Editorials
“Stranger Things” Just Raised the Bar for the Upcoming ‘It’ Adaptation
New Line is probably real worried right about now.
Netflix series Stranger Things has somehow managed to dethrone Pokemon Go as the number one topic of discussion on all my social media feeds, and I haven’t yet come across a single person who has anything bad to say about it. In other words, I haven’t been forced to de-friend anyone for having terrible taste, and that makes me feel pretty good about the company I keep. For anyone who loves the ’80s and all the wonderful entertainment it gave us, the series is nothing short of a nostalgic gift.
Created by the Duffer Brothers, who seemingly came out of nowhere and immediately established themselves as my new favorite creative duo, Stranger Things is set in the fictional town of Hawkins, Indiana, in the 1980s. After a young boy named Will goes missing and a mysterious little girl turns up in his place, the boy’s bike-riding friends set out on a quest to find him, along the way befriending the little girl and discovering that she has some pretty impressive powers. The girl, nicknamed Eleven, is being hunted by the government agents she escaped from, and she claims that Will is alive – and she knows how to find him.
There are many side-stories going on in Stranger Things, involving Will’s distraught mother (played by Winona Ryder), the town’s sheriff, and a teenage girl whose friend, like Will, has gone missing, but it’s the pint-sized gang’s mission to find Will that is very much the central plot of the series. As they eventually discover, Will has been taken by an otherworldly creature that resides in “The Upside Down,” an alternate world that runs parallel to our own. At its core, Stranger Things is a kids vs. monster tale, the overall vibe of the series evoking gems like The Monster Squad, The Gate, and of course, a certain Stephen King story.
Above all else, Stranger Things is a love letter to the work of Stephen King, fueled by no shortage of Amblin nostalgia, and the plot most closely resembles that of King’s It. Though they don’t have a gang name, the kids in the series are very much cut from the same cloth as the lovable Losers’ Club, viewed by the “cool” kids in town as weird outsiders and frequently bullied as a result. But though they may be geeks, they’re the only ones who show no fear in the face of a monster invading their town, stopping at nothing to get their friend back and bravely doing battle with the creature who took him.
In many ways, and at many different moments, Stranger Things feels like a pseudo-adaptation of Stephen King’s It, which is somewhat concerning given the fact that a direct adaption of King’s It is currently in the works over at New Line Cinema. Filming recently began on the two part, Andy Muschietti-directed “remake” of the 1990 mini-series, and the out-of-nowhere arrival of Stranger Things has surely thrown a big ole wrench in the studio’s plans – if only because the bar, well, it’s just been raised quite a bit.
Did I mention that the first part of the new It is set in the ’80s? Uh oh.
Prior to Stranger Things dominating social media chatter and being universally praised by everyone it was intended to be enjoyed by, all Muschietti’s adaptation of It really had to be was better than the original mini-series, which most agreed was not too daunting of a task. In fact, even the biggest fans of the mini-series seem to be excited about the re-adaptation, hopeful that it will be better than what we got back in 1990. But now, in the wake of Stranger Things tapping directly into King’s novel and mining it for something both familiar and new, it’s hard not to feel like a direct adaptation of the book now seems kind of passé. At the very least, it’s hard to imagine Muschietti topping what Netflix has brought to the table with their latest hit series, even if he has Stranger Things star Finn Wolfhard on his team.
Needless to say, if you can’t wait for the new It, cozy up on the couch with Stranger Things. It’s everything you’re probably hoping Muschietti’s It will be, and that makes me feel a little bad for New Line right about now. The bar, I must insist on repeating, has just been raised.
BIG TIME.
Editorials
‘The Vampire Lestat’ Concert Event Launches New Season With The Ultimate Expression Of Fandom
There are thousands of passionate fans decked out in gothic chic and champing at the bit like feral creatures. They’re screaming for Lestat, a legendary vampire-turned-rock star, as if the entire crowd has been glamored into submission.
The entire experience is magic, but not because some supernatural thrall has been activated. What’s going on is even more special. It’s the power of the effusive fandom that’s been authentically assembled by AMC’s sublime Immortal Universe, namely Anne Rice’s Interview with the Vampire, now, The Vampire Lestat.
The Vampire Lestat is far from the first Anne Rice adaptation, and it’s not as if there’s been a lack of erotic vampire material for audiences to sink their teeth into. On June 2nd, during a one-night-only spectacle, New York City’s prestigious Beacon Theatre shook from Sam Reid’s bravado performance and an audience full of adoring fans who had already memorized Lestat’s songs.
It’s clear that The Vampire Lestat just hits differently than its predecessors. It’s become more than just a TV series at this point, and this opulent display of ego, swagger, and pure sex is the perfect way to premiere the new season and give back to the fans who helped make Interview with the Vampire/The Vampire Lestat such a breakout success. It’s exactly the sort of hyperbolized hedonism that would make Lestat cackle.
For all intents and purposes, AMC has successfully created the illusion that this concert/premiere is just one of the many destinations on Lestat and his band’s 54-stop tour that is simultaneously playing out on this season of television. It’s such a sophisticated and thorough level of interactive fan engagement that the audience doesn’t just understand, but also manages to accentuate through its involvement.
It’s a level of seamless synergy that’s not unlike the give-and-take relationship of vampire and victim.
Before the concert started, “LeStans” were sitting in the Beacon and flipping through a fake Rolling Stone issue with Lestat emblazoned on the cover, complete with interviews with the undead frontman inside. Other fans were admiring the vinyl pressing of Lestat’s EP as they walked past a section of undead band merch. Fandom and fantasy blur together, and it all becomes this elaborate, immersive experience. Fan celebration, erotic gothic fantasy, and a lavish rock concert transform into one beautiful thing.
To this point, AMC Global Media’s Chief Content Officer and President of AMC Studios, Dan McDermott, introduced the event by reiterating to fans, “You are the heartbeat of the series.” That’s abundantly clear on nights like this as that heartbeat collectively pulses to this performance. In terms of how AMC engages with The Vampire Lestat’s fans, it’s as bold a reinvention as the season itself.
This intuitive gamble speaks to AMC’s creativity in this department and a fandom that is eager to seize such opportunities. It’s the same innovation that led to zombie walks for The Walking Dead and real-life Los Pollos Hermanos restaurant pop-ups from Breaking Bad. It’s a great way to pump up the audience for The Vampire Lestat and then maintain that enthusiasm for the whole season.
For most series, a rock ‘n’ roll concert just doesn’t make any sense as a promotional tool. The Vampire Lestat finds itself in a very unique position where it can deliver an excellent concert at an iconic theater, but also use it to showcase The Vampire Lestat’s music by Daniel Hart (who was shredding on stage alongside Reid and the rest of their band) and, more than anything, Sam Reid’s endless charisma.
The way in which Reid feeds off of the crowd’s energy, modulating his performance and giving different sections of the Beacon life, is a perfect distillation of the series’ thoughtful relationship with its audience and how it’s become such a breakout success for AMC. AMC Studios President Dan McDermott emphasized that the fans are the reason that the show is still here and why an event like this is even possible. It’s rare to see a series in which every single cog in the machine is so perfectly attuned to its fans. Reid’s fans already cheer whenever they see him, so why not translate that to a concert setting?
It’s clear in this season of television that Reid was born to be a rock star, but it’s surreal to see him effortlessly command the stage — and the audience — at every step of the concert. He recites Shakespeare monologues and bitches out Armand between songs, all while the audience screams in support. For the duration of this concert, Reid is Lestat, and he’s given thousands of fans a memory that’s as immortal as any vampire.
Now bring on the encore and get this show on the road!
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