Prior to July 15, 2016, The Duffer Brothers were virtually unknown. Their only claim to fame was a little known thriller called Hidden (2015). Now everything has changed. 

As the creators of the hottest television series of the summer, Netflix’s Stranger Things, Matt and Ross Duffer have unleashed the most addictive and talked about story that has everyone clamoring for more. The viewing experience is so powerful and emotionally driven that people are proclaiming their love for the show through social media and a way just as retro as the series itself: face to face conversations.

But what is it about this nostalgic-driven, otherworldly tale that has succeeded where others have failed? Similar '80s childhood love letters, like JJ Abrams’ Super 8, started with the same potential and intrigue but ultimately floundered and disappointed. It appears that The Duffer Brothers have learned from the mistakes of others, crafting a well-conceived homage that avoids coming off too derivative. Skillful storytellers, the brothers know how to incorporate '80s themes and movie tropes without hurting the central story or characters. They take us down a well-trodden path of familiar themes such as friendship, coming-of-age and loss of innocence.

For children of the '80s, Stranger Things is a wonderful romp through our childhood, filled with toys, Trapper Keepers and walkie-talkies. Not only does the series take us back to that period in our lives, but it also allows us to recapture the magic for certain movies. Matt and Ross obviously studied at the school of Steven Spielberg, Stephen King and John Carpenter, amongst others, heavily referencing well-known and loved stories created by those masters.

From John Carpenter’s The Thing, to Alien and The Evil Dead, there’s a heavy dose of '80s pop culture references and touchstones that went into creating the series. For the sake of time, we’ll refine our list to key movies that made their way into the narrative and characters of Stranger Things.

(WARNING: Stranger Things spoilers ahead!)

ET: The Extra Terrestrial

The most spot-on comparison is Spielberg’s classic, which basically created the template for all supernatural, coming-of-age stories. Flick a dart anywhere on this Stranger Things board and you’ll hit a connection to ET. Looking at the family, Winona Ryder steps into Dee Wallace’s role as a single mother, struggling to raise two boys, as the younger one gets pulled into a mysterious journey (a la Elliott). The theme of the family unit coming under attack by an evil government is also utilized here with Matthew Modine playing a darker version of Peter Coyote’s government agent on the hunt for the special being.

Breakout star Millie Bobby Brown, better known to us as Eleven, confirmed in an IndieWire interview that the Duffer’s wanted her to be the ET alien for their story. Her relationship with the boys definitely comes across as such, as they hide her from their parents and the “bad men,” while being astonished throughout by her special abilities.

Scenes from the 1982 film are also directly incorporated into the show, such as: Will running into the shed behind the house, just like Elliott did to lure ET; Eleven watching TV for the first time and learning about pop culture through cartoons (in this case He-Man) and the kids fleeing on their bikes from the armed government agents, with Eleven opting to use her powers to flip the van over instead of flying over the men, like in ET’s iconic scene.

Poltergeist

Poltergeist is directly referenced in a flashback scene inside “Castle Byers” where Winona Ryder’s character surprises her son Will with tickets to the film.  This horror classic leaves its imprint on the structure of the series. The driving force of both stories revolves around a mother whose child is taken to the “other side” by an unknown monster, intent on feasting off the child’s life-force. Just like her counterpart Diane Freeling (played by JoBeth Williams), no one believes Winona’s character at first. Only the mothers know their child is still alive, communicating with each through unusual ways. In Poltergeist it’s the static found on a TV and in Stranger Things it’s through electric currents in lightbulbs and telephones.

Both stories wrap up in basically the same manner, as it’s up to the mothers to rescue their child and travel into “a world within our own” where the children are trapped.

Firestarter

A young girl with off the charts psychokinetic powers being hunted down by the government agency that’s hell bent on using her as a weapon. You decide if that’s the story of Charlie McGee (Drew Barrymore), the protagonist in Stephen King’s Firestarter, or the enigmatic Eleven in Stranger Things.

The Goonies

Outside of ET, the other film that immediately springs to mind when watching Stranger Things is The Goonies. Our group of young heroes consisting of Mike, Dustin and Lucas, along with Will and Eleven, are reminiscent of that other lovable group of losers from the 1985 fan favorite. The toothless and loyal Dustin is the Chunk of the group and the tough and curse happy Lucas is Mouth, while the fearless leader Mike is Mikey. Easy enough. Not to be left out are the teens who have strong Goonies ties as well. Nancy and Barbara are the new versions of Andy and Stef, with the love triangle of Andy, Brand and Troy, now morphed into Nancy, Jonathan and Steve.

In addition to the character similarities, the theme of friendship and how that overcomes everything is also what ties both stories together. The Goonies embark on an adventure in order to save their community, while these new heroes answer the call to rescue their friend. The Duffers know exactly what they’re doing and who they’re catering to, pulling on those strings of wonder and excitement that harkens back to the friendships in our youths.

Jaws

Police chief Martin Brody (Roy Scheider) could be the father of police chief Jim Hopper (David Harbour), as both men are driven to protect their small communities, even at the expense of their own safety. Brody and Hopper bend the rules and stop at nothing to combat the unseen killing machines that are terrorizing their worlds, reaching Moby-Dick levels of taking down their own white whales.

A Nightmare on Elm Street

Nancy Wheeler, meet Nancy Thompson (Nightmare’s heroine). Both teen girls share a similar character arc, as they’re spurred to action after the gruesome murders of their best friends. They go through the same “Final Girl” metamorphosis, preparing for combat with the monster that lives in the Upside Down/Nightmare world, going as far as getting weapons and setting traps. There’s also the visual nod of when the Demogorgon rips through walls to reach our world, very much in Freddy Krueger style. The Wheeler’s home also looks like it could easily fit on the Elm Street block.

Stand By Me

Stephen King’s coming-of-age tale echoes in Stranger Things, as both groups embark on life-changing journeys that are sparked by death: a dead body in one case and the possible death of a friend in the other. Fans have also pointed out the similar scenes of both groups walking down the middle of the railroad tracks during their searches.

The characters are smart and savvy children that are not dumbed down. The kids are always a step ahead of the adults and are more open to possibilities that people past puberty wouldn’t consider. The camaraderie between both sets of friends is real and genuine thanks in large part to the amazing young actors. The Duffer Brothers supposedly had the kid actors audition using lines from Stand By Me.

Stephen King’s IT

How appropriate that Finn Wolfhard who plays “Mike Wheeler” is set to star in the upcoming IT remake. Now, you won’t find Pennywise the killer clown in this show, but his true monster form shares the same interest of snatching kids from the woods and taking them back to its lair. Sure, both stories have a group of outsiders going up against the monster in their town, but the key reference that caught our eye is that both used a slingshot to take down the creature.

Close Encounters of the Third Kind

We get another dose of Spielberg, as right in the first episode we see the monster making its way into the Byers house, just like the aliens did at the Guiler residence. Looking past the shot compositions, you can also point to Joyce Byer (Ryder) as being as obsessed and single-minded about finding her son as Roy Neary (Richard Dreyfuss) was about his alien visions. Instead of shoveling piles of dirt into her house to create Devils Tower, Joyce litters her house with Christmas lights to find her answers.