Behind The Scenes: Richard Donner, Steven Spielberg, Jeff Cohen & Ke Huy Quan On The Set Of THE GOONIES
Produced by Steven Spielberg, written by Chris Columbus and directed by Richard Donner; it’s no wonder that The Goonies is one of the most beloved films of the 1980s. It’s a movie for kids, that doesn’t talk down to them. Columbus’s script captures the essence of being young, while Donner’s direction nails the sense of adventure that propels the story.
Everything in Donner’s 1985 film works. The casting is spot-on in every, the action rocks, the set-design is gorgeous and Dave Grusin’s score really pops. This is how you make a family movie and it’s a shame that Hollywood appears to have lost the knack for delivering something that appeals to all ages.
Some often refer to The Goonies as a children’s Indiana Jones and while it has a lot in common with Spielberg’s fedora-wearing hero, it’s a lazy of of describing a film that’s so rich with it’s own unique moments. Columbus has injected his script with the same wit and energy that his other Amblin adventure, Gremlins contained and Richard Donner again shows that he’s one of Hollywood’s great directors. Who else could deliver such a vast collection of titles like Superman: The Movie, The Goonies, Ladyhawke, Lethal Weapon and Scrooged over the course of a 10 year span?
This photograph shows the mighty Richard Donner, Jeff Cohen (Chunk) and Ke Huy Quan (Data) about to get a shock from Steven Spielberg.
The Goonies grossed $65.1 million at the US box office when it was released in 1985.
