The Goonies

The Goonies!

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. The Goonies is a Steven Spielberg production, directed by Richard Donner. if there was a top 5 80's kids movie ranking The Goonies will share the list along with E.T., The Neverending Story, Ghostbusters & Stand by Me.
 
The Goonies was the kind of film that 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.

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.

a Secret map that may save the day.

You better eat your vegetables sonny!

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.

Andy loved flashing her panties!

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!?!?!? 

Anyways, the film may have its flaws, or perhaps it may it be a bit corny compared to today's kids films but,  You got to believe me, this movie is totally iconic. In fact, I'd say this movie is the perfect depiction of what it was like to be a kid in the 1980's. If I was asked about items that would define the 80's I'd pick Pepsi, Michael Jackson, Star Wars, Transformers, Robotech & The Goonies. Some may say that this films may feel "too American" to be enjoyed by a wider audience but, that is just bullshit. 

So, what The Goonies is about?

Mikey Walsh and Brandon Walsh are brothers whose family is preparing to move because developers want to build a golf course in the place of their neighborhood -- unless enough money is raised to stop the construction of the golf course, and that's quite doubtful. But when Mikey stumbles upon a treasure map of the famed "One-Eyed" Willy's hidden fortune, Mikey, Brandon, and their friends Lawrence "Chunk" Cohen, Clark "Mouth" Devereaux, Andrea "Andy" Carmichael, Stefanie "Stef" Steinbrenner, and Richard "Data" Wang, calling themselves The Goonies, set out on a quest to find the treasure in hopes of saving their neighborhood. The treasure is in a cavern, but the entrance to the cavern is under the house of evil thief Mama Fratelli and her sons Jake Fratelli, Francis Fratelli, and the severely disfigured Lotney "Sloth" Fratelli. Sloth befriends the Goonies and decides to help them.

Still better than Superman Returns!

Richard Donner directed this movie and another famous director, Chris Columbus wrote the screenplay, based on a Steven Spielberg's story. Matt Sweeney was responsable for the special effects and the main theme ( They 'r good enough ) was written and performed by Cindy Lauper.

After the film, none of the kids became famous actors. Corey Feldman and Kerry Green took part in some teenage comedies, while Sean Astin showed up in "Memphis Belle" and Ke Huy Quan was the young Indiana Jone's chinese taxi driver in "The Temple of the Doom". The only one who joined some serious projects was Martha Plimpton.

I have an eye for business.

But these are just technical details. What really counts in "The Goonies" are the two hours of humanity, pleasure, inocence, friendship - and even the first love - that only children can show in their eyes. In fact, it's a small journey to our past, to a time when your deepest worries were about the girl (or the boy) on the next chair. 

 Here's the movie trailer:



And as a bonus, "The Goonies 'R' Good Enough" as performed by Cindy Lauper: