Creatures from the other side...

Growing up in the late 80's, like many of my fellow friends, I was lucky to be allowed to watch at a young age of 7-8 years old, an assortment horror flicks such as Pet Cemetery, IT, Friday the 13th, Carrie, Nightmare on Elm street and along with these, add classics like Stand by Me, E.T, Alien...the list goes on.

When I heard Netflix Originals series had put out this nice little 8 episode 80's themed extra terrestrial/horror series called "Stranger Things" I was a bit reluctant to give it a watch as Alien series aren't really my thing (and also a genre which truly bring out the scare in me!). After watching the first episode, I was sheerly blown away at the stylization, soundtrack and so much more that it begged me to write this blog post. Enjoy! oh....and warning...there are a few spoilers ;)

Stranger Things - 2016 - Netflix Original 

The year is 1983. 4 young 12 year olds are playing dungeons and dragons in the basement of Mike Wheelers house in a small town in Indiana. They are yet to learn of their fate that evening when they decide to sneak out and go riding on that cold winters night. Track forward to a hidden government institution where you see a young female patient escape. Who is she? And why was she being kept prisoner? Episode then flashes back to Will riding through the woods near this institution in the night, one of the young boys falling off his bike and then a shadow of a creepy "thing" rushing through the forrest appears. Will doesn't come home that night and his mother Joyce (Winona Ryder) knows this is unlike him. We're introduced to a frantic Joyce at the moment when she realises its not normal for Will to just go missing. She makes several attempts to contact the town police and after a day, the police do start to search the woods for Will.

Flashback to the girl who went missing from the government institution. She has the number "11" on her arm. After her trying to take shelter in the local diner and be-friending the owner (of which she can't actually speak because she's been locked in a cell for the last 6 yrs) she make's haste and leaves only to then be taken in by Mike and his friends. They hide Eleven in his basement trying to communicate and figure out who she is. Meanwhile the evil government agents try to track down Eleven after she was spotted at the diner. As the boys and Eleven get to know each other, Mike claims that her nickname will be "El".

There is a little side story going on with Nancy Wheeler (Mikes 16yr old sister) and her new jock boyfriend Steve. This part of the story vaguely reminds me of Donnie Darko, but with Nancy as "Donnie" she's a little bit nerdy and weird but has the attention of the popular guy. Lots of teen romance infused into their relationship, made all the more awkward with Will's older brother Jonathan who attends the same school and has a talent for photography. He's known as an odd ball kid and made fun of by Steve and his friends. It's portrayed that Nancy and Jonathan have a weird chemistry and later on you find out why this is. Nancy has a bestie called Beth, and you find out what happen's to Beth when the teen's decide to have a sneaky night at Steve's home without the parents. I won't spoil it for those who are yet to watch the entire series, but you have to feel bad for Beth.

Meanwhile, missing kid Will is trying to make contact from "the upside down" (the dimension accidentally activated by El when she escapes from the institution) and begins to try and contact his mother through the lights in his house. Will's mum becomes frantic convinced that he is trying to reach her and goes crazy buying strings of Christmas lights trying to contact her whilst hiding from whatever terrors threaten him where he is. The chilling scene from the film echo's something from the Poltergeist where she paints a makeshift Ouija board  on to the wall and strings lights under each letter so that Will can speak to her. At any one moment when the lights go crazy, you can bet that horrid "thing" appears trying to pierce through walls, making Joyce seem more insane. Now that Joyce has seen the "thing" she knows that Will has a chance to survive and at this point we are all left asking, just how she can get to him?

The intensity builds in several more episodes with the Sheriff and Will's mum trying to piece together what has happened, who the mystery "El". I think the reason I and so many people loved this series is because the Duffer brothers (creators and writers of the script) based the feel of the boys friendship on that from the film "Stand By Me" and you see the iconic scene of the boys walking along the train track which instantly brings back that moment from the 80's classic. You can read more about the inception of the Duffer brothers idea on Variety.

