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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