- 6/20/2025
D'oh-n't miss our tribute to Springfield's finest cinematic references! Join us as we count down the most brilliant movie parodies ever featured on The Simpsons. From horror classics to sci-fi epics, these animated homages perfectly capture what makes these films iconic while adding that special yellow-tinted humor we've come to love. Which film spoof had you laughing the hardest?
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00:00Welcome to WatchMojo!
00:10And today, we're counting down our picks for the best parodies The Simpsons have ever done.
00:15Some spoilers to come.
00:18Must kill family.
00:22Number 20. The Godfather.
00:24Now, this is a gift Lisa couldn't refuse. Guilty over not buying her a reed for her saxophone,
00:30Homer decides to get Lisa a pony, which she discovers when she wakes up in the morning.
00:38The Godfather fans will instantly recognize the homage to this iconic scene in Francis Ford Coppola's film.
00:44There, Jack Holtz discovers the head of a horse. And only the head at the foot of his bed.
00:52The Simpsons even used the same Nino Rota score, albeit abridged.
01:03Fortunately, the pony is well and alive, though Homer has to take a second job in order to pay for it.
01:09What a wholesome homage to a gruesome scene.
01:12Number 19. Psycho.
01:15The screechy strings. The raised weapon. The dark liquid going down the drain.
01:20This scene from The Simpsons is truly unforgettable.
01:24In this episode, Marge blames the itchy and scratchy show for promoting child violence after Maggie knocks Homer out with a mallet.
01:45Believing Maggie was imitating the cartoon, Marge forms a protest, calling for the show to tone down the violence.
01:52Everybody's looking at us, Marge.
01:55Well, that's what we want them to do, Homer.
01:58Oh. Well, how long are we gonna have to be doing this?
02:03Of course, this is an imitation of Psycho, specifically the famous black and white shower scene, down to the music and camera angles.
02:10The reference is all the more apropos, considering Psycho had also been subject to censorship attempts.
02:25Number 18. Bram Stoker's Dracula.
02:29The old Treehouse of Horror episodes were really something special.
02:33In this fourth one, the Simpsons are invited to Mr. Burns' spooky castle.
02:38Ooh, punch.
02:40Ew, Dad, this is blood.
02:42Correction, free blood.
02:45Ah.
02:47There, Lisa and Bart find vampires in coffins in the basement, and one of them bites Bart.
02:53Homer eventually drives a stake through Mr. Burns, whom they believe is the head vampire.
02:58Ah!
02:59No!
03:00No!
03:01No!
03:02No!
03:03No!
03:04No!
03:05No!
03:06No!
03:07No!
03:08No!
03:09No!
03:10You're fired!
03:11He is not, and the whole family become vampires.
03:14Grandpa's a vampire?
03:16We're all vampires.
03:17But no, we killed Mr. Burns!
03:19You have to kill the head vampire!
03:22This segment is a parody of Francis Ford Coppola's 1992 Dracula, a more faithful adaptation
03:28of Bram Stoker's novel than previous films.
03:31Mr. Burns is even garbed as Gary Oldman's Dracula.
03:35Sweet!
03:36Mom!
03:37Dad!
03:38Mr. Burns is a vampire!
03:39He's a vampire!
03:40Number 17.
03:41I Know What You Did Last Summer.
03:43Speaking of horror, here is another grisly homage to a genre classic.
03:48In this Treehouse of Horror special, Marge accidentally runs over Ned Flanders, killing
03:53him.
03:54He's dead!
03:55He's definitely dead!
03:58When the family decides to cover it up, they find disturbing notes accusing them of murder.
04:04This turns out to be Flanders himself, who had survived but was bitten by a werewolf.
04:09This spoof is almost the same plot as this 1997 film, minus the werewolf bit.
04:24Directed by Jim Gillespie, this film follows a group of friends who find themselves stalked
04:29by a killer when they accidentally kill a pedestrian.
04:32It's a great homage.
04:42Number 16.
04:43Dr. Strangelove or How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb.
04:48Yes, The Simpsons has referenced this satiric film.
04:51In this episode, the people of Springfield find themselves besieged by a cat burglar,
04:56putting Homer, of all people, in charge.
04:59Hmm.
05:00I don't think the guns are a good idea.
05:03Marge, we're responsible adults.
05:07During the formation of the vigilante group, Herman Herman shows Homer a military bomb
05:12meant for beatness, prompting the latter to fantasize about riding it to the ground.
05:17Woohoo!
05:19Take that, Maynard G. Krebs!
05:21Hey, see this sign?
05:23Sorry.
05:24It is, in fact, just what Major T.J. King Kong did in the most iconic shot in Dr. Strangelove.
05:32Cowboy hat, joyous hooting, and all.
