List Of 80s References In 'The Sauna Test' - Stranger Things 3, Episode 4
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Despite being fired from their jobs at the newspaper, Nancy and Jonathan continue to investigate the strange case of Mrs Driscoll and the diseased rats of Hawkins. Meanwhile, a code red brings Mike, Lucas, Eleven and Max together so that Will can break the news to them that the Mind Flayer is back.
Spotted any 80s references in Stranger Things season three we've missed out? Let us know in the comments at the bottom of the page.
Music: 'The Ceiling is Beautiful'
When Joyce is caring for Hopper in his cabin, another piece of music from the Stranger Thing soundtrack plays, by producers Kyle Dixon and Michael Stein.
More From 'Stranger Things'
There's loads more from Hawkins on our 'Stranger Things' pages including playlists of music from the show, and you can test your knowledge of 'Stranger Things' with our trivia quizzes. Plus check out our complete 'Stranger Things' episode guide for all four seasons.
80s Alert: Ceramiche Ariostea
While Lucas was on the walkie talkie trying to contact Dustin the cycling hat Lucas has on is from the Italian road cycling team Ceramiche Ariostea. Formed in 1984, disbanded in 1993. The sponsoring company produces tiles, work surfaces etc etc Exciting eh?
80s Alert: The Evil Dead
Is it a step too far to think that the ranting mad Doris has something of one of the people possessed by demons in The Evil Dead?
Music: 'Looking For A Way Out'
Robin grabs money from the tip jar to help her, Dustin and Steve find a way into the guarded room, meanwhile Looking For A Way Out by Kyle Dixon and Michael Stein plays.
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Movie Reference: Sneakers
When Robin gets the plans for the mall, she says: "It is fascinating what 20 bucks will get you at the county recorders office. Starcourt Mall. The complete blueprints."
This is an almost complete lift of a quote from the early hacking film, Sneakers, which came out in 1992. Starring, amongst others, Dan Ackroyd, Ben Kingsley, River Phoenix and Sidney Poitier, this film contains the line "It's fascinating what 50 bucks will get you at the county recorder's office. Playtronics Corporate Headquarters, the complete blueprints." This is shortly before on entree characters heads off down an air duct.
80s Alert: Terminator
We'd said previously that the 'huge Russian' dude reminded us of The Terminator, here it's confirmed when the Mayor Kline responds to Hopper questioning about who the man is by saying 'He's Arnold Schwarzenegger'.
80s Alert: Darkman
Hopper threatens to cut off Mayor Kline's finger with a cigar cutter. This brought the 1990 film Darkman to mind. The opening scene features the main villain, Robert Durant, cutting a rival's fingers off with a cigar cutter as he collected them. Darkman, like The Evil Dead, was directed by Sam Raimi, and was one of the first major roles for Liam Neeson.
Music: 'You're a Fighter'
When Mrs Wheeler consoles Nancy about getting fired the song You're a Fighter by Kyle Dixon and Michael Stein is heard.
Music: 'Blueprints'
Robin gets the blueprints from the County Recorder's office while Blueprints from Kyle Dixon and Michael Stein plays.
Music: 'Leap of Faith'
At the the pool, Michael puts together a plan to get Billy in the sauna, the scene is set to the track Leap of Faith from Kyle Dixon and Michael Stein.
Film Alert: Chinatown
When Hopper is pushing the mayor to show him the land deeds, it reminded us of a film which famously hinges on land deeds is Chinatown. This Roman Polanki film from 1974 is based on the California Water Wars of the early 20th century, where land rights to water, necessary to supply the ever-growing Los Angeles, gave cause to all kinds of subterfuge, jiggery pokery and general nonsense. The film stars Faye Dunaway and John Houston, but Jack Nicholson steals the show, in what many consider his finest performance.
Music: 'Land Deeds'
Mayor Kline gets the land deeds from his safe as Land Deeds by Kyle Dixon and Michael Stein plays.
Music: 'Theoretically'
Theoretically by Kyle Dixon and Michael Stein can be heard when Joyce explains to Hopper about where the power to produce the loss of magnetism could be coming from.
80s Alert: Air Ducts
Three films come to mind when it comes to crawling through ventilation ducts as key plot points, and seeing Erica, torches on head, shuffling her way through we thought of…
The original Mission Impossible with Tom Cruise, 1996.
Aliens, 1986 – directed by James Cameron. Newt has been hiding in the air vents for months since the colony was wiped out by the Xenomorphs, whilst towards the end of the film the survivors are forced to flee through the ventilation system.
Die Hard, 1988 – Yipp-kay-yay muddy funsters, the image of Bruce Willis as off duty cop John McClane squeezing through the air ducts to take on Alan Rickman's evil Hans Gruber has become one of the defining images of this film.
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Music: Peter Mergener - 'A Little Bit of something'
The Mayor's partner comes home, while Hopper and Joyce investigate the farm. A Little Bit of something by Peter Mergener plays. It is taken from the 1992 album Take Off. Peter is a German electronic music composer who's still recording and has been releasing music since the early 80s, first in a duo as Software, and since the early 90s as a solo artist.
80s Alert: Lack of CCTV
Erica crawling through the air ducts, jumping into the safe room and then opening the doors. I mean, even if there's nobody around, these days you'd have to deal with the multiple CCTV cameras staring at you. Life was so much simpler in the 80s!
Music: 'Sauna Test'
When the gang are fighting Billy to get him in the sauna, Sauna Test by Kyle Dixon and Michael Stein plays.
Music: 'They Found Us'
When Max is telling them to 'do it' when they fire up the sauna, the music is They Found Us by Kyle Dixon and Michael Stein.
Film Alert: The Nostromo
The storage containers found in the secret room contain a chilled storage device. These devices, with the twist and release system, look much like the power cells on board The Nostromo, the main spaceship in the Ridley Scott's 1979 film Alien.
Music: 'Not Chinese Food'
When Steve is pulling the container out from the box, Not Chinese Food by Kyle Dixon and Michael Stein plays.
80s Alert: American Werewolf in London
Billy changing in the sauna looks very similar to the American Werewolf in London transformation scenes. This 1981 film from director John Landis manages the rare thing of combining terrifying horror with genuine comedy. The fact that after he runs off the camera pans up to a full moon is just rubbing this one in really.
Music: 'I Can Save Them'
When Eleven and Billy go head-to-head a familiar track that first popped up in season two is heard, more synth wizardry from Kyle Dixon and Michael Stein.
Music: Vera Lynn - 'We'll Meet Again'
At the end of the episode We'll Meet Again by Dame Vera Lynn plays. Ok, so this song sets up a future meeting between El and the 'evil forces' in Hawkins, we get that. The song itself was originally recorded in 1939 by Vera Lynn, known as 'the forces sweetheart' during World War Two as her songs of life back home were popular with troops abroad. We'll Meet Again in the original sense was meant to comfort people at times when loved ones could be facing death fighting the war in far off lands, not taking on demogorgons, but you get the idea.
Astonishing fact – Vera Lynn was 22 when she recorded the track in 1939, she's still alive and going strong at 102!
On To Chapter Five
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July 08, 2019Dustin, Steve, Robin and Erica find themselves trapped deep beneath Starcourt Mall and there's a surprise for Hopper and Joyce inside an old farmhouse, where their paths cross with a Russian scientist named Dr. Alexei. Unable to communicate with the Russian directly, Hopper takes him to meet an old friend of his.
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