The third season of the genre-bending “Stranger Things” is dropping on Netflix on July 4, 2019, leaving behind the Halloween 1984 setting of season two in favor of the summer sun of 1985. The Mind Flayer has been confined back in the Upside Down, but that doesn’t mean our favorite Hawkins residents won’t have new monsters, both of the Upside Down variety and human, to confront.
The Duffer Brothers wear their influences on their sleeves in this unique mashup of ‘80s nostalgia, sci-fi, coming of age, and horror. There’s no shortage of Easter eggs to spot, but the influences can be felt throughout both in style and story. For season three, the Duffer Brothers have promised the grossest season yet. The showrunners have teased that they’re drawing inspiration from the master of body horror, David Cronenberg, John Carpenter’s The Thing, and even a bit of George A. Romero this round.
Of course, it’ll hardly be the first time the series pays tribute to horror movies and horror masters, so in preparation of what’s shaping up to be the goriest season yet, we look back at the horror influences that have shaped Stranger Things so far.
Season 1
Firestarter and Carrie
It should surprise no one that Stephen King was a major influence on the Duffer Brothers growing up, and therefore played a huge role in this series. Eleven’s psychokinetic and telepathic abilities draw from Firestarter’s Charlie McGee and Carrie White.
Altered States
The isolation tank that Eleven was submerged in during flashback sequences were inspired by Altered States. The film served as a key reference point for production designer Chris Trujillo.
Under the Skin
When the sensory-deprivation tank works, enhancing Eleven’s abilities, she’s shown in an all-black space standing on water. The imagery is directly inspired by Under the Skin.
Poltergeist
Like Diane Freeling’s ability to communicate with her ghost-napped daughter Carol Anne by way of white noise of the TV and walls, Joyce is able to communicate to Will through a string of Christmas lights and radios.
Let the Right One In
There are parallels in the budding romance between Mike and Eleven and Oskar and Eli, in that both boys are bullied and befriend/fall for a powerful girl who’s more than they seem. There’s also the scene that features Mike playing with a Rubik’s cube while waiting on Eleven; the Rubik’s cube is a major symbol of friendship between Oskar and Eli.
A Nightmare on Elm Street
A major formative film on the Duffer Brothers, they tried to recreate the feeling of dread from Wes Craven’s seminal film. The teens try to exploit the nature of the Demogorgon to defeat it, much the same way that Nancy Thompson does with Freddy Krueger. But most obvious is the scene that sees the Demogorgon pushing through the Byers’ walls to break through to their world. Just like Freddy Krueger did above a sleeping Nancy.
Silent Hill
When it came to creating and designing the eerie world of the Upside Down, one of the biggest inspirations came from the video game Silent Hill. The floating ash, the color correction and the deteriorated buildings were all influenced by the hellscape in the popular game.
Alien
The other major inspiration for the look of the Upside Down came from Alien, namely LV-426. Then there’s the egg that Hopper finds while in the Upside Down in the season one finale, and the tendril down Will’s throat when he and Joyce finally find him. Both directly from Alien.
Jaws
The movie that played the biggest influence of all is Jaws, the Duffer Brothers’ favorite film. It permeates throughout the entire series, which was nearly named Montauk, after Montauk, New York (to capture that Amity aesthetic). The look of Sheriff Hopper is directly inspired by Roy Scheider’s character. They even drive similar trucks. The scene where Hopper is typing a report is framed exactly the same way as a scene in Jaws. The way a drop of blood from a cut on Barb’s hand attracted the Demogorgon, directly resulting in her death, is the same as a shark; the way the monster feeds is very shark-like. Above all, though, the way the Demogorgon is keep mostly hidden throughout season 1 is directly borrowed from Jaws, in the same way the shark’s appearance was used sparingly to build suspense.
Season 2
H.P. Lovecraft
The expanded world of the Upside Down, and creatures like the Mind Flayer, both in terms of design and scale, seem to stem directly from the works of H.P. Lovecraft.
The Evil Dead
Sam Raimi’s film was a major favorite of the Duffer Brothers, and they’ve snuck visual references to it in season two. It’s impossible to imagine that Hopper’s secluded cabin, and its design, wasn’t influenced by The Evil Dead.
IT
Stephen King’s work was a major staple for the Duffer Brothers, so it’s no surprise that season 2 loops in even more references and inspiration from his expansive catalog. It plays a major role in shaping new character Billy Hargrove. Hargrove is a violent teen and older stepbrother to Max, and takes major personality cues from It bully Henry Bowers.
The Shining
There’s a little bit of Jack Torrance in Billy Hargrove, too. But The Shining also shows up in the way that Will Byers has a clairvoyant connection with the monster from the Upside Down, much like Danny Torrance.
The Exorcist
The Mind Flayer, aka Shadow Monster, appears to Will in visions at the beginning of Season 2, but eventually takes control of his body. Will’s consciousness is assimilated into the hive mind, and the Mind Flayer is able to use Will as a puppet. Actor Noah Schnapp studied The Exorcist and Regan’s physicality when preparing for these specific scenes. The medical gown he wears while possessed and during his exorcism scene also feels like a visual nod.
Gremlins
Joe Dante’s classic, about a boy and his pet monster, Gizmo, is paid homage to extensively in the relationship between Dustin and his baby Upside Down monster, Dart.
Jurassic Park
When our protagonists are trapped in the lab with a pack of creatures, Bob (Sean Astin) navigates his way through the dangerous, overrun halls to reset the breakers and free everyone. This sequence is an homage to Jurassic Park, where Laura Dern’s Ellie Sattler has to make her way to a bunker to restore power while hungry velociraptors are loose and on the hunt.
Aliens
Aliens factored into season two in a number of ways; the most obvious being Paul Reiser’s casting. But there’s also the fact that there’s a lot more Demo-creatures this go ‘round to battle, while season one only had one as the big bad. Like the marines in Aliens, the government officials try to destroy the Upside Down with flamethrowers. Both feature a group of soldiers who find out much too late that they’ve underestimated their foe, and the words “stay frosty” are uttered in both as well.
Jaws
Like King’s continued presence in the series, so too is Jaws. Most notably, in the scene that features Hopper and Eleven descending into the depths of the lab to close the portal to the Upside Down. As they’re confronted with the power of the Mind Flayer and the enclosing pack of Demodogs, they find the iron cage they’re in has left them vulnerable. Just like Richard Dreyfuss’ Hooper, who finds himself face to face with the shark while inside the shark cage beneath the water.
And of course, there’s no shortage of references in the Halloween set episode of season two, which has the core group of characters dressed as Ghostbusters. It introduces Max, who’s dressed as Michael Myers, and a whole slew of horror nods scattered among the trick or treaters.
“Stranger Things” returns to Netflix on the Fourth of July!
