Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Posting-Version: version B 2.10.2 9/5/84; site uvacs.UUCP Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!burl!ulysses!allegra!mit-eddie!genrad!decvax!mcnc!ncsu!uvacs!rwl From: rwl@uvacs.UUCP (Ray Lubinsky) Newsgroups: net.movies Subject: Re: Cocoon (with SPOILER) [...and more spoilers] Message-ID: <2230@uvacs.UUCP> Date: Sat, 6-Jul-85 17:02:54 EDT Article-I.D.: uvacs.2230 Posted: Sat Jul 6 17:02:54 1985 Date-Received: Sat, 13-Jul-85 08:12:11 EDT References: <1924@ukma.UUCP> Organization: U.Va. CS in Charlottesville VA Lines: 30 *** SPOILER *** SPOILER *** SPOILER *** SPOILER *** SPOILER *** SPOILER *** > What really annoyed me about the movie was the ending. I REALLY wanted > the boy and the boat owner to get to go, and got let down. > > The kid can't seem to relate to other kids, and everyone he knows is > leaving. He should go. His mom? Bring her too! But nooooo. I think you've missed the point about the role of the aliens: by taking the old folks with them, they are granting these vital people a second chance. How- ever, this is a *second* chance. The aliens are not granting a cosmic cop-out. Think of the story a rebirth myth; rebirth is new growth after the first cycle of growth has run its course. The boy isn't going to learn how to become a well-adjusted human by avoiding the conflicts that will strengthen him. Remember the guy that wouldn't come along? The message is the same: you have to do what's right for you. For the boy, what's right is to let human growth run its course; then he'll be ready for the stars. I was sort of surprised that they didn't drag everybody on to the ship -- y'know, the one-big-happy-family pat ending. Actually, I'm glad that Howard didn't cop out. And while I have to admit that the boat captain is probably going to have a lot of explaining to do, he has to do what right for him, too. I get the feeling that he'll probably be able to talk his way out of it ... and sell the story to the Enquirer to boot! -- Ray Lubinsky University of Virginia, Dept. of Computer Science uucp: decvax!mcnc!ncsu!uvacs!rwl