05:35Woohoo!
05:39Woohoo!
05:41Woohoo!
05:42Woohoo!
05:43It's honestly something Homer would do, which makes the reference an inspired choice.
05:49Number 15.
05:50Maggie the Exorcist.
05:51Maggie must be the funniest Simpson character for her physical comedy alone.
05:56The littlest Simpson also gets surprisingly grisly plotlines.
06:01In this Treehouse of Horror segment, a demon from a statue possesses Maggie, leading to the
06:06infant's reign of terror.
06:08Okay, whoever she stops at has to change her diaper, which appears to contain flaming lava.
06:13Oh, he'd just never want to change a diaper.
06:17Maggie's head spinning and levitation are direct references to the same demon possession in the seminal horror film, The Exorcist.
06:25The power of Christ compels you!
06:31The power of Christ compels you!
06:32But this spoof was also meant to promote Fox's contemporary short-lived adaptation of William Friedkin's classic.
06:39Ben Daniels even reprises his role as the Exorcist, who successfully saves Maggie's soul.
06:45The demon does switch hosts, but Bart proves too evil for him to handle.
06:50Let me out!
06:51Let me out!
06:52This boy has the darkest soul I've ever seen!
06:55It's worse than working for David Schwimmer!
06:58Number 14.
06:59One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest.
07:01Homer is sent to a psychiatric hospital in the premiere of the second season.
07:06There, he meets several characters from One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest, including Chief Bromden.
07:11We call this guy the Chief.
07:13He's been here since 1968.
07:15Never says a word.
07:16Never moves a muscle.
07:17Hey, Chief!
07:18Hello.
07:19Well, it's about time somebody reach out to me.
07:22But his most famous scene isn't recreated until the following season's Clip Show episode.
07:27After Homer is hospitalized by a beer can explosion, he turns down a duff that Moe and Barney bring him during their visit.
07:34No!
07:35Beer bring pain!
07:36I can't stand to see him like this!
07:41Given Barney's own obsession with alcohol, he thinks that smothering Homer with a pillow is an act of mercy.
07:48Thankfully, Homer survives this recreation of One Flew Over's ending, while Barney busts out of the hospital with a water fountain.
07:55Maybe he's the one who needs help.
08:02Number 13.
08:03A Clockwork Orange
08:04The Simpsons has made many references and homages to A Clockwork Orange.
08:09It's hard to pick just one, but this early season 3 episode may just be the best.
08:15It features Santa's little helper, who runs away from home.
08:19He gets captured by Mr. Burns, who brainwashes him to become a mean dog.
08:23Poor Santa's little helper, I'm starting to think we'll never see him again.
08:33This scene is a twist, of course, of Alex's iconic and disturbing violence aversion therapy in the Stanley Kubrick film.
08:41Both scenes even feature Beethoven's Ode to Joy.
08:44Stop it! Stop it! Please! I beg you!
08:47It's a sin! It's a sin!
08:51The Simpsons has many more spoofs of the classic from there, including the Treehouse of Horror segment, A Clockwork Yellow.
08:59Come on, me glugs! Let's show these nectarinos we're still the best at what we do!
09:04Beating up old people and bare naked ladies!
09:07Number 12. Rear Window
09:10Don't be fooled by the title of this episode. This is less a Heart of Darkness homage than a Hitchcock one.
09:17In this episode, Bart finds himself bedridden after he breaks his leg. Bored, he does a James Stewart and spies on his neighbors through a telescope, including Stewart himself, who appears twice.
09:30Grace, come here! There's a sinister-looking kid I want you to see!
09:34Hello?
09:35The episode references the typical Hitchcockian score and camera angles.
09:40Unlike in the Hitchcock film, however, Bart's amateur snooping leads him to mistakenly believe Ned Flanders had killed his wife.
09:48But I distinctly heard you say that Maud was with God.
09:51Oh, that's right. I was at Bible camp.
09:53Maud is alive and well, at least until her controversial death many seasons later.
09:59Ooh, a bobby pin!
10:00Oh!
10:02Number 11. Planet of the Apes
10:05This parody was so beloved, it has now become a meme. After his relationship with Selma is discovered by the paparazzi, Troy McClure adds one more career to his list. A theatre actor in the musical adaptation of Planet of the Apes.
10:21He can talk! He can talk! He can talk! He can talk! He can talk! He can talk! He can talk! I can sing!
10:29Of course, this adaptation neatly spoofs the original 1968 film, juxtaposing an intense sci-fi film with Broadway musical conventions to hilarious effect.
10:41Oh my god, I was wrong! It was Earth all along!
10:48It even keeps the famous twist at the end to tuneful effect. And as an even more layered reference, the musical also lampoons Rock Me Amadeus. We love legitimate theatre.