The imagery of some of the scene's is sheer art and it's these scenes which stay with you moments after you have watched them. To recap, here is a brilliant take of some of the best moments from the series.

And finally, the soundtrack. If you love mysterious synth's which sound John Carpenter-esque, heavy keyboards and deep electronic drums, then the soundtrack will surely bolster your love for this show. Spotify has a playlist created by Netflix with some of the 80's hits featured on the show. There looks to be an official soundtrack being released soon too. A huge 80's music fan myself, it was the era where electronic sounds made a break through, giving new dimensions of sound to music and the birth of "electronic music". This genre and style really emphasises the setting of time period with this series. Everyone who watched and loved Stranger Things are holding their breath for a second series. Something may have given it away in the final episode, but only time will tell whether the Duffer brothers decide to visit the upside down again.

80's teen trifecta

Nothing beats teen movies from the 80's. Or more so, the teen movies made by our favorite teen angst director John Hughes. For most of my friends and older family, we grew up with some of the best teen generation of films of our time. It was a time before crazy green screens and special effects. Where romance and love was raw, sometimes sleazy but not often as it is seen in today's millennial world. I recently had the pleasure of re-watching 3 of my all time favorite 80's teen movies over the weekend (all which star Molly Ringwald) and it's safe to say, no matter how many times I watch these films, I never get sick of them! So I am dedicating this blog post to these 3 flicks.

Sixteen Candles - 1984 Universal Pictures

We've all been there. Dorky high school student, surrounded by annoying family life. You feel like you don't quite fit in and you have some weird and wonderful friends. Have a major crush on the popular guy who most likely doesn't know you exist. May sound familiar! Well, I may be speaking for myself (haha) but the above description sets the scene for Samantha (Ringwald) as her 16th birthday is upon her. Thinking this particular birthday is a life changing experience, she wakes on this glorious Friday, gets ready for school just like any other day. Her house is thrown into a bit of disarray with her older sister getting married the following day. Grandparents are due to flood the house in the afternoon and among it all of this, her parents and siblings completley forget that it is her birthday even though she hints and ahh's at them. Nope, nada. No birthday wishes for you. She finds this highly odd and expresses her frustration but without actually coming out and saying it. So with this intro setting the tone of the movie (and Ringwald plays the angry angsty teen so well) she set's off on her Friday school day.

Jake, Ted and Sam - Sixteen Candles

You're introduced to Sam's rocker friend while they are in class and while they are sitting there, Sam fills out a teen sex quiz someone has asked her to do. She's meant to hand it to her friend cheekily but her friend doesn't get the note and it ends up in the hands of Jake Ryan, the senior rich guy who she has a crush on. Nervously after class her friend admits to not having the note so Sam freaks out a bit. On her way home from school on the dreaded school bus, Sam runs into Ted, a freshman (junior) who seems to have a major crush on her but is not at all shy in showing his affections towards her. Sam is totally put off by Ted's geekiness and forwardness, completley brushes him off and hopes that she won't see him again for a while. Later that afternoon the grandparents decent on her house and her gran and pa bring Long Duck Dong (Watanabe) an exchange student from China. When the film came out, there was a bit of controversy about the depiction of Watanabe's character, as the script written for him came across quite racist. Needless to say, the scenes with Watanabe are still quite hilarious (especially when he trashes the grandparents car and gets ridiculously stoned). Later that night, Sam attends the school dance where you see Ted (Michael Hall) in his geek glory trying to win the affections of Sam, even though Jake has eyes for Sam and Sam is too nervous to actually speak to him.

Sam gets her guy - Sixteen Candles

Theres an endearing scene where Sam runs off and is sitting in the schools car workshop, this is where Ted decides to try and make his move, but learns of Sam's crush on Jake. You see, Ted's bet his geekoid friends that he can "go all the way" with Sam so in exchange for having a trusted D and M, Sam reluctantly loans Ted her underwear to put to rest the bet he has hedged with his geek buddies. From there Ted and his geek buddies crash Jakes after party and its there that Jake learns from Ted how keen Sam really is on him. Jake wants a serious girlfriend and not the party girl Caroline who is he supposed to be dating. And then you can guess the ending and what happens from there on in. While completley predictable, Sixteen Candles still lights that torch for our eternal first love which is why so many of us can relate to it! John Hughes knows how to subtly add that comedy to an already nervous emo storyline and he does it perfectly in this film. The soundtrack to this film is a great addition too. They released a full soundtrack of all the great 80's hits like Altered Images, The Dyvinals and Billy Idol just to name a few. Thats one thing you can count on for 80's movies is the soundtracks were always awesome.

