Netflix's Stranger Things has captivated audiences with a satisfying throwback to classic '80s
paranormal thrillers But how'd this modern classic actually happen?
Here's a look at the untold truth of Stranger Things.
Super Duffer Brothers
Twins Matt and Ross Duffer, the writer-director duo who created the show, showed an early
interest in filmmaking, experimenting with home movies as early as third grade.
They pursued their passion by studying film at Chapman University.
Their first movie was Hidden, a horror film which didn't receive wide release.
But it did catch the eye of M. Night Shyamalan, who hired them to work on his series Wayward
Pines.
That experience gave the Duffers the start they needed to pitch their own series.
With the help of producers Dan Cohen and Shawn Levy, Netflix eventually bought the show—but
only after it was rejected by at least 15 other networks.
Strong Island
Stranger Things takes place in Hawkins, Indiana.
But the Duffers originally wanted to play with the concept of a waterside setting—specifically
Montauk, New York.
The region's real-life history may have inspired their story: legend has it that the town's
Camp Hero Air Force Base was a lot like MKUltra in very disturbing ways, including serving
as the site of rumored government experiments with mind control on kidnapped children.
Georgia On My Mind
Stranger Things was filmed in the Atlanta, Georgia area, which is also home to a number
of television and film productions, so there was just bound to be a location crossover
or two.
The Bellwood Quarry, where fake-Will's body is found and Mike is bullied into cliff-diving,
was the same site seen in The Walking Dead's first season and The Hunger Games movies.
Your next Hollywood-inspired trip destination has just been booked.
Font Of Wisdom
Most of Stranger Things' pop culture references were put in on purpose, and the title art
font is no exception.
It's an altered version of Benguiat, which was used on a slew of classic Stephen King
book covers—including but not limited to Cujo, Salem's Lot, Firestarter, Pet Sematary,
Misery, and The Stand.
The typeface, which was designed by Ed Benguiat, was also popularized in 1978, and also has
been seen in the openings for films like Star Trek Generations and Star Trek: First Contact.
'80s cinema school
Finding the right child star for Stranger Things was important, because even though
there are cast members with higher billing, the show's heart revolves around the kids.
The Duffers auditioned 906 boys and 307 girls for the roles using scenes from Stand By Me.
When they finally settled on the cast, they were sent home with instructions to watch
films like Poltergeist and The Goonies to get a sense of the look and feel of the show
to come.
Clearly it paid off.
On the first day of filming, they shot the first Dungeons and Dragons session that starts
the series.
The Duffers told Entertainment Weekly:
"Our boys flew through the scene effortlessly and energetically, and their chemistry was
electric; they felt like they had known each other their whole lives.
Other than when we sold the show to Netflix, this was the single biggest moment for Stranger
Things."
Buzzcut, Baby
Millie Bobby Brown, who turned in stunning work as the superpowered Eleven, didn't know
she'd have to shear off her locks until she'd already won the role.
She eventually came around to the idea after being shown an image of Charlize Theron's
buzzcut in Mad Max: Fury Road.
She was also encouraged by an old pic of co-star Winona Ryder, who'd sported a pixie cut in
her younger days.
"Sort of a choice-"
"And I showed you my school picture."
"And Winona showed me-so I thought like, ya know Winona looked cool back in the day with
ya know the pixie cut, and I thought, maybe I could bring it back?"
Channeling Meryl Streep
Winona Ryder, a legend of the '80s herself thanks to Heathers and Beetlejuice, was one
of the first casting picks for Stranger Things.
But when she was approached about the show, she had no idea what streaming was, and little
TV experience.
For her character's look, though, she found inspiration in Meryl Streep's performance
in Silkwood, which was released the same year as the show's events.
Her hair in the show was something of a tribute to the Oscar-winning star.
Stephen King is a fan
As one of the biggest inspirations for Stranger Things, author Stephen King's praise of the
show is worth a lot.
The author wrote on Twitter that when he watched the show it was like "watching Steve King's
Greatest Hits … in a good way," and graded the program an A for "pure fun."
Interestingly enough, Finn Wolfhard, who plays Mike Wheeler in the show, will star in another
big Stephen King-inspired property: the upcoming big-screen adaptation of IT, which—full
circle!—the Duffers tried in vain to direct years ago.
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