Les Goonies

It was in 2001 or thereabouts that I watched and listened to the audio commentary track that is on the DVD version of The Goonies. Nostalgia is a wonderful thing, and seeing how the principal cast had aged (or hardly aged in Josh Brolin's case) was worth the price of admission on its own. But this is just one of The Goonies' selling points. Despite what the IMDb's ratings would have you believe, it is an immortal classic that warrants repeated and frequent viewings. It is not a coincidence that many of its cast and crew have repeatedly appeared in all sorts of productions before and since. Indeed, this was probably the first film that introduced me to the reality that the same actor will often play ten different parts in ten different films when I realised that Jonathan Ke Quan was the same brat that made parts of Indiana Jones And The Temple Of Doom so amusing. Seeing him in the video-enhanced commentary of the DVD nearly two decades later was a surprise and a half.

The film revolves around a group of children and adolescents who live in the poorer, less trendy part of a beachfront town. Unlike an episode of Barney, every member of this principal group is given a background and a string of differences from their castmates. You will not see the teenaged Brand responding to the same situation in the same manner as the ten year old Mikey, and that is where a major part of the film's strength is derived. The only weakness in the characterisations is with Martha Plimpton and Kerri Green, who join the adventuring boys a little way into the film. Exactly what they are doing other than giving the character of Brand something similar to himself to bounce his more adult-oriented lines from is anyone's guess, but they do work in their limited capacity. It is just a pity that Chris Columbus' screenplay did not give them a little more to do, other than defuse one fiendish trap towards the end of the ride.

Speaking of fiendish traps, the adventurers journey from one puzzling location to the next with barely a stop for breath. It works because unlike similar adventure films where the director expects us to be impressed by a fiendish-sounding name, the specific places that are visited by the Goonies have function. The bone piano shown in one such sequence, for example, would appear in the nightmares of children learning a regular piano for years after the film's theatrical release. It also gives Corey Feldman a good chance to act out a character who speaks very fluent Spanish. And while I am on that subject, who could forget the immortal scene early on in the film where Mouth deliberately loses something in the translation when Rosalita is shown around? But the prize for scene-stealing goes to John Matuszak, who plays the unofficial eighth Goonie, Sloth, with a weird aplomb that may well scare the willies out of parts of the intended audience. But then, in 1985, scaring the intended audience a little was considered a healthy part of making a film for those in the age ranges depicted here.

They say you cannot have a good protagonist without a good antagonist to bounce off. Robert Davi, Joe Pantoliano, and Anne Ramsey provide antagonists so good that they utterly hose the rule about not working with animals or children. The Fratellis work so well here because they are working with children. The late Anne Ramsey played her part so well that the mere thought of watching her in anything scared the willies out of me for years. Nowadays, as I have fully realised the mechanics behind film for some years, I am keen as mustard to see some of her other work in such pieces as Throw Momma From The Train (now there's a title that brings images to mind) or Meet the Hollowheads. That a performance can produce two entirely different reactions in the same person at different stages of their life should tell you all you need to know about its quality. Robert Davi and Joe Pantoliano are somewhat overshadowed here, but the manic, cackling quality of their introductory act also left quite a lasting impression.

You might have noticed that I have so far only mentioned the special effects in passing while heaping praise upon the acting. This is because unlike films such as the recent Star Wars prequels, the effects complement the acting rather than overshadow it. From what I am able to tell, all of the effects in The Goonies are practical, and some of them quite inventive. There is no use of blood squibs, which may disappoint some viewers, but there are enough mechanical sets and air vents to fill three films. Some of these effects did not turn out so well and were cut from the final film (the squid sequence being the most famous example), but unlike a lot of films that depend on special effects for a crucial element, everything shown in the final cut is in perfect sync here. Suspension of disbelief is never an issue, which is just as well considering some of the preposterous things that roll by the screen with a certain nonchalance.

I gave The Goonies a ten out of ten. Like Superman or the original Lethal Weapon, it shows that Richard Donner knows how to make a classic. Now that it is twenty years old, it stands forever as a relic of a time when the world of those under the age of eighteen was far less oppressive. If you have not introduced your children around the age of ten or greater to its joys and moments, then shame on you.

Every kid has imagined what it would be like to go on great and glorious adventures. Pirate ships, police chases, treasure chests full of gold and surrounded by human skeletons with patches over the eyes, the inherent excitement in the possibility of a cavernous wonder world beneath the very streets where they live. The Goonies is about a group of kids who have grown up together and are about to be torn apart because their parents are being forced to sell their homes. In the attic of one of their houses (Mikey, played by Sean Astin), they find an endless supply of fascinating things - treasure maps, paintings, cryptic writings in strange languages. They find a map that sounds promising, and decide to see if it has any value, hoping to be able to find enough treasure to prevent their parents from losing their homes.

