The 50 Greatest Simpsons Movie References

Smart and funny riffs on classic cinema moments...

44. Psycho (1960)

Episode: Cape Feare (Season 5)

The original moment: Handsome if twitchy Bates Motel proprietor Norman laughs while talking to doomed runaway Marion Crane in the pre-shower bit of Hitch’s classic. 

The Simpsons moment: Tracking the family to Terror Lake after his latest release from prison, Sideshow Bob stays at the Bates Motel, and in a direct take on the Psycho shot he's pictured writing a death threat to Bart with stuffed birds in the background.

43. One Flew Over The Cuckoo’s Nest (1975)

Episode: So It's Come to This: A Simpsons Clip Show (Season 4)

The original moment: In a tragic/triumphant finale, Jack Nicholson’s brutally lobotomised livewire ruffian RP McMurphy is mercifully smothered by giant native American Chief Bromden, who then escapes by throwing a water fountain throw a window.

The Simpsons moment: Having been hospitalised by Bart’s practical joke (fizzing a can of beer to nuclear levels), Homer is half-smothered by a deranged Barney, who then crashes through the hospital window and runs into the distance.

Next: Nightmare On Elm Street, Night Of The Hunter, The Lost Boys...

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Comments

    • mattburgess

      Jun 15th 2009, 22:11

      #16 - Treehouse of Horror III (Season 4), while the photo is from The Simpsons Movie.

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    • mattburgess

      Jun 15th 2009, 22:15

      Are all the movie references you've highlighted from the first 11 seasons and the movie because that's all that has been released on dvd so far? And *someone* in Total Film has been watching them too much? Maybe *everyone* in Total Film? :-P

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    • theirishgrover

      Jun 16th 2009, 16:02

      Well the first one's from Season 14 but I assume they are mostly from the first few seasons since they were cr*p after season 8

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    • leecrocker

      Jun 19th 2009, 8:13

      Missed my favorite...though probably because it's not at all visual: In the episode where they vacation in Japan, Marge says "We saw that movie 'Rashomon', you liked that.", to which Homer replies "That's not the way I remember it."

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    • aaweeble2

      Jun 19th 2009, 12:07

      OMG dude the Simpsons like totally ROCK! RT www.anonymity.tk

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    • durden

      Jun 19th 2009, 12:26

      absolutely awesome article!!!although i don't agree upon number one...still,the simpsons rock!!!

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    • seanjohntx

      Jun 19th 2009, 14:12

      Are you kidding me? You expect me to click through 18 pages? No thanks. Next time, cut down on the click throughs. Buried on digg.

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    • somewhatfrail

      Jun 19th 2009, 15:05

      Great number one choice. Although I must say that the Terminator one should be omitted in favour of the far greater T-2 homage in the one episode when Homer befriends Flanders. Walking through the hedge like the T-1000 through the prison bars and then chasing the car with the golf clubs? Priceless.

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    • adman

      Jun 19th 2009, 15:06

      Cookie jar? Um, isn't that Homer's penny jar? No doubt about it though; this is hands-down the number one. Top stuff guys.

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    • somewhatfrail

      Jun 19th 2009, 15:07

      Also, here's a whole compendium of Simpsons Terminator references: http://www.duffzone.org/content.php?title=reft2

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    • avoidz

      Jun 21st 2009, 15:19

      #20 - Mrs Krabappel puts her leg up in the classroom, not "waggling her leg from the bed".

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    • avoidz

      Jun 21st 2009, 15:24

      Notice how most of the clever, inventive references are all from the early seasons? What does that tell you about the quality of the show later on...

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    • halezrandom

      Jul 1st 2011, 14:10

      @mattburgess, they've probably only highlighted the first 11 seasons because up until a revival of quality in this last season, 1-10 are the only good ones.

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