The Breakfast Club - 1985 - Universal Pictures

I only ever watched the Breakfast club at the age of 13 or 14 and when I first watched it I thought "oh...group of high school kids, in detention on a weekend, running a muck, smoking drugs, getting crushes etc. It wasn't until in my 20's and I re-watched this movie that everything made more sense. After dealing with the rush of emotions and hormones growing up as a teen, the penny dropped where anyone who watched this film could relate to one or more than one of the characters and the angst they were feeling within their own sphere of growing into young adults. The nerd, the jock, the basket case, the princess and the criminal. Any present teen at any one moment is living one of these persona's. 

The Breakfast Club

Hughes loved featuring Ringwald and Michael Hall in his teen flicks and this film is no different. Since he saw the eternal geek in Michael Hall from the previous film Sixteen Candles, he cast him as the feature nerd, originally wanted to cast Ringwald as the basket case, but Ringwald fiercely objected and wanted to play the princess role so the basket case was given to Ally Sheedy (one of her first acting roles). There were some casting drama's too when Hughes was casting 'the criminal' as this role was between Judd Nelson and John Cusack. Nelson scored the role as he came across as more "bad" even trying to hit on Ringwald long after the camera's were off! The film's soundtrack only featured 3 stars when it was released in 85 with the hit song "Don't you forget about me" by Simple Minds making its way upon debut to no 1 on the US Billboard charts.

Paul Gleason who plays the assistant principal 'Vernon' who has to oversee the misfits makes it clear to them he isn't going to put up with their nonsense and you get an instant sense of loathing him from 5 minutes into the film. The funny thing about his role is that EVERY school kid can relate to having that one teacher or authoritarian body who they just couldn't stand nor get a break from. It was almost like that one teacher constantly woke up on the wrong side of the bed every single day and slay their wrath on any student which pressed their buttons. 

It isn't until you see Vernon run into the janitor Carl in the afternoon, where you learn on his tough stance with the kids. And that wise wise janitor who tries to reason with Vernon, has become a hero to many of us grown up adults because he speaks truth of oppression of which most young teens of today experience from the older generation. I don't think it matters if you watch this film in your teens, or as an adult. Hughes has a genius way of evoking the inner adolescent in all of us through how he builds his characters. I really wish this was a staple film in every high school because if goes so much further than just another teen film, more so an entry level insight into the tribulations of growing.

Pretty in Pink - 1986 - Paramount Pictures

Girl is senior. Girl is weird, comes from a broken home. Has an equally whacky best friend (Ducky) who she's known since primary school who coat tails on her every move (and secretly likes her too) they both have a whacky 80's dress sense and are both certainly not one of the more conservative or preppy types.

Girl gains the attention of senior popular guy and he then gets a crush on her. Another one of Hughes classic teen flicks where Ringwald leads the cast as Andy, the weird fashion loving gal described above. Andrew McCarthy plays Blane, the preppy guy with the crush. His best friend disapproved of Blane's new found admiration for the weird girl which sparks. You can guess the rest of the general vibe of this movie. Does Andy end up with Ducky or Blane? Who will she take to her final prom?

I recently went to the 30 year viewing of this film with my husband and I was surprised to learn at the time, that Hughes had actually planned the alternate ending for the film and part of the showing was that they viewed what the ending would have looked like had Andy picked the "other guy". It seemed awkward and after a peer group review of the alternate ending way back then, Hughes decided to go with..... aha! You will have to watch to find out if you haven't already seen this classic.

