Difference between revisions of "Itchy & Scratchy Land/References"

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Cultural references

Scratchtasia

Disneyland

• Itchy & Scratchy Land is mostly based on Disneyland, and several aspects of the park, such as the electric light parade, are parodied.^[1]
• The film Bart and Lisa watch is a reference to the The Walt Disney Story, while the name Parents Island is a reference to Pleasure Island, and a castle resembling Sleeping Beauty Castle is seen.^[2]
• Euro Itchy & Scratchy Land is a parody of Disneyland Resort Paris, which at the time was a failing theme park known as EuroDisney.^[1]

Disney

• 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.^[1]
• Pinnitchio is a parody of the 1940 Disney film Pinocchio.
• Walt Disney's alleged antisemitism is spoofed in the character of Roger Meyers, Sr.'s creation of the "controversial cartoon" Nazi Supermen Are Our Superiors.^[3]

Michael Crichton

• The concept of a theme park's attractions turning on its guests parodies two of Crichton's works, with several direct references to each as well:
  • Several scenes, such as the helicopter ride as well as the logo visible on the side of the helicopter are based on the Crichton book and ensuing film Jurassic Park. Frink explaining that "elemental chaos theory" will lead to the robots turning evil is what Ian Malcolm says in the film about the dinosaurs.
  • Much of the episode is based on another Crichton story, Westworld, which is about a theme park in the near future which caters to the rich that has realistic androids in Westworld, Medievalworld, and Romanworld. Guests pay a lot of money in order to enact any fantasy they wish, which includes killing the male androids or having sex with the female androids. The androids start to malfunction and begin attacking guests and employees.^[1][4] The Delos park in Westworld is also, like Itchy and Scratchy Land, referred to as a "theme park of the future." Similarly, when the helicopter pilot says "Where nothing can possiblay {sic} go wrong", this is reference to the tagline of Westworld seen on the movie posters, "Where nothing can possibly go wrong." Furthermore, the concept of the Itchy and Scratchy robots having special sensors to ensure they can't harm humans mirrors the heat sensor guns in Westworld, as does Homer taunting a robot, failing to realise that it is no longer harmless. The music as the robot group marches towards the Simpsons is based on music from Westworld.

Others

• Hans Moleman being attacked by predatory birds while in the phone booth is a spoof of the 1963 Alfred Hitchcock film The Birds.^[4]
• Homer's Amish Country flashback recalls Peter Weir's 1985 film Witness.^[5]
• John Travolta's career slump is referenced with him serving as the barman at T. G. I. McScratchy's; he is dressed like his character from the film Saturday Night Fever.^[5]
• The Itchy & Scratchy robots' screen displays are similar to the Terminator.
• Camera flashes killing the robots is similar to the film Gremlins.
• The Itchy and Scratchy title "Last Traction Hero" is a reference to the Last Action Hero as is Bart's line "with a dry, cool wit like that I could be an action hero."
• A toy depicting an Itchy & and Scratchy and Friends character named "Klu Klux Klam" is a reference to the Ku Klux Klan, as well as the tendency for cartoons to add characters to boost sagging ratings.^[4]
• The Simpsons beam aboard the couch in the couch gag, just like Star Trek.^[5]

Continuity

• Bart plans to pull the shark fin prank (seen in the Sandy Beach flashback scene) when the family go to the beach in the comic story Maggie's Crib 16, but this time Marge catches him and makes him get rid of the fake shark fin.

DVD Information

• The Complete Sixth Season Disc 1
• Run time: 21:48
• Scene selection

1. Main title
2. "We're on our way to Itchy & Scratchy Land!"
3. "They have violent names for everything here"
4. "Wanna go get a snowcone?"
5. "The best vacation ever!"
6. End credits

• Audio commentary featuring Matt Groening, David Mirkin, Dan Castellaneta, Yeardley Smith, and Wes Archer.
• Deleted scenes

References