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The Goonies

The Goonies

List Price: $19.96
Your Price: $14.97
Product Info Reviews

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Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Nothing Will Never Surpass The Goonies!
Review: Like many before me, I grew up with The Goonies. I ran around my house as a young one, trying to act like Mouth, or doing the Truffle Shuffle to entertain friends (I lacked on the truffle, but I could do the shuffle).

The Goonies holds something that every kid should find magical, even though the only magic in the movie is the magic of friendship. Steven Spielberg wrote the story about a group of friends who are about to lose their houses so a country club can be built where they leave. They come upon a treasure map that supposedly has a legend behind it, and leads to a great treasure. Mikey and his colorful bunch of friends set up to go in search of the treasure not knowing the villianist trio, the Fratellis, are also out for the treasure. Along the way, chaos ensues, friendships go stronger, and they meet a creature who has nothing but love to share and Baby Ruths to eat.

The characters are all likable . . . are all lovable, and the actors who portray them made them all that they were. The Fratellis are even, in some ways, likable throughout the movie, but in the end, they get what they were asking for. The directing, of course, is awesome. None like it actually. And the sets are amazing. Especially the pirate ship set. That was too awesome, and enough to satisfy any adventure lover.

The DVD should satisfy any Goonies fan with the word of all the extras to be on it. And I'm ready to see the infamous deleted octopus scene. I hope it's on there. I believe I read somewhere that some of the cast had gotten together to do a commentary. Now there's wishful hoping that that did happen!

"SLOTH LOVE CHUNK!" And Josh loves this movie.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: The Culmination of All Things 80's
Review: The Goonies DVD surpassed my expectations. Ranging from its easy-to-navigate 3-D menus to its extra features, this is certainly one of the most well-realized DVD's yet. The bonus features themselves make up for the long delay in its release. The commentary was undoubtedly the best part of the DVD: 17 years down the line, all seven main characters ("Mikey", Sean Austin; "Brad", Josh Brolin; "Chunk", Jeff Cohen; "Mouth", Cory Feldman; "Andi", Kerri Green; "Data", Ke Huy-Quan; "Stef", Martha Plimpton; and the director & producer of the film, Richard Donner) gather together and all sit viewing the film in a recording studio, reminiscing about their experience along the way. Most of the cast have changed beyond all recognition, as is evident by the brief "hidden video treasures" which are periodically shown throughout the film in its commentary-enabled mode. All four of the deleted scenes which were shown on the Disney Channel airing, but left out in the final cut, are included as "outtakes", and high-quality ones at that. It would have been great if, as an extra option, they could be incorporated in the film, but perhaps that's asking a little too much. Both parts of Cyndi Lauper's video, directed by none other that Richard Donner, are included. Along with a trailer which conveys absolutely none of the film's sense of adventure and charm. And last but not least, a 7-minute behind-the-scenes "Making of" which is quite interesting. Speaking as a layman, I found the sound & picture quality of the film absolutely extraordinary, given the time period when this film was made. There are very few negative aspects to this DVD; those there are range from the (minor) fact Warner Bros. opted for a cardboard snap case instead of the more traditional full-sleeve plastic case, to the more significant event of Sean Austin's mysterious "walk-out" in the middle of the commentary feature, to the (even more significant) fact that there weren't any bona fide "outtakes", nor other unearthed scenes, beyond what was included on the uncut Disney Channel's airing. When all's said and done, nothing beyond a 2-Disc Criterion Edition, is good enough for this film.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Pinchers of peril!!! The Ultimate Goonie DVD experience!
Review: Growing up in the 80's - The Goonies was one of the most incredible movies for me. It captures all of the childhood joy and want of adventure and excitement that a normal day just doesn't bring. This movie, while it is clearly an "80's" flick, does not appear dated in any way. It still has that spark that gave it life nearly 20 years ago.

That said, here's what you get with this DVD and here's why you should buy it today:

The movie itself is enough however...

The deleted scenes are a lot of fun. We finally get to see the ever-fabled "Octopus" scene. For years, I would scratch my head when Data said "The Octopus was really scary!" Huh? What Octopus? Well, he's in this DVD. You also realize why the scene was cut out. Let's just say the animatronics weren't all that great.

