Netflix is ​​trying to recapture the magic of Stranger Things with a nostalgic re-release

Netflix calls the new version of the show “VHS Special Edition” and offers the following description on its website: “go back and re-show the first season with a video store vibe that is shiny, vintage and vintage good – just like you would rent it in 1983.” And I have to say, that is absolutely right. It’s not clear how Netflix has benefited – it seems to be a combination of filtering and cropping – but it’s useful. The scanlines, the occasional hum and visual glitch, and almost square shape give it definite ’80s vibes, building on top of everything that’s already there. Strange Things.

It works very well with Strange Things‘ The first season, which is small in scale – at least compared to later seasons – and is growing in influence over the decade. Only the first part contains references to everything from Dungeons & Dragons to Poltergeist. There are two things that stand out when watching this show again. One is that, in the early stages, the design is so accurate that it helps create a retro appeal. If you didn’t know any better, you might believe this is an ’80s product. Another thing is that the filters help to hide some of the CG effects, which were not good at the time, but can now be hidden under the retro glaze. It goes to the slimy, dirty Upside Down and the terrifying original Demogorgon that haunts Hawkins, Indiana.

To see this type of Strange Things it reminds me of playing old games using a CRT filter tools such as Analogue 3D. No exactly similar to popping a tape out of a VCR, but the vibes are close enough. And for a show that desperately tries to capture the power of movies from the era, it’s very fitting. It’s amazing what a simple filter can do. Nothing else about the show is changed except for the visuals, but the scenes are very different. The difference was brought home when a full-screen display was seen with the visuals and visuals coming from 2026, providing a stark contrast.