Stranger Things

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flyonthewall2983
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Stranger Things

#1 Post by flyonthewall2983 » Thu Jun 09, 2016 10:44 am


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domino harvey
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Re: Netflix Originals

#2 Post by domino harvey » Sun Jul 17, 2016 4:02 pm

Stranger Things is getting massively effusive responses from viewers who've watched all eight episodes. It is already #26 in IMDB's Top 250 even though it only premiered Friday

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Re: Netflix Originals

#3 Post by MongooseCmr » Sun Jul 17, 2016 4:06 pm

I've really enjoyed what I've seen of Stranger Things so far, but I don't think it has a single original concept in it. It takes the Netflix model of "if you like this you might like ___" to new heights.

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aox
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Re: Netflix Originals

#4 Post by aox » Sun Jul 17, 2016 9:45 pm

I'm two episodes in and I like it a lot so far. I've heard it gets even better. And, I was one of the few people who wasn't too keen on Super 8, which I have seen this fairly compared to.

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Re: Netflix Originals

#5 Post by ianungstad » Sun Jul 17, 2016 11:10 pm

I didn't care for Super 8 either and thought Stranger Things was terrific.

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Luke M
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Re: Netflix Originals

#6 Post by Luke M » Mon Jul 18, 2016 10:57 pm

I finished Stranger Things tonight. It's fantastic. It's the kind of Spielberg story you wished he had made. No goofy scenes, no emotional manipulation, and smarter than anything he's done.

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Re: Stranger Things

#7 Post by phantomforce » Tue Jul 19, 2016 2:29 am

Loved it as well.. I get the Super8 comparison but I thought it was generally referencing not only all of Spielberg (Amazing Stories, Poltergeist, ET) but the 80s in general, there were some obvious Twin Peaks references (Wynona Ryder was basically a mix of leland palmer and the log lady, the sister and her relationship with the jock and outsider felt like Pretty In Pink.

It's a phenomenal show though, easily hitting the level and at times surpassing their referenced sources.

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warren oates
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Re: Stranger Things

#8 Post by warren oates » Tue Jul 19, 2016 1:51 pm

I'll echo all the praise this has gotten so far. Not a fan of Super 8 either or of Spielberg's schmaltzier tendencies, but this show gets all of the best stuff from Spielberg (the visuals, the earnestness identification with kids, the atmosphere, the PG-13 thrills that still actually thrill), early Cronenberg (the scientists and the DOE architecture), Carpenter (the score especially), Hughes, Stephen King (the small working class town, the title font from his own name on his 80s hardback books, certain chapter headings and references too numerous to list to everything from Firestarter and It to "The Body"/Stand By Me), David Lynch (not just Twin Peaks but a bit of Blue Velvet too)... For me it's even more skillful and successful at 80s pastische than films like It Follows or The Guest. It's also eminently watchable and almost impossible not to binge on once you see the first episode. And all of it is done at a much higher level of taste and technique than I was expecting.

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Quot
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Re: Stranger Things

#9 Post by Quot » Wed Jul 20, 2016 11:08 pm

So it sounds like I'm alone in thinking this was one of the worst acted series in recent memory? I mean, keeping it in the Netflix family, we're talking Hemlock Grove bad. The series itself was ok: a decent pastiche of Stephen King and Steven Spielberg, and everything '80's in general. I was a little disappointed given all the praise that it has garnered.

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thirtyframesasecond
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Re: Stranger Things

#10 Post by thirtyframesasecond » Thu Jul 21, 2016 6:47 am

Glad to hear good things (except the last post - sorry) - need something new on Netflix after S4 of Orphan Black finishes.

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kidc85
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Re: Stranger Things

#11 Post by kidc85 » Sat Jul 23, 2016 5:37 pm

Fantastic show. Would have happily binge watched the entire show in one sitting if only we hadn't started watching it so late. Usually I fastidiously avoid binge watching 'serious' shows, because I'm wary of burning myself out and I'm not convinced TV should be watched this way, but Stranger Things is just so engrossing and well-paced I couldn't resist.

ST's approach to its influences was interesting (and/or maddening) - you could very well play 'spot-the-reference' but it wouldn't add anything to your enjoyment outside of a trainspotter-like attitude*. It obviously cribbed lots from ET (although calling it Spielbergian downplays their other influences - as Warren says), for example the films both open with D&D campaigns. It's the kind of touch you expect from lazy pastiches but ST builds what could be a cheap reference into a highly relevant plot device. The children continually make reference to other films ("Like Lord of the Rings!") but unless you want to go down the never-heard-of-zombies route, this is exactly how you would discuss an event like this if it were to happen in real life; the children use other media to make sense of what's happening to them and formulate plans. Although Mongoose is probably right that there isn't an original concept in the series, I thought the manner in which it rearranged its archetypal elements, along with the energy and love of the whole project, kept it pretty fresh. Fresh enough to keep it going even though the show began to lose steam as it started answering the questions it posed (as well as ignoring explaining some of the confusing elements of its mythos) and had an epilogue that out-stayed its welcome (another LotR reference?).

* Having said that, it was notable that although a lot has been made of its eighties' influences, it also cribbed massively from a very recent film...
SpoilerShow
Under the Skin was taken lock-stock-and-barrel for Eleven's communication sequences.

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Re: Stranger Things

#12 Post by MongooseCmr » Sun Jul 24, 2016 12:27 am

I really came around the 80s theme as I watched, it does less winking at the audience and more just playing around with these beloved story elements. Like The Force Awakens, it takes what works and tweaks it all so slightly as to seem fresh and remind you why you liked these films in the first place
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The Under the Skin reference is the only one that bothered me. It's just SO on the nose, and really makes it look like the Duffer Brothers needed these existing visual references to tell their story rather than simply co-opting them.

