Netflix’s ‘Stranger Things’ feels like it’s pulled right from the ‘80s and reminds us why that decade is so important to horror
“What are you kids doing with all of this?”
“Monster hunting.”
The Duffer Brothers’ gripping science fiction/horror hybrid on Netflix, Stranger Things, is quickly proving itself to be one of the most compelling television series of 2016, even if it feels like something that’s been seamlessly ripped from the 1980s. Stranger Things chronicles the increasingly bizarre circumstances surrounding a small town in Indiana, but it’s the series willingness to turn into a love letter to ‘80s filmmaking that truly elevates this material to a higher level. While Stranger Things is mandatory viewing for those that are a fan of the ‘80s or otherwise, it also helps bring focus to the larger discussion of why this decade is so special in the first place by examining how the series chooses to implement its specific influences.
The phenomenon of when the ordinary meets the extraordinary is something that the Duffer Brothers show deep fascination with. This effect from watching the mundane mix with the inexplicable results in a glorious feeling of wonder that not only largely defines ‘80s horror, but also Stranger Things itself. The show’s major influences, Stephen King, John Carpenter, and Steven Spielberg also help prove how this series is emblematic of the ‘80s.
Obviously these elements of wonder and the normal meeting the paranormal are present in horror from other decades too, but it’s definitely a characterizing trait of the ‘80s and merely a supporting player elsewhere. ‘90s horror is a deeply cynical beast for instance, with a direction that becomes increasingly meta (Scream, I Know What You Did Last Summer, The Craft). ‘80s horror is simpler and purer than that. ’70s horror fare is also a violent breed that’s full of serial killers (Halloween, The Texas Chain Saw Massacre, Black Christmas), whereas ‘80s horror is dealing more with monsters or terror-next-door threats rather than unknown men in masks. When digging into the parameters of these other decades, you begin to realize just how rare it is that a horror series has an authentic ‘80s influence. It’s something I can barely remember happening before and it causes Stranger Things to come as a breath of fresh thirty-year old air.
Something smart that Stranger Things does right up from the start is that it actually takes place in 1983, so it’s very much steeped in Dungeons & Dragons and comics references from the very world that it’s paying homage (The AV Club saying that the ESP-friendly Eleven is “basically a wizard” is one of many wonderful moments). On top of that, the predominant inspirations that the series pulls from are some of the ‘80s most iconic voices. Stephen King is still a powerhouse of a force even now, but the ‘80s saw the exciting beginning of his career with works like Christine, Firestarter, and Pet Cemetery getting people’s attention. It is a formative book in King’s career from the time period and it’s hard to watch the plucky AV club in their search for Will without thinking of the children in Derry and their camaraderie.
The real connection point feels like King’s Christine, which beautifully melds the ordinary with the extraordinary in the form of a car taking on homicidal tendencies (in this respect, Cujo also qualifies to some degree, too). The “car” for Stranger Things is its Christmas lights, which turn into a vital communication tool for the McBoyd’s missing child. The same reverent awe is placed in both of these everyday objects and the fact that Carpenter also made a film out of it in the ‘80s doubly speaks to its odd importance.
The sensibilities of It and Christine might be the most pertinent of King’s present in Stranger Things, but works from the time period like The Mist, which is present in Skeleton Crew (which also contains Word Processor of the Gods and Uncle Otto’s Truck, both prime examples of imbuing the normal with special properties), are also felt. Stranger Things opens the big can of worms that is alternate dimensions, something that’s crucial to The Mist. The reasons for the rift existing in this show are also largely the same as in King’s short story. The name that the kids colloquially give this alternate dimension, “The Upside Down,” also feels like it’s a term pulled right out of the works of Stephen King or Steven Spielberg. The series even chooses to present itself like a pulpy, yellowed paperback, complete with chapter titles instead of episode names, further capturing the atmosphere of King’s work and novels in general.
King’s works are given proper tribute, but the influence of John Carpenter in the show is another strong indicator of how much this vehicle is a creature of the ‘80s. A huge characterizing trait of this series is its heavy use of a synth score that’s deeply reminiscent of Carpenter’s aesthetic. It establishes the tone almost immediately. Of course another overbearing presence from Carpenter’s oeuvre is The Thing, which sees representation here in the form of the monsters out of “The Upside Down.” The series goes the practical route as much as possible with these otherworldly elements and it makes all the difference in terms of placing you within an era. There’s even a gratuitous shot that lingers on a poster for The Thing in Michael’s bedroom, and then later someone is full-out watching it and explaining how the practical effects for it are done. You know, just in case you missed the clear love letter going on here.
The Fog is another seminal work from Carpenter’s career in the ’80s, with it also being a reflection of the normal meeting the paranormal. Fog is just as innocuous as Christmas lights until it isn’t. Stranger Things also uses its teenage characters to fulfill many of the Carpenter archetypes, wisely using this demographic as a reflection of the victims in his films. Even Carpenter’s Prince of Darkness explores alternate dimensions and monsters from another world, so again all these ‘80s staples are seeing service here.
Lastly, the greatest ‘80s influence of all in the show might be its flawless job at replicating Spielberg’s work from the decade. One of Spielberg’s strongest skills is his ability to pull tremendous performances out of young, budding actors. That same feeling of awe of stumbling upon raw talent is present here as the performances and bond between Michael, Lucas, and Desmond are sublime. The secret, forbidden friendship that these children adopt with Eleven is not unlike Elliot’s connection with E.T., too. There’s also a moment in the series’ seventh episode where a car gets telepathically thrown while the kids are riding their bikes that straight up feels like our modern equivalent of the E.T. “moon bike” sequence. It’s beautiful, powerful, evocative stuff.
And while only a Spielberg-produced vehicle, there’s an overwhelming feeling of The Goonies present as these children embark on a larger than life quest that puts them in very real danger. Just like how the teenage characters tap into the Carpenter aesthetic of the ‘80s, and the adults more closely represent Stephen King’s attitude, the children act as the Spielberg proxy, which ends up becoming the predominant voice in this ménage a trois of muses. To continue to beat upon a reliable drum here, the ordinary meeting the extraordinary is also something that characterizes Spielberg’s work in the ‘80s. Poltergeist’s iconic visual, and one of its most effective scares, is achieved simply through television static. It’s hard to watch Christmas lights with knotted dread and not be reminded of Poltergeist’s eerie set piece.
Even beyond the works of these integral directors, Stranger Things pays respect to other fixtures of the ’80s like Hellraiser, From Beyond, and Re-Animator as the parallel dimension territory is dug into further. As all of this coalesces you’re left with an overwhelming product that screams, cries, and bleeds the ’80s.
As further steam for Stranger Things continues to pick up and you hear more conversations going on about it, remember that the special it factor here is that the series is doing its best impression of a different decade. So many series swing for the supernatural, but so few take such a strong lesson from the masters that came before them. We can only hope that there will be more seasons so we we’ll be able to live in the ‘80s forever.