11:01Dr. Zayas, Dr. Zayas! Dr. Zayas, Dr. Zayas! Oh, Dr. Zayas, Dr. Zayas, Dr. Zayas!
11:09Number 10. 2001 Space Odyssey
11:12The Simpsons has poked fun at 2001 on multiple occasions, referencing Hal 9000, The Stargate, and The Star Child. This Season 3 episode most notably paid homage to the film's Dawn of Man scene, as a man-ape version of Homer discovers the black monolith, marking a significant turning point in human evolution. The other man-apes begin to discover tools.
11:37Homer, however, merely discovers a new napping spot. Despite being a dream sequence, this parody sums up Homer Simpson in a nutshell. He's a primitive creature who will never fully evolve.
11:57Based on the way he sleeps, Homer could very well be the missing link between man and ape.
12:07Number 9. Alien
12:09Much like the previous entry, The Simpsons has referenced the Alien franchise multiple times. Santa's little helper assumes the role of the Alien here, causing mass hysteria upon breaking into Springfield Elementary School's air ducts.
12:23It's up to groundskeeper Willie to save the day while Principal Skinner monitors their activity via scanner. The visuals and music wonderfully mimic the claustrophobic suspense from Ridley Scott's original film.
12:40Okay, I'm through. Ripley?
12:44Yes.
12:45Close all the hatches behind me. I'm moving on.
12:50Of course, Bart's lovable mutt isn't nearly as threatening as a xenomorph, so the greased Scotsman fortunately doesn't meet the same grim fate as Dallas.
13:00Superintendent Chalmers really should have made way for Willie though.
13:12Number 8. The Great Escape
13:14Ayn Rand School for Tots is comparable to a POW camp for little Maggie and her fellow babies.
13:20After the firm daycare owner takes away her beloved pacifier, Maggie looks to The Great Escape for inspiration.
13:27Being a natural-born leader, the youngest Simpson rallies her fellow babies to reclaim their pacifiers.
13:41A failed attempt lands Maggie in the box, which is the playpen equivalent of the cooler from the World War II flick.
13:49Like Steve McQueen's Cooler King, she at least has a ball to bounce against the wall.
13:54This parody wouldn't be complete without composer Elmer Bernstein's march theme from the 1963 film.
14:04The music makes Maggie's antics all the more exciting and triumphant when she finally snatches the keys to liberation.
14:11Number 7. Pulp Fiction
14:23In the vein of what's arguably Quentin Tarantino's magnum opus, this classic episode tells several short stories that occasionally intertwine.
14:31The episode literally turns into a Pulp Fiction parody following a conversation about fast food items.
14:39What do they call it?
14:41A quarter pounder with cheese.
14:43A quarter pounder with cheese?
14:45Well, I can picture the cheese, but do they have crusty, partially gelatinated, non-dairy gum-based beverages?
14:51Mm-hmm. They call them shakes.
14:53Huh. Shakes.
14:55Chief Wiggum is still hungry after consuming his crusty burger with cheese and crusty, partially gelatinated, non-dairy gum-based beverage, prompting him to get some donuts.
15:05I got donuts. I got- Hey, I know you!
15:08Matters take an unexpected turn when Jailbird Snake crashes into the bumbling police chief.
15:14Like Butch and Marcellus Wallace, both men wind up at the mercy of a shady store owner.
15:20Before Zed can show up, however, the last person you'd ever expect comes to the rescue.
15:25Way to get medieval on him, Millhouse!
15:28Hey, Dad! Can we get this, please?
15:30Oh, my gosh. Sorry, mister.
15:34Number 6. Citizen Kane
15:37Charles Foster Kane and Charles Montgomery Burns have a great deal in common.
15:42Aside from being incredibly wealthy and sharing the same first name, both men were deprived of a proper childhood.
15:49Instead of a sled called Rosebud, Mr. Burns' loss of childhood innocence is epitomized through a teddy bear named Bobo.
15:57Oh, God, how I want my bear. But he's gone. Gone forever. I'd give anything to know what happened to him.
16:05Realizing how empty he is inside, Burns sets out to reclaim his long-lost teddy, which has come into Maggie's possession.
16:12In addition to being a funny parody, this episode also encompasses the same poignant moral behind Citizen Kane.
16:19All the money and power in the world. Can't buy everything.
16:22Wrong spot.
16:31Once Mr. Burns learns this valuable lesson, he's finally reunited with his beloved bear. Temporarily, anyway.
16:38Bobo, I know I say this every century, but I'll never leave you behind again.
16:47Number 5.
16:48Terminator 2 – Judgment Day
16:50After years of loving thy neighbor, Ned Flanders finally wins over Homer Simpson.
