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33 Hidden Facts About ‘Stranger Things’ and the Movies That Inspired It

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33 Hidden Facts About ‘Stranger Things’ and the Movies That Inspired It

September 15, 2023

We took a look at the Stranger Things bible — an early document that serves as a guiding light for the show — to find interesting tidbits and learn more about our favorite residents of Hawkins, Indiana. Just as important to the show’s origins, of course, are the 1980s movies that inspired it. So we gathered up some facts about those for good measure too!

33

It

STRANGER THINGS INSPIRATIONS IT The miniseries was going to be directed by George Romero, who had prepared thousands of pages' worth of scripts and notes. In the end, he didn't do it due to scheduling conflicts and the heavily shortened runtime. CRACKED.COM — Source: 20 Nostalgic Facts About the Movies That Inspired 'Stranger Things'

32

Firestarter

STRANGER THINGS INSPIRATIONS FIRESTARTER This was going to be a John Carpenter movie, but Universal went with Mark L. Lester instead after The Thing's commercial failure. Now, no disrespect to Lester (he has done classics like Commando), but he's no John Carpenter. CRACKED.COM — Source: 20 Nostalgic Facts About the Movies That Inspired 'Stranger Things'

31

E.T. (Again!)

STRANGER THINGS INSPIRATIONS Е.Т. THE EXTRA- TERRESTRIAL The movie was shot chronologically, with the puppeteers hidden from the cast, so the children actually developed a caring relationship with the alien. By the final scene, the kids were really saying goodbye to a beloved friend CRACKED.COM — Source: 20 Nostalgic Facts About the Movies That Inspired 'Stranger Things'

30

The real conspiracy behind Stranger Things

The story is rooted in an actual conspiracy theory: STRENGTH VIGILANCE SECURITY 773RD RADAR SQUADRON THE MONTAUK PROJECT CONSPIRACY In 1942, as World War II raged across the ocean, the Air Force established Camp Hero on the eastern-most point of Long Island - Montauk. The base allegedly began to conduct a series of top-secret experiments. Codename: The Montauk Project. The Montauk Project involved the most cutting-edge developments in science. No one knows for sure what these experiments entailed, but the chatter runs a gamut of the weird and wonderful. Alien contact... time travel... telepathy... alternate dimensions... mutant monsters... you name it, someone — Source: The 20 Strangest Things From The 'Stranger Things' Show Bible

29

Will's "sexual identity issues."

Will is bullied for his sexual identity issues. WILL BYERS, twelve, is a sweet, sensitive kid with sexual identity issues. Не only recently came to the realization that he does not fit into 1980s definition of normal. His innocent choices, such as his colorful clothes, prove a constant source of bullying. Like Mike, Will escapes through fantasy gaming, where he can be himself, uninhibited. Не has a close rela- tionship with his mother, Joyce. His brother, Jonathan, helps raise him in lieu of their father, who abandoned them four years ago. GRAGKED.COM — Source: The 20 Strangest Things From The 'Stranger Things' Show Bible

28

Eleven is basically E.T.

Eleven = E.T. THE OUTSIDER ELEVEN was an orphan with telekinesis. Her preternatural abilities have been linked to genetic mutations caused by her mother's drug use. When she was just two years old, she was taken for experiments by a clandestine faction of the U.S. military. She has subsequent- ly lived out the majority of her life in a small cell beneath Camp Hero. During this time, she and a group of other children (One to Ten) were subjected to a series of painful, dan- gerous experiments. Her powers proved greater than the other children and she began to receive special — Source: The 20 Strangest Things From The 'Stranger Things' Show Bible

27

Hopper was way more of a bum

Hopper was a drug-addicted beach bum. JIM НОР HOPPER, early 40s, is the Chief of the Montauk police. Не grew up in Montauk but moved to the city immediately post-graduation. Не made a happy life there, but it was shattered when a tragic car accident killed his four-year-old daughter. Не retreated to his hometown and now lives a hedonistic lifestyle in a shack by the beach. Не drinks heavily, chain smokes, and abuses Tuinal, a potent barbiturate popular at the time (which has since been banned). GRAGKED.COM — Source: The 20 Strangest Things From The 'Stranger Things' Show Bible

26

Mr. Clarke was way cooler

Mr. Clarke was the Indiana Jones of Hawkins Middle School. MR. CLARKE, 35, is the rock star of the local middle school. Charismatic, charming, handsome, and whip-smart, he is the closest thing our series has to Indiana Jones. Mr. Clarke will become increasingly essential as the show moves forward, as he will be key to solving the mystery of what has happened in Montauk. Не will ultimately help our characters breach the Tear in Act Three. GRAGKED.COM — Source: The 20 Strangest Things From The 'Stranger Things' Show Bible

25

The Goonies (Again!)

