Stranger things- in depth analysation (preliminary work [ongoing])

Synopsis

Stranger Things is a hybrid genre show containing elements of Sci-fi , thriller, horror and drama. The show is set in 1983 Indiana and is an homage to '80s pop culture, inspired and aesthetically informed by the works of Steven Spielberg, John Carpenter, Stephen King, and George Lucas, among others. The show follows the drama based around the disappearance of Will Byers and the horror that unfolds with the Demagorgon and introduction to Eleven. 

Production Company

Netflix is a multi-million company founded by Reed Hastings and Marc Randolph on August 29, 1997, in Scotts Valley, California. It specialises in and provides streaming media and video-on-demand online and DVD by mail. In 2013, Netflix expanded into film and television production, as well as online distribution. As of 2017, the company has its headquarters in Los Gatos, California.

The Duffer Brothers also directed the series as they have with other productions of theirs. On August 31, 2016, Netflix renewed the series for a second season of nine episodes, to be released on Halloween of 2017.

Netflix entered the content-production industry in 2013 with its first self-commissioned original content series House of Cards. The company has dramatically grown its original content since that time. Netflix released an estimated 126 original series or films in 2016, more than any other single American network or cable channel. These include the dramas; Narcos, The Crown, Bloodline, 13 Reasons why and Stranger things, Marvel series; Daredevil, Jessica Jones, Luke Cage and Iron Fist, Comedy series; Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt, Master of none, Fuller house and Disjointed, Documents; Chef’s table, Making a murderer, Fearless, The Keepers and The Confession tapes, and finally the films; XOXO, Okja, Death note and (the highly anticipated) Gerald’s Game along with countless others and even more debuting this year. 

The companies current revenue is US $8.83 billion. 

For Stranger things Netflix worked along side 21 Laps Entertainment. This is an American film and television production company run by director-producer Shawn Levy. 21 Laps produces content in multiple genres and along with Levy, the company’s leadership includes Dan Levine and Dan Cohen. This company has produced films such as The Spectacular now, The Night at the museum trilogy and What happens in Vegas along with many more. 

The writers 

The Duffer Brothers (Matt Duffer and Ross Duffer (born February 1984)) are American identical twin brothers best known for writing and directing a number of science fiction and horror films and television shows. As well as writing the Stranger Things series they also wrote 2015 horror film 'Hidden' along with episodes for 'Wayward Pines'.  The Duffer brothers were raised in Durham, North Carolina. They began making films in the third grade using a Hi8 video camera that was a gift from their parents. They then moved to Orange, California to study film at Chapman University's Dodge College of Film and Media Arts, where they graduated in 2007. After writing and/or directing a number of short films, their script for the post-apocalyptic horror film, Hidden, was acquired by Warner Bros. Pictures in 2011.

From their experience in television, they began pitching their idea for Stranger Things, which Dan Cohen eventually brought to Shawn Levy. With Levy's 21 Laps production company on board, the show was quickly picked up by Netflix.

Cultural references

Stranger things contains many references to popular 80s films to add to the mise en scene and to achieve a nostalgic emotion from the audiences. This includes things such as:

Alien (1979) and Aliens (1986)

The faceless creature in Stranger Things combines design elements and traits from Predator and the first two Alien movies.

Carrie (1976)

Elle is a hybrid of two Stephen King stories about girls with telekinetic power, Carrie and Firestarter. 

Close Encounters of the Third Kind (1977)

Stranger Things and Close Encounters both feature parents whose obsession with the supernatural looks to everyone else like madness.

The Empire Strikes Back (1980)

The Empire Strikes Back was released three years before Stranger Things’ story begins, so it makes sense it would be a primary obsession for adolescent boys. Mike shows Elle his Yoda toy and later reveres her for her Jedi-like powers.

E.T.: The Extra Terrestrial (1982)

The mother lode. From its milieu and its themes to a wealth of visual references, Stranger Things owes its greatest debt to Steven Spielberg’s classic story of a lonely suburban boy who befriends an alien in need. Hawkins, Indiana, isn’t quite the California suburb of E.T., but the physical and emotional terrain is similar: a sprawling town nestled against a forest; boys dashing around in packs on their bicycles; chaotic homes where latchkey kids are free to, say, hide a supernatural being without their parents finding out. As a divorced mother barely making ends meet, Ryder channels Dee Wallace in E.T., but it’s Mike (Finn Wolfhard) and Elle that recall the Elliott-E.T. relationship most strongly.