Goofball island. Population you.

Now for a more light hearted entry after that very sombre "end of the world" tone from my last blog post! When Disney's Inside Out quotes Riley as having a "goofball island" I'd like to think we all have a bit of goofball in us. Some of us lose part of it as adults, but for most of us, that silly spark remains with us at heart :) I'd like to dedicate this post to some of my favourite goofball TV shows and movies that I recommend to anyone wanting a giggle and a laugh, guaranteed to pick you up out of your blues, make you cringe and in general just give you a good giggle. The 80's was a particular favourite of mine with the likes of Chevy Chase, Eddie Murphy, Steve Martin, Bill Murray, John Candy and Dan Akroyd.

National Lampoons Vacation - 1983 (Warner Bros)

The cast of National Lampoons

Clark Griswold and the family set off on a cross country adventure from Chicago to California to experience "Wally World" (America's favourite theme park) and along the way everything that could possibly go wrong does. Yappy loud teenager kids Rusty and Audrey, pouty wife Ellen and their trusty wagon almost don't survive the epic adventure their goofball father sets out for them, with a stop at their hillbilly cousins house half way, their crazy aunt adds to the already cringe worthy family mix. True 80's style, the naff fashions and mishaps will have you covering your eyes and shaking your head. Chevy Chase is at his most supreme dork and sadly I think this was the peak of Beverly DeAngelo's career. Anthony Michael Hall goes on from this role to star in other 80's teen flicks which will make the "teenage heart throb" blog post list. Add this one to the list for your cheesy movie night... it's a classic!

Coming to America - 1988 (Paramount Pictures)

Happy endings - Coming to America

Dubbed a "romantic classic" of the 80's, this one also in my opinion falls under best goofball movie of the 80's too. Murphy who plays Akeem - the prince of an African dynasty Zamunda, goes on a quest to find his Queen after being presented with total flops by his parents (King of Zamunda played by James Earl Jones). He decides that America's glory will present him with a fine selection of bride material and he and Semmi (Arseno Hall) take to America but to hide his wealth, Akeem goes under cover as a poor guy (much to Semmi's disgrace) living in Queens NYC. He meets Lisa McDowell (Shari Headly) when he applies to work in her fathers rip off McDonalds restaurant "McDowells" in Queens. This is one of my all time favourite goofball movies because Eddie plays the eloquent goofball so well. There are a list of one liners which you'll keep in your heart forever. "Sexual Chocolate!" comes to mind (in the 80's Murphy had a knack of dressing as alternate characters) such in this film where he actually plays all the different gents in the barber shop - from the barber himself to all the clients, and then the lead singer of the band playing at a fundraiser...it's a hilarious part of his breakthrough movie comedy niche which was largely unique too. 

Revenge of the Nerds - 1984 (20th Century Fox)

The Nerds in action

No goofball comedy night is complete without a viewing of the movie which put nerds on the map. I think any modern day nerd could watch this film and instantly relate to it. When 4 buddies enrol in college to study computer science, they are faced with the fraternity onslaught and college woes to fit in. Main star is Robert Carradine and by the looks of his extensive movie role list, he stuck to the goofball genre quite heavily through out his career. Just like National Lampoons, this film will get your cringe factor going and perhaps take you way back to your college days. Thank god for these guys though social media and the internet as we know it wasn't around during all the embarrassment.

Ghostbusters - 1984 (Columbia Films)

Who ya gonna call? 

Hailed as one of the best comedy cult flicks of the last 30 years, Ghostbusters has an all star cast with king of the goofballs Bill Murray, there to serve the classic one liners. Along side him Dan Akroyd and Rick Moranis. Sigourney Weaver plays a very more seductive role (worlds apart from her Alien character!) and the only one liners you will ever need to remember for the rest of your life will be "Are you a god?" No. "Then diiiiiie!" and "You are the key master and I am the gate keeper". Along with your awesome 80's computer generated gouls ghosts and such, this is one of my all time favourite movies...one which I could happily watch on repeat or...as a kid, I think I actually did!