STRANGER THINGS INSPIRATIONS THE GOONIES Richard Donner's flick was influenced by Errol Flynn's movies. The pirate ship was modeled after the one in 1940's The Seahawk, and the music makes heavy use of Max Steiner's score for 1948's Adventures of Don Juan. CRACKED.COM — Source: 20 Nostalgic Facts About the Movies That Inspired 'Stranger Things'

24

E.T.

STRANGER THINGS INSPIRATIONS E.T. THE EXTRA- TERRESTRIAL Steven Spielberg considered titles like Upon A Star and The Landing. Melissa Mathison's original script was titled E.T. and Me, which is suspiciously similar of the awful E.T. knockoff Mac and Me. CRACKED.COM — Source: 20 Nostalgic Facts About the Movies That Inspired 'Stranger Things'

23

A Nightmare on Elm Street

STRANGER THINGS INSPIRATIONS GREATEST HITS A NIGHTMARE ONELM STREET Did you know that Freddy Krueger has a greatest hits album? Is this a bigger insult to the character than that Fat Boys song? If you found this 1987 nightmare for just $1, would you buy it ironically? Because we totally would. CRACKED.COM — Source: 20 Nostalgic Facts About the Movies That Inspired 'Stranger Things'

22

Ghostbusters (Again!)

STRANGER THINGS INSPIRATIONS GHOSTBUSTERS Jeff Goldblum, John Lithgow, Christopher Lloyd, and Christopher Walken were all considered to play Egon Spengler, while John Belushi, Michael Keaton, Tom Hanks, Robin Williams, and Chevy Chase were up for Venkman. Yes, we'd totally watch the hell out of all those versions. SPENGLER VENKI CRACKED.COM — Source: 20 Nostalgic Facts About the Movies That Inspired 'Stranger Things'

21

Stranger Things' original location

It took place on Long Island, not Indiana. ABC Montauk Ultimately, they felt they could get away with more sci-fi shenanignas in a fictional town. CRACKED.COM — Source: The 20 Strangest Things From The 'Stranger Things' Show Bible

20

Camp Hero

Hawkins National Laboratory is based on Camp Hero. Camp Hero HNL It was a mysterious WWII defense base, disguised as a fishing village. CRACKED.COM — Source: The 20 Strangest Things From The 'Stranger Things' Show Bible

19

The Mishmashed Title

Source: The 20 Strangest Things From The 'Stranger Things' Show Bible

18

The lost Stranger Things character

There's a lost character: TERRY IVES, 40, mentioned only passingly in the pilot, will play an important role in episodes to come. An anti-social hermit and local movie theater projectionist with the looks of a serial killer (balding hair, big oval glasses), Terry is a conspiracy nut and has been investigating Camp Hero for over a decade. Although initially derided by Hopper and others, he will become an unexpected, albeit reluctant, hero in the dark days ahead. Не might even make a friend or two along the way. Terry Ives is the name of Eleven's birth mother. Most of the — Source: The 20 Strangest Things From The 'Stranger Things' Show Bible

17

Poltergeist (Again!)

STRANGER THINGS INSPIRATIONS POLTERGEIST JoBeth Williams did the mud scene like a pro - only to later find out those were actual human skeletons, not props. The FX artists got medical skeletons and dressed them up to look gross. CRACKED.COM — Source: 20 Nostalgic Facts About the Movies That Inspired 'Stranger Things'

16

The Goonies

STRANGER THINGS INSPIRATIONS THE GOONIES Sloth wears a Superman shirt as a reference to Superman, also directed by Richard Donner. And his Oakland Raiders shirt is a shout out to Sloth's own actor, John Matuszak, an actual NFL defensive lineman who played for the Raiders. CRACKED.COM

15

The Goonies

STRANGER THINGS INSPIRATIONS THE GOONIES The child actors didn't see the pirate ship before shooting, as Richard Donner wanted to catch their genuine reaction. Too bad that their genuine reaction was to say stuff in the vein of, Holy s#!t so the scene had to be reshot. CRACKED.COM — Source: 20 Nostalgic Facts About the Movies That Inspired 'Stranger Things'

14

Ghostbusters

STRANGER THINGS INSPIRATIONS GHOSTBUSTERS The juvenile joke (and kickass climax) about crossing the streams wasn't in the script. Harold Ramis and Dan Aykroyd came up with the method to defeat Gozer at the last minute, and then changed earlier scenes to foreshadow it. CRACKED.COM — Source: 20 Nostalgic Facts About the Movies That Inspired 'Stranger Things'

13

Look at this kid! He ain't never smooched nobody!

