It’s fair to say Netflix show Stranger Things is now a super mammoth, ‘Demogorgon’ sized hit. The series has taken the world by storm and left everybody hooked on the antics of a bunch of misfits from Hawkins, Indiana. Whether it’s the eighties throwbacks, witty one-liners, or touching portrayals of friendship, we can’t get enough.
Unfortunately, Hawkins is closed for another year (maybe longer), because season two has come and gone. Don’t worry though. If you need another fix of crazy sci-fi, there are plenty of great movies out there. In fact, Stranger Things was loudly and proudly inspired by people like Stephen King and Steven Spielberg — both creators famous for their spooky stories.
So, let’s take a look at some movies that are similar to or closely connected with Stranger Things.
It (2017)
It makes sense to mention recent smash hit ‘It,’ because Stranger Things kind of stole its thunder. The two stories share many similarities. However, the TV show managed to encapsulate the rebellious, awkward spirit of youth made famous in Stephen King’s novel. Ironically, then, IT seemed to take many ideas from Stranger Things. As a result, the horror adaptation was a huge success. Just don’t expect the same lightness and SFW vibes from the movie. It is an excellent piece of cinema, but it is definitely not for the faint-hearted.
ET (1982)
If you haven’t seen ET yet, where have you been? It’s one of the most iconic movies of all time. This was Stranger Things before Stranger Things was a twinkle in the eye of its clever creators. Without the little green alien with the glowing finger, there’d be no Upside Down. Elliot and his buddy were the original science experiments. When an alien crash lands in town, he hides him at home until the secret gets out. Then, the government moves in and plays the role of shady, shadowy villain perfectly.
The Goonies (1985)
This is another Spielberg classic and one that many people secretly prefer to ET. It has a similar mood and focuses on a group of kids who get themselves into a heap of trouble. Now, here’s a little titbit for devoted fans of Bob and Joyce. Sean Astin, who plays Bob in Stranger Things, appears in The Goonies at the tender age of thirteen. So, check it out if you like swashbuckling adventures. There are pirates, monsters, treasure maps, and witty wisecracks galore.
Close Encounters of the Third Kind (1997)
When you look at the type of movies that inspired Stranger Things, it’s hard to ignore the impact of Spielberg. Yes, this is another one of his films. It tends to get less love than ET and the Goonies, but perhaps that’s because it’s a little more grown up. There are some deeper issues at play here, such as the strained marriage between the lead and his exhausted wife. In many ways, it’s just as much about obsession as it is outer space. It is a nuanced, visually spectacular story of one man’s journey into an extra-terrestrial world.
Stand By Me (1986)
If Steven Spielberg is Stranger Things’ mother, Stephen King is its dark and creepy dad. In the adaptation of his novel Stand By Me, we get an early version of the wisecracking and back chatting that makes Dustin and the Hawkins gang so hilarious. At heart, it’s another movie about friendship. The characters are young and fearless, but they become eternally bound by a shared experience. King has long been concerned with what kids get up to when their parents aren’t around. It’s just that, in his hands, it’s always something terrifying.
Some honorable mentions include Poltergeist, The Lost Boys, Super 8, and Swedish horror flick Let the Right One In. All of these films are tied together by strong central performances from remarkably young actors. They ruminate on the nature of friendship and the way in which trauma creates unbreakable covenants between pals.
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