Not only was The Goonies a brilliantly written, directed, and acted movie, but it was also so much FUN! The adventures of these kids through the underground world, while being chased by the despicable villains known as the Fratellis, are fascinating to watch. The Goonies is a great cinematic experience. It has everything that anyone who was ever a kid could ever want. Even the elaborate sets are very convincing.

The sense of adventure and hope that are presented in The Goonies is very uplifting and inspiring. The lovable characters are perfectly developed and endlessly entertaining. Many of them, particularly Sean Astin and Corey Feldman, delivered the best performances of their future careers right here in this early adventure film. This movie can be enjoyed by virtually anyone, which is one of its best values. It is truly timeless, and it should not be missed.

Anyone who grew up in the 80's will list the Goonies as one of their favourite films, or at least look back at it with a misty eye.

It had everthing you could want, thrills, spills, pirates, booty, adventure, freaks and bad guys. I just wanted to be a Goonie or go on a Goonie style adventure. Even the place where they lived was cool. A big old house in a picturesque bay town. You don't get houses like that in England. The only interesting thing you would have found in my loft would have been a dead pidgeon.

Then there were the Goonies themselves who just seemed so cool. Data's gadgets and smart mouthed ..erm.. Mouth.

We are first introduced to them one by one in the fantastic introductory sequence. The bad guys of the piece, the Fratellis, organise a jailbreak in a huge 4x4. In the process of doing so they speed past every member of the Goonies, introducing their character traits. Then they all get together at the leader Mikies house and just doss around for a while feeling sorry for themselves, because a property magnate wants to but there little town and turn it into a country club (although the bay looks like it would make a poor golf course, but hey). So this is the Goonies last day together and they have to do something about it. And don't they just.

What follows is like a comedy Hardy Boys crossed with a game of Mousetrap. Some of the set pieces are genius (the pirate, One eyed Willie, had a penchant for elaborate traps to stop people pinching his booty) and the sets are equally inventive. The gang get themselves into various scrapes with the traps, or the Fratellis or both and somehow always come out on top.

Richard Donner's direction is always brisk, the young actors performances are superb (specially the fantastic 'Chunk'), the senior cast is very good and the dialogue is chock full of hilarious lines.

I must admit I look back at it through rose tinted glasses. I was in awe of it when I was a kid, and now when I watch it, it reminds me of my childhood and all the things that was great about it. I cant fault the Goonies, even now. I still believe it is the perfect kids film.

I am probably preaching to the converted, but if you havent seen the Goonies, go and buy it now! And if you don't like it, what the hell is wrong with you!?!?!?

I first saw this in the late 80s on a vhs. Revisited it recently. Only kids from the 80s will appreciate this film cos mayb its nostalgic, bicycling around the neighborhood, working out with a bull worker, etc.

A bunch of kids attempt to save their homes from foreclosure and, in doing so, they discover an old treasure map that takes them on a perilous journey and during the journey they are chased by a family of criminals.

The Walsh family house is a real home n has a lovely picturesque look. Mama Fratelli running around is hilarious. The settings of Astoria, Oregon is serene n very pleasant.

Treasure hunts. Who doesn't remember digging under the porch, in creekbeds, hollowed out logs, etc to find the buried treasure you just KNOW is hidden there somewhere? The Goonies is a fun-filled ride right back into our youth where treasure hunts are no longer a thing of the past.

I absolutely loved this movie. It was just so much fun to watch when I was a kid and just as much fun when I watched it again as an adult with my own kids. Of course the movie has moments of predictability, and no, the villains aren't all that intimidating...they're actually quite moronic. But that only adds to the charm of this movie as well as its comedic value. Although there are lessons peppered in (don't judge by appearances, right vs. wrong, etc), overall, The Goonies is a wonderful exploration of childhood friendships and imaginations...from Data and his many scientific creations to One Eyed Willy and his pirate ship.

There isn't a character in this movie I didn't fully enjoy watching...you have the dim-witted, evil Fratelli's, heavy-set, melodramatic Chunk, Data with his "booty traps...that's what I said, booby traps" galore, the odd-looking but loveable Sloth, and Mouth with his, well, Mouth. Those are only a few...there are many more. A lot of great lines come from this movie along with memorable moments (the Truffle Shuffle). I've seen The Goonies about a hundred times and I STILL enjoy watching it over and over again.

This is absolutely a pure, fun-filled movie to enjoy with your kids, grandkids, nieces and nephews, or simply by yourself. Hang on and enjoy the ride! The Goonies earns a solid 5 out of 5 stars!