The Goonies

"Goonies" redirects here. For other uses, see Goonies (disambiguation).

The Goonies
Theatrical Poster by Drew Struzan
Directed by	Richard Donner Steven Spielberg second unit director (uncredited)
Written by	Screenplay: Chris Columbus Story: Steven Spielberg
Produced by	Richard Donner Harvey Bernhard Kathleen Kennedy Frank Marshall Steven Spielberg
Starring	Sean Astin Josh Brolin Jeff Cohen Corey Feldman Kerri Green Martha Plimpton Ke Huy Quan Anne Ramsey Robert Davi Joe Pantoliano John Matuszak
Edited by	Michael Kahn Steven Spielberg (uncredited)
Music by	Dave Grusin Cyndi Lauper
Production company	Amblin Entertainment
Distributed by	Warner Bros.
Release dates	United States Canada June 7, 1985 United Kingdom November 29, 1985 Australia December 12, 1985 Japan December 21, 1985
Running time	114 minutes
Country	United States
Language	English
Budget	$19,000,000
Box office	$61,389,680

The Goonies is a 1985 American adventure-comedy film directed by Richard Donner. The screenplay was written by Chris Columbus from a story by executive producer Steven Spielberg. A band of kids from the "Goon Docks" neighborhood of Astoria, Oregon, hoping to save their homes from demolition, go on an adventure to find the buried treasure of One-Eyed Willy, a legendary 17th-century pirate.

Plot

The Goonies, a group of young pre-teenaged friends living in Astoria, Oregon, face foreclosure on their families' homes from the expanding Astoria Country Club. On one of their last days their morale sinks particularly low due to the cancellation of their planned farewell road trip due to Mikey's older brother having failed his driver's license exam. While rummaging through the Walshes' attic, they find an old newspaper clipping, a Spanish map, and an artifact relating to a rumor of a forgotten pirate treasure somewhere in the area. Hearing the call of adventure, Mikey tries to persuade his friends to join him in search for the treasure hoarded by a pirate named One-Eyed Willie. Initially reluctant, the group eventually decides to usurp the authority of Mikey's older brother, Brandon, and escape for one last "Goonie adventure."

They head to the coast and stumble upon an abandoned seaside restaurant that seems to match coordinates set by the map and an old doubloon, unaware that the Fratellis, a family of Italian criminals, are using the restaurant to counterfeit money. After first encountering the family, the Goonies come back after the Fratellis have left and discover their criminal intents, and send Chunk, the clumsy, heavy-set liar of the group, to get help. However, the Fratellis return before they can leave, forcing the Goonies to use a cavern underneath the restaurant to escape. Chunk is captured as he is found by the Fratellis while seeking a ride to a police station. Chunk is interrogated in regards to where the rest of the Goonies are. Chunk explains to them his entire past mistakes, but as the Fratellis are about to torture him, a pack of bats come out of the cavern that the Goonies escaped in. Chunk is placed in the same room with the forsaken and deformed Fratelli brother, Sloth, while the rest of the Fratellis find the same caverns and follow the Goonies' trail.

As the Goonies traverse the cavern, Mikey discovers that it matches up with the map, and convinces the rest of the group to continue to follow it to find the treasure. They overcome many deadly traps set by One-Eyed Willie, and eventually arrive at a large underground cavern and a lagoon where Willie's ship, The Inferno, rests floating. While others begin to fill their pockets with the riches on the ship, Mikey finds Willie's skeleton, and reverently acknowledges him as the "first Goonie," leaving part of treasure with it as tribute. However, as the Goonies exit the hold, they are caught by the Fratellis, who take all their treasure and force the kids to walk the plank. The Goonies are saved by the timely arrival of Chunk and Sloth, now close friends, who help the rest of the group to shore. With the children no longer a threat, the Fratellis ransack the rest of the ship, including the share of the treasure Mikey left for Willie. This sets off a final booby trap, causing the cave to start to collapse. The Goonies and the Fratellies manage to escape through a hole in the cave, finding themselves near a beach. Two passing policeman on ATV's spot them and call in for help.

The Goonies are soon reunited with their parents, while the Fratellis are arrested; Chunk offers to take Sloth in to his home. As Mikey considers this their last adventure, Rosalita, a Hispanic maid, discovers that Mikey's marble bag contains a large handful of jewels taken from the ship, and Mikey's dad quickly estimates that its value is more than enough to save everyone's homes. As the families celebrate, they spot the The Inferno, now free of the cave, sailing away on its own.

