The Duffer Brothers certainly deserve kudos for creating 'Stranger Things.' Viewers are raving about the television series and for many, watching it was like taking a trip down memory lane as the science-fiction horror series has multiple cinematic influences from the past.
It would not be wrong to call the series an ode to Steven Spielberg's children movies and 1980s television. This Netflix tale reminds us of many past classics and anyone who grew in the 80s would find striking reflections of the 80s era television and movies in the series. The most prominent presence seems to be that of E.T. The bonding between Mike and Eleven, a lonely Eleven roaming around the house and the bike scene; all revive the aroma of the 1982 classic.
'Close Encounters of the Third Kind' is also present as Joyce is seen communicating with her lost son using a Christmas lighter. 'Firestarter,' the 1984 film based on Stephen King's novel, too peeks from the storyline of 'Stranger Things' as it makes use of the theme of mind control and experiments on children. One can see it in Eleven's crazy powers and Dr. Martin Brenner's sinister motives.
A very familiar thing of the 80s was kids riding bikes, which is also here and one cannot help but remember the 1985 adventure comedy film 'The Goonies' whose story was written by Steven Spielberg. Another well-known element is the walkie-talkies that keep the kids safe from adults. They are a reminder from the 1984 movie 'Cloak and Dagger.' And the tactic of burning Joyce's phone every time Will tries to contact her is lifted from 'The Gate,' a 1987 supernatural horror film that tells the story of a group of kids, who accidentally set open the gate to hell.
And this is not all. Once can find many more 80s flavors and if you are thinking of revisiting those years, this creepy series is a must-watch. The god old times will flash back multiple times as you watch the 8-episode scary drama.
