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GOONIES DAY 2019
Beyond the Backlot screening, events in Astoria to Cannon Beach
By KATHERINE LACAZE
FOR COAST WEEKEND
W
hen it comes to “The
Goonies,” Astoria and
other North Coast des-
tinations woven into the cult clas-
sic film play as pivotal a role as
the cast and crew, practically
assuming their own personality
and consequently contributing to
the film in a unique way.
“We believe the location is
just as much a character in the
film as the actors,” said “Super-
Fan” Curtis Templeton, the host
of Beyond the Backlot whose
team selected Astoria as the
“no-brainer” option for their pilot
episode because of how deeply
embedded the film is into the cul-
ture and milieu of the area.
During the 34th annual
Goonies Day weekend, Fri-
day-Sunday, June 7-9, visiting
fans and local enthusiasts have
two opportunities to watch the
Beyond the Backlot episode that
explores the locations, charac-
ters and iconic scenes of “The
Goonies.”
Photo courtesy Beyond the Backlot
Beyond the Backlot filming their Goonies episode in Astoria in 2017.
audience in those kids that gave
everyone a chance to go, ‘That’s
me,’” Templeton said. “I think
it’s one of those films that will be
timeless.”
Templeton himself was intro-
duced to the area during a trip
with friends in college. When he
returned for filming two years
ago, little had changed.
“That’s an essential part of
our show,” he said. “The places
are still the same. When you see
it, it kind of takes your breath
away because you think, ‘This is
exactly how it was in the film.’”
Beyond the Backlot
The screenings take place at
the Columbian Theater at 6 p.m.
Friday and 2 p.m. Saturday, fol-
lowed by a Q&A with Templeton
and crew, as well as a showing of
the movie.
Guided by a desire to cap-
ture iconic yet living places that
remain easily recognizable from
the film in which they were used,
“there was no question Astoria
would be first,” Templeton said.
They shot the episode – originally
intended to be 30 minutes and
made for television – in February
2017. Eventually, they switched
courses to instead produce more
and shorter content designed for
YouTube, but they will be screen-
“The Goonies” was filmed in
Astoria in 1985.
ing the full, extended version
during Goonies Day weekend.
The episode includes inter-
views with locals who were on
location during filming of “The
Goonies” and director Rich-
ard Donner at his studio in Bev-
erly Hills, Calif. In the interview,
Donner talks about the history
of the film and its quintessential
relationship to Astoria.
“Donner wrapped up a huge
Fandom in Astoria
and Cannon Beach
Along with the Beyond the
Backlot episode and film screen-
ing, locals and guests can partic-
ipate in a number of other activ-
ities and festivities from Astoria
to Cannon Beach that encapsulate
“Goonies” fandom.
Although the weekend is offi-
cially hosted by the Astoria-War-
renton Chamber of Commerce
and the Oregon Film Museum,
“We also encourage other enti-
ties to get involved and other
businesses to put their spin on
it,” Executive Director David
Reid said, adding, “It makes for a
much more robust weekend.”
Event-goers can go to the
Trashy Treasure Hunt at Haystack
Rock from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Fri-
day or partake in the One-Eyed
Willy’s ‘Never Say Dive’ Pirate
Ship Race on the pond at the Fla-
vel House Grounds at 10 a.m.
Saturday. Individuals or groups
can participate in the boat race for
free and take a chance at winning
the $50 prize.
Other activities include a tour
of Ecola State Park with Ore-
gon Parks and Recreation Depart-
ment’s Patrick Lines at 9 a.m.
Sunday. Lines was the Ecola
State Park ranger when scenes
from the movie were shot there
in 1984, and he provided the
crew with insight on dealing with
coastal weather conditions.
The Cannon Beach Escape
Room is also offering a weekend
discount for teams of two to 10 to
explore its pirate-themed Escape
One-Eyed Jack room. Owner
Natalie Miller, who described
herself and her husband as “huge
‘Goonies’ fans,” said they were
“certainly inspired by a one-
eyed pirate” when designing the
room and determined to have a
“Goonies” tie-in.
Although the One-Eyed Jack
room was available when the
establishment opened in 2007,
the Millers periodically change
the puzzles to keep the activity
fresh for returning clients. Their
establishment was involved in
Goonies Day weekend for the
first time last year and welcomed
several enthusiastic “Goonies”
fans.
“There’s something really cool
about people unifying around
something they all love,” Miller
said. CW
IF YOU GO
GOONIES DAY
CELEBRATION 2019
FRIDAY, JUNE 7
Goonies Day Celebration
10 a.m. Clatsop County Historical
Society, 714 Exchange St., As-
toria. Purchase your raffle entry
and 2019 Goonies Day Button
before exploring the town.
Goonies’ Day
Trashy Treasure Hunt
10 a.m. Haystack Rock, Cannon
Beach. Collect trashy treasure
and clean the beach in the
process.
Beyond the Backlot
and “The Goonies”
6 p.m. Columbian Theatre Voo-
doo Room, 1114 Marine Drive,
Astoria. “Super-fan” Curtis and
the Beyond the Backlot crew
present a screening of their pilot
episode and host a Q&A.
SATURDAY, JUNE 8
One Eyed Willy’s Never Say
Dive Pirate Ship Race
10 a.m. Flavel House Museum,
441 Eighth St., Astoria.
First ship to reach the other side
wins $50. Other prizes include
best-looking ship, worst looking
ship, best ship name and ship
that looks the most like a Baby
Ruth.
Beyond the Backlot
and “The Goonies”
2 p.m. Columbian Theatre Voo-
doo Room, 1114 Marine Drive,
Astoria. “Super-fan” Curtis and
the Beyond the Backlot Crew
present a screening of their pilot
episode and host a Q&A.
SUNDAY, JUNE 9
Goonies Day
at Ecola State Park
10 a.m. Ecola State Park, 84318
Ecola Park Road, Cannon Beach.
$5 Vehicle day-use fee required
at park. Walk with Patrick Lines as
he tells stories firsthand from his
experience with “The Goonies”
filming at Ecola State Park.
Find the full schedule of events
at thegoondocks.org.