With the release of Netflix's newest original series Stranger Things, people have come to relieve what we call "80's nostalgia", both visually and sonically. But, are we really relieving the glory days of synthesizers and Star Wars? Or did 2016 just showed us a new way to craft sound by blending the vintage with the modern?
Ever since I binge-watched the entire show a month ago, I've been wanting to write about it. I spent days and days thinking on how I could make an entry that would be worth your while, but that would also teach me something in the end.
I texted one of my close friends who's currently a Film student and, knowing he sees things from a different perspective I asked him what kind of topics sound wise would he be interested in reading. Amid our conversation he said something that really caught my attention. He mentioned that although there have been various films and shows this year that have brought back the 80's nostalgia, like for example: Everybody Wants Some!! and Stranger Things, they all still have a different kind of spice. The type of spice that makes them unique.
You can try to bring back what we once knew, but the reality is that it will never be the same. That doesn't mean you won't make an audience happy. This argument is not meant to be a negative one, on the contrary, most people are loving this new style. For example, in Stranger Things we have a lot of aspects that can make us feel like we travelled back in time (Except the one scene where we hear Sunglasses At Night by Corey Hart which was released in 1984 but the show is set in 1983). The soundtrack plays a massive role here. By using songs from Toto, The Clash, The Smiths, among others, you're giving the audience that 80's aesthetic vibe.
Another point I'd like to touch is Star Wars. Star Wars' sound design was made by one of the best sound designers in the world, Ben Burtt. It's inevitable to think about Star Wars whenever you hear a lightsaber or a blaster sound. Those sound fx in particular are very famous, giving Star Wars its own sonic vibe. Take a look at the trailers beneath. The first one is for Empire Strikes Back released on 1980, and the second one is the trailer for Rogue One, set to be released on late 2016.
You can try to bring back what we once knew, but the reality is that it will never be the same. That doesn't mean you won't make an audience happy. This argument is not meant to be a negative one, on the contrary, most people are loving this new style. For example, in Stranger Things we have a lot of aspects that can make us feel like we travelled back in time (Except the one scene where we hear Sunglasses At Night by Corey Hart which was released in 1984 but the show is set in 1983). The soundtrack plays a massive role here. By using songs from Toto, The Clash, The Smiths, among others, you're giving the audience that 80's aesthetic vibe.
Another point I'd like to touch is Star Wars. Star Wars' sound design was made by one of the best sound designers in the world, Ben Burtt. It's inevitable to think about Star Wars whenever you hear a lightsaber or a blaster sound. Those sound fx in particular are very famous, giving Star Wars its own sonic vibe. Take a look at the trailers beneath. The first one is for Empire Strikes Back released on 1980, and the second one is the trailer for Rogue One, set to be released on late 2016.
Rogue One trailer (2016)
Take this 8-minute clip of Stranger Things into consideration as well (you don't have to watch all of it, just the first two minutes at least).
What are some differences in the trailers and the clip that captured your attention in terms of visuals and sounds? Did you notice what I said about 80's tributes in 2016 having their own sound?
Now, I don't think Rogue One is a tribute to this decade. I do think that there are some elements that you have to try to bring back in order to make justice to the classics. People will complain and complain about not having the same "feel" one would get when watching the original saga. We have to understand one thing and that is that we can successfully create tributes, but it will never mirror 100% what we had. Audio Engineers currently approach audio differently. We're talking about the decade where digital audio was very new and very fresh and comparing it to a year where working with it is as common as it can get.
Blending these old elements with the new ones is going to give you something different, which is what my friend was trying to explain to me when talking about his experience as the spectator when watching these films/shows. When you put Stranger Things vis-à-vis Rogue One we can conclude that the recognizable sonic elements of the 80's are there, but not very potent. There are many things currently going through my head as I write this, like for example: the juxtaposition of the hit series and the film. How they are both two different worlds. How one is a tribute and the other one is an anthology of a world created in the late 1970's/early 1980's. I could go on and on about the many opinions and facts other people might throw just to tell me that it's absurd to compare these two very different works.
But to conclude, they both come from the same root, fantasy, and they're both damn good.
Here's a podcast SoundWorks Collection released about the sounds of Stranger Things with part of its amazing sound team. It's definitely worth a listen!