Mise-En-Scene Analysis: Stanger Things

I decided to do a Mise-En-Scene analysis on the show Stanger Things on Episode 1: “The Vanishing of Will Byers.” This was primarily due to the straightforward depiction of the famous 1980s era and the use of costumes, sets, lighting, and blocking in which these elements intertwine to create a phenomenal show. Moreover, this show was chosen because it defies a great sense of mystery and brings a nostalgic element.  

In the beginning, the show presents the timeline of the 1980 era by showing the actual date and place of November 6, 1983, Hawkins, Indiana. Upon the first scene, the lights are flickering at low-key which alludes that something bad is about to happen. The darkness overtakes the light showing mystery, however, the light is bright enough to help the audience sense who the character is and what his actions are. Thus, the lighting could show the horror/thriller as we can’t figure out what exactly is going to happen to the running man due to the flickering and darkening of the lights.  

In the elevator screen, the setting is a shallow space where a scientist is shown to look up at an unidentified some sort of alien which the audience is not revealed to yet. The viewer notices this as the noise comes from above in a snarl and growl which then takes away the man as the elevator closes. The shallow space gives the audience a sense of mystery and thriller, which is then alluded by the next scene in the basement when a boy places a Demogorgon on the table.  

During the Dungeons and Dragons scene, the set was shown in a basement on a suburban street cutting off the initial show of the Hawkins Laboratory. The playful colors such as the use of a pizza box, bikes, an old blue wired telephone, boardgames juxtapose the darkness shown in the Hawkins Laboratory scene, and suggest that the normality is going to be disrupted. The high-key warm tone light in the basement lit by lanterns implies that the children are safe as there are no shadows shown. Moreover, the wardrobe of the Dungeons and Dragons scene show to be a part of the 1980s style clothing with a t-shirt and jeans/trousers, and medium hair. One more thing to take note of would be the blue phone as using the phone is a stereotypical thing for teen girls to use during the 1980s. This puts emphasis on the fact that the teen girl is popular and has no time for other people but her friends. 

These were my observations for this Stranger Things episode and this is Diego G. signing out.