When Stranger Things first premiered on Netflix, audiences were immediately hooked. The series has already run for three stellar seasons, and Season 4 is set to premiere in the summer of 2022. The show has everything modern-day fans could ask for in a television series: compelling horror elements, hilarious comedy, lovable characters, and a healthy dose of nostalgia.
The series is set in the 1980s and features a plethora of nods to the decade. From fashion to technology to music, to even the popular family values of the time, Stranger Things firmly and convincingly plants viewers in the world of the past. Part of what makes the series so successful at bringing audiences back to the '80s is the pop culture nods that are cleverly hidden throughout. This is especially true of the many classic film references that pop up season after season.
8 The Friendships Are Reminiscent Of The Goonies
The friendship between Dustin, Mike, and Lucas is a nod to the classic 1985 film The Goonies. Just like the boys in the film, the nerdy bunch of misfits in Stranger Things merrily embark on a quest with minimal adult supervision - leading to harrowing and hilarious results. The jovial spirit of Stranger Things is reminiscent of the overall tone of The Goonies, and the purpose of the boys' mission is as pure and admirable as The Goonies treasure hunt. This nod to nostalgia is one of many comedic reprieves from some of the heavier subject matter that the show addresses, and plays well against the horror elements.
7 Risky Business Served As Fashion Inspiration
If the Season 2 Halloween costumes of Steve Harrington and Nancy Wheeler look familiar, it's because they were directly inspired by the classic '80s film Risky Business. Steve Harrington is reminiscent of a young Tom Cruise, especially when he dons his sunglasses at night.
Nancy is every bit as convincing in her Rebecca De Mornay getup, and the two look as good together as the silver screen couple that inspired their costumes. An even more obvious Risky Business reference occurs early in Season 1 when Steve asks Nancy if she'd like to go see the movie with him in theaters.
6 Poltergeist Inspired The Byers' Family Home
The 1982 horror film Poltergeist is heavily referenced throughout the series, starting from the very first season and continuing for the duration of the series so far. Joyce gives Will tickets to go see the film during the pilot, and the references just continue to appear from there. One of the most noticeable references is the Byers' family home, which bears an uncanny resemblance to the haunted family home in the original film. Some of the odd goings-on at the Byers' residence are reminiscent of the creepy effects in the film, especially Will writing on the wall to communicate with the family from The Upside Down.
5 The Demogorgon Is Partially Inspired By The Thing
The infamous Demogorgon is at the heart of the chaos in Hawkins, Indiana, but it is also an homage to a classic 1980s film: John Carpenter's The Thing. Though the series doesn't mimic the signature special effects that the film is known for, the creature is clearly inspired by this classic.
The series includes a few other subtle nods to this film as well, including the fact that Mike has a poster for it in his basement. The boys' science teacher also has the film playing in the background during a phone call with Dustin. The creators of the show often embed film references in subtle ways, and references to The Thing are no exception.
4 Eleven's Experience Mimics A Scene In Altered States
Sensory deprivation tanks and chambers are sci-fi gold, and the 1980 film Altered States is a prime example of the concept at its best. In Season One of Stranger Things, Eleven is forced to confront the Demogorgon in the psychic world by being plunged into a sensory deprivation tank. Later, the kids employ sensory deprivation to allow Eleven to try and locate Will. The depictions of Eleven using this technique to astral project into The Upside Down are a dead ringer for many of the scenes in Altered States, and remind viewers that this time-honored aspect of many psychological sci-fi films is still alive and well.
3 Eleven's Origins Are Similar To Firestarter
There's no doubt that Eleven is one of the most fascinating characters in the series, and the parallels between her life and that of Stephen King's Firestarter heroine, Charlie McGee, are obvious. Both girls were born with incredible powers and needed parental figures to intervene and protect them.
While Hopper may not be Eleven's biological father, he certainly took on a fatherly role when it came to caring for Eleven and trying to keep her out of harm's way. Parallels also occur between the girls' relationships with their friends, and with the doctors who experimented on them. A promotional poster for the series even depicted Eleven in nearly the same manner as the promotional posters for Firestarter, ephemeral hair and all.
2 Eleven Dresses Up Like E.T.: The Extra-Terrestrial
Steven Spielberg's E.T.: The Extra-Terrestrial is given a very original homage in the series. In Season One, Eleven dresses in a pink dress and blonde wig very similar to what Drew Barrymore dressed the film's titular alien in to disguise him. The similarity is fitting, in a way, since Eleven is the closest thing to an extra-terrestrial that the kids in Hawkins have ever met. The relationship between Eleven and the other kids is similar to Barrymore's friendship with E.T., too: they protect their otherworldly friend from danger whenever possible, and are fascinated by their unique gifts.
1 The Gang Dressed In Ghostbusters Costumes
Another classic movie that served as Halloween inspiration was the original Ghostbusters. Who better to dress up like the eponymous band of ghostly crime-fighters than a loyal group of friends? Will, Mike, Dustin, and Lucas go as the Ghostbusters for Halloween in Season 2 and are very proud of their costumes until they realize one thing: no one else wore their Halloween costumes to school.
Watching the boys walk down the hallway of Hawkins Middle School in mortified dismay is a hilarious moment for audiences, and also reiterates the camaraderie between the boys. They are fully united - even in their embarrassment - just like the squad from the film that inspired their costumes.