Mike used to have a birthmark, and definitely never smooched. - FIRST AID F GAUZE PADS MIKE WHEELER is twelve. Не is a cute kid, but a birthmark on his left cheek leads to much bullying and near-crippling insecurity. Не has never had a first kiss, much less a girlfriend. Не escapes his insecurities through reading fantasy novels, spending time with his three best friends (Lucas, Dustin, and Will), and retreating into his own vivid imagination. The Dungeon Master of his Dungeons and Dragons group, he writes sprawling adventures with fantastical monsters. When he finds himself on a real adventure, — Source: The 20 Strangest Things From The 'Stranger Things' Show Bible

12

Heavy on the nostalgia

They were leaning heavily on nostalgia from the start. FASTITMES AT RIDGEMONT HICH Since Montauk is set in the fall of 1980, the show will feature many period details (wood paneled station wagons, analog technology, Empire Strikes Back in theaters, Blondie on the radio, etc.). While this will add a fun nostalgia factor to the show, these details must never overwhelm the story or characters; Spielberg's early films have a certain timeless quality to them, and we will strive for the same, CRACKED.COM — Source: The 20 Strangest Things From The 'Stranger Things' Show Bible

11

Another different angle on Joyce

Joyce sounded like she was on Mob Wives. R JOYCE BYERS, early 40s, is the single mother ofWill and Jonathan. She struggles to raise them while holding down two low-paying jobs with long hours. She chain smokes, speaks with a thick Long Island accent, and has blunt manners. Despite all this, she is a loving mother who would go to incredible lengths to protect her boys. Over the course of the show, Joyce's desperation will lead her into an unexpected and rocky relationship with Hopper. GRAGKED.COM — Source: The 20 Strangest Things From The 'Stranger Things' Show Bible

10

A slightly different vision for Joyce

They saw Joyce being played by Naomi Watts... CRACKED.COM — Source: The 20 Strangest Things From The 'Stranger Things' Show Bible

9

The Thing

STRANGER THINGS INSPIRATIONS THE IN THE THING The iconic title card is a direct copy of the one in 1951 original. It was shot by attaching the title to a fish tank full of smoke, and then attaching a black trash bag to that t-which was set on fire. THE ING FROM ANOTHER WORLDRACKED.COM — Source: 20 Nostalgic Facts About the Movies That Inspired 'Stranger Things'

8

Stand By Me (Again)

STRANGER THINGS INSPIRATIONS STAND BY ME According to Kiefer Sutherland, production had to be shut down for two days after Jerry O'Connell snuck into a hippy fair and unknowingly bought some funny cookies. They found him lost and crying in a park. CRACKED.COM — Source: 20 Nostalgic Facts About the Movies That Inspired 'Stranger Things'

7

Stand By Me

STRANGER THINGS INSPIRATIONS STAND BY ME Director Rob Reiner kept making the young actors cry for real. For a scene, he told River Phoenix to think of a time an adult let him down, and Phoenix became unconsolable. On another occasion, he exasperatedly yelled at all of them. Cue the waterworks. CRACKED.COM — Source: 20 Nostalgic Facts About the Movies That Inspired 'Stranger Things'

6

The Shining

STRANGER THINGS INSPIRATIONS HE THE Stanley STAYING Kubrick and legendary Hollywood graphic designer Saul Bass went through 300 ideas for the movie's poster. Apparently, Bass wasn't fond of the final poster's color, and proposed to make it red instead of yellow too and for mools emphasis as mare CRACKED.COM — Source: 20 Nostalgic Facts About the Movies That Inspired 'Stranger Things'

5

Poltergeist was an inspiration

STRANGER THINGS INSPIRATIONS POLTERGEIST Is Poltergeist an unofficial Steven Spielberg movie? There are persistent rumors that he didn't just co-wrote and produce, but was also the real director, with Tobe Hooper only setting up shots. CRACKED.COM — Source: 20 Nostalgic Facts About the Movies That Inspired 'Stranger Things'

4

A slightly different vision for Hopper

They saw Hopper being played by Ewan McGregor. CRACKED.COM — Source: The 20 Strangest Things From The 'Stranger Things' Show Bible

3

Dustin's original description isn't that far off

Dustin is the alpha nerd. DUSTIN HENDERSON, twelve, is the King Geek. Не is overweight and wears oversized glasses. His supportive parents are nerds themselves and are supportive of his choices and hobbies. However, Dustin finds less acceptance at school, where is often bullied for his weight and interests. Не frequently bickers with Lucas; their arguments are good-natured at first, but escalate as the stakes rise. GRACKED.COM — Source: The 20 Strangest Things From The 'Stranger Things' Show Bible

2

The real source of horror

The horror is rooted in reality. HORROR The horror in Montauk is supernatural - but rooted in science. Dark matter, black holes, worm holes, alternate universes, string theory... we want to use the mathematics of theoretical physics to ground our horror in reality. The show will also prominently feature yet another type of horror: the human kind. The supernatural terrors unleashed on our town will in certain ways personify the evil that exists beneath the perfect facade of this small town. Abuse, divorce, violence, cruelty, substance abuse, depression, death... our characters will struggle with the darkness of the human condition. How do — Source: The 20 Strangest Things From The 'Stranger Things' Show Bible

1

Stranger Things had a different title

The original title was Montauk. SIGNET.451-E9964. $3.95 # MONTAUK RESTR An epic tale of sci fi horror CRACKED.COM — Source: The 20 Strangest Things From The 'Stranger Things' Show Bible

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