Mr Homer...have You Been Stealing Squishys Again
The Simpsons has a long history of peppering its stories with popular civilisation references, and some of the show's finest gags stem from the world of cinema. These take ranged from the briefest of quotes, to full on shot-for-shot parodies and extended episode-long homages.
Most striking in trying to put this list together was the sheer volume of motion picture references there are to choose from. In pretty much whatever given episode of The Simpsons , there are at least a couple, with nods to James Bond, 2001: A Space Odyssey and the work of Alfred Hitchcock proving three of the about regular candidates. The tributes to numerous great horror movies in the evidence's Treehouse Of Horror episodes could accept been used to fill this list all on their own.
Trimming downwardly my choices to a manageable number was a challenge in itself, only here are the thirty examples that provided some of the show's most memorable movie-referencing moments…
xxx: Terminator 2 – Homer Loves Flanders (S5 E16)
When Homer becomes uncharacteristically addicted of his neighbor, Ned and the Flanders family endeavour to sneak abroad for some quality fourth dimension without him. When Homer spots them speeding into the distance however he gives hunt while wielding a golf club in each paw, somewhen latching on to the back of the auto and holding on for dear life.
This scene is of course reminiscent of the sequence in Terminator two where the T-1000 gives chase to the escaping heroes, only he had the added do good of being a mimetic metal blend, thus allowing him to form his ain bespoke gripping implements.
29: It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World – Homer The Vigilante (S5 E11)
This one might take passed a few folks by given that the source material isn't that well known in the get-go place, just the final section of this episode is directly lifted from madcap ensemble comedy caper It'south a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World . When Molloy sends the whole town out on a wild goose chase subsequently hidden treasure, whole shots, camera angles and fifty-fifty the music, are straight lifted from the moving-picture show. The strange section where a Phil Silvers-esque character is tricked by Bart into driving through a river also mirrors a like moment in the flick involving the real Phil Silvers.
It's a slightly obscure reference, but i which is appropriated perfectly in order to showcase how easily the residents of Springfield can be whipped upwards into a frenzy.
28: Thelma and Louise – Marge On The Lam (S5 E6)
This whole episode is substantially a parody of Ridley Scott's movie, but information technology'south the terminal iconic scene that sticks firmest in the retentiveness. Marge and Ruth Powers are on the run from the cops and with no way out in sight, they discover themselves out in the desert careering towards a yawning chasm. Unlike in the movie notwithstanding, they balk at flight off into the abyss and instead manage to finish merely curt. It'due south the brain trust of Chief Wiggum and Homer in hot pursuit however and somewhat inevitably they terminate up flight into the chasm themselves instead.
27: On the Town – Boy-Scoutz 'Due north The Hood (S5 E8)
When Bart and Milhouse get all loaded upwards on sugar thanks to an extra thick Super Squishy and decide to go crazy "Broadway style," it leads to a catchy spoof of the classic Gene Kelly and Frank Sinatra musical On The Boondocks . While in the latter it is sailors arriving in New York ready to enjoy some shore leave (producing the now legendary "New York, New York" musical number), hither we have two young pals decrying their beloved of old Springfield town. The sugar-fueled fun before the terrible morn later.
26: The Fugitive – Lisa's Rival (S6 E2)
Everything was emphatically not coming upwards Milhouse in this episode later Bart has his pal placed on the list of America'southward Most Wanted criminals. At one stage this includes him existence held at gunpoint in a dam drainpipe past an agent who bears an uncanny resemblance to Tommy Lee Jones' U.S. Align, Sam Gerard from The Fugitive . He even uses the infamous "I don't care" line when Milhouse professes his innocence, after which Milhouse is left with no choice but to accept a deep plunge. In the context of the episode it's utterly irrelevant, simply hilarious nonetheless.
25: The Graduate – Lady Bouvier's Lover (S5 E21) / Lisa's Substitute (S2 E19)
I'thou flagrantly cheating here I know, merely I just couldn't separate these ii nods to Mike Nichols' classic comedy-drama. In the former, Grandad Simpson interrupts Marge'south mum'southward wedding to Mr Burns by banging on the church window, and he and Mrs Bouvier and so make their escape on the backseat of a motorcoach merely every bit Benjamin and Elaine practise in the original movie.