Cast and characters

The film featured performances by a number of child actors:

• Sean Astin as Michael "Mikey" Walsh, the Goonie who leads them to find One-Eyed Willie's treasure. It is his determination to save the Goon Docks that jumpstarts the film. Astin won a Young Artist Award for this role.
• Corey Feldman as Clarke "Mouth" Devereaux, an obnoxious, smart-mouthed Goonie who loves to talk and tends to be a bit of a trickster. While he is often treated as an annoyance, Mouth is a boy of many talents, including being fluent in Spanish (and supposedly other languages). His flippant, free-wheeling manner of talking–hence his nickname–often gets the Goonies into trouble, but occasionally is used to talk his way out of (or into) situations. He shares an antagonistic relationship with Stef, which is later revealed to be a mutual crush.
• Jonathan Ke Quan (credited as Ke Huy Quan) as Richard "Data" Wang, an extremely intelligent and inventive Goonie, who idolizes James Bond and has many inventive gadgets, similar to Bond and particularly Inspector Gadget. Although many of his gadgets seem gimmicky and useless at first, they end up saving both the lives of the entire group and Data himself at various times throughout the story.
• Jeff Cohen as Lawrence "Chunk" Cohen, a fat, clumsy, food-loving Goonie who makes up sensational stories and tries to pass them off as true. He is Jewish, as evidenced when he mentions that his family's attic is full of "old Hanukkah decorations" and later says, "I played Moses in my Hebrew school play." Although Chunk seems to be the group burden, and is captured early on by the Fratellis, he comes through for everyone in the end by befriending the intimidating but gentle Sloth; the two outsiders save the Goonies in dire moments.
• Josh Brolin as Brandon "Brand" Walsh, Mikey's older brother who recently failed his driver's license test and has a crush on Andy Carmichael. A strong young man who enjoys exercise, Brand comes across as a typical overbearing older brother at first glance, but is later shown to genuinely care for Mikey, as well as Goon Dock's dire situation. Although he himself was once a Goonie, he is initially opposed to the Goonies' quest. He begins to warm up to it as the film progresses, eventually becoming just as dead-set on finding the treasure as the others.
• Kerri Green as Andrea "Andy" Carmichael, a beautiful, popular cheerleader who begins a romantic relationship with Brand after she breaks up with her boyfriend, Troy Perkins. The least "Goonie-ish" of the Goonies due to her popularity and acceptance within the community, Andy is jumpy and uncertain of the adventure she is swept up in, but soon joins in with the spirit of adventure facing the other Goonies and often encourages the group. She saves the Goonies with her limited experience with piano from One-Eyed Willie's most complex trap.
• Martha Plimpton as Stephanie "Stef" Steinbrenner, a friend of Andy's. She is a smart-mouthed, skeptical girl. Despite an age difference, she often serves as the perfect foil for Mouth, as the two butt heads constantly (which later translates into a form of flirtation). Although just as jumpy as Andy during their adventure, Stef is far more organized in thought. Although she comes across as something of a smart-alec, she demonstrates that she can be quite compassionate.

Other cast and characters

• Anne Ramsey as Ma Fratelli. The elderly and domineering mother of the Fratelli family of criminals. She has a spiteful attitude and no mercy, often taking delight in torturing her captives. Ramsey won a Saturn Award for Best Supporting Actress in a Film for this role.
• Joe Pantoliano as Francis Fratelli. The eldest of the Fratelli brothers, Francis is the balding and more intelligent of the brothers.
• Robert Davi as Jake Fratelli. The middle child of the Fratelli brothers, he is broken out of jail leading the police on a massive chase scene at the start of the film.
• John Matuszak as Lotney "Sloth" Fratelli. A large and deformed Fratelli brother of immense strength, held prisoner in a room by his mother and often teased and tormented by his siblings. His deformity is the result of being dropped by Ma several times when he was a baby.
• Mary Ellen Trainor as Irene Walsh. Brand and Mikey's mother who frequently castigates the boys throughout the film. She misquotes sayings and calls her sons by the wrong names.
• Keith Walker as Irving Walsh, a museum curator who inspired his son Mikey with tales about One-Eyed Willie. He keeps a multitude of oddities and ancient relics in the attic of the Walsh residence and seems the most concerned over the Goon Dock's fate.
• Steve Antin as Troy Perkins, a preppy jock teenager whose father Elgin Perkins, plans to buy the Goon Docks, and who wants Andy for himself.
• Lupe Ontiveros as Rosalita. A Hispanic maid hired by Mrs. Walsh to assist in the packing and moving of the family since Mrs. Walsh's arm is in a sling.
• Richard Donner (director cameo) as ATV-riding deputy.
• Cyndi Lauper as herself (made a short appearance in a scene while Part 2 of the "Goonies" video was on the TV)

Production

Much of the filming was done on-location in Astoria, Oregon, the setting of the film

Principal photography on The Goonies began on October 22, 1984 and lasted five months. There was an additional six weeks of ADR recording. The shooting script was lengthy, over 120 pages, and several sequences were eventually cut from the final theatrical version. In the end resolution mention is made of an octopus which seems like an exaggeration of the actual events but actually refers to a scene that was excised from the final cut.

