You Can't Understand 'Stranger Things' Without Watching These 10 Movies

Stranger Things pays homage to several Stephen King adaptations, including Carrie. Carrie tells the story of Carrie White (Sissy Spacek), a teenager suffering from bullying and abuse who discovers she has telekinetic abilities shortly before prom. Viewers will notice many similarities between Carrie and Stranger Things’ Eleven (Millie Bobby Brown), as both girls face bullying and ostracization while harboring telekinetic abilities. Stranger Things Season 4’s skating rink story also parallels Carrie’s plot, and even Eleven’s outfit seems to be Carrie-inspired.

Carrie is one of King’s best adaptations. It is both a strong supernatural horror movie and a thoughtful take on the cruelty of high schoolers and the trials of abused/neglected children. Fans of teen horror and dark comedies like Jennifer’s Body (2009) and Heathers (1988) will especially be intrigued by Carrie’s dark high school premise.

Alien is a sci-fi horror film that follows Ellen Ripley (Sigourney Weaver), a crew member on the Nostromo starship, who finds herself fighting for survival against an extraterrestrial creature after boarding a derelict ship. The film influenced the Upside Down in Stranger Things. The Upside Down parallels the ship in Alien, given that both are familiar yet slightly off, often shrouded in mist and membranes, and feature strange eggs throughout. The Demogorgon’s bloodlust and its animatronic construction are also reminiscent of the Xenomorph.

Alien is one of the best horror sci-fi movies ever made, thanks to its excellent use of suspense and cinematography. Like Stranger Things, it also balances its sci-fi and horror elements extremely well. It’s an excellent watch if you enjoy sci-fi horror and suspense, like Jaws (1975) and Annihilation (2018).

Altered States centers on scientist Edward Jessup (William Hurt), who conducts experiments on human consciousness through hallucinogenic drugs and sensory deprivation tanks. Viewers will note that Stranger Things draws heavily from Altered States, especially when it comes to Hawkins Lab’s experiments and Eleven’s powers. Eleven utilizes sensory deprivation tanks much like Jessup’s to access her powers, while Hawkins’ experiments on children and Terry Ives (Aimee Mullins) strongly parallel Jessup’s experiments.

Altered States is reminiscent of Alien in that it’s an iconic sci-fi horror film that offered something distinct and unique for the time. It’s a brilliant, haunting movie that tapped into the life and experiments of John C. Lilly and the psychedelic era of the 1960s - 1970s. Filled with disturbing body horror and thought-provoking commentary on consciousness, Altered States is intriguing and moving.

E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial is one of the most obvious influences on Stranger Things. The film centers on a young boy, Elliot (Henry Thomas), who discovers and befriends an extraterrestrial being, E.T. (Pat Welsh), with telekinetic abilities. Elliot and E.T. heavily inspired Stranger Things’ Eleven and Mike (Finn Wolfhard). Like E.T., Eleven has superhuman abilities and takes refuge in a young boy’s home, unbeknownst to his parents, while wearing disguises and forming a close bond with him. Both movies also feature similar early scenes depicting a group of children playing Dungeons and Dragons.

E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial is a must-see sci-fi film of the ‘80s. Decades before Stranger Things, it tapped into childhood and sci-fi simultaneously, with a riveting, visually stunning work, and a young cast and emotional story that will draw tears from most audiences. It’s less scary than Stranger Things, though, and has a more magical, adventurous feel like The Goonies (1985).

Firestarter is another King influence on Stranger Things. In the movie, Vicky (Heather Locklear) and Andy (David Keith) develop superhuman abilities due to their participation in a shady government experiment, but begin to fear they’re being watched after their daughter, Charlie (Drew Barrymore), is born with pyrokinetic abilities. Stranger Things mirrors Firestarter through its story of shady government experiments and superhuman abilities, and it also directly borrowed Eleven’s nosebleeds from Andy, who experiences the same side effect when using his powers.

