Showing posts with label Stranger things. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Stranger things. Show all posts

Representation Essay

Different social groups are represented in Stranger things with the use of the media language, signs and the signifiers. These methods help to construct the representations which help people view Stranger things as real.

This is done by the use of references to the 80s. This helps people emote with the characters as the audience recognises some of the brands and the ways of living which the characters do and helps to draw them in as they are looking out for things they recognise. This helps build a representation of the older audience through signifiers because when the kids are riding their “Chopper” bikes the audience will see the bikes as a salute to their childhood and bring in a watercooler effect as they are more likely to go to someone and talk about that moment from the show.

Also, the use the sound in the show such as when the “Demogorgon” is chasing Will the sound goes very loud and bellowing. This has the effect of horror and supernatural which is the genres which Stranger things can be categorised into. This is done because it complements the opening scene of the man running through the lab where the audience is confused about what is going on and the loud sounds help build suspense. This helps build representation for different social groups because a younger audience likes to be scared and this show fits into the category of being able to scare people.


To conclude Netflix’s Stranger things represents different social groups with the use of signifiers and different editing techniques such as putting in loud, scary noises which help to build suspense and appeal to all the different types of people who would be watching the show.

80s film research

Stranger things homages

The Empire strikes back (1980)
The Star Wars Film Empire strikes back was released three years before stranger things were set so all of the boys are aware of the film. They show this with homages such as when Eleven moves the truck with her mind or when she moves the fan it shows a similarity to the ‘force’ from Star Wars. Also, Dustin references popular parts from Star Wars such as when he talks about the ‘Lando’ analogy which is a popular reference from an Empire strikes back.






E.T.: The Extra-Terrestrial (1982)


Stranger things reference and pay homage to the 1982 film by Spielberg in multiple ways. Such as the whole setting in quite similar to the suburban town away from the main city and the town is next to a large forest. Also, the boys on their bicycles show references as in E.T the boy rides around on his bike a lot. And also, the fact that the boys can hide a supernatural being in the house without anyone finding out.


The Goonies (1985)

The boy’s nerdy persona and friendship may show homage to popular 80s film the Goonies. This is because of how independent and lack of the need for help from adults both groups have as they want to do it all on there as they believe adults wouldn’t help. Also, both groups are relatively geeky and not that popular at school.