Stranger Things, Netflix’s breakout hit of the summer, is being lauded for many reasons, such as it being a perfect nostalgia trip to the classics of the ’70s and ’80s, the incredible talent of the child actors, the triumphant return of Winona Ryder, the amazing soundtrack, and the best damn depiction of friendship on television. But it’s also really, really creepy.
SPOILERS AHEAD: Perhaps the creepiest scene in the entire series was when Winona Ryder’s character, Joyce Byers, finally figures out how to talk to her son Will, trapped in the upside down dimension, by the use of Christmas lights and some strategically placed painted letters on the wall.
So… Good news! Now you can live that scene, basically, with this “virtual reality 360 experience” YouTube video from Netflix. Filmed from Joyce’s point of view, you can move the screen around to follow her flashlight as she walks through the family home — as things crash and bang and smash all around her — all the while unaware that she’s being tracked by the demogorgon. It’s not, shall we say, for the faint of heart.
Even better yet, if you’ve got access to Google Cardboard you can pop in your smartphone and really experience the terror firsthand. I will not be attempting that, because I prefer my urine to remain in my bladder where it belongs, thank you very much.
