Difference between revisions of "Itchy & Scratchy Land"
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| − | {{episode | + | {{Infobox Simpsons episode |
| − | |image= | + | | episode_name = Itchy & Scratchy Land |
| − | | | + | | image = [[Image:ItchyScratchyLand.png|200px]] |
| − | | | + | | image_caption= The Simpsons being attacked by the malfunctioning killer [[Itchy & Scratchy]] robots. |
| − | | | + | | episode_no = 107 |
| − | | | + | | prod_code = 2F01 |
| − | | | + | | airdate = October 2, 1994 |
| − | | | + | | show runner = [[David Mirkin]] |
| − | | | + | | writer = [[John Swartzwelder]] |
| + | | director = [[Wesley Archer]] | ||
| + | | blackboard = "I am not the reincarnation of [[Sammy Davis Jr.]]"<ref name="book">{{cite book|last=Richmond |first=Ray|coauthors=Antonia Coffman|title=[[The Simpsons: A Complete Guide to our Favorite Family]] |year=1997 |publisher=Harper Collins Publishers|isbn=0-00-638898-1}}</ref> | ||
| + | | couch_gag = The family is [[Transporter (Star Trek)|beamed]] onto the couch the same way the characters are in the original ''[[Star Trek]]'' series.<ref name="bbc">{{cite web|url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/cult/simpsons/episodeguide/season6/page4.shtml|title=Itchy & Scratchy & Marge|accessdate=2007-08-02|author=Martyn, Warren; Wood, Adrian |date=2000|publisher=BBC}}</ref> | ||
| + | | commentary = [[Matt Groening]]<BR>[[David Mirkin]]<BR>[[Dan Castellaneta]]<BR>[[Yeardley Smith]]<BR>[[Wes Archer]] | ||
| + | | season = 6 | ||
}} | }} | ||
| + | "'''Itchy & Scratchy Land'''" is the fourth episode of ''[[The Simpsons]]''<nowiki>'</nowiki> [[The Simpsons (season 6)|sixth season]] and first aired on October 2, 1994.<ref name="officialsite">{{cite web|url=http://www.thesimpsons.com/episode_guide/0604.htm|title=Itchy & Scratchy Land|accessdate=2007-08-02|publisher=The Simpsons.com}}</ref> Wanting a perfect family vacation, the Simpson family visits [[The Itchy & Scratchy Show|Itchy & Scratchy]] Land. The trip starts out great, but things take a turn for the worse when a horde of Itchy and Scratchy robots go on a murderous rampage. It was written by [[John Swartzwelder]] and directed by [[Wes Archer]].<ref name=bbc/> | ||
==Plot== | ==Plot== | ||
| − | + | [[Image:ItchyAndScratchyLandPark.jpg|left|200px|thumb|The front gate of Itchy & Scratchy Land.]] | |
| + | [[Bart Simpson|Bart]] and [[Lisa Simpson|Lisa]] see a commercial for the new [[amusement park]] named [[The Itchy & Scratchy Show|Itchy & Scratchy]] Land, and immediately want to visit it. [[Marge Simpson|Marge]] has already booked a family vacation to a [[bird sanctuary]], but after revealing that the theme park has a place for adults, Bart and Lisa win their parents over, on the condition that they will not embarrass Marge as on previous holidays. After a long car journey, they reach Itchy & Scratchy Land parking lot, where they are then flown to the park by helicopter and told nothing can "possibly" go wrong. | ||
| − | + | Marge is slightly uneasy with the many references to violence at the park, but has an enjoyable time visiting the various violent attractions, which include a parade filled with Itchy and Scratchy robots. Homer and Marge eventually tire out and spend time away from the kids at the nearby "Parents Island" as Bart and Lisa continue having fun. Bart and Lisa also visit a movie theater, where a documentary about the history of ''Itchy & Scratchy'' is being presented, including clips of the old ''Itchy & Scratchy'' films "Scratchtasia" and "Pinitychyo". Although going well, the family's vacation is ruined when Bart launches a [[stink bomb]] onto an actor in an Itchy suit and is captured by park security. Homer is also captured for "kicking an Itchy in the butt." Marge is informed of her son's and husband's transgressions and is immediately embarrassed. | |