Those old music videos starring Cyndi Lauper and various classic WWF wrestlers are here too. Remember Rock "n" Wrestling? I found myself saying "oh yeah....I remember that!" Watch for a cameo of Susanna Hoffs from the Bangles in the video!

The DVD commentary is a lot of fun! While almost every new DVD has a commentary in place, it almost always bores one to tears with the director or a star just kind of droning their way through the movie. Often, the major stars don't even do the commentary (great example is Rocky - where the commentary features everyone but Stallone himself!) This commentary has all of the original Goonie stars plus Richard Donner. There's a lot of joking around and the stories they tell are funny and don't go off the subject. Note: Sean Astin disappears about halfway through the flick. Also, beware Corey Feldman who talk over everyone to further perpetuate that he is the biggest glory hog in show business.

Enough already. This is such a great movie and the special features are ones that you'll actually watch more than once! Buy the DVD already!

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: This is...Our Time
Review: The Goonies can best be described as a pint sized version of an Indiana Jones sequel. The film is full of fun, adventure, and humor. Mikey (Sean Astin), his brother Brandon (Josh Brolin), and a group of their friends decide to go a treasure hunt that is based on a local legend The hope is to halt the forclosure of their entire town, by a real estate developer, with the long lost buried fortune Hot on the "goonie" trail is Fratelli Family of criminals (Robert Davi, Joe Pantoliano, and Anne Ramsey). It seems that the kids can identify them for a series of crimes and they need to be dealt with in short order.

Directed by Richard Donner, this is a fast paced adventure that is good to watch on a rainy afternoon. It is a movie that has something for both kids and adults. The script by Chris Columbus is based on a story by Steven Spielberg. Many of the young cast members in the film, used this movie, to have some success later in life--like Astin, Brolin, Feldman and Plimpton The cast created some likeable misfit charaters and had solid chemistry together that made the premise believable Donner and the casting of his films always seem to be on target, even in a more modest film like The Goonies Even years after I last saw the film, it brought back some fond memories, for this viewer

There are plenty of enjoyable extras on the DVD for any Goonies fan. The comentary provides a chance for an on screen reunion between Donner and his young stars. Throughout the track, we are given a chance to see the parties comment "live" as they watch the movie. This was for the most part lots of fun. It was great to see how some of them, who haven't acted in much else, looked today. However, one well known cast member tended to annoy at times, I'll let you decide whom it is for yourself without naming anyone. There's the Cyndi Lauper music video for the song "The Goonies 'R Good Enough", a six and half minute vintage making of featurette, 3 deleted scenes, including the often talked about octopuss scene, and the theatrical trailer.

All in all, a good DVD that will be a fun trip down 80s memory lane for some, while those seeing it fresh may enjoy it for different reasons.

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: A Fine Movie For The Whole Family
Review: "The Goonies" is an entertaining movie that the whole family can watch together. It starts with a close-knit band of friends spending a last morning together. Their neighborhood is about to be demolished, scattering the families that inhabit it. When they discover an old pirate map, though, they decide to follow it in hopes of finding treasure and saving their homes. What follows is a fast-paced adventure with caverns, crooks, skeletons, booby-traps, and a old pirate ship. There is also a liberal sprinkling of funny lines to go with all the thrills and chills.

While this is a fine movie, and great fun to watch, it is not a long-lost Hollywood classic. It doesn't have the action of the Errol Flynn version of "Robin Hood", the drama of Hitchcock's "Rear Window", or the classic humor of "Arsenic And Old Lace". All the five-star ratings here would suggest that this is a movie of classic proportions. It isn't. It's great fun, and I recommend it for family viewing. There's never a dull moment, and I believe most people will enjoy it. I do. I own a copy, already. Just don't expect too much.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: "Hey You Guys!" This DVD Rocks!
Review: I remember watching THE GOONIES as a child and loving it. Now, I can share in the enjoyment of watching it with my children. This is probably the most complete DVD available today.

THE GOONIES is a wonderful story of a bunch of friends that experience the magical ties and bonds of their friendships. It is a classic story of good vs. evil, and Steven Spielberg did a wonderful writing it.