In the latter, Benjamin Braddock himself, Dustin Hoffman, voices Lisa's substitute teacher Mr Bergstrom and when he is hit on by Mrs Krabappel, he is then able to deliver the immortal line, "Mrs Krabappel, you're trying to seduce me."
24: Basic Instinct – Who Shot Mr Burns Pt ii (S6 E1)
One of the near paused moments in home video history was immortalized on The Simpsons courtesy of a risqué Groundskeeper Willie. During the investigation surrounding Mr Burns' shooting, the setting of Willie'due south interrogation is reminiscent of Sharon Stone's in Bones Instinct , and then certain enough, the kilt wearer even uncrosses his legs in the aforementioned sultry manner. Unfortunately for Willie, his take on this classic moment is far less well received.
23: Pulp Fiction – 22 Curt Films Almost Springfield (S7 E21)
Both the segmented nature of this episode'south storyline, as well as much of the plot itself, is clearly influenced by Tarantino's Pulp Fiction . Several moments stand up out including the policemen's word of what they call a Krusty Burger with cheese at this new-fangled McDonald's restaurant and Ophidian stopping at the ruby-red lite but to be recognized by Chief Wiggum simply similar Butch and Marcellus Wallace in the original film. Likewise, Herman's Military Antique Store is a perfect stand up in for Maynard's Pawnshop, luckily though Milhouse inadvertently saves the day before Zed arrives.
22: A Clockwork Orangish – Canis familiaris Of Death (S3 E19)
Of all the references to Kubrick'southward A Clockwork Orange that The Simpsons has adopted over the years, this is arguably the finest. When Mr Burns decides his new assault dog, Santa'southward Petty Helper, needs toughening up a scrap, he brainwashes the poor mutt by forcing him to watch footage of dogs being mistreated by men while his eyelids are held open.
This is of course referring to the Ludovico technique we saw used to such devastating outcome on young Alex in Kubrick's moving-picture show. Beethoven'south Ninth Symphony, a slice synonymous with the movie thanks to Alex'due south love of old Ludwig Van, also plays over the pinnacle of the clips.
21:The Birds – A Streetcar Named Marge (S4 E2)
This episode is brimming with allusions to famous movies, including a bully footling nod to Denizen Kane where a bored Homer tears up his playbill during Marge's play, just equally Kane'southward former pal Leland does during Suzan's operatic debut. Maybe more noticeable though is the wonderful moment where Homer and the family arrive to choice Maggie upward from daycare only to find the babies all eerily sabbatum sucking on their pacifiers.
These closing shots closely mirror the end of Hitchcock's The Birds where a flock of birds only perch menacingly while the motion picture'southward heroes cautiously escape. Interestingly, when Homer emerges from the daycare centre, an Alfred Hitchcock-looking character wonders beyond the screen walking his dogs, a direct reference to the manager's ain cameo in the original moving picture.
xx: Fantasia – Itchy And Scratchy Land (S6 E4)
At that place are several allusions to Disney theme parks and Walt Disney himself throughout this episode, only the near creative link comes in a prune from Itchy and Scratchy cartoon 'Scratchasia'. This is an ultra-violent take on the Disney archetype Fantasia that sees the cat and mouse duo recreating the iconic 'The Sorcerer'southward Apprentice' sequence.
One choice moment sees Scratchy chopping Itchy into countless tiny pieces, only to inhale him in dust form and be killed from the inside. A unique alloy of vintage Disney and archetype Itchy and Scratchy ultra-violence.
19: Cat On A Hot Can Roof – Secrets Of A Successful Marriage (S5 E22)
The revelation that perennial bachelor Waylon Smithers was once married is a bit of a surprise in itself, simply what is entirely predictable is that it ended due to his unwavering dedication to Mr Burns. The story of this tumultuous marriage is told to us in a flashback mirroring a similar struggle between Paul Newman'southward Brick (constantly boozing and walking using a crutch) and Elizabeth Taylor's Maggie in the 1958 adaptation of Tennessee Williams' play. The pair's tempestuous and unaffectionate marriage is the perfect backdrop for Smithers' own doomed dearest affair.
eighteen: Due north By Northwest – Homer Vs. Lisa And The eighth Commandment (S2E13)
This scene is actually referenced twice by the Simpsons team, as it was used again in season ten'due south Kidney Problem . Its first outing however was way back in season 2. When Homer charges out into the road and frantically tries to stop the cable guy who has been offer illegal cable, he stands in front of the oncoming truck before lying downwards in its path, forcing it to stop. This mirrors the sequence in Hitchcock's thriller in which Cary Grant's desperate Roger Thornhill does as well in order to hitch a ride to prophylactic.