| + | |||
| + | Meanwhile, [[Professor Frink]], chief of the [[audio-animatronic|animatronic]] robots in the park parades, tells the other staff that (according to the chaos theory) all the Itchy & Scratchy robots will turn on their masters; this happens seconds after he makes the announcement. Bart and Homer are released and just as Marge is chewing them out, all power is cut and a horde of Itchy and Scratchy robots advance on them. Homer frantically throws everything he can at them and discovers that the flash of a camera short circuits the robots' systems. The Simpsons then grab dozens of cameras from a gift shop and defeat the entire Itchy & Scratchy army. The family is thanked for saving the park and agree that it was their best vacation ever. Regardless, they decide to never to speak of the trip again.<ref name=officialsite/><ref name="book"/><ref name="bbc"/> | ||
| + | |||
| + | ==Production== | ||
| + | "Itchy & Scratchy Land", written by the entire writing team but credited to [[John Swartzwelder]], was a very difficult episode to produce. It involved creating an entirely new environment, which meant large amount of writing and all new sets.<ref name="Mirkin">{{cite video | people=Mirkin, David|year=2005|title=The Simpsons season 6 DVD commentary for the episode "Itchy & Scratchy Land"| medium=DVD||publisher=20th Century Fox}}</ref> At the time that the episode was produced, new, more stringent, [[censorship]] laws had been put in place. As a result, the Fox network tried to stop the writers from including ''Itchy & Scratchy'' cartoons in episodes. In response, the writers created this episode, which they decided would be as violent as possible. The network threatened that if the episode was produced, they would cut the ''Itchy & Scratchy'' parts out themselves, but relented when showrunner [[David Mirkin]] threatened to tell the media. The writers nevertheless promised to try not to overdo the violence and in some scenes the violence was cut.<ref name="Mirkin"/> | ||
| + | |||
| + | Although the episode was quite difficult to animate, "Itchy & Scratchy Land" was "a dream come true" for the animators, as they quite enjoyed animating scenes filled with violence.<ref name="Archer">{{cite video | people=Archer, Wes|year=2005|title=The Simpsons season 6 DVD commentary for the episode "Itchy & Scratchy Land"| medium=DVD||publisher=20th Century Fox}}</ref> | ||
| + | |||
| + | ==Cultural references== | ||
| + | [[Image:Scratchtasia.png|left|200px|thumb|Scratchtasia.]] | ||
| + | Itchy & Scratchy Land is mostly based on [[Disneyland Park (Anaheim)|Disneyland]], and several aspects of the park, such as the [[Main Street Electrical Parade|electric light parade]], are parodied.<ref name=Mirkin/> The Euro Itchy & Scratchy Land is a parody of [[Disneyland Resort Paris]], which at the time was a failing theme park known as EuroDisney.<ref name="Mirkin"/> Several scenes, such as the helicopter ride, parts of the story, as well as the logo visible on the side of the helicopter are based on the Michael Crichton book and ensuing film ''[[Jurassic Park (film)|Jurassic Park]]''. Other parts of the episode, such as the "theme park of the future", are based on another Crichton story,''[[Westworld]]''.<ref name="Mirkin"/><ref name=bbc/> "Scratchtasia" is a reference to the ''[[The Sorcerer's Apprentice|Sorcerer's Apprentice]]'' segment of the Disney film ''[[Fantasia (film)|Fantasia]]'', with several shots and the music being exact parodies of the film.<ref name="Mirkin"/> "Pinnitchio" is a parody of the 1940 Disney film ''[[Pinocchio (1940 film)|Pinocchio]]''. [[Hans Moleman]] being attacked by predatory birds while in the phone booth is a spoof of the 1963 [[Alfred Hitchcock]] film ''[[The Birds (film)|The Birds]]''.<ref name=bbc/> [[Walt Disney]]'s alleged [[antisemitism]] is spoofed in the character of [[Roger Meyers, Sr.]]<ref name=EW/> Homer's [[Amish]] flashback recalls [[Peter Weir]]'s 1985 film ''[[Witness (1985 film)|Witness]]''.<ref name=bbc/> | ||
