Plot: What’s it about?
“The Goonies” was and still is, one of those movies that has been around and that everyone really seems to like. Though not the hit that movies like Indiana Jones or E.T. were, it’s amazing how many people have seen this movie and how many people have been anticipating a release on DVD. Well, the time has finally arrived and thanks to Director Richard Donner, the disc features a new anamorphic transfer and a new commentary track. But you have to wonder what makes “The Goonies” so likeable? To me, it seems to have the right blend of comedy, humor and action. The cast, a few of which went onto bigger acting careers (Josh Brolin, Sean Astin and Corey Feldman come to mind), is very diverse and though they seem very stereotypical (i.e. a fat kid, a japanese kid, ladies man etc.) they are what make the movie work. And while “The Goonies” doesn’t try to make a statement and save the world, it’s two hours of fun that you’ll have whether you’ve seen this movie a dozen times or you’re watching it for the first time. In somewhat of a throwback to earlier times, this movie is about a treasure. Nothing else. But as Richard Donner can do so well, we see that the cast tends to bond and has a lot of fun at the same time. And this, in turn, makes it very enjoyable to watch. At least for me it does.
Featuring probably one of my favorite opening scenes, “The Goonies” starts with the Fratelli brothers (Robert Davi’s ‘Jake’) escaping from prison. They then speed through the city of Astoria all to Dave Grusin’s terrific score. It’s something that words can’t really describe, but the movie hooks you early and you know you’re in for a good ride. It’s during this barrage of imagery that we meet a majority of the cast as well. We see Chunk (Jeff Cohen) at the video arcade, again very stereotypically with a shake in hand, as well as Mouth (Corey Feldman) and Andy (Kerri Green) at her cheerleading practice. But this all takes a backseat as to what the movie is really all about. You see, the more esteemed residents of the city want to build a new country club and are flushing out all of the lower class residents in the area. The Walsh’s, consisting of Mikey (Sean Astin) and Brandon (Josh Brolin) are among one of the families that are getting evicted. This is until they find a treasure map in the attic and “The Goonies” decide to chase a dream that has been chased before. Can they find buried treasure that’s been thought to be a myth? Can “The Goonies” save their house in the wee nick of time?
This wouldn’t be easy by themselves, but they manage to stumble into the Fratelli’s, led by their mother (Anne Ramsey, best known for her part here and as Danny DeVito’s mother in Throw Momma From the Train). The Fratelli’s, being crooks, decide that they want a part of the action and make the chase for One Eyed Willy’s gold a bit more difficult than originally expected. In between all of this mess we are led on a couple of sub plots, but getting there is half the fun and it’s not before long that we meet a mutated beast of a brother kept chained in a cellar and more tricks and traps than you can shake a stick at. “The Goonies” (and this will sound corny) is truly a great time and fun to watch. I personally think it’s one of Donner’s best efforts, right up there with “Maverick” and “Superman.” You can tell they had fun doing the movie and it’s a sheer pleasure to watch.
Video: How does it look?
When the standard DVD came out, nearly a decade ago, it took director Richard Donner stepping in to get a new transfer approved. Flash forward several years and we’ve got “The Goonies” on Blu-ray sporting a new 2.35:1 VC-1 HD transfer. “The Goonies” has always looked decent on any format and this Blu-ray does justice to the film. Colors are a bit on the darker side, but then again a majority of the movie takes place underground so it lends itself to a darker palette. Flesh tones also seem on the toasted side as well, but it’s consistent with the way the movie is supposed to look. Detail has been improved a notch and if you’ve never seen Sloth in HD well your wait is over. Black levels are right on the money and contrast is as well. There’s no doubt that this transfer is an improvement over the previous standard DVD.
Audio: How does it sound?
We’ve got a new Dolby TrueHD soundtrack that sounds pretty darn good. And, like the video, the audio this film has always been pretty good (or at least that I can recall). Dialogue is crisp, the surrounds are active in certain scenes, the pipes shaking towards the beginning of the movie really caught me off guard. The opening song by Cyndi Lauper sounds as good as it ever has and the ending battle scene does as well. For a movie that’s a quarter of a century old, I was heartily impressed as sonics have been improved. While this doesn’t hold a candle to some of the newer films, “The Goonies” is certainly “good enough” (get it)?
Supplements: What are the extras?
I’ve read a few comments on this release and I have to say that I concur. This “Ultimate Collector’s Edition” has been long-awaited, but it’s essentially the UK Blu-ray of the movie, put in a big package with some other marketing items thrown in for good measure. The same commentary by the “Goonies” is here and it’s the same as the standard DVD. It’s an active track and dominated by Corey Feldman and Josh Brolin. We also learn that Jeff Cohen (aka “Chunk”) used his popularity of the film to become the student body president of UCLA. Hey, go with what works right? Cyndi Lauper’s music video is there as well as is the “Making of ‘”The Goonies”‘.” We’ve also got some outtakes and a few deleted scenes – essentially all of the same supplements that were on the standard DVD. Now as for the extras in this edition: we get a “Goonies” board game, some storyboards from the film a 1985 magazine reprint as well as a reprint of “Empire” magazine with some cast photos and updates. My advice: skip this edition and just get the UK Blu-ray version, unless you really think you’ll get a lot of use out of some article reprints and a board game of a 25 year old film.
