BY DARREN ALLISON
I’ve always viewed “Cocoon†as the type of film that
Steven Spielberg would have been very happy to have made. It has all the
hallmarks of a Spielberg movie: a light hearted, warm, science fiction fantasy
that is also extremely enjoyable and a perfect piece of innocent entertainment.
It was, of course, Ron Howard who picked up the project, a relative newcomer in
directorial terms. However, his stock was rising based on the very popular
romantic comedy/fantasy “Splash†(1984) with Tom Hanks and Daryl Hannah. It was
certainly enough to attract the attention of producers Richard Zanuck and David
Brown at 20th Century Fox who were happy to take on the ambitious Howard and
his vision for the film.
Given that the film was targeted at teenage audiences amid
the mid-80s trend for special effects-
laden spectacles, “Cocoon†managed to capture the imagination of a much wider
audience. At the centre of “Cocoon†was a senior cast, set in a retirement home
- elements of which may not at first appear to be particularly appealing to
teenage audiences. However, at its core there is a genuine heart, a story that
raises questions about life, death, existence and destiny. It is a
heart-warming tale that successfully blends a touching story of life with
fantasy, and as a result, managed to capture the hearts of audiences young and
old.
Approximately 10,000 years ago, a peaceful alien species
from the planet Antarea set up an outpost on Earth, an island later to be known
as Atlantis. When Atlantis was submerged by the ocean, a number of aliens were
left behind and kept in hibernation within cocoons at the bottom of the
Atlantic Ocean. The story begins as a group of Antareans returns to Earth to
collect them. Disguising themselves as humans, their leader Walter (Brian
Dennehy) rents a house with a swimming pool, and charges the water with a life
force to give the cocooned Antareans enough energy to survive the trip home.
They charter a boat from a local named Jack (Steve Guttenberg) who helps them
retrieve the cocoons. After the aliens reveal themselves to him and explain what's
going on, he decides to help them.
Next door to the house the Antareans are renting is Sunny
Shores, a retirement home. Three of its residents, Ben (Wilford Brimley),
Arthur (Don Ameche) and Joe (Hume Cronyn), often trespass to swim in the pool
next door, thinking the house to be unoccupied. They absorb some of the life
force, making them feel younger and stronger and with their youth seemingly revitalised.
“Cocoon†boasts a wonderful cast lead by the three senior
citizens residing at the Sunny Shores retirement home: Brimley, Ameche and
Cronyn. Maureen Stapleton, Gwen Verdon
and the beautiful Jessica Tandy are also wonderful as their wives and partners
respectively, each of whom delivers a measured and memorable performance. Brian
Dennehy as Walter is a perfect piece of casting, a subtle and touching
performance which proves that underplaying a role can also be very effective. Guttenberg
also puts in a nice little turn as Jack, who again delivers a nicely balanced, humorous
performance without ever allowing his delivery to run wild.
Eureka’s Special 30th Anniversary Blu-ray is presented in
a new high definition transfer and looks very nice indeed. Framed in its
original aspect ratio of 1.85:1, the film has never looked better. Previous
editions have often appeared a little soft and grainy, but Eureka’s
presentation (whilst preserving a fine amount of natural grain) is smooth,
clean and nicely detailed. Night scenes in particular, almost all of which were
shot on location, are not drenched in deep blacks, but nevertheless look vastly
better. The colour grading procedure has certainly enhanced its look and the
film benefits hugely from the process and the time afforded it. The picture
does (perhaps naturally) spring to life in far more vivid detail during the
sunny Florida daylight scenes and the ocean bound journeys aboard Jack’s boat.
The audio department provides the real rewards on this disc. Firstly, the DTS-HD Master is a real joy, providing a lovely, all-encompassing clarity which particularly showcases James Horner’s beautiful and highly respected film score. Eureka also includes the uncompressed stereo mix. I found director Ron Howard’s commentary (which has been previously described as ‘uninformative’) to be well informed and very enjoyable. Howard’s commentaries (for me) always come across as interesting; he happily talks about the process, the work of the crew and varying aspects of production. Yes, he does hold certain ‘sentimentality’ in regards to family members that he uses a great deal in his movies, but why not? More importantly he talks as a genuine film fan, and a couple of hours spent in the company of a fellow film fan is, in my opinion, an enjoyable experience. The commentary (I believe) was recorded originally for the 2010 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment release which does render some of Howard’s comments as a little outdated, such as the tragic passing of composer James Horner whose contribution to “Cocoon†simply can’t be overlooked. Talking of which, Eureka has also provided an isolated music and effects track, a very welcome bonus for fans of Horner and his delightful soundtrack.
The five featurettes that make up the majority of the bonus features are a little disappointing. The main behind the scenes featurette is sourced from that dreadful looking video format that was used so regularly throughout the 1980s and nothing much can be done to improve its look today. It is basically an EPK that follows the routine format of interviews and clips. The four remaining featurettes, ‘Ron Howard Profile’, ‘Underwater Training’, ‘Actors’ and ‘Creating Antareans’ appear to be made up of extensions from the original ‘making of’ so expect some repeated footage throughout. All of this material was included on the 2010 US release, as is the remaining three TV spots, the teaser and release trailer. The trailers are also uneasy on the eye, and if I didn’t know better, I’d say they also appear to be from a video source rather than film. There is also a “Cocoon: The Return†‘theatrical’ trailer included that pertains to the 1988 sequel. In fact, it’s just a teaser version.
Despite its shortcomings in regards to the bonus features, this release of “Cocoon†is worthy of consideration. The film does look (and sound) vastly better than any previous editions, and the Ron Howard commentary works sufficiently for me as the ‘stand out’ added attraction. James Horner’s Isolated music (and effects) track simply adds additional weight and helps to tip the scales in its favour. “Cocoon†endures; the beautiful performances, some great work from ILM, a rousing score and a thought-provoking story at its heart that will ensure that film lives long in the collective memory. It’s a sweet pleasure and its innocence and “feel good†factor are hard to ignore and can still be appreciated fully today.
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