Simpson Horror Movie Parodies

What can you say about the worldwide pop culture phenomenon that is The Simpsons? America’s favorite yellow family has done everything and anything, at least twice by now, and if there’s something that is persistent among the 400+ episodes, it is the cultural references. So, what does this all mean in terms of Halloween? Well, the Simpsons have become synonymous with Halloween. What, with their yearly Treehouse of Horror specials – three horror/sci-fi/supernatural segments within one episode. Each Treehouse episode is chock full of various horror references and homage. Some segments have even gone as far as making a full on parody of notable horror films. This list commemorates those parodies – some are parodies of modern horror films, others are parodies of classic horror – all are full of laughs…

10. The HΩmega Man
Before Will Smith was the ‘last man on Earth’ in I Am Legend, Homer Simpson was doing his best Charlton Heston impression as the last man on Earth in this send up of The Omega Man. When a nuclear blast obliterates Springfield, Homer (having been inside a bomb shelter called ‘The Withstandinator’) steps out into an empty Springfield which has become his own personal playground – where, for starters, Homer dances naked in an empty church to Edwin Starr’s “War”. Unfortunately, his fun is short lived when the survivors of the blast arrive, as mutants. What follows is a chase throughout Springfield ending at the Simpson household with a nice little surprise in store for both Homer and the mutants.

Memorable Moment:
Homer begins to reminisce about his family who he believes has perished after the nuclear blast: little Bart, little Lisa, little Marge and the rest (Maggie, Santa’s Little Helper, Snowball II, and the TV set)

Memorable Quote:
“Oooh, I’ve wasted my life.” – Comic Book Guy, seconds before the blast

9. I Know What You Diddly-Iddily-Did
The Simpsons attempt to cover up Ned Flanders’ accidental murder in this send up of I Know What You Did Last Summer. The sole modern horror film parody of the group, this segment is not without its share of laugh out loud moments. Homer poking Ned’s eye (twice) to confirm he’s dead, Homer coming up with the plan to cover up the murder and Homer attempting to fake Flanders’ death in front of Maude are among some examples.

Memorable Moment:
Everybody on Evergreen Terrace stare accusingly at the Simpsons after Flanders’ funeral, including Homer who’s pointing a finger.

Memorable Quote:
“Okay, Marge, you hide in the abandoned amusement park; Lisa, the pet cemetery; Bart, spooky roller disco; and I’ll go skinny-dipping in that lake where the sexy teens were killed a hundred years ago tonight.” – Homer

8. Bart’s Nightmare a.k.a. The Bart Zone
Ok, so this one is really a cheat seeing as how the film version was just an adaptation of the classic Twilight Zone episode, “It’s A Good Life.” Either way, it works. In this parody, Bart has Springfield under his control due to his mind reading abilities, and answers the question, “What would the world be like if Bart Simpson was in control?” Well for starters, Bart is allowed to drive the school bus, Krusty the Klown is on the air nonstop, and America is now be named Bonerland.

Memorable Moment:
Homer slowly walking up towards Bart to hit him with a chair, thinking to himself not to think about anything because ‘the boy’ can read his mind. He is promptly turned into a jack in the box.

Memorable Quote:
“He gets it from your side of the family you know? No monsters on my side.” – Homer, to Marge

7. Fly vs. Fly
What is not to love in this parody of The Fly? Homer purchases a matter transporter from Professor Frink for 35 cents at a yard sale and instantly falls in love with the device (he’s able to get his beer without leaving the couch). Of course, Bart gets his hands on the transporter and after a little fun (he turns Snowball II and Santa’s Little Helper into a two headed pet, as well as a two tailed freak) he walks in with a fly. Of course, Bart’s head is grafted onto a body of a fly and the fly’s head emerges on Bart’s body and hilarity ensues.

Memorable Moment:
Homer showing the family how the transporter works, transporting himself from the 1st floor to the 2nd floor, unbeknownst to him, his pants are on fire.

Memorable Quote:
“This is a highly sophistimacated doo-wacky. If you don’t use it responsibly, KA-BLAM-O!” – Homer
“Ow, somebody punched me in the face!” – Lisa
“It was your mother!” – Homer

6. Bad Dream House
Perhaps the creepiest of all the Treehouse of Horror segments, this send up of The Amityville Horror delivers in the fright department as well as in the humor. As soon as the Simpsons move into their new 18-room mansion, the haunting begins – the walls bleed, there’s a vortex to another dimension in the kitchen, objects move around on their own, and of course, the house talks. Things take a turn for the worse that night when the house possesses the family (minus Marge) and they nearly kill each other. It’s the little things in this segment that are most memorable and funny, especially the end when the house decides to destroy itself instead of live with the Simpsons. They sure don’t make them like they use to, I can tell you that.

Memorable Moment:
Homer angrily calling his realtor after finding out the house was built over an Indian burial ground, then being told it was mentioned to him at least five or six times.

