The Simpsons' opening credits have been recreated by an industrious fan, using only live-action stock footage. Over the years, the hit animated series has reached iconic proportions. Everything from its inimitable cast of characters to its opening credits has played a significant role in arriving at that status.
Despite the opening credits being initially relatively the same, Bart has long since written different messages out on his classroom chalkboard. As the series progressed, it began to experiment with various openings, some of which involved rather extensive and impressive directions. The series featured an opening by famed graffiti artist Banksy or an outright live-action recreation back in 2006. Some more cynical fans might dismiss these efforts as a bit gimmicky, but after over thirty years of being on the air, the majority of fans love to see the series continue to experiment. The argument could be made that The Simpsons' willingness to never rest on its laurels has consistently managed to keep it feeling fresh and fun.
The dedication of Simpsons fans is undeniable at this point in its history, and the most recent example of putting in some serious time and effort out of sheer love for the series comes from comedian and filmmaker Matthew Highton. By using various stock footage clips, Highton was able to recreate the opening credits scene completely. It’s still The Simpsons, but it’s The Simpsons unlike anyone’s seen it before. The entire opening sequence can be seen below, direct from Highton’s @MattHighton Twitter account.
Highton juxtaposes the stock footage with actual footage of the Simpsons opening, allowing those who might not be familiar with every aspect of the original. It’s certainly a fun way to consider The Simpsons, though it doesn’t quite impart the same feeling seeing live-action stock footage arranged in the same way as the animated opening. Another thing the footage does is reignite thoughts of what a Simpsons live-action episode would be like. It does seem that the show’s creators have done everything they can to offer different takes on a familiar concept over the years. Still, despite this, there has never been an all live-action interpretation for a full episode. Whether or not that’s something that Simpson fans want to see is debatable, but at this point, it’s worth asking how bad it could end up being?
Interestingly enough, those mentioned above 2006 live-action opening of The Simpsons also began as something that the series or its creators didn’t directly sanction. After it became popular with the public, it eventually found its way into the actual series. It’s hard to say if the same could happen for Highton’s efforts, but even if that scenario seems unlikely, this latest foray into live-action is worth checking out.
Source: Matthew Highton