The Duffer Brothers struck a chord with Netflix subscribers when they released Stranger Things in 2016. Set in Hawkins, Indiana during the 1980s, the series follows a group of tweens at the center of strange supernatural phenomena.
Well-acted and absorbing, Stranger Things is a throwback to the heyday of science fiction and horror. The show doesn't hold back in paying homage to its influences. In fact, all three seasons are stock full of references to the genre features that came before it. This list digs into 10 movies that inspired the look, action, and characterization of Stranger Things.
Under The Skin (2013)
In order to pull off the terrifyingly black and reflective look of the Void, where Eleven's mind goes while employing her extrasensory abilities, Stranger Things creators borrowed from this 2013 feature starring Scarlett Johansson.
In Under the Skin, Johansson plays an alien life-form that inhabits the body of an attractive young woman. An advanced hunter, the ET assumes this appearance in order to seduce and then consume men. The feeding sequences occur in the same stylized void later seen in Stranger Things.
Akira (1988)
Katsuhiro Otomo's Akira is considered one of the best anime films of all time. This dystopian tale unfolds in 2019 Tokyo, where military officials have been conducting secret experiments on Espers, the collective term for people with psychic powers.
Tetsuo, a member of a teenage biker gang, goes on a mission to free his fellow Espers after his special abilities are activated. Like Akira, psychic children and corrupt governments abound in Stranger Things.
Carrie (1976)
Brian De Palma's adaptation of this Stephen King novel stars Sissy Spacek as a bullied high schooler with blossoming telekinetic abilities. The shy and misunderstood Carrie served as a major influence for the Duffer Brothers as they developed Eleven.
The scene in Stranger Things where Nancy's hand pushes through a portal after returning from the Upside Down is a direct allusion to the final scene in Carrie. In the film, as the camera focuses on Carrie's gravesite, the girl's hand rises out of the soil.
Altered States (1980)
British auteur Ken Russell directed this science fiction film about an obsessive psychopathologist who tests the limits of human consciousness using deprivation tanks and psychotropic drugs. The movie stars William Hurt, and the experiments he conducts on himself are analogous to Terry Ives's backstory in Stranger Things.
In fact, all of the research conducted at Hawkins Lab seems heavily influenced by Altered States.
A Nightmare On Elm Street (1984)
The first in Wes Craven's big-budget slasher franchise, A Nightmare on Elm Street did a lot to redefine popular horror by creating an iconic villain, Freddy Krueger, who hunts teenagers in their dreams. The aesthetics of this film, as well as it's psychological themes, are easy to spot in Stranger Things.
In Stranger Things, when the Demogorgon pushes through Joyce's wall and stretches the wallpaper, the Duffer Brothers are making a direct reference to the scene in A Nightmare on Elm Street when Krueger's bladed hand reaches through Nancy Thompson's wall.
Close Encounters Of The Third Kind (1977)
Steven Spielberg's enveloping film about a UFO encounter takes place in Indiana. In the same vein as Stranger Things, Spielberg gives this supernatural tale a human element by focusing on the characters wrapped up in these otherworldly events.
Like Richard Dreyfuss' character, Roy Neary, Winona Ryder's Joyce Byers is a working-class Midwesterner forced to toss her skepticism aside and dive into the unknown.
Let The Right One In (2008)
A creepy Swedish vampire horror film, Let The Right One In focuses on Oskar, an isolated boy who starts a singular friendship with Eli, a child vampire. They develop a bond based on their status as outsiders, and Eli comes to Oskar's aide in order to take out his bullies and enemies.
In Stranger Things, the relationship between Mike and Eleven mirrors the relationship between Oskar and Eli. In both the movie and the series, a latent romance bubbles under the surface.
Beyond The Black Rainbow (2010)
Panos Cosmatos' psychedelic horror movie is a throwback to trippy features from the 1980s. Its plot involves psychic teens, new-age research facilities, and telekinesis. A crazed scientist named Dr. Barry Nyle holds a hostage in the form of Elena, a beautiful girl with supernatural talents.
The moodier and more stylized scenes in Stranger Things are very reminiscent of Cosmatos' movie. Both the film and the series delve into the side effects of excessive precognitive experimentation, including hair loss and waning sanity.
Day Of The Dead (1985)
The third feature in George Romero's zombie universe, Day of the Dead hones in on an underground research facility where humans are trying to contain the mushrooming zombie apocalypse. Characters in the movie include scientists and military officials.
Storytelling from this militaristic perspective is evident throughout season 3 of Stranger Things. From the Russians experimenting on the rift to Grigori's aggressive attitude, Stranger Things is indebted to Day of the Dead. John Harrison's song "Breakdown," written for the movie, is even featured in the episode "E Pluribus Unum."
Jaws (1975)
Perhaps one of the most successful monster movies of all time, there is no denying the lasting influence of Jaws on popular culture. The Duffer Brothers are outspoken about Jaws being their favorite movie, and its impact on their series is palpable.
One important comparison lies between the giant shark in the movie and the Demogorgon in the show. Like the shark, the monster invades the human world and brings its victims back to its lair in order to feed.