| + | |||
| + | ==Reception== | ||
| + | "Scratchtasia" is one of David Mirkin's favorite Itchy & Scratchy cartoons.<ref name="Mirkin"/> In 2003, ''[[Entertainment Weekly]]'' made a list of the Top twenty-five episodes, and placed this episode in seventh place, saying "When the animatronics attack, the showdown between man and machine -- okay, Homer and a giant robot mouse -- is an uproarious rebuttal to capitalism run amok."<ref name=EW>{{cite web|url=http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,417748_2,00.html|title=The Family Dynamic|accessdate=2007-08-03|date=[[2003-01-29]]|publisher=Entertainment Weekly}}</ref> Warren Martyn and Adrian Wood called it "an untypical episode, with an especially thin plot. But anyone that's been to Disneyland will get the point."<ref name="bbc"/> The episode is number six on ''[[MSNBC]]'''s top ten ''The Simpsons'' episodes list, compiled in 2007.<ref>{{cite news | author = Patrick Enwright | title = D’Oh! The top 10 ‘Simpsons’ episodes ever | publisher = [[MSNBC]] | date = [[2007-07-31]] | url = http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/19916798/ | accessdate=2007-10-08}}</ref> | ||
| + | |||
| + | ==References== | ||
| + | {{reflist|2}} | ||
| + | |||
| + | ==External links== | ||
| + | {{wikiquote|The_Simpsons#Itchy_.26_Scratchy_Land_.5B6.04.5D|"Itchy & Scratchy Land"}} | ||
| + | {{portal|The Simpsons}} | ||
| + | * {{snpp capsule|2F01}} | ||
| + | *{{imdb episode|id=0778449|episode=Itchy & Scratchy Land}} | ||
| + | *[http://www.thesimpsons.com/episode_guide/0604.htm "Itchy & Scratchy Land"] at The Simpsons.com | ||
| + | *[http://www.tv.com/the-simpsons/itchy-and-scratchy-land/episode/1392/summary.html "Itchy & Scratchy Land"] at [[TV.com]] | ||
| − | |||
| − | |||
{{stub}} | {{stub}} | ||
Revision as of 11:01, February 15, 2009
Template:Infobox Simpsons episode "Itchy & Scratchy Land" is the fourth episode of The Simpsons' sixth season and first aired on October 2, 1994.[1] Wanting a perfect family vacation, the Simpson family visits Itchy & Scratchy Land. The trip starts out great, but things take a turn for the worse when a horde of Itchy and Scratchy robots go on a murderous rampage. It was written by John Swartzwelder and directed by Wes Archer.[2]
Plot
Bart and Lisa see a commercial for the new amusement park named Itchy & Scratchy Land, and immediately want to visit it. Marge has already booked a family vacation to a bird sanctuary, but after revealing that the theme park has a place for adults, Bart and Lisa win their parents over, on the condition that they will not embarrass Marge as on previous holidays. After a long car journey, they reach Itchy & Scratchy Land parking lot, where they are then flown to the park by helicopter and told nothing can "possibly" go wrong.
Marge is slightly uneasy with the many references to violence at the park, but has an enjoyable time visiting the various violent attractions, which include a parade filled with Itchy and Scratchy robots. Homer and Marge eventually tire out and spend time away from the kids at the nearby "Parents Island" as Bart and Lisa continue having fun. Bart and Lisa also visit a movie theater, where a documentary about the history of Itchy & Scratchy is being presented, including clips of the old Itchy & Scratchy films "Scratchtasia" and "Pinitychyo". Although going well, the family's vacation is ruined when Bart launches a stink bomb onto an actor in an Itchy suit and is captured by park security. Homer is also captured for "kicking an Itchy in the butt." Marge is informed of her son's and husband's transgressions and is immediately embarrassed.
