for the integration of choral and electronic elements in many of his film scores, and for frequent use of Celtic musical elements...
who had scored Cocoon. The score mostly consisted of recycled themes and material from the first film. The soundtrack was released 23 November 1988 through Varèse Sarabande
Varèse Sarabande
Varèse Sarabande is an American record label, distributed by Universal Music Group, which specializes in film scores and original cast recordings. It aims to reissue rare or unavailable albums as well as newer releases by artists no longer under a contract...
and features nine tracks of score at a running time of just over fifty-three minutes.
- "Returning Home" (6:05)
- "Taking Bernie to the Beach" (4:31)
- "Joe's Gift" (8:06)
- "Remembrances/The Break-In" (8:24)
- "Basketball Swing" (6:58)
- "Jack's Future" (2:44)
- "Growing Old" (1:55)
- "Good Friend" (3:16)
- "Rescue/The Ascension" (11:29)
Reception
The movie had a mixed reception. Roger EbertRoger Ebert
Roger Joseph Ebert is an American film critic and screenwriter. He is the first film critic to win a Pulitzer Prize for Criticism.Ebert is known for his film review column and for the television programs Sneak Previews, At the Movies with Gene Siskel and Roger Ebert, and Siskel and Ebert and The...
of the Chicago Sun-Times
Chicago Sun-Times
The Chicago Sun-Times is an American daily newspaper published in Chicago, Illinois. It is the flagship paper of the Sun-Times Media Group.-History:The Chicago Sun-Times is the oldest continuously published daily newspaper in the city...
gave the film two and a half out of four stars saying "Yes, the performances are wonderful, and, yes, it's great to see these characters back again. But that's about it. For someone who has seen Cocoon, the sequel gives you the opportunity to see everybody saying goodbye for the second time." Cocoon: The Return maintains a 36% rating at Rotten Tomatoes
Rotten Tomatoes
Rotten Tomatoes is a website devoted to reviews, information, and news of films—widely known as a film review aggregator. Its name derives from the cliché of audiences throwing tomatoes and other vegetables at a poor stage performance...
.
The film brought in less than $19 million domestically, less than the first film's $85 million worldwide gross.