The Goonies
Dir: Richard Donner
1985 Cert: 12/PG
114 mins
At a time when the pirate adventure appears to be epitomized by films such as Pirates of the Caribbean, it is worth revisiting a classic adventure film that is now as dear to many of us as Peter Pan. Brought to us by Richard Donner and Steven Spielberg – the makers of Superman, Gremlins and Indiana Jones –The Goonies was the small movie that left a big impression on the youth of the eighties. |
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It had the ingredients of an exemplary adventure story told from the point of view of kids that were as eccentric as the hairstyles of their day. After almost 21 years of hibernation, it is worth digging up this gem to remind ourselves that “The Goonies are good enough.”
The narrative is charged with energy from the get-go as Mikey and his small town chums stumble upon a secret treasure map. They go in search of the pirate treasure in order to stop their homes being sold to greedy contractors who want to turn the ‘Goon Docks’ suburb into a golf course. Then, the adventure begins. However, it is the film’s timeless characters who steal the show. A hobbit-sized Sean Austin plays ‘Mikey’, an asthmatic brace-faced dreamer whose unshakable faith in pirate legendry leads the gang into a series of adventures.
Then, there’s gobby smart alec ‘Mouth’ (Corey Feldman) and ‘Data’, an Asian kid with a proficiency in gadgetry. It is when you look back at these characters that you realize the dialogue was really funny and those gadgets are still super-cool. Mikey’s older brother ‘Brand’ (Josh Brolin) is a miniature Rambo who also gets duped into joining the gang’s quest.
‘Andy’ and ‘Stef’ (Kerri Green and Martha Plimpton) are mirror images of femininity in the eighties; one is the damsel in distress with a major crush on Brand, the other the skeptical feminist. Ultimately, the girls are only really there to provide the obligatory romantic subplots in the film. But the best Goonie is undeniably ‘Chunk’ (Jeff Cohen), who takes the limelight both with his performance and the ‘truffle shuffle’ which is one of the funniest scenes in the film (if you don’t watch the film for anything else, then watch it for this one scene!).
When The Goonies find out that the path to the treasure begins at an old lighthouse, they have to sneak past the Fratellis, a villainous family of crooks consisting of a scornful and sarcastic ‘Mama’ (Ann Ramsey), and her dimwitted sons (Joe Pantoliano and Robert Davi). Both gangs race towards the treasure and Chunk befriends ‘Sloth’ along the way. Played by the late NFL star John Matuszak, Sloth is the friendliest monster buddy you’ll meet. The Goonies’ escapades include a variety of adventure elements; the lost treasure map, the secret underground caves (that are even shaped like skulls), a wishing well, skeletons, booty traps (that’s what I said booby traps!), an ancient skeletal organ and one of the most awesome pirate ships you’ll see (in eighties cinema anyway). The Goonies is magical fantasy with a sense of contemporary authenticity – the kids unashamedly even say the word ‘shit’ a lot.
The film is still also about solidarity in small communities, patriarchal relationships and the importance of family and friends. So as you can see, there is enough cheese to appease the ten year olds in the audience (there is even a part when Mikey’s parents say having their kids back makes them the richest people in the world). But you’ll find your barf bags go unused because ultimately, the film is a high energy story that really does put kids first. The best thing about watching the The Goonies first time round was that we saw kids like us experiencing such a cool adventure. We could have been them, we could find treasure ourselves.
Now, quotes from the film are almost engraved in our conscience (“Hey you gu-uys!”) and watching it again is like being a kid again (for 114 minutes at least). Regardless of when you watched it, Spielberg and Donner’s film would successfully infantilise even the most senior of citizens into looking around for treasure with a metal detector. This is the good thing about Spielbergian fantasies like The Goonies, they blend mythology and contemporary times so that you forget what is really going on and become engrossed by nostalgia – whether it is for your childhood or piracy in the 1700s. Although it doesn’t bare the directorial signature of films like E.T.,
The Goonies is still a children’s movie for adults. It lets us dream and suspend disbelief, which would be particularly fun for the now thirty-something demographic that originally watched the film. Watching The Goonies now, you will see its robust exuberance, the humour you missed as a child, and although the special effects pale in comparison to today’s blockbusters, the film still has fond memories for many of us. If you haven’t seen it then see it now! You’ll be love it for years to come, especially whenever a new pirate movie is released. Goonies never say die, and the enjoyment of watching this film will never die either.