MovieChat Forums > Stranger Things (2016) Discussion > Do people not get what this show is?

Do people not get what this show is?

posted 5 years ago by BigWorm (683)
10 replies | jump to latest

This isnt just a tv show set in the 80s. Its a tv show paying homage to movies of the 80s. So when you see kids breaking into underground Russian bases, the show isnt jumping the shark. Its staying true to its mission statement. When you see kids having to sing for their girlfriends, that not jumping the shark either. Its staying true to what the show is. The 80s were ridiculous. Kids built a spaceship out of an old tilt a whirl car. Kids travelled back in time in a sports car and had them fending off the sexual advances of their would be mothers. Kids found pirate treasure maps in their attics and found actual pirate treasure in underground caverns that no one had ever thought to look in. They found cute little bears that multiplied when you splashed them with water, and got creepy if you fed them after midnight. They made friends with weird looking aliens and had impromptu dance parties at mcdonalds while being chased by feds. Thats what you are watching.

[–] chrisjdel (2714) 5 years ago

Exactly. It's a piece of classic 80's cinema made in the 21st century, with up to date effects. It tells an original story but it's also a mashup of well known movies with plenty of shoutouts thrown in. Some are obvious, others you have to be observant to catch. A few are even anachronistic - for example Hopper's "See you in hell!". It takes a fair amount of skill to make the plot flow along smoothly without calling too much attention to the references, like a glaringly obvious product placement that pulls you out of the story.

[–] BigWorm (683) 5 years ago

Lol, like mac and me. “Give him some water.”, “he doesn’t like it.”, give him some of this(coke).” Mac loves it! Lol

I was talking to someone else about the product placement, they were kinda annoyed about Lucas and his “I love coke” speech. Had to tell him that it was taking the piss out of the “new” coke fiasco that started in April of 85. So Lucas saying he loved it, while mike screws his face up and moans that it’s horrid was accurate as the recipe change was quite a big deal at the time and they would have been talking about it.

[–] chrisjdel (2714) 5 years ago

I remember that. There actually were a few people who preferred New Coke. It wasn't intolerable. Most of us just preferred the old Coke, thought it tasted better, and wondered what the hell the company was thinking. New and improved implies an actual improvement, right?

[–] BigWorm (683) 5 years ago

The did say "the best just got better", in this case though it was that it was cheaper to make with the HFCS than cane sugar. As far as Im aware thats the only real difference. Three months it took to go back to the classic coke. So it couldnt have been that many people that liked it. Or it was all just a trick to get people to buy more coke lol.

[–] MaximRecoil (4616) 4 years ago

"The did say "the best just got better", in this case though it was that it was cheaper to make with the HFCS than cane sugar. As far as Im aware thats the only real difference."

That wasn't what they changed. They've been using HFCS in Coke since about 1980 in the US.

[–] Mrmojo4700 (21466) 5 years ago

I agree. It’s just like watching a Tarantino film and during each scene knowing what obscure movie he’s paying homage to. Stranger Things is even easier if you happen to have lived through the 80’s or watched a lot of 80’s movies.

[–] MovieManCin2 (26342) 5 years ago

Well said, BW!

😎

[–] WildFire78 (59) 4 years ago

Agreed. This show was meant to be watched with a family, and not to be taken seriously. With all the complaints on this thread, the "negativity", this is EXACTLY why IMDB shut their boards down.

[–] R_Kane (15828) 4 years ago

Thank you for that marvelous positive comment.

[–] Nauru-1 (14) 4 years ago

Of course, there's also a reason why movies like E.T. and The Goonies are looked at more fondly than Fletch and The Golden Child.