In 2016 Netflix launched a new horror sci-fi series called the Stranger Things created by the Duffer Brothers. Since then it has released 3 seasons and the forth one is in the making. The series has received great response from the viewers as well as the critics. The actors have done a great job combined with amazing script writing that tackles a lot of teenage problems, even after being set in the 1980s it is still relatable to today’s youth. With beautiful cinematography and CGI work, the series is filled with action, drama, humor and horror.
Winona Ryder makes her acting comeback with the Stranger Things as Joyce Byres. David Harbour plays the chief police officer of Hawkins. The protagonist for the story is Eleven(Elle) Portrayed by Millie Bobby Brown who is discovered by the four member party that includes Finn Wolfhard as Mike Wheeler, Gaten Matarozzo as Dustin Henderson, Caleb McLaughlin as Lucas Sinclair and the son of Joyce Byres Will Byers played by Noah Schnapp around who the first season revolves. They are later joined by Saddie Sink who plays Max. Natalia Dyers plays Nancy Wheeler (Mike’s sister) and her love interest Jonathan (Will’s brother) played by Charlie Heaton.
With such a huge cast and so many relations between the characters that we see on screen, things can get messy but not this time. May it be the chemistry between eleven and mike or Sheriff Hopper and her assistant’s caring relationship everything was portrayed in its true essence. Sure the music will keep you engrossed with the beautiful cinematography but what brings this series to life is the right casting. I feel every actor has done justice to their character.
Stranger Things: What is the story?
Hawkins, Indiana in the 1980s Will Byers leaves his friend’s house but goes missing on the way home. His absence creates a sense of despair among his friends and family. The search for will Byres raises questions about a secret government facility called the Hawkins National Lab.
Later Mike, Dustin and Lucas find Eleven who had just escaped the Hawkins lab. The first season is all about learning about Eleven and her powers and finding Will Byres who goes missing in the upside down. (Other dimension)
The dungeon and dragons game is shown as real monsters in the upside down which is accessed by the GATE. There are a lot of heart pounding mysteries that are solved and keeps the series interesting and gets your undivided attention. In next seasons the monsters return and get even more powerful.
Stranger Things: RECREATING THE FORGOTTEN ERA
Well the creators of the series have nailed one thing for sure and that is bringing the nostalgia of the 1980s to today’s people, majority of the problems would have been solved in the series if there was a cellphone and things wouldn’t have created so much of excitement. But teaching today’s youth about the radio (walky talky) communication just seems so thrilling. The information not getting around so easily makes only the eye witnesses believe in what’s
happening in the town and keeps other characters away from the main topic of the threat of the monsters. According to me, since the series has something to relate for everyone from young kids to elders therefore it has amassed such a strong following and received such amazing acknowledgements.
Stranger Things: EVERYTHING YOU SEE ISN’T REAL
Well most of the time when you see the monsters in the upside down dimensions in the later seasons were done through special effects and CGI but early on they used a real person and put him in the suit of a demogorgon. The suit was made of animatronics and the head petals and arms were controlled by motors and robotics, no doubt that monster really seemed like a real creature and it was played by Mark Steger, well you wouldn’t get to see his faces but he surely deserves some appreciation.
The visual effect team for the show were paul graff and christina graff who made everything come to life. In the upside down the spores flying around are 99% CGI and yet seem so real like snow fall. They had a real tough job to pull off as their work would make the show more believable and real.
Stranger Things: ELEVEN AND HER KIND
Eleven had a very tough and isolated childhood. Not having the love of mother and never knowing what a normal life of a person looked like. She managed to escape the lab and find asylum in Mike’s basement. Her innocence and not her being different from every other kid around is what something that will make you love her. But she’s ELEVEN(11) meaning there are other kids too that have been kept at the lab and she is one of them.
In the second season she does unite with one of her room companion from the lab as she flees the town of hawkins and leaves behind mike and other people to find her mother and meet her sister and they go on a journey to take revenge and discover themselves ; but that episode though was really important to highlight the existence of other kids with supernatural powers but it failed to take my attention from the ongoing action that was happening in hawkins and that single episode seemed longer than the whole season.
The Movie Culture Synopsis
If you are thinking of watching Stranger Things or not, I wouldn’t recommend that you miss out on such a beautifully crafted piece of art. After I watched the first episode I was completely hooked to it. It made me smile, laugh and cry and it surely has mysteries that will make your heart race.
