Have you watched the Netflix series Stranger Things? If so, you've probably noticed the retro 1980's feel that oozes throughout it (as does some actual ooze). The setting, the music, the themes, and the overall vibe all harken back to a time when groups of children rode around on BMX bikes while trying to avoid nightmarish monsters and/or government conspiracies, all to the tune of synthesizer music.
If you haven't seen it yet, don't worry, we'll get it on DVD as soon as it comes out. In the meantime, here are some resources you can check out to put you in the right mindset. Stranger Things pulls from many different sources, and it puts its influences right up front in the mix.
Close Encounters of the Third Kind: After witnessing UFOs in the skies near his home in Indiana, Roy Neary embarks on an odyssey which will eventually culminate in an experience beyond imagination. Stranger Things is practically dripping with Steven Spielberg influence, so any of his 1980's output would suffice, but Neary's obsession with extraterrestrial communication is clearly referenced in Stranger Things.
Firestarter: Stephen King is the other main influence on Stranger Things (there's even a brief cameo of Cujo in it). Eleven, the telekinetic child with a mysterious past, is an obvious reference to this novel.
E.T.: More from Spielberg. This classic features a gang of young kids trying to hide a mysterious visitor from government agents, as well as lots of BMX bike riding through the woods/in the sky.
The Goonies: More kid gangs fighting adults! More misunderstood monster friends! More pirate treasure! Plus, a killer 80's soundtrack.
Stand By Me: Stephen King? Check. Gang of kids on a quest which will inevitably cause them to confront who they are and, ultimately, how they relate to the larger world? Check. Corey Feldman? Check.
Carrie: More Stephen King, more adolescent girls with physic powers.
Under the Skin: The "Upside Down" in Stranger Things is a direct visual reference to this recent nightmarish sci-fi thriller.
Lost Themes I & Lost Themes II by John Carpenter: Carpenter, the director of horror/scifi classics like Halloween and Escape from New York, moonlights as the creator of creepy synth music.