Summary
Thanks toThe Simpson , there ’s a whole innkeeper of classic movies that I ca n’t see with a straight look . Everyone misses out on a few major soda water culture moment thanks to cultural osmosis . I watch Emperor Zurg severalize Buzz Lightyear that he was his begetter long before Darth Vader differentiate Luke Skywalker the same thing , and this undeniably run down the original disclosure of some dramatic encroachment . However , no ethnical force has done more to make classic movies inadvertently hilarious thanThe Simpsons . AsThe Simpsonsseason 36approaches , it ’d be easier to list the Greco-Roman picture show the show has n’t parodied .
The Simpsonshas been spoofing , referencing , and spoiling movies since the show ’s inception thanks to its irreverent sense of humor . Since the animated family drollery does n’t take politics , society , organized religion , or family seriously , it ’s not too surprising thatThe Simpsonsdoesn’t hold authoritative movies sacred either . What is surprising is the unmixed issue of groovy moviesThe Simpsonshas spoof over the years . Sincethe Simpsons never mature , the show ’s characters live in a perpetual present tense where they are apt to spoil everything fromCasablancatoOppenheimer , depend on the sequence . This irrevocably alter a few classic movies for me .
Although The Simpsons does n’t radically alter the show ’s recipe every year , there is cause to suppose that time of year 36 ’s premiere could see the series enter a novel epoch .
The Shining
The Simpsons Spoof Of Kubrick’s Classic Is Iconic In Its Own Right
When I was see a talk on Stanley Kubrick’sThe Shining , the professor ended by screeningThe Simpsons ’ parody of the motion-picture show “ The Shinning . ” This segment from time of year 6 , installment 6 , “ Treehouse of Horror V , ” was so iconic that it merit cellular inclusion in a university course on Post - War American Film , and I can see why . “The Shinning ” is a masterclass in parodythat foreground specific shots , venial contingent , and tiny motifs from Kubrick ’s movie to reliably recapture its feel . Re - watchThe Shining , and you ’ll be shoot a line away by just how muchThe Simpsonsnailed its recreation of the movie .
The Fugitive
The Simpsons Picked The Perfect Harrison Ford Stand-in
Even though “ The Shinning ” only accounts for seven minutes of oneTreehouse of Horror episode ofThe Simpsons , it still ended up reshape my re - watches ofThe Shining . During its Golden Age , The Simpsonsdidn’t need much screen clip to draw off this effort . One throwaway joke from time of year 6 , episode 2 , “ Lisa ’s Rival , ” underlines this with a screaming nod to 1993 ’s smash hit thrillerThe Fugitive . It is impossible to take Harrison Ford’sThe Fugitiveprotagonist hero gravely after interpret Milhouse evade the FBI , and the movie ’s iconic dam jump now find incomplete without a cry of “ … My deoxyephedrine ! ” .
Citizen Kane
One Line From The Simpsons Cast A Shadow Over This Classic
One cutaway gag have Milhouse on the run from the FBI was enough to makeThe Fugitiveunintentionally curious , but this thriller is n’t one of the best movies in movie house history . In contrast , Citizen Kaneis ofttimes call the swell movieever , and with good reason . Orson Welles ’ masterpiece pioneered a variety of innovative narrative , motion-picture photography , and editing techniques and remains a sharp satirical bill of indictment and a compelling , poignant narration to bring up . However , none of that changes the fact thatI ca n’t think of the movie without remembering Lisa ’s infamous actualization that “ There was no cane in Citizen Kane ! ”
Westworld
The Simpsons Parodied Michael Crichton’s Underrated Blockbuster (Twice)
Lisa ’s line from season 11 , sequence 3 , “ Guess Who ’s do to Criticize Dinner ? ” is a classic , but sometimes , The Simpsonsdevotes more metre and center to its spoof . Take time of year 6 , episode 4 , “ Itchy & Scratchy Land , ” an incredibly challenging activity escapade story where the kinsfolk attend a theme parkland whose golem magnet go dangerously haywire . As a child , I thought this instalment had enough tension and natural process to propel an full movie . As an adult , I learned this was becauseThe Simpsonsparodied 1973’sWestworldin a uproarious shot - for - shooting spoof that double as a loving court to the original picture .
Naked Lunch
The Simpsons Ruined David Cronenberg’s William S Burroughs Adaptation
Speaking of episode that could have been full - blown flick , season 7 , sequence 20 , “ Bart on the route ” has enough plot to fill an intact feature - duration runtime . The unquiet camaraderie between Martin Prince , Milhouse , Bart , and Nelson , the route trip that take them far from Springfield , and their many dangerous undertaking along the mode all combine to make this Golden Age episode . However , it is the kids plain about the rubric of director David Cronenberg ’s hallucinogenic William S Burroughs adaptationNaked Lunchthat still sticks with me . As crazy as the trippy movie is , Nelson is right to noteNaked Lunch ’s title is shoddy .
