During the eighties, many iconic movies were released. The reason is that it was an era where not only many films were produced, but also many low-budget films. This may seem like an absurd difference, but it is not. By being able to make movies with little money, many directors could pursue ideas that today would be classified as impossible. This resulted in countless works that we now view with nostalgia and say would be impossible today. Which is true.
One of those works is based on a story by Steven Spielberg. But aside from that, it is a film with a small budget by today’s standards, but it had a great box office impact, and even more so in the minds of movie lovers of all ages. Because even today, The Goonies is still remembered, and rightly so.
A Movie Aimed at Success
The Goonies is an adventure comedy directed by Richard Donner with a script by Chris Columbus. Just this should let us know that the movie was destined for success. Donner directed the first two Superman movies, the extraordinary cult film Ladyhawke, and after The Goonies, he would direct and write the Lethal Weapon trilogy. For his part, Chris Columbus came from writing one of the big hits of the previous year, Gremlins, and would stand out for being the screenwriter of some of the best family comedies of the 90s, such as the first two Home Alone and Mrs. Doubtfire.
All of this, moreover, under Spielberg’s umbrella. Because the director not only limited himself to writing the story that would later be adapted into the film, but he also produced it. Being an effort by his production company, Amblin Entertainment, which had just given us the great success that Columbus wrote the previous year and we had already mentioned, Gremlins. And which would later offer us two other great franchises that same decade: Back to the Future and Fievel and the New World.
With that dream team of visionaries, it was logical that it would work. Even with a relatively limited budget of 19 million. Something that can be verified in the film itself.
Because The Goonies tells a story with a great premise. A group of kids, trying to prevent the demolition of their homes, discover a treasure map that belonged to a legendary 17th-century pirate. This will lead to an epic adventure where the kids will have to find out how much truth there is in it while testing their skills, their friendship, and also if they are ready to fight against the Fratellis. The criminal family that controls access to the treasure.
An absolute success for the standards of the 80s and the current ones
With an interesting premise, charismatic characters, and impeccable execution, The Goonies was a tremendous success. It managed to gross 125 million dollars, surpassing any expectations that were held for the project. Furthermore, achieving what any film of this kind would want: to become a cult classic.
Even today, she is fondly remembered by all the people who saw her in the 80s, even in the 90s. Although today it can be seen as a rather naïve movie, it is also true that the popularity of series like Stranger Things has served as a key entry point for a new generation into this kind of narratives. Adventures where a group of young people, usually misfits, discover a secret and try to do everything possible to uncover the truth. Something that, in addition, you will now be able to discover for yourself.
The Goonies arrives on Disney+ on June 7, making it available for free to all subscribers on the platform. A golden opportunity for those who haven’t seen the movie, or who remember it fondly, and want to discover or reminisce about the greatness of the small great movies of the eighties.
