The complex tale of the Astoria mansion, which was portrayed in the 1985 film The Goonies, is probably well known to Oregonians. Fans of the film frequently visit the Oregon coast to view and photograph the hilltop home.
A new documentary called The House From explores the conflict between the fervent feelings of fans for places they identify with beloved films and television series and the feelings of the people who reside in those homes about the throngs of tourists camped up on their doorway.
Actor Ryan Reynolds, who also co-owns Aviation American Gin, a distillery in Portland, is one of the film’s executive producers. In addition to the Goonies’ home, the movie also features visits to Bella Swan’s (Kristen Stewart) home in Twilight (2008), which is in St. Helens, and a house from the 1986 film Short Circuit, which was filmed in Astoria, Oregon.
The feature-length documentary, which is narrated by Jason Lee (My Name Ia Earl), explores various well-known locations, including the home of Sex and the City main character Carrie Bradshaw in New York City; the Winnetka, Illinois house from Home Alone; the Tanner residence in San Francisco, California, from Full House; the Christmas Story house, museum, and gift shop in Cleveland, Ohio; the house featured in Friday, in West Athens, California; the Golden Girls house in Brentwood, California; and many more.
Some ardent supporters have shown up, sometimes in their thousands, despite the fact that most of the time only the exteriors of the houses were featured in TV shows and movies. Not all homeowners are as positive, while some neighbors and homeowners claim to have been moved by the emotional bond that fans form with the television series and films that are linked to these actual homes.
In one particularly striking scene, for instance, a woman who owns the house in Albuquerque where Walter White (Bryan Cranston) lived yells R-rated insults at guests who are determined to stare at the house. Some even try to mimic a scene from the show where Walter throws a pizza on the garage roof in a fit of rage.
In a long part about the so-called Goonies house, same complicated ideas about what is a tourist attraction and what is someone’s home come through forcefully. We learn about some of the annoyances that Sandi Preston, the previous owner, purportedly faced when thousands of Goonies fans continued to visit the property in an interview with a man who claims to have been a friend of Preston. According to the friend, some were courteous, while others showed less consideration.
There are scenes in the documentary where fans are upset that homeowners object to their homes being used as tourist attractions. Some of the fans argue that they have the right to visit and that if the owners don’t like it, they should leave.
Following the controversy surrounding the Goonies’ home, in which fans disregarded warnings warning them not to enter the residential area of Astoria, Preston listed the property for sale, and in 2023, a self-described Goonies fan purchased it.
The Oregonian/OregonLive stated that the buyer, Behman Zakeri, a Kansas-based businessman, paid $1,650,777 for the house.
In the documentary, Zakeri encourages Goonies fans to come, despite a banner outside a house that reads, “Goonies Not Welcome.”
As in the case of the owners of the Astoria home featured in Short Circuit and the St. Helens home where Twilight heroine Bella Swan lived, some owners of famous homes have decided to capitalize on fan interest by highlighting the properties’ movie connections and renting them out for vacations.
While some neighbors and homeowners might find fan visits annoying, The House From… points out that for many people, visiting locations associated with their favorite TV series and films is more than just a vacation; it’s a way to connect with something that has held great meaning in their lives.
Tommy Avallone’s film The House From… is streaming on Fubo (which provides a free trial) and the Maximum Effort Channel, and may be rented or bought on Amazon Prime Video.
Stories by
Kristi Turnquist
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