Although King himself disapproved of Firestarter, it’s still a solid sci-fi thriller. The special effects are mesmerizing, and the story and characters are interesting. It may not be as thought-provoking as Stranger Things or Altered States, but it’s on par with King adaptations like Pet Sematary (1989) that thrive on entertainment value.

Viewers may want to check out Ghostbusters because the film receives a significant direct reference in Stranger Things Season 2. The season takes place during the Halloween season and sees the four lead boys, Mike, Will (Noah Schnapp), Lucas (Caleb McLaughlin), and Dustin (Gaten Matarazzo), dress up as the Ghostbusters. The costumes fit in well with the ‘80s setting, during which Ghostbusters, a quirky, supernatural tale of scientists starting a ghostbusting business, proved a cultural phenomenon.

Ghostbusters stood out at the time for its genre-bending, striking a balance between humor, drama, romance, sci-fi, and horror. The special effects were also groundbreaking, while the characters were lovable, and the film was peppered with catchy tunes, iconic costumes, and props. If you love whimsical and light-hearted supernatural horror, like Beetlejuice (1988) and Casper (1995), you’ll love Ghostbusters.

Gremlins is a horror comedy in which a young boy, Billy (Zach Galligan), comes into possession of a Mogwai creature, only for it to evolve into and spawn an army of Gremlins that wreak havoc on Billy’s hometown. Stranger Things Season 2 includes a big nod to Gremlins, given its subplot in which Dustin befriends a mysterious creature and names it Dart, unaware it’s related to the deadly Demogorgon.

Gremlins is excellent for viewers seeking a darkly comedic and absurd holiday horror movie. There’s something oddly satisfying and highly amusing about watching the little Gremlins spread holiday terror, though there is also some heart in its family elements. The film is a bit darker than E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial, but in line with lighter horror like The Poltergeist (1982).

A Nightmare on Elm Street is a horror film from director Wes Craven that follows Nancy (Heather Langenkamp), who tries to unravel the mystery of Freddy Krueger (Robert Englund), a murderer who preys on and kills teenagers through their dreams. The film’s influence on Stranger Things is most evident in Season 4, where the main villain, Vecna (Jamie Campbell Bower), preys on teens and haunts his victims through terrifying visions before killing them. The season even tapped Englund for a guest appearance as Victor Creel.

A Nightmare on Elm Street is a unique horror movie, made all the more terrifying by how it blurs the lines between reality and dreaming. In its dream stalker, Freddy Krueger, horror fans found a truly nightmarish slasher icon. The film is genuinely terrifying and still holds up well even 40 years later, paralleling other timeless horror classics like Halloween (1978) and Friday the 13th (1980).

The Goonies is an action-adventure movie that centers on a group of children who set off to find a pirate’s lost fortune to save their homes. It’s one of the movies that most strongly inspired Stranger Things’ tone. Both projects center on a tight-knit group of four boys who take it upon themselves to investigate their town’s mysteries, and the two groups parallel each other in dynamics and roles, such as both Mikes (Mike Walsh and Mike Wheeler) emerging as the leaders of the group.

The Goonies is an excellent film for viewers seeking a riveting adventure for the whole family. In addition to its swashbuckling tone and childhood innocence, it has a spirit and heart that appeal to both children and adults. Fans of family-friendly adventure films like The Monster Squad (1987) and The Neverending Story (1984) will especially enjoy The Goonies.

Stand By Me is another film (and Stephen King adaptation) that inspired Stranger Things’ vibe. In the movie, a group of four boys set off to find the body of a missing boy in their hometown. Stranger Things follows a similar premise to Stand By Me, telling the story of four boys whose search for their missing friend becomes a defining coming-of-age journey. Stranger Things’ emphasis on the friendship and growth of the four boys also mirrors that of Stand By Me.

Stand By Me is an excellent coming-of-age story. It has the sense of adventure and youthfulness of The Goonies but adds some higher stakes and more complex themes. If you enjoy more mature and profound coming-of-age movies like Mid90s (2018) or Lady Bird (2017), you’ll enjoy Stand By Me.