Memorable Quote:
“You will die. You will die slowly. Your stomach will swell; your intestines will writhe and boil. Your eyes will burst and some horrible stuff, possibly your brain, will start coming out through your nose.”
– The House, threatening the Simpsons

5. Nightmare on Evergreen Terrace
Groundskeeper Willie takes on the role of Freddy Krueger when the Simpsons parody the Nightmare on Elm Street films and the laughs are a mile a minute. Homer’s deadpan line of ‘taking out the garbage’, Principal Skinner assuring the children there’s no bizarre cover up in the mysterious disappearance of Willie, Martin’s untimely demise, and then there’s the back story of Willie and his revenge against the citizens of Springfield, he’ll strike back against the children where the parents cannot protect them, “in their dreams” and not with “skeleton power” like Chief Wiggum suggests. Of course, you can’t go wrong with a segment that introduces the month of Smarch, you just can’t.

Memorable Moment:
After Martin is murdered in class, Principal Skinner asks Lunchlady Doris that his covered body be wheeled out of the classroom because ‘it’s best the children don’t see him’, the sheet cover comes off his corpse leading to screams. Skinner then tells Lunchlady Doris to get him out of there. That’s when you hear little children screaming followed by Skinner’s line, “Not into the kindergarten!”

Memorable Quote:
“Ooh, it was only a dream. Ahhhhhhh!” – Bart
“Bart, is that you!?” – Homer
“Yes.” – Bart
“Take out the garbage.” – Homer

4. Terror at 5 ½ Feet
Another Twilight Zone spoof makes the list, this time a parody of the classic “Terror at 20,000 Ft.” episode (and subsequent film adaptation in Twilight Zone: The Movie). Bart takes over for William Shatner (and John Lithgow) as the ‘passenger’ who sees a gremlin outside the window, only instead of an airplane it’s a school bus. This segment has fun with the idea and utilizes the school bus effectively. Skinner plays his normal role of authoritarian in trying to keep order when Bart begins to freak out, and the humor thrown throughout always hits it mark – Bart returning a flare into Martin’s pocket and Otto letting go of the wheel of the bus to go see what all the commotion is are two examples.

Memorable Moment:
Bart tells Otto that there’s a gremlin on the side of the school bus, Otto checks and runs Hans Moleman off the road in his little Gremlin automobile.

Memorable Quote:
“You’re deceptive!” – Ralph, to Bart, after everyone is told there’s a gremlin on the side of the bus

3. Bart Simpsons’ Dracula
Bram Stoker’s Dracula becomes Bart Simpsons’ in this clever, hilarious spoof. This has by far some of the best lines in any Treehouse segment: while investigating an obvious vampire case, Chief Wiggum assumes it’s “most likely a mummy”, Homer thinks Burn’s hairstyle “looks so queer”, “Why if it isn’t little….boy.”, or better yet, the infamous “Do I dare live out the American dream?”, when Homer realizes he’ll have to kill his boss. Don’t forget the line below as well. Oh yeah, this also has vampires.

Memorable Moment:
Homer attempting to kill vampire Burns with a wooden stake, but mistakenly driving the stake into his crotch (“Uh dad, that’s his crotch.”)

Memorable Quote:
“Vampires are make-believe, just like elves, gremlins, and Eskimos.” – Homer

2. Clown Without Pity
More Trilogy of Terror than Child’s Play but the premise is the same – a child’s doll has come to life and is hell bent on murder. The scene in the House of Evil shop is reason enough to watch this segment or better yet, the scene right after where Milhouse is playing pin the tail on the donkey at the front door and Homer barges in knocking him out, priceless. The Krusty doll’s attempts at Homer’s life are pretty funny too – especially when Homer’s taking a bath and the doll comes lunging at him with a harpoon (!) and the resulting line said by Marge’s sister, Patty; with all this being said, all can be forgiven for the segment’s romantic ending.

Memorable Moment:
The Krusty doll asks Homer to pull his string so he can continue to advance towards him with a knife.

Memorable Quote:
“Marge, the doll’s trying to kill me and the toaster’s been laughing at me!” – Homer, being attacked by the Krusty doll

1. The Shinning
What else would be number 1? This is a shining (no pun intended) example of the perfect parody for any television show or movie. The Shining is a classic on its own, but taking Homer and putting him in Jack Nicholson’s role is just pure genius. The opening tracking shot is dead on with the film, Homer’s descent into madness is gradual (or as gradual as a 8 minute long segment will allow) and the ensuing craziness is hilarity at its best. The “give me the bat” scene takes on a different life in this, and poor Willie suffers the same fate as Holloran with an axe in the back. There’s the elevator with blood and the maze makes an appearance, surprisingly the twins are nowhere to be seen but REDRUM makes an appearance on Maggie’s building blocks. The immortal door shattering scene is kept in, although Homer goes through “Johnny”, “David Letterman” and the cast of 60 Minutes before finding his victims; and how awesome is it that the Simpsons are the ones frozen at the end instead of just Homer? By far the best of all the segments and the parody holds well even today. That’s saying something.

Memorable Moment:
Homer going crazy and asking for the baseball bat.

Memorable Quote:
“Boy, you read my thoughts! You’ve got the shinning.” – Willie
“You mean, ‘shining’.” – Bart
“Shh! You want to get sued?” – Willie

By no means is this the cream of the crop, there are plenty of other great Treehouse of Horror segments to enjoy. In fact, I urge you to go watch some, but just a word of advise, the older ones are the better ones.