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Blu-ray: The Goonies 25th Anniversary Collector’s Edition
Release Date: November 2, 2010

Back in 1985, Richard Donner and Steven Spielberg introduced the world to The Goonies, a movie that would become an instant and enduring classic for a generation growing up in one of the best decades ever to be a kid. Now, a full quarter of a century later (feeling old yet?), the movie is back with a huge new release as The Goonies 25th Anniversary Collector’s Edition.

The Movie

The Goonies is a coming-of-age film about a group of young friends whose families face foreclosure and the impending bulldozing of their homes. The friends (the titular “Goonies”) embark on one last adventure together, seeking to find a lost and fabled pirate treasure. The Goonies themselves are played by a veritable who’s who of actors who would go on to have successful adult acting careers — or at least stints on reality shows. We get performances from the likes of a young Sean Astin, Corey Feldman, Martha Plimpton, and Josh Brolin, while Robert Davi and Joe Pantoliano are the villainous Fratelli brothers of whom the Goonies run afoul on their treasure hunt. The Goonies is an action-packed and fun movie that long ago left its imprint on pop culture, from creating enduring and instantly recognizable characters like Sloth to teaching us Chunk’s famous truffle shuffle.

The transfer to Blu-ray looks and sounds great. I’ve been seeing a lot of classic and vintage movies and TV shows on new DVD and Blu-ray releases lately, and I’m almost always impressed by the clarity and vibrancy that comes out of these older productions. The Goonies obviously looks a little dated because of the hair and fashion, but the audio and video are better than they probably ever have been. The ’80s stock of film gives a little bit of a vintage look to the movie even now, but I appreciate that as a call back to the decade of Back to the Future and Indiana Jones.

Bonus Features

The Blu-ray comes with several great bonuses:

Commentary from director Richard Donner and the cast
“Making of The Goonies” featurette with an introduction by Steven Spielberg
“The Goonies R Good Enough” extended music video by Cyndi Lauper
Original theatrical trailer
Outtakes from the movie

The Collector’s Edition

Even if you already own The Goonies in another format, the 25th Anniversary Collector’s Edition packs in enough extra goodies to make it worth a look for fans of the movie. The set comes in a thick and attractive cardboard artbox with a foil wraparound treatment. The box lid opens back to reveal an interior styled after the Goonies’ pirate treasure map and a compartment that holds the Blu-ray movie, as well as all these perks:

The Goonies Board Game
The Goonies 1985 souvenir magazine reproduction (64 pages)
The Goonies “Where Are They Now?” article reprint from Empire magazine
A collection of 10 big storyboard cards, featuring original artwork and notes on scenes from the movie

Conclusion

This really is the ultimate version of The Goonies. There’s nothing like well produced nostalgia for kids of the ’80s, and this set really delivers. Collectors and fans of the movie itself will love the magazine reproductions and art cards, and the included board game is a neat and playable addition. The movie does seem a bit dated at times, but it should still stand up well for kids of the current generation. The Goonies is a movie worth sharing with the rest of the family, and this anniversary set provides the perfect way to do just that.