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kidc85
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Re: Stranger Things

#13 Post by kidc85 » Sun Jul 24, 2016 6:38 am

This is possibly a cheap defense but: it's a really striking visual, it's not over-played and it's appropriate. I didn't have a problem with it, although it definitely wasn't as well done as the original.

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JamesF
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Re: Stranger Things

#14 Post by JamesF » Mon Jul 25, 2016 7:28 am

I think the longer form certainly helps here. Whereas most feature-length pastiches of 80s cinema rarely work on their own merits for me and just make me long for the originals (Drive just made me wish I was watching Thief or The Driver, Midnight Special just made me wish I was watching Starman, etc), Stranger Things is probably the closest you'll get to the teenage feeling of getting lost in a peak-era Stephen King paperback during a lazy summer. More so in fact than the vast majority of King adaptations, especially the run of substandard TV miniseries in the early/mid-90s!

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mfunk9786
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Re: Stranger Things

#15 Post by mfunk9786 » Mon Jul 25, 2016 4:24 pm

This was absolutely great, and so very thankfully almost devoid of direct references to 80s nostalgia just for reference's sake, as JamesF has just mentioned. It stood on its own without becoming bogged down by appealing directly to the nostalgia of merely visually replicating or rebooting memorable 80s films. I took away more careful nods to stuff like Under the Skin and Martyrs and Twin Peaks than I did to Spielberg/Dante, despite the fact that this show would never have existed without that era of films to use as a template. Excellent, excellent show. Perfectly cast and executed and my anticipation for another season, while cautious, could not be any higher. Looked great streaming in 4K, too.

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domino harvey
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Re: Stranger Things

#16 Post by domino harvey » Mon Jul 25, 2016 9:38 pm

Yep, finally got around to this today and loved it. Since we are all connecting the dots of influence, let's not forget another recent show this borrows heavily from, Fringe. I am curious where they'll go in season two,
SpoilerShow
though presumably since Modine's evil doc didn't bite it on-screen he's still in play, and I was glad to see Eleven was somehow still around and living in the woods(?). Admittedly this kind of undermines the poignancy of Eleven's sacrifice, but since she's by far the most interesting character, it was wise to leave the door open to her return.
I also liked how they showed the nerdy science teacher on a hot date but willing to be dragged away (in the funniest scene in the series), nice to see the show give some hope to the hopelessly mustached by not making him a forever alone loser.

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domino harvey
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Re: Stranger Things

#17 Post by domino harvey » Wed Jul 27, 2016 12:42 pm

Image

Bottleneck Galleries is selling a limited edition print, with all proceeds going to buy bikes for children in low/no income situations

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mfunk9786
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Re: Stranger Things

#18 Post by mfunk9786 » Thu Jul 28, 2016 11:39 am

Now THAT is a print. Gorgeous. Would be lying if I said I weren't tempted. And while it's not a perfect match, it can go on the same wall (or at least in the same room) as this Shepard Fairey Nico print I just bummed off my pal without too much of a clash:

Image

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domino harvey
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Re: Stranger Things

#19 Post by domino harvey » Thu Jul 28, 2016 12:03 pm

Well, it's only available until 1PM EST (so, 57 minutes from this post), so get on it! Got mine

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mfunk9786
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Re: Stranger Things

#20 Post by mfunk9786 » Thu Jul 28, 2016 12:45 pm

Me too, and an extra since the charitable cause is so noble and I'm sure I can gift it somewhere down the line. And because it's the same shipping cost.

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jbeall
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Re: Stranger Things

#21 Post by jbeall » Thu Jul 28, 2016 9:02 pm


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Manny Karp
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Re: Stranger Things

#22 Post by Manny Karp » Thu Jul 28, 2016 9:17 pm

So it's an eight-hour long supercut?

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Foam
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Re: Stranger Things

#23 Post by Foam » Fri Jul 29, 2016 6:03 pm

kidc85 wrote:* Having said that, it was notable that although a lot has been made of its eighties' influences, it also cribbed massively from a very recent film...
SpoilerShow
Under the Skin was taken lock-stock-and-barrel for Eleven's communication sequences.
SpoilerShow
Those scenes are arguably quoting THX1138, though.

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domino harvey
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Re: Stranger Things

#24 Post by domino harvey » Tue Aug 02, 2016 10:44 am

Last Thursday, after being on sale for just one hour, the edition of Matt Ferguson's The Upside Down ended up being 700 and raising $24,000 in charity! Words can't describe how amazing you all are.

Our original goal was to just purchase around 60-75 children's bikes for HASC and Homes For The Homeless. Now we can do way more then that.
Next week, we are meeting with both organizations to see what else they feel would be great to add to their programs besides the bikes. We will keep everyone updated during this entire process.

As for printing, we will should have these in the next few weeks. We will send another email with updates on the printing process as well as pictures of the pin!

flyonthewall2983
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Re: Stranger Things

#25 Post by flyonthewall2983 » Sat Aug 20, 2016 10:32 am

Vulture put together a glossary of the major references on the show. I can't remember which episode but I swear the guys who did the music threw in a little nod to Full Metal Jacket during one of Modine's scenes.

Finished it last night. I'm not super-nostalgic for a lot of the culture (though I was born a week before November 6, 1983) but it was nice to see how they got everything right on an aesthetic level but let story and character take over. The performances were largely pitch-perfect except for a few kind of stock cliched characters, that didn't have enough screen time to irk me too badly.

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