Stranger Things is heavily influenced by pop culture of the 70s and 80s, and the show is packed with references to horror tropes and movies. In many ways, Stranger Things is a nostalgia-infused love letter to the genre, capturing the feelings of the movies that the Duffer Brothers watched while growing up. The horror genre obviously influenced the story and characters in a general way, but the show also has more specific Easter eggs and references to classic movies.
Mixing nostalgia with horror ensures viewers get familiar and family-friendly thrills. While horror movies from the 2010s such as Hereditary and Get Out touch upon our current and darkest fears or try to subvert the classic tropes of the genre, Stranger Things gives the audience “safer” scares - ones already explored by pop culture. It’s similar to the idea of going on a roller coaster for the twentieth time: you know what to expect, but that doesn’t mean it isn’t fun anymore. It’s just a different type of thrill that comes with a good dose of nostalgia.
The main sources of inspiration for the Duffer Brothers appear to have been the works of Steven Spielberg, John Carpenter, and Stephen King, but the homages also include the slasher and zombie subgenres of horror. The combination of so many movies and styles means that Stranger Things evokes a familiar, nostalgic feeling for the '80s without crossing the line into outright plagiarism. From Jaws to Alien, Stranger Things is almost like a time travel machine, allowing the viewers to step into a different decade, one that for many was their childhood. So, here’s every major horror movie reference the show made so far:
Jaws
It’s no secret that Steven Spielberg movies are a major influence on Stranger Things, and Jaws is one that particularly stands out. Like the plot of Stranger Things season 1, Jaws is a story about a monster terrorizing a small town. In an interview for Entertainment Weekly, the Duffer Brothers described the Demogorgon as “an interdimensional being that has more in common with the shark from Jaws than Pennywise from It. When the monster enters our dimension, it’s like a shark breaching the water. Very much like a shark, it drags its prey back into its home, where it feeds.”
Other Easter eggs and references to Jaws are: Will having a poster of the movie on his bedroom wall, and Hopper’s line “I’m the Chief of Police. I can do anything.” Promotional material for the show was also inspired by the theatrical poster of Jaws. In season 3, the town’s corrupt and morally bankrupt mayor is another nod to Jaws, as both mayors are named Larry.
Alien
Ridley Scott's 1979 sci-fi horror film Alien features an extraterrestrial monster stalking the crew of a spaceship. Like the Demogorgon, the creature follows its prey from afar, jumping out of vents (or, in Stranger Things' case, portals inside trees) and disappearing after killing. The look of the Upside Down dimension was also inspired by Alien: the bluish hue, the dark and dreary air, and flashlights beams are all visually similar to the aesthetic of the sci-fi franchise. This is especially clear when Hopper finds a Demogorgon egg and tendrils invade Will’s throat, similar to the face-hugger from Alien.
Aliens and Aliens 3
Other seasons of Stranger Things made references to the sequels Aliens and Aliens 3. One of the most famous sequences of Aliens involves a group of soldiers facing deadly creatures and being horribly outmatched. This is similar to the episode “The Spy,” when the Hawkins Lab sends a group to the tunnels to face the Demodogs. In both scenes, someone says the line “Stay frosty” before the group is wiped out. In Stranger Things season 3, when Nancy is trapped in the hospital with the Mind Flayer, it moves closer and directly screams at her face. This is a nod to an iconic scene in Aliens 3, when the alien corners Ripley and growls in her ear.
Close Encounters of the Third Kind
Close Encounters of the Third Kind is another movie from director Steven Spielberg that Stranger Things references. The main character of the movie is a worker from Indiana who has a close encounter with a UFO. Not only do both movies take place in Indiana, Joyce was also inspired by the Close Encounters’ protagonist, as both see their lives thrown into chaos after experiencing strange events, facing danger alone. Finally, Stranger Things season 2 has a shot of Will standing in front of a door as bright lights appear. This resembles one of the most famous scenes from Close Encounters of the Third Kind, where a young boy stands as strange, orange lights shine through the door of his home.
The Evil Dead
The Evil Dead is a supernatural horror film released in 1981 and directed by a young Sam Raimi. Jonathan has a large poster of the movie on his bedroom wall. His father, visiting after Will’s disappearance, comments that the poster isn’t appropriate and Jonathan should take it down.
Halloween
This John Carpenter’s 1979 slasher film is referenced by Dustin in the episode “The Weirdo on Maple Street,” when Lucas suggests that Eleven escaped a mental institution. Dustin compares her to the movie’s main villain, Michael Myers. Later, Max wears a Michael Myers costume for Halloween in “Trick or Treat, Freak.”
Poltergeist
Directed by Tobe Hooper and written and produced by Steven Spielberg, Poltergeist is a supernatural horror film about a family living in a house haunted by vengeful and violent spirits. The Duffer Brothers were particularly influenced by the movie’s idea of turning ordinary objects from daily life into something supernatural. They did the same thing with Joyce’s Christmas lights in Stranger Things season 1 and Will’s drawings in season 2. In Poltergeist the family’s youngest daughter Carol Anne is taken to another dimension, something she shares Will in season 1. Like Will, she could be sensed and heard through walls.
Day of the Dead
In Stranger Things season 3, the gang has to sneak into the back of the movie theater to watch this classic R-rated zombie horror flick. Directed by George R. Romero, Day of the Dead also features a group of scientists experimenting on zombies, much like the Russians trying to open the Upside Down rift in their underground Starcourt Mall facility.
Firestarter
No doubt the main inspiration for the character of Eleven, Firestarter is a sci-fi movie adapted from a Steven King novel of the same name. It features a young girl, played by Drew Barrymore, who is being hunted by a secret government agency that wants to control her psychic abilities. Both the protagonist, Charlie, and Eleven had mothers who participated in secret government experiments, and Charlie’s father bleeds from his nose every time he uses his powers.
Gremlins
Dustin’s storyline with Dart in Stranger Things season 2 is a reference to this 1980's black comedy and horror movie about cutesy creatures turning into horrible monsters. Although the Demodog at first glance seems like a pet Dustin can befriend, it turns vicious as it grows - much like a Gremlin after dosed with water or fed after midnight.