17: The Peachy Escape – A Streetcar Named Marge (S4 E2)
Maggie Simpson's finest moment comes in this parody of John Sturges' The Great Escape . When she gets left in the Ayn Rand Schoolhouse for Tots while Marge takes up interim, she presently rebels against the disciplinarian regime of the day-intendance'southward owner, Ms Sinclair. When Maggie breaks the rules regarding pacifiers, she gets sent to "the box," a clear play on Steve McQueen'due south graphic symbol existence sent to "the cooler," complete with a ball of her own to bounce. The baby's elaborate breakout scheme to rescue their stolen pacifiers is also scored using the film's stirring Elmer Bernstein theme in a further tip of the chapeau to Sturges' pic.
16: 2001: A Infinite Odyssey – Deep Space Homer (S5 E15)
Kubrick's Sci-Fi classic is referenced countless times on The Simpsons only perhaps the finest example comes when Homer takes an eventful trip into space. Subsequently Homer foolishly opens a bag of crisps (or potato chips for whatever Americans reading), his fellow astronauts becomes concerned that they will clog up the instruments. Homer then begins a graceful cypher-gravity float around the ship, hoovering up the loose fries to the tune of "The Blue Danube," a not bad twist on the docking shot in 2001 which likewise saw a colossal entity floating majestically through space to the same slice of music.
15: Crocodile Dundee – Bart Vs Commonwealth of australia (S6 E16)
This may not be the most clever example on this list, but information technology is certainly amongst the funniest. When the family visit Commonwealth of australia they discover themselves in a typical Aussie bar. When Bart starts playing with a moving-picture show-knife, a gruff looking local approaches him and repeats the legendary line from Paul Hogan's Crocodile Dundee , "that'south non a pocketknife, this is a knife." Only of grade, as Bart points out, it's actually a spoon. To which follows the inimitable reply, "I see you've played knifey-spoony before," a quote which has now far surpassed the original in terms of enduring popularity.
14: Night of the Hunter – Cape Feare (S5 E2)
This brief but clever tribute to Robert Mitchum's character in Dark Of The Hunter is one of several nifty references throughout this episode. In the original moving-picture show, Mitchum's unsafe preacher has 'Love' and 'Hate' tattooed on his knuckles. In this case all the same, due to the characters only having three fingers to work with, Sideshow Bob instead only has "LUV" and "HĀT" scrawled on his.
In the example of the latter, I take been reliably informed that the line higher up the A ways it is a long drawn out vowel, thus pregnant that phonetically at least, the latter would technically exist pronounced 'hate.' I await beingness duly corrected on this by any resident linguistic communication experts.
13: Batman: Last Leave To Springfield (S4 E17)
When Lisa discovers she requires braces, her hopes for a shiny new unimposing gear up is chop-chop tarnished as she is instead forced to habiliment a horrific eyesore that amend suits the family's tight budget. As she comes to from the anaesthetic, Lisa demands that the dentist passes her a mirror and then she tin can meet what he has done. Upon seeing her own shocking reflection, she laughs maniacally before keen the mirror to pieces while the doctor cowers. This whole sequence is channelling a like scene in Tim Burton's Batman in which an acid-scarred Jack Napier showtime glimpses his ain transformation into The Joker.
12:The Godfather – Mr. Plow (S4 E9)
Another keen example here of The Simpsons team matching archetype scenes almost shot for shot. In this instance, during the snow storm that engulfs Springfield and prompts Homer to start his ain snow plough business, Bart faces a barrage of snowballs from the boondocks's kids in a sequence that is directly lifted from Sonny Corleone's unfortunate incident at a toll berth in Coppola'south masterpiece The Godfather . A slightly less bloody recreation but nevertheless a clever little nod nonetheless.