In The Making of the Goonies, director Richard Donner noted the difficulties and pleasures of working with so many child actors. Donner praised them for their energy and excitement, but said that they were a handful when brought together. The documentary frequently shows him coaching the young actors and reveals some of the techniques he used to get realistic performances. One of these tricks involved One-Eyed Willie's ship, which was actually an impressive full-sized pirate ship created under the direction of production designer J. Michael Riva. Donner forbade the child actors from seeing the ship so that the first time the characters see the ship is also the first time the actors saw it. (It was later noted that the full-sized version of the ship was destroyed after shooting because they could not find anyone who wanted it.)

In his book There and Back Again, Sean Astin claims that Richard Donner and Steven Spielberg were "like co-directors" on the film as he compares and contrasts their styles when directing scenes.

The museum where Mikey's father works is, in reality, the Captain George Flavel House Museum.

Reception

Film critics praised The Goonies. Rotten Tomatoes shows 24 positive reviews and 14 "rotten" ones, giving The Goonies an overall score of 64% "fresh" rating. Several reviewers noted that the film appeared to be enjoyable for children and teens, but not so much for adults. It was also controversial that the child stars used profanity numerous times throughout the film. Some were concerned that Spielberg's name and style was merely being slapped onto a film directed by someone else.

The Goonies grossed US$9 million in its opening weekend in the US, second on the charts behind Rambo: First Blood Part II. It grossed over US$61 million that year, placing it among the top ten highest grossing films of 1985 (in the US). However the film was a box office disappointment. The year before the same studio and film producers released Gremlins, which grossed $145 million. All parties involved thought The Goonies would equal the success of Gremlins.

In the decades following its release, The Goonies has gained a cult following, primarily of people who were children or teens in the 1980s. There have also been fan festivals in the town of Astoria.

Home video

VHS and laserdisc

The Goonies was first released on VHS video in the United States in March 1986 and the laserdisc and CED versions also debuted that year. Warner Home Video released a theatrical widescreen laserdisc on January 29, 1992.

DVD

Warner Home Video released The Goonies in widescreen on Region 1 DVD on August 21, 2001. The DVD featured several notable extras, including:

1. Commentary by actors Jonathan Ke Quan, Corey Feldman, Sean Astin, Kerri Green, Martha Plimpton, Jeff Cohen, Josh Brolin, and director Richard Donner. This option frequently switches back and shows the actors and Donner gathered together as they are watching the film while recording the commentary. Midway through the film, Sean Astin had to leave, much to the puzzlement of his costars, and without ever getting to say a personal message to Cyndi Lauper that he intended to. He left a Samwise Gamgee action figure in his place, however. In an interview with IGN.com, Astin explained that the recording session started late, which resulted in him having to leave early to honor a prior commitment to his friend (and Goonies nemesis), Joe Pantoliano.
2. A 7-minute behind-the-scenes documentary called 'The Making of The Goonies.
3. The 12-minute 2-parted The Goonies 'R' Good Enough music video by Cyndi Lauper. The video is notable in its casting of some 80s icons, like André the Giant and Captain Lou Albano. The video was directed by Steven Spielberg.
4. Deleted scenes: The octopus attack Data describes to a reporter at the end of the film (where the "Eight Arms to Hold You" song can be heard), the convenience store scene (which explains why the map, which was intact in the Walshes' attic, is singed later in the film), and scenes with Sloth and Chunk. This feature is called "Outtakes" in the menu.
5. The theatrical trailer.

Blu-Ray Disc

Warner Home Video released "The Goonies" on Blu-Ray disc in October 2008 in Europe. The video is 1080p high definition VC-1 and accompanied by a Dolby TrueHD soundtrack. Extras mirrored that of the DVD release:

Special features

1. Commentary (with hidden video treasures) by director Richard Donner
2. "The Making of The Goonies" featurette
3. Deleted scenes
4. Cyndi Lauper's two "The Goonies 'R' Good Enough" music videos
5. Soundtrack remastered in Dolby TrueHD 5.1

The special features are presented in 480i/576i standard definition.

Video games

Konami created two versions of The Goonies for the MSX (The Goonies) and Family Computer (The Goonies), But only in Japan. The Goonies II was also released on the Famicom (and its international counterpart, the Nintendo Entertainment System ). The Goonies II was both released in North America, Europe and Australia, although the original was one of the NES games released as part of the Nintendo Vs. System arcade machine in the 1980s. The Goonies II had little to do with the film, but achieved a following for its inventive gameplay. In it the Fratellis have managed to kidnap all of the Goonies (except Mikey, whom the player guides) and hide them in hidden cages across a terrain of caverns, mazes and abandoned buildings. As Mikey, the player must rescue them all and ultimately free a mermaid named Annie.

