Right then, buckle up buttercups, because the Four Takes Movie Podcast crew – that's the dream team of Martin, Luke, David, and Adam – have bravely tackled the cinematic masterpiece that is the 1985 classic movie The Goonies, helmed by the one and only Richard Donner.
Now, before they even got to the kids film that perfectly encapsulates the 1980s (despite enough swearing to make a sailor blush), poor Luke had to endure a "mate date" to see a little flick called Warfare. Apparently, it was so delightful with its intense atmosphere, fantastic sound design, and a distinct lack of anyone remotely resembling a developed character (Jenny definitely wasn't waiting at home, that's for sure), that therapy might be in order.
Undeterred (mostly), they finally got down to brass tacks with The Goonies. Turns out, according to a documentary featuring Richard Donner, this beloved adventure wasn't even meant for the little 'uns! Nope, it was supposed to be edgy, hence the bad language and the casual discovery of a dead body. But hey, it turned into a kids film anyway because, well, adventure!
They had a good old chinwag about the iconic characters of The Goonies and what the actors got up to afterwards. We're talking about Sean Astin (who, surprisingly, isn't an Oscar winner but did go on to be Samwise Gamgee), Josh Brolin (aka Thanos, the big purple fella), and the actual Oscar-winning legend, Ke Huy Quan. Let's not forget Corey Feldman, still doing his thing, and the hilariously hateful Fratelli brothers: Joe Pantaliano and Robert Davi, whose on-screen animosity was apparently fuelled by a real wig-pulling incident during auditions. Ah, and Mama Fratelli, played by Anne Ramsey, who sadly shuffled off this mortal coil not long after the film.
The chaps pondered how some bits of The Goonies might raise an eyebrow or two in today's more inclusive filmmaking landscape. They also marvelled at the surprisingly dark undertones, what with the aforementioned dead body, giving it a similar vibe to Stand by Me.
Of course, no self-respecting podcast would be complete without a delve into behind-the-scenes shenanigans and fan theories. Turns out, the theory about the Fratellis offing Chester Copperpot is rubbish. They also spilled the beans on Steven Spielberg's secret second unit directing gig, involving some escaped gorillas in Greystoke costumes and a joyride in a golf cart that's now lost to the mists of time. Oh, and there was a giant octopus that thankfully never made the final cut.
