Stranger Things: Is this Movie Based on a Real Story or Not?

Since its premiere in 2016 on the Netflix series Stranger Things has attracted attention from all over the world with its blend of supernatural horror nostalgic 1980s style, and emotional storytelling. It was developed by The Duffer Brothers, the show follows a group children living in a small city in Hawkins, Indiana that are confronted by strange Government experiments and telekinetic abilities and an eerie alternate dimension known as”the “Upside Down”.

However, as the story unfolds with hidden project of the government, mind-control and bizarre creatures there have been many questions from fans: Is Stranger Things inspired by an actual real Story?

Let’s differentiate fact from fiction.

The Inspiration Behind Stranger Things

Although Stranger Things is not based directly on a real story however, it was strongly influenced by real government experiments as well as conspiracy theories including one that is known by the name of Montauk Project.

The Duffer Brothers originally even titled the show “Montauk” before changing the location to fictional Hawkins, Indiana.

The Montauk Project is a long-rumored secret U.S. government experiment said to have been conducted in Camp Hero Air Force Station in Montauk, New York, in the 1970s and 1980s. According to reports, scientists conducted research with brain control and time travel and communication to other realms which are eerily like what we’ve seen on screen in the films Stranger Things.

The Montauk Project Conspiracy

The Montauk Project first came to the public’s attention through a collection that was composed by Preston B. Nichols beginning in the book The Montauk Project: Experiments in Time (1992). Nichols claimed that he was involved in secret government research programs designed to create strategies for psychological warfare and techniques for teleportation.

He also said that children who were psychic were taken and then used for experimentsthat sounds similar to Eleven’s tale on The Stranger Things.

In these conspiratorial theories according to these conspiracy theories, it is believed that the U.S. government was trying to make use of psychic powers to monitor enemies and to open doors into other realms. However, there is no proof that these experiments ever were conducted.

However, the idea intrigued those who created the Duffer Brothers, who used it as the basis for their sci-fi horror universe.

Other Real-Life Influences

In addition to The Montauk Project, Stranger Things also draws inspiration from real-life historic events and pop culture:

• MK-Ultra Program It was a real CIA program in the 1950s-1970s, which tested methods of mind control with the help of drugs and psychological tests. The mother of Eleven being tested is a direct reference to MK-Ultra.
• Cold War Science Projects: The fear of Soviet spying and the secret U.S. labs in the 1980s inspired the series’ depiction of Hawkins National Laboratory.
• The 80s Sci-Fi as well as Horror Films: Movies like E.T., The Goonies, Poltergeist, and Firestarter greatly influenced the character and tone.

Fact Check: What’s Real and What’s Not

In the simplest terms, Stranger Things is an piece of fiction that has origins in real-world mystery which makes it thrilling and believableand that’s exactly why it seems real.