Goonies Saturday, June 5, 2010

I've posted a few photos here, and I've uploaded more to this Picasa album. You can click through them with the arrows at the top and read the captions. For the opening of the Oregon Film Museum in the old jail, the City staged a reenactment of the jailbreak at the beginning of the The Goonies film.

First, Mayor Willis Van Dusen introduced State Senator Betsy Johnson, and she applauded the opening of the museum. They noted that the museum was dedicated in honor of all of the films made in Oregon, but that June 7th would forever be Goonies Day in Astoria and today was their day at the Museum.

Willis Van Dusen introduced the actors. I didn't catch the name of the guy in the white hat, but an anonymous commenter thought it might be Joe Pantoliano, who played one of the Fratelli brothers, and I think that's right. Next (plaid shirt) is Curtis Hanson ("Mr. Perkins"), then Jeff Cohen in a black shirt ("Chunk", with his daugter in the blue shirt. I found a link to the Goonies cast then and now, so have fun with the facces! Everyone seems to be having a good time. The mood was laid-back and fun. You'll see more pictures of the actors in the album.

Oh, look. In the middle of this photo there's a guy in a hat racing from the jail to a waiting black jeep. Note the red gas can.

There's a hot pursuit . . . and you can see more in the photo album. Note pirate hats in the foreground.

At the other end of town are The Goon Docks - right next door to my shop, Tapir and Friends Animal Store (which has no sign and has reverted to its roots as an online-only business).

At The Goon Docks, you can buy tickets and memorabilia.

It's nice when the town gets together and has a good time. The crowds even left me a place to park. The weather was as gorgeous yesterday as it is rainy so far today. I haven't been out yet, but I can see from my window that The Goon Docks are again filled with people.

Here's a web site I found showing more location pix for several of the movies made in Astoria. There's an index list here. Just look for these titles: Free Willy, Kindergarten Cop, The Ring 2, and of course, The Goonies. It doesn't cover all movies made here, but you'll enjoy seeing stills from the films as well as the locations.

Here is a YouTube video interview with Curt Hanson and Jeff Cohen uploaded during the weekend.

This blog is sponsored by Tapir and Friends Animal Store.

Sturgeon Boats and Goonie Stuff

I think that for the next few days, I'm going to post several photos for each day - the regular daily photo, and then some Goonies stuff. Today's first photo is of people out early in the morning fishing for sturgeon on the misty river. I've already seen several weather changes, and it's hard to tell what kind of day it will be. The sparkles in the background are reflections of sunlight on the Washington side of the Astoria-Megler Bridge.

By the way, The Goonies wasn't the only movie shot in Astoria. There were quite a few more. Currently on every store video shelf is The Road. An important scene at the beach next to a wrecked ship was filmed at the Peter Iredale. If you go west from Astoria, that's where you'll meet the Pacific Ocean. The crew didn't even have to bring in the driftwood, because it was already there, as you'll see from the linked posts. They did bring in a lot of other set dressing, though, because we don't usually have Apocalyptic garbage on the beach :)

Below are a few photos I took while doing errands yesterday evening.

The door and interior of Video Horizons display Goonie memorabilia and a sign announces a costume party tonight.

Video Horizons' windows are filled with Goonies. I'm glad I picked up my weekend movies LAST night. I may try to go look at the costumes tonight, but I'm making no promises.

A new thrift shop on 7th Street across from the post office gets into the spirit.

I've been meaning to show you this Victorian-era brick church (First Baptist) for some time, but there are always cars in the way. I'm showing it now because the gray building to the left is the Goonies' Jail.

Here's the jail from the other side. It will have its grand opening as the Oregon Film Museum this morning, but as of last night they were still working on it. The words along the top are new. I think there was some text there during the filming, but I'm not sure. Typically there was none.

I only watched the first part of the movie because, unlike so many people around the world, I couldn't stand it. I usually don't give up on a movie part way through, but in this case, I did. I remember the jail scenes at the beginning, though, and I think there was a shot from this back corner. I wonder how they got rid of all those wires, or if they left them in the movie.

Didn't somebody's father work at a museum? They used the Flavel House across the street from the jail as the location for the museum. It's not such a stretch, as the Flavel House is - actually - a museum.

Here's the Flavel House from 7th Street.

See Weekend Reflections from around the world.

This blog is sponsored by Tapir and Friends Animal Store.

Adventures on 8th Street

April 10, 2010

I hope we get some interesting comments from locals and visitors about 8th Street. Eighth Street is one of my favorites. It's fun for walking, and I feel like I've accomplished something when I get to the top. Every few steps, it's fun to turn around and look at the view. And no, the hill doesn't stop where it looks like it stops, you simply can't see any further up the slope from here. It's fun driving 8th Street, too. At about the point where the road disappears in this photo, it feels like you've gone airborne. No wonder the sign at Franklin and 8th says, "No Trucks, No Trailers, No Buses."

Looking back down 8th Street from somewhere near Franklin. That's the Flavel House behind the power poles. Since this is Goonies Week (25th anniversary of the movie), I'll note that the Goonies' Jail is behind the Flavel House (out of view). You can see the corners of the Clatsop County Courthouse and the Astoria Post Office.

