The Goonies (UHD Blu-ray) review

[David Vaughn]

Studio: Warner Brothers      
 Release Date: September 1, 2020
Rating:  PG
Film:  4/5
 
 Plot
 From the imagination of Steven Spielberg, The Goonies plunges a band of small heroes into a swashbuckling surprise-around-every corner quest beyond their wildest dreams!  Following a mysterious treasure map into a spectacular underground realm of twisting passages, outrageous booby-traps and a long-lost pirate ship full of golden doubloons, the kids race to stay one step ahead of a family of bumbling bad guys… and a mild-mannered monster with a face only a mother could love.
 
 My Thoughts
 1985 was a great year for teen-centric movies with The Breakfast Club, Weird Science, Back to the Future, and of course, The Goonies. All are great fun and this is the first to be released in 4K (although Back to the Future will be here in a few weeks). My only hope is that Universal puts more effort into the 4K release of their trilogy than has been put into this. This looks to be an upconversion of the 2K master used for the 2010 Blu-ray release that has the DNR knob turned up to 11. There are no details in faces and most everyone looks like wax figures and the detail isn’t much better than what can be found on the 1080p transfer. Colors are a bit more vibrant but that’s really not saying much.
 
Despite the mediocre upgrade over the Blu-ray, the film itself is a lot of fun to this day and holds up quite well. Director Richard Donner gets the most out of the young cast and while the story is far-fetched, it is an adventure films that the kids will love to watch more than once.
  
 Video 7/10 
 
 Audio 7.5/10 (Dolby TrueHD 5.1)
 
 Special Features:
 
·        Cast Audio Commentary
·        The Making of The Goonies Featurette
·        Cindi Lauper video
·        Outtakes
·        Theatrical Trailer
·        Blu-ray + Digital Copy

 
 

 Conclusion
 This film has somewhat of a cult-like following for people in my age group who came of age during the 1980s and it’s well deserved. While I wish the video quality was a bit better, the entertainment value is top-notch and it’s a movie we have enjoyed watching as a family over the years. If you don’t own the Blu-ray, then get the 4K if you can find it for a good price.   

 
 Reference Review System:
  
 Reference Review System:
 JVC DLA-RS2000 4K Ultra High Definition Front Projector
 (Calibrated with Portrait Displays CalMAN color calibration software & C6-HDR Meter from Portrait Displays)
 Stewart Filmscreen - Firehawk 110” 2.35:1 Fixed Screen
 Anthem AVM60 Audio/Video Processor 
 ATI AT527NC Powering Bed Channels
ATI AT524NC Powering Atmos Speakers
 Panasonic DP-UB820 Ultra HD Blu-ray Player 
 System Controller: URC MX-980
M&K S-150 THX Ultra (R-C-L Speakers)
M&K SS-150 x4 (Surround Speakers)
 Atlantic Technology IC6-OBA x 4 Overhead Speakers
 SVS PC-Ultra Cylinder Subwoofer
 HSU VTF-15H MK2 Subwoofer
 JL Audio Fathom F110 Subwoofers x 2 (stacked)
JL Audio Dominion D110 Subwoofer x 2 (stacked)

Mini DSP HD controlling all subwoofers
 Audioquest and Monoprice - Audio/Video/Speaker Cabling
 PureAV PF60 Power Conditioner

[Ralph P.]

Greetings,

As we previously discussed Dave, the transfer here is subpar and ultimately disappointing. The lack of an immersive listening track kicked it while it was down. Still, lots of fun to revisit.


Regards,

[David Vaughn]

Greetings,

As we previously discussed Dave, the transfer here is subpar and ultimately disappointing. The lack of an immersive listening track kicked it while it was down. Still, lots of fun to revisit.


Regards,

Thanks for chiming in Ralph!