Fear Street Part One: 1994: Entertaining, Nostalgic Slasher That Sets The Trilogy Up Nicely

Fear Street Part One: 1994, directed by Leigh Janiak and written by Leigh Janiak and  Phil Graziadei, is the first in a new horror trilogy being released weekly on Netflix. The films are adapted from the Fear Street series of books by R.L. Stine.

This first installment explores the differences between two neighboring towns, Sunnyvale and Shadyside, and the teenagers who reside within them. The opening credits set up the vast lore surrounding this trilogy and introduce you quickly to these vastly different, yet geographically close towns through newspaper clippings showing what will come to be in this installment and the rest of the trilogy.

Nostalgia in the Horror Genre

This first installment of Fear Street basks in 1990s nostalgia-filled with mix-tapes, blacklight posters, and book stores inside malls. The film does a good job of balancing both nostalgias of the way of life in the 1990s with the nostalgia of horror.

The 90s and early 2000s were a time of classic horror remakes, and Fear Street brings this to life with its story focusing on establishing its overarching lore. The curse of Sarah Fier (Elizabeth Scopel) is introduced with a children’s story exploring how she turns townspeople into killers. Throughout the film, more and more of these killers are revealed, and we see glimpses into multiple eras of horror–some of which are not the focus of a full film in the trilogy–and we want to know more. We want to be transported to all these different times and see the horror tropes explored in each era.

Fear Street 1994 took me back in time, remembering the covers of worn paperbacks, wondering when I would be old enough to read some of the darker books aimed at teenagers and I was just a little kid. This film is nostalgic, welcoming, and warm especially when the screen is filled with creative, unique kill scenes bringing to mind the childhood memories of being chased by family members in Halloween masks and looking at the covers of horror movies and books, intrigued, but not ready to venture into that world. One scene, in particular, lingers in my brain and I look forward to more moments like this in the next two installments.

Nostalgia comes through in Fear Street 1994‘s use of neon lighting and locations late at night. There is an unease yet curiosity surrounding malls and grocery stores once all the customers and employees go home for the night. Like a spot where reality shifts in that somewhat comforting bright neon covered in heavy fog way.

The production design of Fear Street 1994 is wonderful with its nods to the 90s peppered throughout the film. When a news report is shown, blockbuster tapes are stacked around the television. Bedrooms and the school hallways are covered in relevant posters for the time from favorite bands to an AIDS PSA poster from the 90s in the school hallway.

The costume design also brings the decade into focus from plaid shirts and combat boots to dresses layered over long sleeve shirts and overall dresses. Fear Street 1994 is a nostalgic dream, bringing to life the 90s as well as the horror of the era.

Fear Street 1994 uses its nostalgia to craft an exciting and engaging story–and set up so much more to come– with interesting characters that you want to survive.

Characters, Relationships, and Horror Tropes

Fear Street 1994 is filled with memorable and well-developed characters and relationships.  The relationship between Deena (Kiana Madeira) and Sam (Olivia Scott Welch) is beautiful and heartfelt. Setting up their relationship with Deena making a mixtape and figuring out what to write in the note to Sam is sweet, simple, and totally 90s.

Fear Street 1994 does a wonderful job of blending its horror lore-filled plot with its character relationships. There is never a moment where one aspect of the film overpowers. These characters feel like real people with real issues outside of being chased by killers. Within the gore-soaked scenes of teenagers trying to survive, they each get to have their own goals and development, even if some are cut short.

The film does not hang Kate (Julia Rehwald) and Simon’s (Fred Hechinger) entire personalities on the fact they have been dealing drugs but does not make this feel like a fact we learn just to be edgy. It comes into play throughout the film in a natural way and shows the differences between Shadyside and Sunnyvale. Kate and Simon are smart and savvy characters, but in this town, this is the way they survive.

Throughout the film, Simon’s character becomes more and more endearing in that charming himbo way. He has to change his clothes and ends up spending most of the film in a cardigan that doesn’t cover his pecs. One of the most memorable moments that made me instantly like the character is his repeated comments on the killer who attacked him, Ruby Lane (Jordyn DiNatale) , being hot even with black drool coming from her body. He doesn’t let her creepy rendition of “You Always Hurt The One You Love” and her attacking him with a razor distract from his appreciation of her 1960s style and wide eyes–even with the previously mentioned black drool oozing from it.

Leigh Janiak’s talents as a writer and director come through with her ability to blend the dark horror-centric aspects of the film with its focus on teenagers and their everyday struggles. She creates life in the darkness and the light–bright, neon, and nostalgic–twirling within the red-tinted and grungy flashes to other times.

Fear Street 1994 also does a wonderful job balancing common horror tropes that we love to see in energetic, fun, horror homages, but knows when to provide deconstruction of some of these well-worn tropes. An especially memorable scene shows members of the group all breaking up to have their own romantic and sexual moments-including Simon matter-0f-factly telling his friends he just masturbated–, yet none of these interactions where immediately interrupted by killers. Their act of coming together and kindling or rekindling relationships brings the group together, rather than tears them apart and condemns them for having sex.

The kill scenes throughout the film explore different aspects of horror and style of scares. When Deena is home with her brother Josh (Benjamin Flores Jr.), she is repeatedly greeted to mysterious phone calls and doorbells ringing, but nobody is there. The sounds and far-off visuals of someone outside are reminiscent of classic slashers like Black Christmas (1974) and Halloween (1978).

Conclusion

Fear Street Part One: 1994 is a fun, energetic slasher with enjoyable characters, an interesting over-arching plot, and heartfelt relationships. This first installment is a welcome addition to the horror genre and shows promise for the rest of this trilogy.

Fear Street Part One: 1994 released July 2nd on Netflix. Fear Street Part 2: 1978 released July 9th and Fear Street Part Three: 1666 releases 16th. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=clZK2PqLWpI

Are you a fan of the slasher genre? Did you read the Fear Street books? Share your thoughts in the comments.

Watch Fear Street Part One: 1994