Datasoft produced a Goonies video game for 8-bit computers including Commodore 64, ZX Spectrum, Amstrad CPC, Atari and Apple II. This game featured eight screens in which a player had to use two members of the Goonies group to solve puzzles and reach an exit to advance to the next stage. The screens were largely inspired by actual sets and puzzles seen in the film. A reference to the aforementioned "octopus scene" is included, as the seventh level.

Mikey also appeared as a character in the Japanese Famicom game Konami Wai Wai World (1988).

In 2007, DaimlerChrysler's Jeep division sponsored The Goonies: Return to Astoria, a flash based game. The player's goal is to collect map pieces and doubloons, and then race the Fratellis to One-Eyed Willie's treasure.

Soundtrack and score album

The Goonies: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack featured music by Cyndi Lauper, REO Speedwagon, The Bangles, and others. The cast members (except Kerri Green) appeared alongside professional wrestlers "Rowdy" Roddy Piper and "Captain" Lou Albano in the 12 minute The Goonies 'R' Good Enough music video. Steven Spielberg makes a cameo appearance in the video. Lauper also has a cameo in the film, performing the song on TV, although the song was not completed until after filming.

The film's score by Dave Grusin was unavailable for 25 years. The main title music, "Fratelli Chase", has been used in numerous trailers (such as Innerspace and Guarding Tess), and was re-recorded by Grusin and the London Symphony Orchestra for the album Cinemagic.

Soundtrack label Varese Sarabande finally released Grusin's score in March of 2010. The release is limited to 5000 copies.

Track listing:

1. Fratelli Chase (2:49)
2. Map and Willie (2:16)
3. The Goondocks (Goonies Theme) (2:04)
4. Doubloon (1:47)
5. Lighthouse (1:19)
6. Cellar and Sloth (1:41)
7. Restaurant Trash (:55)
8. The "It," Fifty Dollar Bills and a Stiff (4:36)
9. It All Starts Here (1:30)
10. Plumbing (1:25)
11. Skull and Signature (3:25)
12. Boulders, Bats and a Blender (2:33)
13. Wishing Well and the Fratellis Find Coin (2:49)
14. Mikey’s Vision (1:52)
15. Oath and Bobby Traps (1:06)
16. Triple Stones and a Ball (2:11)
17. Pee Break and Kissing Tunnel (2:06)
18. They’re Here and Skull Cave Chase (3:03)
19. Playing the Bones (4:19)
20. Water Slide and Galleon (1:38)
21. Octopus (1:02)
22. The Inferno (1:14)
23. One Eyed Willie (3:05)
24. Treasure, Data & Mouth, and Walk the Plank (3:18)
25. Sloth & Chunk (1:58)
26. Mama & Sloth (1:58)
27. The Fighting Fratellis, Sloth's Choice and Ultimate Booby Trap (3:24)
28. The Reunion and Fratellis on Beach (3:39)
29. No Firme and Pirate Ship (2:42)
30. End Titles (Goonies Theme) (3:06)
31. Fratelli Chase (original version) (3:35)
32. Triple Stones and a Ball (original version) (1:54)
33. They're Here and Skull Cave Chase (original version) (1:55)
34. Octopus (original version) (1:03)

It is noted in the CDs linear notes that the original versions were going to be used in the film but after some talks with Steven Spielberg, Dave Grusin changed them to the ones that can be heard in the film.

Proposed sequel and musical adaptation

We tried really hard, and Steven (Spielberg) said, 'Let's do it.' We had a lot of young writers submit work, but it just didn't seem to call for it.

— Richard Donner, Variety, October 15, 2008

A film sequel, something long desired by fans, has been discussed. Donner said that he had a story he liked and Spielberg behind him, but in 2004 several of the actors from the original revealed that Warner Brothers, the copyright holder, had shown no interest in a sequel. Although Sean Astin told MTV in October 2007 that Goonies 2 is an "absolute certainty.... The writing's on the wall when they're releasing the DVD in such numbers," Donner has expressed doubt that the sequel will ever happen, as many of the actors had not shown interest in returning for a sequel. Corey Feldman stated in his November 25, 2008 blog post, "NO! There is no Goonies 2! I'm sorry but it's just not gonna happen.... Course now that I've said that they'll do it."

An animated series was apparently briefly in the works for Cartoon Network, before being shelved due to contract disputes over using the actors' likenesses.

Entertainment Weekly reported in March 2007 that a musical adaptation of the film is being discussed. "Steven and I have discussed it, and it's something that I'm fairly passionate about right now," Donner says. Variety reported in October 2008 that Donner had met with Broadway entertainment attorney John Breglio, and is "confident things are moving in the right direction."

External links

• The Goonies at IMDb
• The Goonies at AllMovie
• The Goonies at Box Office Mojo