11: Psycho – Itchy And Scratchy And Marge (S2 E9)
An impressive recreation here of one of the most memorable scenes in movie theatre history. In Hitchcock's original, Marion Crane is brutally stabbed to death in a shower at the Bates family motel by an unseen assailant and we witness the murder through a series of quick shots. This fourth dimension nevertheless it is Homer falling victim to a vicious assault by immature Maggie Simpson who is influenced by the excessive violence found on children'south TV.
It'southward nigh a shot-for-shot reconstruction complete with Bernard Herrmann's legendary score. Plenty of clever touches like the nearby curtain being ripped off its rings and the shot of cherry-red paint spiralling down the drain make this both a remarkably accurate and particularly clever spoof.
10: The Untouchables – Homer Goes To College (S5 E3)
In the original film, De Niro's intimidating Al Capone stalks around a table containing his assembled henchmen, lulling them into fake sense of security with a voice communication about team work, before violently pummelling one of them over the caput with a baseball bat. Hither, as he attempts to persuade the admissions committee of Springfield University to accept Homer into the college, Mr Burns channels his inner Capone and attempts to do besides.
Unfortunately he doesn't quite have the requisite strength to crusade the necessary harm, simply luckily he still gets his way in the end when the committee seems to take pity on him. "Smithers, dismember the corpse and send the widow a corsage."
nine: The Godfather Function Two – Last Go out To Springfield (S4 E17)
In one of the show's greatest e'er episodes, Homer begins to fantasise about a life in organized crime and his daydream bears an uncanny resemblance to the scene of Don Fanucci walking his streets in Coppola'south The Godfather Part Ii . While in the original the Don receives gifts of a necklace and an orangish, here Homer is instead offered the most precious gift of all, doughnuts. Everything about the scene is perfect, from the Nina Rota style music to the bustling Niggling Italy market identify.
8: Alien – Sweet Seymour Skinner'southward Baadasssss Vocal (S5 E19)
One of cinema'southward nearly nerve-wracking sequences is put to peachy utilize hither when Santa's Little Helper accidentally gets loose in the Elementary Schoolhouse'due south air ducts. Only as in Ridley Scott's Alien , where the crew lookout as their oestrus seeking equipment shows the alien lifeform endmost in on Dallas in the ship's ventilation system, here we accept a canis familiaris and a greased up Scotsman stalking ane some other in the schoolhouse's ducts. Principal Skinner keeps track using the inexplicably how-do-you-do-tech heating figurer and looks on balked equally the 2 creatures' heat traces get gradually closer together.
7: Rashomon – 30 Minutes Over Tokyo (S10 E23)
Some entries make this listing due to them being such neatly worked in picture show homages, many of them being shot-for-shot remakes with expertly appropriated dialogue. Here though, nosotros take a very brief reference to Kurosawa's masterpiece Rashomon that earns its place purely by existence both extremely funny and very clever. When Homer is looking glum at having to get to Japan, Marge attempts to cheer him up and the following two and fro takes place: "Come on Homer, Japan volition be fun. Yous liked Rashomon." "That's not how I think information technology."
If you aren't familiar with the moving-picture show, just have a quick glance at its central premise and you lot'll see just how perfect this joke is.
half dozen: Rear Window – Bart Of Darkness (S6 E1)
Pretty much the entire second half of this episode parodies Alfred Hitchcock's Rear Window , with Jimmy Stewart'southward Fifty.B. Jeffries fifty-fifty making a cursory cameo advent. Stuck in his room due to a broken leg, Bart begins spying on his neighbors using a telescope and as in Hitch'southward pic, he seemingly witnesses a heinous crime in the process.
The episode's crowning celebrity comes in its last moments where Lisa Simpson is sent over to detect clues at the suspect'south habitation only to observe herself thrust into grave danger just like Grace Kelly'southward Lisa in the original movie. Information technology'southward an all-round dandy episode and one with perhaps the finest of many Hitchcock parodies in The Simpsons .