Planet of the Apes
Dr. Zaius Reminds Me Of The Simpsons’ Inspired Musical Spoof
Most of time of year 7 , episode 19 , “ A Fish Called Selma , ” focuses on wash - up histrion Troy McClure coquet Selma in an endeavor to get his career back on cut . However , the instalment ’s most memorable here and now is much , much sillier . McClure play an all - telling , all - dancing George Taylor in the outing ’s melodious adaptation ofPlanet of the Apes . Thanks to the late , great Phil Hartman ’s hilarious performance , I ’ve never been able to see the original moving picture with a square face . It ’s hard not to be let down when the apes who support Dr. Zaius do n’t begin to ad libitum breakdance .
Glengarry Glen Ross
The Simpsons Ruined This Classic David Mamet Adaptation
The Simpsonsdoesn’t always need to utilise only one line , segment , or even episode to ruin a classic moving-picture show . Sometimes , the show will base an entire character on a famed shape and leave a mark on their blind role as a outcome . Whileone Christmas episode ofThe Simpsonssees Gil the inept salesman move in with the kinsperson , it is fair to say he is hardly a major eccentric . However , he is such a frequently seen supporting star thatthe incessantly put - upon salesman Gil managed to demolish my chances of takingGlengarry Glen Ross ’s narrative seriously .
Dan Castellaneta ’s Lemmon imitation has just the right combination of misplaced idealism and barely hide bitterness .
When Jack Lemmon ’s Shelley ca n’t give up failing haplessly in his lookup for successful lead , the viewer ’s heartstrings should be pull . The audience is meant to find his desperation hard to watch , but I could n’t help but think of Gil Gunderson and his stagger attempts to mulct his manner into some fast money . Dan Castellaneta ’s Lemmon impersonation has just the right compounding of misplaced noble-mindedness and scarcely concealed resentment to make Gil a arrant spoof ofGlengarry Glen Ross ’s antihero , but this comes with the fringe benefit of making the otherwise tense , nihilistic play adjustment unintentionally uproarious upon a re - watch .
Thelma and Louise
The Simpsons Made Ridley Scott’s Feminist Classic Hilarious
In season 5 , episode 6 , “ oleomargarine on the Lam,”The Simpsonstook on Ridley Scott ’s feminist road movieThelma and Louise . Much like the show ’s parodies ofThe ShiningandWestworld , this episode’sThelma and Louisespoof made many of the movie ’s most memorable moments hilarious . From the threatening bar patron who turns out to be perfectly polite , to Wiggum and Homer ending up buoyed by garbage after their motorcar clang , The Simpsonstook the canonical construction ofThelma and Louiseand turn it into a punchline delivery organization . Now if only this did n’t make it inconceivable to take the original seriously .
Nightmare On Elm Street
Groundskeeper Willie’s Treehouse of Horror Segment Declawed This Horror Classic
There areplenty of majorSimpsonsretconsthat have changed the show ’s history after the fact , but the show ’s annual Treehouse of Horror Halloween specials are an opportunity for the Lord to plainly ignore its canon entirely . This results in classical segments with stories that would typically be far too dreary for the series , such as “ Nightmare on Evergreen Terrace ” from season 7 , episode 6 , “ Treehouse of Horror VI.”This spoof ofNightmare On Elm Streetis amazingly glum , from Groundskeeper Willie ’s fiery fortune to his creepy-crawly nightmare monster form . Of of course , it ’s dark if you have n’t seenNightmare On Elm Street .
It was impossible to be truly scared of Freddy Krueger when Groundskeeper Willie ’s court to the character was so memorable .
By the time I really watch Wes Craven ’s seminal slasher classic , the damage had been done . It was out of the question to be truly scared of Freddy Krueger when Groundskeeper Willie ’s homage to the character was so memorable . To this day , I ca n’t see the scene of Freddy burning up in 2010 ’s risibleNightmare On Elm Streetremake without picturing Willie ’s ash politely scooping themselves up with a have dustpanful and brushing in “ Nightmare on Evergreen Terrace . ” Like all the best parodies , this goofy cartoon spoof handle to supplant the original in my brain , with this comical cartoon dream overwriting a incubus .
Cape Fear
Martin Scorsese’s Psychological Thriller Received A Perfect Parody
“ Nightmare on Evergreen Terrace ” and “ The Shinning ” are imposingly light - hearted , but both repulsion parodies sport a few creepy moments despite their goofiness . To find the silliness ofThe Simpsonsat its most inspired , viewers need to look no further than time of year 5 , episode 2 , “ Cape Feare . ” This spoof manages to takean underrated Martin Scorsese moviethat pulses with apprehension , irritation , and tautness and turn it into a hysterically rummy , sublimely irreverent parody . Cape Fearcontains one of Robert De Niro ’s most genuinely unsettling performances as the crimson sociopath Max Cady , but I dispute anyone to take it seriously now .
Every memorable moment from Scorsese ’s Cape Fear is masterfully spoof in The Simpsons .
Cady laughing uproariously at the theater becomes Sideshow Bob puritanically disapproving of Homer doing the same . The disclosure of De Niro strapped to the bottom of the hoagie ’s railroad car becomes Bob being driven through a field of study of cacti before he infamously step on a string of roue . Every memorable moment from Scorsese’sCape Fearis masterfully parodied inThe Simpsonsuntil , finally , the original picture show ends up feel like a reference to the sequence . This is the most forgivable representative ofThe Simpsonsruining a picture show since it resulted in one of the funniest episode of idiot box I ’ve ever hear .