16:56Ned's friendly nature blows up in his face, however, as Homer gets too close for comfort.
17:01When it comes to spending time with his new best buddy, Homer is even more determined and unyielding than the T-1000.
17:08Homer, we're going to visit the boy's grandmother. Family only, you know?
17:12Right, no reporters.
17:14No, I mean just the Flanders family.
17:17Oh, okay.
17:20The Flanders family eventually makes a break for it, but that doesn't stop the oblivious Homer from pursuing them.
17:30Neddy!
17:32He's eating us!
17:34I'm scared!
17:35With a couple of golf clubs substituting for liquid metal arms, he latches onto their car in the midst of a high-speed chase.
17:43This Terminator 2 reference goes by so quickly that you might not catch it at first.
17:48That's part of what makes it such a brilliant parody, though.
17:51Hmm, I guess you didn't see me.
17:55We did it!
17:57Number 4.
17:58Goldfinger.
17:59Hank Scorpio might be the nicest boss Homer's ever had, but that doesn't excuse the fact that he's trying to conquer the East Coast with a doomsday device.
18:08Good afternoon, gentlemen. This is Scorpio. I have the doomsday device. You have 72 hours to deliver the gold, or you face the consequences.
18:17And to prove I'm not bluffing, watch this.
18:20Since Scorpio is essentially a Bond baddie, it's only fitting that he has a nemesis named Mr.
18:27Bont. Taking a page from Goldfinger, Scorpio attempts to kill his archenemy with a laser.
18:32Mr. Bont naturally has a trick up his sleeve, liberating himself from his restraints with a coin.
18:39Hilariously unaware that he's working for a supervillain, Homer leaps into action and tackles the secret agent.
18:45Stop him! He's supposed to die!
18:49Gah!
18:50Rather than wasting time with another deathtrap, Scorpio and his guards finish the job on the spot.
18:57Mr. Bont won't return.
19:00Number 3. Raiders of the Lost Ark.
19:04Much like the opening to Indy's debut adventure, this parody slowly builds tension as Bart retrieves Homer's jar of change.
19:12Then, when trouble surfaces, it's nothing but fast-paced action throughout.
19:21Why, you little…
19:22The Simpsons' household suddenly stands in for an ancient temple, with Homer acting as a giant boulder.
19:28Maggie firing darts and the closing garage door nearly trapping our hero.
19:35What the?
19:36Don't!
19:38In true Indiana Jones fashion, Bart narrowly escapes with both the treasure and his lucky hat.
19:52John Williams' unforgettable musical score is the cherry on top of this priceless scene.
19:57Which manages to be exhilarating, inventive and hysterical all at once.
20:03Number 2. Cape Fear.
20:05This entire episode is a lampoon of Cape Fear and its 1991 remake.
20:10Both of which center on a convicted criminal who stalks a family after being released from prison.
20:15Looking to get even with Bart once and for all, a tattoo-riddled Sideshow Bob begins to channel Max Cady.
20:30He confronts the Simpson family in a movie theater and hitches a ride under their car.
20:35Uh, lousy speed bumps.
20:44Ugh! This coffee's too hot!
20:45Bob and Max also notably share the same theme music by composer Bernard Herman.
20:52Even if you're not familiar with Cape Fear, this Simpsons episode will still have you laughing every minute.
20:58With clever writing, side-splitting slapstick, timeless characters, and a killer musical number, it works as both an ingenious satire and a standalone comedy classic.
21:11Hold it right there, Sideshow Bob! You're under arrest!
21:14By Lucifer's beard!
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21:33Number 1. The Shining
21:35The annual Treehouse of Horror special always makes leeway for plenty of spooky satire.
21:41If we had to single out one segment as the absolute best, though, it would have to be this send-up of Stanley Kubrick's psychological horror, Tour de Force.
21:54Here's Johnny!
21:57Upon being hired as winter caretakers of Mr. Burns' Mountain Lodge, Barr discovers that he possesses a power known as The Shining.
22:06Meanwhile, the lack of TV and beer make Homer a dull boy. In other words, he has a mental breakdown.
22:13I was thinking along the lines of no TV and no beer make Homer something something.
22:20Go crazy?
22:22Don't mind if I do!
22:25This segment has one great reference after another.
22:28From the blood in the elevator, to the creepy twins in the hallway, to the immortal line, here's Johnny.
22:35With every passing second, the urge to laugh just keeps rising.
22:40Sit in the snow with daddy and let us all bask in television's warm, glowing, warming glow.
22:48Which other films do you know got a terrific Simpsons spoof? Let us know in the comments down below.
22:54That's all you've got?
22:56Well, I say it three times.
22:58This guy's good.
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