"Gone with the Wind"
One of the movies referenced most often in "The Simpsons" is "Gone with the Wind". After Patty refuses Principal Skinner's marriage proposal in "Principal Charming," he declares, "Oh, Springfield Elementary! I will have you back again. After all, tomorrow is another school day!" à la Scarlett O'Hara. Homer imitates Scarlett later in "Brush with Greatness." After deciding it's time to begin seriously dieting, he states, "As God is my witness, I'll always be hungry again!" The last "Gone with the Wind" reference is a sight gag in "Bart's Inner Child." When Homer's trampoline endeavor takes a turn for the worse, there is a shot showing countless rows of injured children, just like the injured Civil War soldiers in the spoofed movie.
"The Shining"
Another movie that has been lampooned a few times on the show is "The Shining." In "Brother from the Same Planet," a mesmerized Milhouse writes "Trab pu kcip! Trab pu kcip!" on the wall when Homer forgets to pick up Bart after soccer practice, just like Danny writing "Redrum" in the movie. Even better, the entire episode of "Treehouse of Horror V" is a "Simpsons" version of the Stanley Kubrick horror masterpiece. A quick reference is also made to "The Shining" in "The Springfield Files."
"The Godfather", "The Natural"
My two favorite movie allusions made by "The Simpsons" are to "The Godfather" and "The Natural." The morning after chopping off the head of the Jebediah Springfield statue in "The Telltale Head," Bart wakes up with the head beside him in his bed, referring to the horse's head in "The Godfather." My other favorite movie moment in "The Simpsons" happens in "Saturdays of Thunder," when Bart looks into the grandstand he sees that Homer has come to the baseball game to support him. At that point the theme from "The Natural" begins to play.
For more "Simpsons" movie parodies, see the episode guide at "The Simpsons" Archive.
