The Goonies

Today I would like to go back and take a look at one of the most classic films that is a fan favorite by everyone. I first saw this movie in my Drama class when I was a freshman in high school. I’m of course talking about the 1985 classic, “The Goonies.” This movie is one of those combinations from Steven Spielberg’s action movies. The reason why this is so special is because of the high-energy performances of the child actors who have the adventures. It’s one of those fantasy stories about a buried pirate treasure, told with a slice-of-life approach where these kids use words that Humphrey Bogart didn’t even know when he was in “Casablanca.” Before this movie was released, there were only movies for children and movies for adults. Now Spielberg made something for young teenagers who have a rather difficult liking in horror. He looks over the formula and watches the production, giving the direction to stylish action veterans (this time it’s given to Richard Donner who had already done “Superman: the Movie” and “Ladyhawke”).

“The Goonies” is very much like “Gremlins,” where it walks on a thin line between cheerful and disturbing, and the exact scenes adults will take an objection towards are the ones kids will like the best: Spielberg is congratulating them on their ability to take the heavy material. The movie begins with an ensemble of memorable kids, including a smart kid (Corey Feldman), a kid with braces (the beloved Sean Astin), a fat kid (Jeff Cohen), an older brother (Josh Brolin in his film debut), and an Asian kid (Jonathan Ke Quan) who has his inventions underneath his clothes. Along the way, the boys pick up a couple of girls (Kerri Green and Martha Plimpton), whose function, as Ebert puts it, “is to swap spit and get bats in their hair.” The kids find an old treasure map and wind up breaking in a hideout of a gang of criminals consisting of two brothers (Joe Pantoliano and Robert Davi), led by their mother (Anne Ramsey). The kids manage to escape the tunnel and go looking for this lost treasure, with the criminals following behind them, joined by the third brother of the criminals who was abused, played by John Matuszak. There are lots of special effects and the same dangers that Indiana Jones escaped from in “Raiders of the Lost Ark” (falling boulders, sharp spikes), and a sleigh ride on a water chute that will remind you of the cart ride in “Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom.”

If the ingredients are familiar from other Spielberg action movies, the kids are also inspired by “E.T. the Extra Terrestrial.” All of you probably remember the single most important line of dialogue from any movie Spielberg made, which was in “E.T.,” which is the part that you can see right here. The dialogue hears and understands the intelligent way kids use vulgarity into their conversations, especially with each other. That line in “E.T.” had such a shock of recognition that laughing it off will remove any objection you were thinking.

In the movie, the kids say the S word a lot, and it is a measure of Spielberg’s view that the word only makes a PG rating for this movie. Undeniably Spielberg argues that most kids talk like that half the time, and he’s correct. His method is to take these kids that are only 13 and 14 and let them act a little older than their actual age. It’s actually nicer than those old Disney methods, which was to take characters of all ages and have them act like they are 12.

Another Spielberg trademark, which was accomplished by Donner, is a breakneck narrative speed. Things seem to happen quicker in this movie than in six ordinary action movies. There’s not just a thrill in only a minute, there’s a thrill, a laugh, a shock, and a special effect. The screenplay has every single one of the kids talking simultaneously every time. Ebert said, “There were times, especially in the first reel, when I couldn’t understand much of what they were saying.” The movie needs to have a higher volume and with extra treble.

Ebert said in his review, “During “Goonies,” I was often exhilarated by what was happening. Afterward, I was less enthusiastic.” The movie is completely manipulative, which would be fine, except that it doesn’t have the lift of a film that “E.T.” had. It has a large amount of energy but not any charm. It uses what it knows about kids to mix them up, while “E.T.” gave them material to think about, the values to enjoy. Like “Gremlins,” “The Goonies” shows that Spielberg and his directors are complete masters of how to get their audiences excited and get in with the story. “E.T.” was just like “Close Encounters of the Third Kind.” The movie didn’t simply want us to feel, but also wonder and dream.

Here’s an interesting story: Josh Brolin previously had his career goals set on being a lawyer, but in high school he took an improvisation class where his class would erupt into uproarious laughter, which was the hook for him. After high school, he admitted to going to auditions with a resume that he completely made up, and after going through about 300 auditions, he finally got “The Goonies.”

In the end, you have to see this movie because it is a classic that everyone needs to see. Check in tomorrow to see what I will look at next for “Halloween Month.”