WEIRD SCIENCE, 1985 (FILM)
Ted Hughes, the director who brought you Ferris Bueller’s Day Off, brilliantly creates a hysterical remake of Frankenstein, only these two nerds’ monster is a lot more sexy than gothic. Through their weird and wonderful experiments they have created the perfect girl — she has superpowers and a sense of humour. She brings the right amount of trouble and fun into the lives of these two affable nerds. Light-hearted girl power rules the screen, though not quite in the immense way as our beloved Eleven from Stranger Things. High-school bullies (one being a young Robert Downey Jr.) are the only villains in this fabulous and now iconic ’80s comedy.
TWIN PEAKS, 1990-1991 (TV SHOW)
Themes from Stranger Things are evident in this show: a missing child, a cranky (but awesome) detective, a dusty American small-town location. Co-created by David Lynch, Twin Peaks has cultivated a cult following for its thriller/sci-fi-esque qualities and the subtle way they are brought to the screen. Here giants and alternative paranormal universes share the screen with drug traffickers and small-town beauty contests. Black humour at it best. And the Twin Peaks cast is returning in 2017 with a new season!
GOONIES, 1985 (FILM)
Stranger Things is a magnificent ode to Steven Spielberg, and the Goonies is one of Spielberg’s quirky hidden treasures, who penned the story. This adventure comedy follows a group of enigmatic American teenagers who find a map that tempts them with the promise of treasure; only they face criminals and other strange obstacles on the way. This film is a testament to teenage friendship and courage. The tongue-in-cheek American humour makes this an endearing experience as you watch underdogs becomes heroes, just like in Stranger Things.
WAYWARD PINES, 2015 - (TV SHOW)
Although this isn’t set in the ’80s, you can tell that the Duffer Brothers co-wrote the show. Wayward Pines is an American town like no other; it has fortified frontiers and Terrace Howard as the formidable warden who lets nobody out. We discover the secrets of this town through the eyes of Ethan, an SS agent, who in the first episode wakes up from a car crash, unable to contact the outside world. Wayward Pines will give you that feeling of intrigue, awe and pure epicness that you got after finishing a Stranger Things episode. The same feels that fuelled our Stranger Things obsession.
DRIVE, 2011 (FILM)
The Stranger Things epic soundtrack that boasts of The Clash, Joy Division and New Order only made our delirium stronger. The same rock legends provided sound to cult film Drive, directed by Nicolas Winding Refn. The soundtrack overpowered the plot and created a cult following, especially in Europe. The genius of the Kavinsky and College feat. Electric Youth electrified each scene with a mysterious nostalgia. This is a film where vintage racing cars and quirky gangsters rule the screen. Eighties-style synth pulsates each tense scene. The brooding face of Ryan Gosling, our silent hero, leads this beautiful marriage of art-house aesthetics and Guy Richie violence.
THE THING, 1982 (FILM)
This science-fiction horror will have you shivering hours after the film finishes. It is set in the freezing plains of Antarctica after a spaceship sighting entices a group of scientists to investigate and then successfully capture an alien body. This happy escapade quickly turns icy as this “thing” proves more resilient and dangerous than expected. This sci-fi, that borders on a psychological thriller, will wipe out any other thought in your mind for two hours; sitting on the edge of your seat is the only way it can be watched. This metamorphosing “thing” is the perfect modern Demagorgon.
MISFITS, 2009-2013 (TV SHOW)
This British TV show is refreshingly gritty, rude and sexy, but most importantly, it is a creative portrayal of all things paranormal. After a freak electrical storm, a group of teenage delinquents discover they have supernatural abilities. What’s interesting is that the their abilities derive from what they intrinsically desire most. Based in the back-streets of modern London, this show will give you insight into the real lives of misunderstood youths as they battle against supernatural forces (some of which reside within). Its five seasons will shock, scare and excite in every way possible and distract you from your Stranger Things withdrawal.
P.S. Or, you can just repeat watch Stranger Things on Netflix. We promise it won’t get old any time soon.
Emma George Anderson
(A student of Leeds University who interned with t2)
