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Cocoon is an American science fiction film about senior citizens with a secret. The movie is based on the book of the same name by David Saperstein and is directed by Ron Howard. Cocoon was filmed in and around the St. Petersburg, Florida, area. The story of Cocoon begins ten thousand years in the past. A gentle race of aliens from the distant planet Antarea establish an outpost on pre-industrialized Earth on the island that would come to be known as Atlantis. While many of the aliens return to their planet after their assignment is complete, 20 Antareans remain and end up cocooning themselves to sustain their lifeforce when Atlantis sinks after a devastating earthquake. Ten thousand years later, four Antareans return to Earth and disguise themselves to pick up the cocoons. Headed by the Antarean Walter (Brian Dennehy), the group rents a house with an indoor swimming pool, fills it with lifeforce, and hires boat captain Jack Bonner (Steve Guttenberg) to help retrieve the cocoons. Meanwhile, three local retirement home residents named Arthur (Don Ameche), Ben (Wilford Brimley), and Joe (Hume Cronyn) sneak into the home and use the pool, which is now infused with lifeforce energy. When they emerge from the water, they are healthier and stronger. Though Walter catches them, the trio is allowed to continue using the pool. However, once the secret gets out at the retirement home, the lifeforce within is completely drained by overpopulation. Though angry, the Antareans make a bargain with the retirement home residents which can lead to their immortality. Cocoon was produced by David Brown and Richard Zanuck with a screenplay by Tom Benedek. Besides those mentioned, the movie starred Jack Gilford, Maureen Stapleton, Jessica Tandy, and Gwen Verdon. Cocoon was distributed by 20th Century Fox and premiered in June of 1985.