"The Goonies" vs. "The Monster Squad"?
 

Well, with the much anticipated release of "The Monster Squad" on DVD, I thought it would be apropos to debate the merits of the better kid-oriented action/adventure film.

We all know the histories of both. TG went on to be a pseudo-classic helped by executive producer Steven Spielberg's magic touch and TMS went on to be a cult classic if not box office failure.

I really liked both, but for me TG always seemed a little off. Maybe too kiddie for my tastes, but the likes of Josh Brolin and Sean Astin make for a very enjoyable mini-epic.

I just remember watching TMS over and over, it is one of those movies you don't tire of and when it was on cable you could watch bits and pieces at a time and still love it.

So with that said, which of the two do you put on the top of this genre heap? Perhaps you have a similar movie that merits even more grand kudos above these two.

Been a while since I've seen The Monster Squad... but I gotta say The Goonies all the way!

Goonies all the way.

I enjoy them both equally. And I never quite got TMS being referred to as the "poor man's Goonies".

The Goonies!

I was a child right about the time it came out and it's been one of those classic nastalgic films for me all my life.

Oddly enough, Ive never seen The Monster Squad and hadn't even heard of it until I started coming to DVDTalk. It seems strange that I grew up right in that time period but missed The Monster Squad completely. I don't even remember my friends talking about it. Weird.


Here's a question: I love The Goonies, would I like The Monster Squad if I saw it for the first time today? Or is it one of those movies that only holds up because of the nastalgia factor it holds for so many since they grew up with it? If I have no history with it will it be less likely I'll enjoy it?

I've seen the Goonies countless times yet I never heard of The Monster Squad till a couple weeks ago. So there ya go.

Well, it had a much lower budget, it wasn't marketed heavily, and it only ended up making 3.7 million at the box office. I was aware of it, but I really didn't know it had a following until people started talking about how they wanted it on DVD.

Part of its following comes from the fact that it still wasn't on dvd until now. Some of the biggest turkeys become 'cult classics' when they aren't available anywhere.

Don't you realize -- the next time you see sky, it'll be over another town. The next time you take a test, it'll be in some other school. Our parents ... they want the best of stuff for us; but right now they gotta do what right for them, 'cause it's their time -- <i>their</i> time, up there! Down here it's our time; it's <i>our</i> time down here! That's all over the second we ride up Troy's bucket.

This should be a landslide.

das

I can't possibly compare these two movies.

I love The Monster Squad. That was a hardcore kid's movie that didn't pull any punches. Dracula holding up a five-year old girl by the face and calling her a "bitch" - that's gotta be on par with anything in The Goonies. You actually felt that these kids were in danger. No way Hollywood would make a movie like Monster Squad these days. I definitely think Monster Squad holds up over the years. Very good acting, a sense of danger, and a fun script makes it one of the best "monster" movies ever.

I also love The Goonies. Best kid's fantasy movie ever. Every kid wanted to go on an adventure like that. It's become a bit over-saturated over the years, but only because I've seen it like a million times.

I say they are both great movies of the 80's, each holding their own weight in gold. For those that haven't seen Monster Squad, definitely seek it out on DVD (although it would have had more of an impact if you saw it as a kid). :thumbsup:

Critters!

I enjoyed Monster Squad, but Goonies gets my vote by a landslide

No fucking contest. GOONIES.

I love both but The Goonies gets my vote.

Easiest poll ever. Goonies by a long, long shot.

I was never crazy about both movies to tell you the truth. But I gotta go ahead and give the edge to Goonies.

Monster Squad. Nuff said.

As a huge fan of both growing up - The Goonies still takes the cake.

I would like to know also. The new DVD release is very tempting.

Exact same situation for me. I grew up in the 80s and never heard of Monster Squad at all until a few days ago when all the posts here on DVDtalk started. The Goonies was one of my favorite movies as a kid though.

As much as I love The Goonies, I gotta go with <b>The Monster Squad</b> because it's got exactly what I love: monsters. I was one of (the few, apparently) that grew up watching The Monster Squad on VHS and cable. It holds the same great childhood memories for me that The Goonies does, but I've always just liked it a bit more. That's not to take anything away from The Goonies, which is still one of the best movies to come out of the 80's for a kid like me.

Goonies gets my vote.

^^^

Easiest poll ever, for me.

Neither!

I never understood the appeal of either, though I've seen both.

The Goonies is better. But I do love Monster Squad.

Goonies has a better plot, Monster Squad has better dialog.