Stranger Things It's already over—volume three came out on New Year's Eve, and I'll probably need some time to digest it all. While I'm pouring one on the curb to the Duffer Brothers' hit Netflix series, I wonder about their long-awaited additional project and the future of Hawkins, Indiana. If you're anything like me, you probably have Upside Down withdrawals. Well, rest assured: I may have a solution.
What if I told you there was a weird but fun 80s horror movie you could watch right now to get that Stranger Things vibe? Like Stranger Things 5, the movie I'm talking about is also set in 1987 (it also came out the same year), has a similar title card aesthetic (same red font on black background), and if you go back and rewatch the second season, you'll even find an episode named after the movie.
The Gate is the movie it's all about, and if you can get past the dated effects and corniness of some scenes, I'm here to say that the 85-minute film is the perfect addition to the world-famous Netflix series. It is currently streaming for free on Pipes.
Read more: The 44 Best Netflix Movies You Should Watch Right Now
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The Gate starred Stephen Dorff (yes, that Stephen Dorff) stars as a 12-year-old boy named Glen who, along with his heavy metal-loving nerd Terry, discovers the gateway to Hell in their backyard. Removing the pesky tree opens a portal, and as soon as Glen's parents leave town for the weekend, strange events begin.
Stephen Dorff and Louis Tripp star in the 1987 film The Gate.
Glen's sister Alexandra remains in charge, and like most 80s teen movies, she's the one throwing the parties. What could be better than pitting a group of mismatched teenagers against a demonic force without any parental intervention!
Ultimately, the children unite into a team of unusual heroes, ready to fight back against the forces of the criminal world. Sound familiar?
The Gate was one of those films of my childhood that felt like a creepier version of Poltergeist, thanks to the ethereal behind-the-scenes work of genre director Tibor Takacs (anyone remember Me, Madman?). The film's production quality creates a soft, smoky feel that makes its crazy premise easier to accept. These kids are living in a nightmare and demons are knocking at the door.
I believe the main thing that makes The Gate successful is Dorff's portrayal of Glen. As strange as it may be, there is a sequence in The Gate that is just as traumatizing as the face-melting scene in The Gate. Raiders of the Lost Ark — Glen remains under house arrest. You feel his trauma, his terror, his determination. “The Gate” is an early example of Dorff's talent as an actor who can control the camera's attention. He captures this movie with every gut-wrenching reaction he displays.
Sometimes I reflect on the key factors that made Stranger Things so successful. At one end there is Horror in the style of Stephen King all of this. On the other hand, the tone and setting of the 80s permeated the show from the very beginning. Combining this aesthetic along with pop culture references from The Terminator to A Nightmare on Elm Streetand yet create a show that can touch heartstrings and appeal to a wide range of ages is quite an achievement.
Tiny demons run amok in the 1987 film The Gate.
There are seeds of this kind of tonal mixture in The Gate. It's absolutely a horror film, but it also has a childlike wonder to it. At one point, Terry dumbs it down for the sake of levity, only for the film to flip the script and find his friends being attacked by giant hands popping out from under Glen's bed. This scene plays on real childhood fear, and the film's practical effects successfully achieve terror.
Remember, this movie was made in the 80s, so the special effects are completely dated. However, it also has some standout moments. In one of the most famous scenes in The Gate, tiny demonic minions burst out of a larger demon as it crashes to the floor. This scene, along with the big bad reveal in the third act, would probably make special effects legend Ray Harryhausen tip his hat in approval.
In the end, Glen and his team defeat the demonic threats with nerd tenacity. Before the Hellfire Club took on the Demogorgons in Hawkins, Indiana, these kids used their knowledge of heavy metal song lyrics and rocket-making skills to tell the monsters what they were for.
No, I'm not trying to tell you that Gate is on par with Stranger Things. Since this is a low-budget film made almost four decades ago, it is limited by the resources available at the time. However, you can see the tonal crackers that led to the genre-bending Netflix hit.
Before children's entertainment had the restrictions we see today, The Gate was a mixture of horror and fantasy that both appealed and disturbed children of my generation. This is a film that deals with intense moments of fear and brings together young heroes who stand against evil. For an iconic 80s horror film, it surprisingly inspired me as a kid. And after all these years, I’m surprised to say that this is still relevant.