Meanwhile, Professor Frink, chief of the animatronic robots in the park parades, tells the other staff that (according to the chaos theory) all the Itchy & Scratchy robots will turn on their masters; this happens seconds after he makes the announcement. Bart and Homer are released and just as Marge is chewing them out, all power is cut and a horde of Itchy and Scratchy robots advance on them. Homer frantically throws everything he can at them and discovers that the flash of a camera short circuits the robots' systems. The Simpsons then grab dozens of cameras from a gift shop and defeat the entire Itchy & Scratchy army. The family is thanked for saving the park and agree that it was their best vacation ever. Regardless, they decide to never to speak of the trip again.[1][3][2]
Production
"Itchy & Scratchy Land", written by the entire writing team but credited to John Swartzwelder, was a very difficult episode to produce. It involved creating an entirely new environment, which meant large amount of writing and all new sets.[4] At the time that the episode was produced, new, more stringent, censorship laws had been put in place. As a result, the Fox network tried to stop the writers from including Itchy & Scratchy cartoons in episodes. In response, the writers created this episode, which they decided would be as violent as possible. The network threatened that if the episode was produced, they would cut the Itchy & Scratchy parts out themselves, but relented when showrunner David Mirkin threatened to tell the media. The writers nevertheless promised to try not to overdo the violence and in some scenes the violence was cut.[4]
Although the episode was quite difficult to animate, "Itchy & Scratchy Land" was "a dream come true" for the animators, as they quite enjoyed animating scenes filled with violence.[5]
Cultural references
Itchy & Scratchy Land is mostly based on Disneyland, and several aspects of the park, such as the electric light parade, are parodied.[4] The Euro Itchy & Scratchy Land is a parody of Disneyland Resort Paris, which at the time was a failing theme park known as EuroDisney.[4] Several scenes, such as the helicopter ride, parts of the story, as well as the logo visible on the side of the helicopter are based on the Michael Crichton book and ensuing film Jurassic Park. Other parts of the episode, such as the "theme park of the future", are based on another Crichton story,Westworld.[4][2] "Scratchtasia" is a reference to the Sorcerer's Apprentice segment of the Disney film Fantasia, with several shots and the music being exact parodies of the film.[4] "Pinnitchio" is a parody of the 1940 Disney film Pinocchio. Hans Moleman being attacked by predatory birds while in the phone booth is a spoof of the 1963 Alfred Hitchcock film The Birds.[2] Walt Disney's alleged antisemitism is spoofed in the character of Roger Meyers, Sr.[6] Homer's Amish flashback recalls Peter Weir's 1985 film Witness.[2]
Reception
"Scratchtasia" is one of David Mirkin's favorite Itchy & Scratchy cartoons.[4] In 2003, Entertainment Weekly made a list of the Top twenty-five episodes, and placed this episode in seventh place, saying "When the animatronics attack, the showdown between man and machine -- okay, Homer and a giant robot mouse -- is an uproarious rebuttal to capitalism run amok."[6] Warren Martyn and Adrian Wood called it "an untypical episode, with an especially thin plot. But anyone that's been to Disneyland will get the point."[2] The episode is number six on MSNBC's top ten The Simpsons episodes list, compiled in 2007.[7]
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Itchy & Scratchy Land. The Simpsons.com. Retrieved on 2007-08-02.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 Cite error: Invalid
<ref>tag; no text was provided for refs namedbbc - ↑ Cite error: Invalid
<ref>tag; no text was provided for refs namedbook - ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 4.4 4.5 4.6 Mirkin, David. (2005). The Simpsons season 6 DVD commentary for the episode "Itchy & Scratchy Land" [DVD]. 20th Century Fox.
- ↑ Archer, Wes. (2005). The Simpsons season 6 DVD commentary for the episode "Itchy & Scratchy Land" [DVD]. 20th Century Fox.
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 The Family Dynamic. Entertainment Weekly (2003-01-29). Retrieved on 2007-08-03.
- ↑ Patrick Enwright. "D’Oh! The top 10 ‘Simpsons’ episodes ever"MSNBC. Retrieved on 2007-10-08.
External links
- Template:Imdb episode
- "Itchy & Scratchy Land" at The Simpsons.com
- "Itchy & Scratchy Land" at TV.com
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