This blog is sponsored by Tapir and Friends Animal Store.

The Goonies' 25th Anniversary Celebration: June 3-7, Astoria, Oregon

May 26, 2010

This is the place. I found out the other day that headquarters - or The Goondocks, as they're calling it - will be in the old Englund Marine building right next door to my shop at 15th Street and the River Walk. Does that mean there will be 30 people converging on the nextdoor parking lot? 300? 3,000? I have no idea, but I'll definitely keep you posted. Today's photo is the window of Englund Marine. (I've left the image large so you can read the poster if you click on the image.) With the "We've Moved" sign removed from the glass, the empty store will come alive for the long weekend, and will be the location for ticket sales, souvenirs, and treasure maps. June 3 to 7 will will be festive and interesting around here, I'm sure. I'll keep my camera at the ready. You can read more about events and plans on this web site.

By the way, the reflections in the window are Hunt's Furniture Store (in front; now under new ownership and renamed Roby's Furniture and Appliance), and Owens-Adair Apartments (the taller building in the back with a pointed roof), a care and housing facility for seniors. It was at one time St. Mary's Hospital, now in a much bigger building a few blocks away. If you look again, you might see the looming shape of the photographer.

See more Weekend Reflections.

This blog is sponsored by Tapir and Friends Animal Store.

When The Goonies Went to the Store . . .

When The Goonies went to the store, this is where they went. It's just around the corner from their house, which I'll show another time. Signs had been changed to make this building into a grocery store, and I don't know what they did about the unsightly wires and poles, which are a plague for anyone trying to capture this otherwise-photogenic town.

The sign says 37th Street and Lief Erikson Drive. Leif Erikson Drive is an Extension of Marine Drive and is also Highway 30. It's the main drag through Astoria going along the Columbia River. It's also called East Columbia River Highway on some maps, although I've never heard anyone use that name.

I tripped over a plant and landed hard on the sidewalk while backing up to get this angle, so I hope any Goonies fans will appreciate the photo. I'm not feeling very charitable towards this location right now, although I like the blue sky.

Addendum: With bruises and sore muscles healing, I can enjoy this photo again. I also want to thank Gayle and Peggy for helping with info. Peggy verified that this is the location used for the store in the movie (I wasn't 100% sure), and Gayle added in a comment: "Sheryl - 'in the day' this was, in fact, a small neighborhood grocery store. Lovvold's Grocery." Thanks to you both!

This street sign shows one local spelling of Leif Erikson's name. I wonder what happened?

This blog is sponsored by Tapir and Friends Animal Store.

The Goonies are (Almost) Back . . .

This is the Clatsop County Courthouse, shown from the corner of Commercial and 7th. The front of the courthouse is on the left, on Commercial (Avenue/Street) [digression: "streets" have numbers and "avenues" have names, but most people use "street" for both; I am herewith giving up trying to conform to the system], the old County Jail is the small gray building on the right, and the turret peeking over the jail is the Flavel House. The huge tree on the right was in this recent post, and the small protective roof at the corner of the building houses a piece of a huge old-growth tree that's on display here. (I haven't done a post on it yet.) The post office, which I've shown several times, is out of the picture on the left, across the street from the courthouse. The color of the courthouse building seems to brighten up the area unless, I think, you're there on unpleasant official business.

One reason I'm showing this photo today is because the old jail (seen in the beginning of The Goonies movie) will, on June 4-7, 2010, be opening as the Oregon Film Museum. You can read all about it here, and if I'm in town, which I expect to be, I'll try to get a photo of the event. I will not, however, be watching the movie. I already tried that once, and I made it maybe halfway through. Did you watch The Goonies? Did you like it? The film's landmarks are big attractions around here.

This blog is sponsored by Tapir and Friends Animal Store.

Reflections in a glass store window

Astoria, Oregon ~ April 10, 2009

This diagonally-facing storefront on the corner of 7th Street and Duane Avenue used to be Oregon Glass or something like that. It's been vacant for at least several years. The reflected building on the right is the County Courthouse, and on the left is "The Goonies' Jail." I like the blue on the chipped wood panel of the boarded-up door.

This blog is sponsored by Tapir and Friends Animal Store.

The Goonies' jail

This scene may look familiar to a lot of people. The gray building is the jail used in the film, The Goonies. Their house (which I'll show some other time) is also in Astoria, and is the most asked-about landmark as far as I can tell. A lot of locations from the film are in Astoria and nearby. The writing on the building says "1914" and "1976" with "COUNTY JAIL" in the center. The tan building is the County Court House. Handy, yes? The new jail is just up the street, and there is some talk of turning the old jail into a film museum featuring, of course, the making of The Goonies. There have been so many films set all or partly in Astoria that I think it would be a great idea to use the building for that. It's central and easy to find, which is not at all true of the Goonies' house!

I like the reflection of the tree in one of the courthouse windows. I took the pic on April 10, a very rare clear day for that month.

Have any films been made in your town or city? And if you live in Hollywood, don't even bother to list them!