The Goonies, tells an adventurous story about a group of teens who embark on a dangerous treasure hunt to raise enough money to save their homes. Making their quest for treasure a more difficult ordeal is the crazy crime family—the Fratellis. The movie went on to become an instant hit with the audience—both young and old alike.
To celebrate the movie, we have put together a list of essential facts you may not know about The Goonies.
The Film Was Shot in Sequence
The Goonies impressed the audience with their mesmerizing visuals, featuring intimidating tunnels and caves. Despite the varied landscape environments in the movie, The Goonies was shot in sequence on one location in Astoria, Oregon.
The Goonies Was Josh Brolin’s First Movie
Josh Brolin has an impressive number of credited roles under his belt; this includes “No Country For Old Men” and “Milk.” His first movie, however, was The Goonies where he played the role of Brand.
A Small Confusion
Sean Astin, who plays Mikey, calls Brolin by his real name in the movie. The scene can be seen right after Chunk smashes the water cooler in the abandoned restaurant.
Chunk No Longer Works as an Actor
The only movie role to Jeff Cohen’s credit is Chunk. The actor had other plans and decided to pursue a law degree. He has enjoyed immense success as an attorney and is one of the founding partners at an entertainment law firm.
Sean Astin Improvised in his One-Eyed Willy Speech
Donner wanted Sean Astin to improvise his speech about the legend of One-Eyed Willy. He achieved this by telling Astin the story just a few moments before they shot the scene. They then had the actor narrate it back to him while the cameras recorded.
The Treasure Map Has Real Blood On It
Michael Riva, the production designer, believed that the treasure map did not look like it was 300 years old. He thought it looked quite new. To achieve his desired effect, Michael spattered coffee on the map, and if that wasn’t enough, he cut his own finger to douse it with blood along its edges.
Tribute to the movie Gremlins
The police officer who talks to Chuck says something about “little creatures that multiply when you throw water on them” this is a direct reference to the Gremlins.
Sloth Played in the NFL
John Matuszak, the actor who plays Sloth, gave us an intimidating impression on screen. He had an equally intimidating career off-screen as well. John was drafted in the 1973 NFL and won two Super Bowls before trying a stint at an acting career. In the movie, he wears a Raiders t-shirt to give a subtle shout-out to his former team.
Being Sloth Isn’t Easy
Sure he had the build and the strength needed to support the role of Sloth, but to fit into the deformed position, John and his makeup artists would spend five hours every morning to make him look as frighteningly real as they possibly could.