5: Cape Fear – Cape Feare (S5 E2)
This whole episode'southward plot is lifted from both the 1962 original and the 1991 Scorsese remake of Cape Fear , though information technology's the specific references to the latter version which actually stand out. Sideshow Bob'southward tattoos closely resemble those of Robert De Niro'due south villain Max Cady and the shot where he leaves prison with a sinister wait on his confront as storm clouds gather in the distance is identical to one found in the film. However, mayhap the nearly enjoyable parody comes when Bob mimics De Niro's Cady and begins smoking and laughing uproariously in the cinema to the anger of the nearby Simpson family unit.
Some of the shots are straight taken from the film, including one where Bob leans back in his chair and exhales a plume of cigar fume into the air. Alas though, at no betoken did De Niro'southward Cady reveal a Die Bart Die tattoo.
4: Planet of the Apes- A Fish Called Selma (S7 E19)
Troy McClure'south finest hour comes in this episode in which he experiences as unexpected career renaissance and lands a part in the musical version of The Planet Of The Apes , entitled of course, "Stop the Planet of the Apes, I Want to Get Off." The look of the apes is clearly based on those of the original 1968 movie, and there's fifty-fifty a graphic symbol called Dr Zaius, and this fourth dimension he even gets his own theme song to the tune of Falco's "Rock me Amadeus."
Everything about this musical is brilliant, but perhaps its finest moment is i of the greatest lines in musical history, "I hate every chimp I see, from chimpan-A, to chimpan-zee".
three: Citizen Kane – Rosebud (S5 E4)
Much like with "Bart Of Darkness" and "Cape Feare," the plot of this whole episode is based on a archetype movie, in this instance Orson Welles' Citizen Kane . The episode's title, "Rosebud," is of class a reference to Kane's mysterious last words, and Burns' search for Bobo, a lost symbol of babyhood innocence, likewise mimics a key attribute of Welles' movie.
My favourite reference though comes at the episode'south outset where we zoom in on Burns Manor, in a scene reminiscent of the moving-picture show's own famous opening shots, to find Mr Burns suffering a restless nighttime's slumber. He lets out a whimper for his old bear Bobo and then lets a snow world fall from his grasp which and then shatters into pieces on the hard floor. Fifty-fifty Smithers' archway witnessed through the broken shards of glass is a directly lift from Kane and sets the tone for this wonderfully crafted parody.
two: Goldfinger – You Only Move Twice (S8 E2)
In what may well exist the prove's greatest ever episode, at that place are countless allusions to the Bond movie franchise with the title stemming from You lot Merely Live Twice and elements of the plot from Moonraker cropping upwardly along the way. Even so it'due south a fresh take on an immortal scene from Goldfinger which is the pièce de résistance.
Much like Auric Goldfinger did with Bond in the original picture show, here Homer'southward new boss, Hank Scorpio, holds a distinctly Connery-esque spy earnest on a table while a light amplification by stimulated emission of radiation slowly edges towards his body. This time however, Bond tin can't talk his way out of trouble and instead attempts an ingenious escape. Before he tin can get very far though, Homer tackles him to the footing where he is then unceremoniously shot by Scorpio'south guards. Information technology's a great spoof of the old Bond movie cliché regarding evil villains and their needlessly elaborate death traps.
one: Raiders of the Lost Ark – Bart'southward Friend Falls In Love (S3 E23)
This remains the Simpsons movie reference to which all others are compared. In this archetype episode from season three, we open on a practically shot-for-shot recreation of a legendary scene from Steven Spielberg's Raiders Of The Lost Ark . Rather than Indy and an ancient fertility symbol, here we have Bart attempting to steal Homer's modify jar. Fifty-fifty the smallest mannerisms are captured perfectly with Bart wiping the sweat from his face just equally Dr Jones does in the movie. He then is forced into a daring escape which involves sucker-darts fired by Maggie and of form an enraged Homer standing in perfectly for the huge boulder that is triggered to roll later on Indy.
Everything nigh the sequence is inspired and the attending to detail is particularly impressive with little flourishes like Bart rescuing his hat from the under the endmost garage door really making it extra special.
Source: https://www.denofgeek.com/movies/the-simpsons-top-30-movie-references/
0 Response to "Mr Homer...have You Been Stealing Squishys Again"
Post a Comment