A group of friends are out in search of "One-Eyed" Willie's hidden treasure in the hopes of stopping a land developer from taking their homes. Once they find the pirate's map in their attic, the wild fun begins as the group is put through many rigorously challanging tasks in their quest.

The film moves along at a rapid pace, with excellent acting, witty dialogue, and a nice, cohesive storyline that is fun and easy to follow. You can't help but cheer for the Goonies to succeed in their search.

Besides the entertaining film, the DVD is loaded with some super extras. A Cyndi Lauper music video, three never-seen-before scenes, and some excellent commentary by some of the actors are just a few of the perks of the DVD.

This movie is nothing but fun, and with the help of a super, colorful cast of actors, THE GOONIES is a very enjoyable experience. It is a pleasure to watch the magic unfold on the screen. This is a wonderful film that can be enjoyed by everyone, especially people with children.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Once a Goonie, Always a Goonie. This DVD shows us the way
Review: With Steven Spielberg providing us the story,and being Executive Producer, with Richard Donner as the Director (Lethal Weapon series)we get the greatest adventure and cast of unforgettable characters (Chunk, Sloth and Mouth to mention a few). This DVD provides us the way to this great "Pirate Treasure Adventure"!!!! In Summary: Taking place in the town of "Astoria" on the rugged coast of Oregon. A group of misfit kids "nicknamed the "Goonies" by others in town. Find themselves in a difficult situation. There neighborhood is being foreclosed in 24 hours by the rich country club snobs for a golf course. (By the way, Astoria has a rich history of Pirates and lost treasure). The Goonies find a treasure map and decide to find the loot to save their homes. The race for "One Eyed Willy's" treasure begins and this wonderful cast of characters who are also pursued by a colorful group villians. The DVD extras include: The making of. Outtakes of scenes cut, including the giant octopus sequence. The commentary track includes audio and video of the original Goonies and the Director on a 16 year reunion reflection of their personal experiences making the movie as kids. This is a great family movie and the story line, adventure theme of "Pirates Treasure" is perfect! Once you see the "Goonies" in action, you'll always be a Goonie!!! Trust me this one is fun.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Some 80s fun in a nice DVD release
Review: One of the 1980s' most enjoyable romps, this fun adventure throws together a group of kids spending their last days with one another into a quest for hidden treasure, all with escaped criminals on their tail. What follows is a movie filled with spills, chills, chases, action, awesome set pieces and obstacles, and plenty of humor. All very predictable, and all very fun. Think The Little Rascals in the world of Indiana Jones and you have the right idea.

Take note before buying this for kids: Some of the humor from the 80s is probably more risqué than would be expected. This would probably get a PG-13 were it released today. The kids joke about sexuality and drugs in a way that many might be surprised about. Parents with small children, proceed with caution. That said, the movie remains kid friendly enough that it should be fine for most kids over 10.

This DVD looks very good; while not state-of-the-art, it is an improvement over the VHS versions that have kicked around for years. Great sound, good picture. All very nice.

The extras really stand out here. We have a Making Of documentary that covers all the bases, with plenty of on set footage and interviews. Informative and well done. An array of deleted scenes was surprisingly good - some of this footage is excellent - though not complete. Finally, the DVD commentary brings the cast back together for a very funny gathering as they swap stories from way back when. Good viewing for longtime fans.

The only downer on this DVD is that it comes in one of those awful Warner's snapcases. This reviewer hates those cases; if you have no such hatred, then there is nothing to worry about. A nice buy for the price.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Full of Laughs!
Review: I had heard about this movie, but had never seen it. My curiosity lead me to buy it and I watched it with my nine and eleven year old. I have to say that I have never heard my kids laugh so hard in my life! They just loved this movie. There was lots of suspense, adventure and comedy. There was also mild profanity and some stuff I cringed at my kids seeing like a dead body and skeletons. They did not seem to be as bothered by that as I was. If I had to do it again, though, I might have waited until my 9 year old was a little older. What all the reviewers say is true. This is a very entertaining movie!

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: theGOONIES
Review: After the success (and controversy) of GREMLINS, Spielberg began one of the most fruitful periods of his producing career with the 1985 summer releases of Robert Zemeckis and Bob Gale's BACK TO THE FUTURE and Richard Donner's THE GOONIES.

