Summer of 84: Synth Horror
I nearly called this one “The Horror of Missing the Boat”. The film is about a group of nerdy kids trying to uncover a mystery in their small town. They run around making references to 80’s pop culture, fueled on by a synth-heavy score to up the period feel. Sound kinda familiar?
Apparently, the film was written and in pre-production when Stranger Things hit the scene and became a global phenomenon. So, instead of possibly being seen as a unique horror release, it looks like it’s swimming in the Duffers’ wake. That’s certainly what I thought when I originally saw the marketing materials, but I decided to check it out based on some relatively-strong reviews and the previous work of the filmmaking team, which I’m just learning is called RKSS, or Roadkill Superstars. A few years earlier, there was quite a bit of buzz around their film Turbo Kid, which I remember enjoying well enough. At the very least, RKSS showed they could do a lot with small budget, something they do again with Summer of 84 ($1.5M).
The mystery of Summer of 84 is a lot more grounded than Stranger Things. Our protagonists, lead by the conspiratorial Davey, aren’t on the hunt of some monster from another dimension, they’re trying to unmask the Cape May Slayer, an elusive serial killer (mostly of young boys). The film and the gang waste very little time zeroing in on a suspect. In fact, from the opening scene you should pretty much know who the killer is. It’s an unusual choice, but not a bad one. The viewer’s time isn’t wasted on being swerved or surprised. This isn’t a whodunnit. So, when the boys start their digging, the stakes of their possibly being found out add to some suspenseful moments.
That aside, I can see how such an approach could lead to a pretty forgettable film: the boys suspect one of their neighbors is a murderer, they investigate and clues point in the neighbor’s direction, their parents don’t believe them, they ultimately find irrefutable proof of the neighbor’s guilt. So, what other substance is there? Are the kids interesting? No, not particularly. Do they give convincving performances that make you root for their ragtag group? Eh. So, what’s the point? If the film ended 15 minutes earlier, it would be irritatingly bland, but it doesn’t. At a point that would seem like a natural conclusion, we’re gifted with a big “oh no!” moment and, finally, some shocking violence (and very little in the way of exposition).
I’d say more, but I want people to watch the film and experience it for themselves. It seems there is supposed to be some message about the horrors below the surface or suburbia, or maybe about the dangers of blind deference to authority. However, I’d say that the film is, ultimately, most successful as a contrast to Stranger Things. When Eleven and Co. go hunting monsters, things typically turn out okay in the end, and, even if they don’t, we can write it off as fantasy. But when the Summer of 84 kids go hunting a killer of children, they’re facing down a real world (albeit rare) threat. In the end, the horror they might endure and the subsequent grief has echoes a lot closer to reality. I’d love to see a sequel, but I guess the filmmakers don’t currently have plans for one.
Is it scary? A little, yes. Like I said, there are some suspenseful scenes, but all pales in comparison to those last 15 minutes, which gets pretty brutal.
Streaming: Find it on Shudder/AMC+
The Score: Since I made such a note of it in the title, it’s worth giving some additional attention. The Le Matos score is awesome. I recommend you check it out (listen here), as well as the artist’s other scores/discography if you need a little more synth in your life.
