Interview by Cliff Stephenson
August 14, 2001

The citizens of Astoria, Oregon, known as "The Goondocks," are on their way out. A wealthy and ruthless businessman is near-completion on his bid to take over the land and create a haven of snobbery for the well-to-do. Seemingly hardest hit are some of the neighborhood's children, who band together as "The Goonies."

When a mysterious treasure map is found in an old attic, The Goonies decide on one last adventure in hopes of rescuing their homes and staying together. Before their journey is through, they'll have to face ruthless criminals, booby-traps and a long dead, one-eyed pirate in order to get the gold and save the day.

Released in the summer of 1985, The Goonies was only a medium-sized theatrical success but left a long-lasting impression on Generation X, far beyond what its box office might indicate. The Goonies has become one of the most requested and oft-questioned titles ever on DVD, and after years of waiting, Warner is finally releasing a special edition of The Goonies on August 21, 2001!

We love The Goonies here at DVDFILE, and when we got the opportunity to go "inside The Disc" with DVD producer Jonathan Gaines, how could we say no? Gaines not only reunited the cast and director Richard Donner to record a new commentary for the disc, he went one better. Featuring a way-cool "video" commentary, this just may be the best commentary yet recorded for a DVD.

And since your reading this, we bet you've always wondered the unthinkable: what would it really like to have been a Goonie!? Well, actor Jeff Cohen (aka 'Chunk' himself) lived the adventure, and also joins us for a chat on working with Donner and Spielberg, the growing pains of a child actor and reuniting with his fellow cast members over 15 years later.

So, get ready to journey back to the land of... The Goonies!

» Jonathan Gaines: Inside The Disc
» Jeff Cohen: From 'Chunk' to hunk