Netflix’s intense slasher horror Fear Street: 1994 features a slew of references to the pop culture of the ‘90s, but one of the most obscure has to be the cryptic code that nerdy hero Josh mutters to himself on the way into the bathroom. Fear Street: 1994 is the first in a trilogy of intense, R-rated horror movies based on the ‘90s book series of the same name by Goosebumps creator RL Stine. A gory throwback to slasher cinema of the ‘80s and ‘90s, Fear Street: 1994 tells the tale of some doomed small-town kids who accidentally reignite a centuries-old curse when they disturb a witch’s grave.
The retro period, small-town setting, and cast of likable teen misfits (as well as some shared cast members) have led Netflix users to compare Fear Street to Stranger Things, one of the streaming service’s earlier hits. It is an apt comparison, too, as both Fear Street and Stranger Things are filled with fun nods to forgotten media and nostalgic Easter eggs for viewers of a certain vintage. Fear Street: 1994, for example, features a subtle scene that will instantly be familiar to gamers of the ‘80s and ‘90s.
Early on in Fear Street: 1994’s action viewers are introduced to the movie’s major players including rebellious older teen Deena, her nerdy little brother Josh, and her cheerleader/valedictorian/girl-next-door best friend Kate. Inevitably, Josh has a crush on Kate, who is both older than him and seemingly out of his league. However, as the movie’s plot progresses, both Josh and Kate develop as characters and by the third act, Kate is interested in Deena’s little brother. In a short, sweet scene (shortly before Fear Street: 1994’s scariest and goriest sequence, naturally), Kate tells Josh she is too scared to get changed in the girl’s bathroom alone, implying he should join her for safety. Adorably, Josh then recites the Konami code to himself under his breath — summoning up the courage to make a move after Kate made hers by calling on the famous cheat code.
The Konami Code was popular in both Konami and non-Konami video games throughout the ‘80s and ‘90s, appearing in numerous Castlevania, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Metal Gear, and Dance Dance Revolution titles. The abilities that the cheat code would grant a player character differed depending on the game, but the Konami code was ubiquitous enough that it has also been referenced in Archer, Family Guy, and Wreck-It Ralph, and still appears in recent titles like Bioshock: Infinite, Dead By Daylight, and Just Cause 4. Much like Stranger Things used Dungeons and Dragons as inspiration for its monsters and to root the show’s action in the ‘80s, Fear Street: 1994 uses the Konami code both to posit Josh as a nerdy, but courageous, character and to remind viewers of its retro setting.
However, the code is not as much of a help as the character may have hoped. Josh does obtain the courage necessary to hook up with Kate but, in classic slasher movie fashion (major spoilers from here on out) sex equals death even when it is "barely first base," to quote Kate. Josh survives until the end of Fear Street: 1994, but the resourceful and resilient Kate nonetheless succumbs to the movie's most brutal death only a few scenes later when both of the gang's attempts to kill the villains fail.