THE GOONIES, an adventure story conceived by Spielberg himself, tells the tale of a "ragtag" band of kids from the wrong side of the docks who call themselves "The Goonies". The Goonies find their friendships threatened when their homes (a lower income section of town known as "the Goondocks") are in danger of being purchased to create a country club in their places.

In desperation, the boys, hanging out in one of their soon to be demolished houses on what they believe their last day together, go upstairs to an old attic filled with oddities and relics (the boys' father happens to be a curator at a local museum). The boys find a pirate treasure map in the attic, which causes Mikey (the key Goonie) to recite information about a local pirate legend his father filled his head with, a tale of hidden pirate treasure and high adventure. In hopes of obtaining the money their parents need to stop foreclosure on their home, the boys decide to follow the map and it's clues to where the fabled "rich stuff" lies.

Concurrently, a trio of ne'r-do-wells, the Fratellis (two convict sons and their equally tough-as-nails mother) perform a daring jail break and after a high-speed police chase through town, the trio hide out in a derelict restaurant. The Goonies' treasure map happens to lead them to this very same restaurant which is the entry-way to the subterranean caverns (below suburbia) that the pirate treasure lies within. Inevitably, the boys tangle with the Fratellis and from therein, the film is a high-tension chase to get to the pirate treasure before the bad guys by passing through treacherous traps and numerous danger-filled situations. The young friends band together to overcome all odds in the name of saving their home and friendships.

To draft a screenplay from his original story idea, Spielberg turned to Chris Columbus, a young writer who had written the previous year's hit GREMLINS for Amblin. For directing duties, Spielberg drafted veteran TV and film director Richard Donner, who previously had two enormous hits in the late 1970's with THE OMEN and SUPERMAN: THE MOVIE. As a director, Donner had his hands full with the ensemble cast of six rambunctious child actors, as well as the film's various gags and physical effects. Donner had proven his hand with child actors in 1982 with the film THE TOY, and the director developed a great rapport with his child stars in THE GOONIES, evidenced in behind-the-scenes footage and interviews with the children in which they sing the praises of working with the director.

Of the six young actors who portray the Goonies, a number of the kids come from notable backgrounds. Sean Astin, who plays 'Mikey', is from a showbiz marriage between TV stars John Astin and Patty Duke-Astin. Josh Brolin, who portrays Mikey's older brother 'Brand', is the son of star James Brolin (who previously worked with Spielberg in an episode of MARCUS WELBY, M.D. that Spielberg directed in 1970). Corey Feldman, the talkative Goonie 'Mouth', was quite a successful and popular TV and film actor in the early to mid 1980's, having appeared the year before in GREMLINS. Ke Huy Quan, the inventive Goonie called 'Data', debuted the previous year as Short Round in Spielberg's INDIANA JONES AND THE TEMPLE OF DOOM. Martha Plimpton, who portrays the tom-boyish 'Stef', is also from showbiz parents, Keith Carradine and Shelly Plimpton. Finally, Jeff Cohen, who portrayed fan favorite 'Chunk', he of the "truffle shuffle" had previously acted in a few television programs, and Kerry Green, the cute cheerleader-cum-Goonie 'Andy' made her professional debut in THE GOONIES (it was also Astin, Brolin, and Cohen's theatrical film debuts as well).

As for the film itself, it was not a rousing success, bringing in only $61.4 million domestically at the time of it's release. The film did, however, go on to have a huge following on video with youth in the 1980's and it now enjoys a nostalgic cult status. To fans who grew up with the film, THE GOONIES can bring memories of a more innocent time and film (innocent in memory, but in viewing THE GOONIES as an adult now, I have to admit great surprise at the reliance on profanity, drug and S&M humor, and even a running joke about a ceramic penis in a PG rated children's film!). Overall, from a more mature perspective, the film plays as a noisy, sometimes sloppily directed (performance-wise) kid's adventure that can easily grate on an adult's nerves and try one's patience, despite great production design and some exciting set pieces. But for children seeking a fun adventure with counterparts one's own age, the film does have a lot to offer, so much so that talk of a very belated sequel has surfaced with director Donner in the press lately. The proposed sequel idea is said to reunite all of the original Goonies, now grown up, with Goonie children of their own...


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