Perhaps one of our greatest binge watching series recently has been the NetFlix 'Stranger Things' Science Fiction series from the Duffer Brothers. WARNING! There are few 'Spoiler' images at the end of this post if you have watched it already! Set in 1983 this is a faithful re-emergence into Films and Television shows of that era. I was a wash with references or at least close parallels of Poltergeist (1982), ET (1982), War Games (1983) The Goonies (1985) and even the Gremlins (1984) but all brought bang up to date with a strong story line and sympathetic effects to lend for a believable parallel world. For us, the strongest link to the 80s was the Soundtrack of the series created Kyle Dixon and Michael Stein. A lot of effort and time went into researching the sound tracks from film Soundtracks and the music of the time. Couple this with the classic 'Steven King' 1980's titles and your onto a winner. The series also kept to the 1980's adventure formula throughout the first season... The Bike Goonies, ET and numerous other 1980's films featured kids being mobile and free on their bikes. My first bike crush was on the Kuwahara BMX used in E.T. but Stranger Things also appears to have squeezed in a StingRay which was the bike of choice prior to the BMX craze it ultimately fuelled. Either way it is the bike that enables the group to lead their own destiny and drive the story line. Dis-functional geek gang Again Goonies and E.T. jump to the front of your mind, but Wars Games also has a fringe hero with intelligence and integrity. Something this series also takes on a broad shoulders and the down trodden group rise up to over come the Kids know better Most 80's films of this style have a strong 'Kids Know Best' and 'condescending oblivious parents' and this series also runs true with this. It also has the slightly dis-functional family and manic mother played by Winona Ryder to really set the whole thing off as well. Christmas? Unlike Gremlins, Lethal Weapon (1987) and Die Hard (1988) which are set close up to Christmas the series takes place in the run up to Christmas November, this timing obviously allows Joyce Byers to buy vast amounts of Christmas tree lights to talk with her son. All that to one side the story line is great and the direction and acting first class. Go watch it. Learn from it and make your own links with your favourite films.
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