The Goonies (1985)

The friendship and giddy nerd-adventures of Mike, Lucas, and Dustin  could be considered a nod to The Goonies or Stand by Me, but the spirit of the show, as well as the period, lean more toward the former. The situation in Hawkins may be more serious — they’re looking for a missing friend, rather than lost treasure — but there’s a joyful spirit to both, as the boys improvise a mission without the intervention of adults.

Poltergeist (1982)

Step into the hall of mirrors, because Stranger Things borrows heavily from Poltergeist while taking place in a universe in which Poltergeist is explicitly referenced. In episode one, a flashback shows Joyce surprising Will with tickets to Tobe Hooper’s suburban ghost story, which thrills him because she had forbidden him from seeing it. When Will disappears, Joyce can hear her son trying to communicate from a dimension linked to the walls of her house, just like young Carol Anne in Poltergeist.

Cast

Millie Bobby Brown 

For young actor, Millie Bobby Brown is extremely courageous and outgoing in her role of Eleven. She is an English actress and model. She rose to prominence for her role as Eleven in the Netflix science fiction drama series Stranger Things, for which she earned a Primetime Emmy Award. She was also featured in Once upon a time, Intruders and NCIS. For the role she noticeably shaved her head into a buzzcut, showing from the start her commitment to the role and passion. She was born 19th February 2004 in Spain. 

Finn Wolfhard

Finn Wolfhard is a Canadian actor and voice actor. He is best known for his starring roles as Mike Wheeler in the Netflix series Stranger Things, and Richie Tozier in the 2017 film adaptation of Stephen King's It. Like Millie he is also very professional for a young actor, showing charisma and clear distinction in his roles as a nerdy, quiet Mike in Stranger things to the innuendo giving, hilarious Richie in IT. 

Gaten Matarazzo

Dustin Henderson is played by Gaten Matarazzo in Stranger things. He is an American actor and began his career on the Broadway stage as Benjamin in Priscilla, Queen of the Desert, and as Gavroche in Les Misérables.

Caleb McLaughlin

Caleb McLaughlin is an American actor. He also began his career on the Broadway stage like Gaten as Young Simba in the musical The Lion King. He plays the character of Lucas in stranger things. 

Winona Ryder

Winona Ryder is an iconic and successful actress known for her acting in her younger years in the 90's. Her character of Joyce (Wills mum) adds to the mise en scene with Winona portraying her due to her prominence in the era of which Stranger things is set. She has stared in 90's classics such as Beetlejuice, Edward Scissor-hands and Girl, interrupted. She was born 29 October 1971 (age 45), Minnesota, United States. 

Charlie Heaton 

Charlie Heaton is a British actor born 6 February 1994 (age 23). In stranger things he plays the character of Jonathan Byers (Wills brother and Joyce's son). 

Natalia Dyer

Natalia Dyer is an American actress known primarily for her role as Nancy Wheeler in Stranger things. She was born 13 January 1997 (age 20), Tennessee, United States. As well as Stranger things she also starred in the Hannah Montana Movie and 2016 film, Long Nights Short Mornings. 

Noah Schnapp 

Will Byers is the young boy who goes missing (son to Joyce and brother to Jonathan)in the first episode and remains the focus primarily for the series yet his character plays little role compared to the others. He is played by Noah Schnapp who is an American actor born 3 October 2004 (age 12). He is also famous for voicing Charlie Brown in The Peanuts movie. 

Social Media presence 

Stranger Things was a large success for Netflix. For season two the 80's inflected sneak preview aired at the Super Bowl following an 'Eggo's' advertisement (linking to the show and Elevens love for Eggo's) which created a lot of hype for the upcoming season. The same cannot be said for season one but once the show aired with the nostalgic elements and thrilling plot the show soon became a success. The show also released 80's esque posters to promote the show:

Following the show many fan groups formed with appearances at comic-con etc. whom adored the series and characters, especially Millie Bobby Brown who appeared to form the most hype with her character of Eleven.

Critical impact

Awards

Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series

Producers Guild of America Award - Norman Felton Producer of the Year Award in Episodic Television - Drama

MTV Movie & TV Award for Best Actor in a Show 

MTV Movie & TV Awards for Show of the Year