The Simpsons has produced plenty of parodies and spoofs of movies over its 34 seasons. The animated series, created by Matt Groening, is the longest-running scripted show on television and has been making pop-culture references for decades. One of the favorite activities of the Simpson family is watching television. As they've been watching television together since 1989, a plethora of fictional movies and shows have cropped up in The Simpsons throughout the years.
Whether it's The Simpsons parodying movies like Mad Max or briefly nodding to classic films like Psycho, the show has mocked the cinema canon endlessly. It has also, however, created a few fake films of its own derived from genre clichés. The Simpsons enjoy a wide variety of parody films. Because Homer is frequently the one to pick the flick, there have been many, many monkey movies.
A Kiss Before Frying
"A Kiss Before Frying" is an old black-and-white movie about a criminal named Johnny Stabbo. Johnny is a man who had been sentenced to the electric chair, whose visit from his mother never came before his death. The movie appears on the TV in season 19, episode 4, "I Don't Wanna Know Why the Caged Bird Sings."
Angry Dad: The Movie
"Angry Dad: The Movie" is an Oscar-winning movie written by Bart Simpson, about and starring his father, Homer Simpson. Although the movie causes strife between Homer and Bart Simpson over who deserves the credit, the pair eventually see eye-to-eye. The movie appears in The Simpsons season 22, episode 14, "Angry Dad: The Movie."
Apes-A-Poppin'
As one of Homer's favorite gorilla movies, Bart rents the airline version of "Apes-A-Poppin'" for Homer after he agrees to donate a kidney to Grandpa Simpson. "Apes-A-Poppin'" appears in The Simpsons season 10, episode 8, "Homer Simpson in: 'Kidney Trouble'."
The Bloodening
"The Bloodening" is a black-and-white horror movie featuring four mysterious children with strange powers. After seeing the movie in the drive-in in The Simpsons season 10, episode 11, "Wild Barts Can't Be Broken," the town kids are inspired to get revenge on their parents by airing their secrets on the radio.
Canadian Graffiti
While on a tour of the Canadian Paramountie Studios, the Simpsons catch a glimpse of "Canadian Graffiti," a parody of American Graffiti, being filmed. In The Simpsons season 13, episode 11, "The Bart Wants What it Wants," the main character of "Canadian Graffiti" can be spotted spray-painting "Obey the rules" on a brick wall.
Cards
"Cards" is a computer-animated movie featuring caricatures of actors like Eddie Murphy, Jackie Mason, and Jack Nicholson as anthropomorphized playing cards. A trailer for the movie appears in The Simpsons season 16, episode 7, "Mommie Beerest."
Clank, Clank, You're Dead!
"Clank, Clank, You're Dead!" is a Sci-Fi movie whose doll and poster are available for sale at Cockamamies. The tagline is, "mechanical man... with the heart of a monster!" When Bart and Lisa Simpson leave the doll behind, it is revealed that the skeleton of the actor is still inside the robot. The movie poster can be spotted in The Simpsons season 8, episode 15, "Homer's Phobia."
Condiments
In a parody of Pixar's Toy Story, "Condiments" is a film about food condiments that have come to life, produced by the parody company, "Mixar." The movie competes against Bart's short movie, "Angry Dad," in the episode "Angry Dad: The Movie."
The Cosmic Wars Franchise
"Cosmic Wars" is a sci-fi franchise with seven titles that appear throughout the series, including "Cosmic Wars Episode VII: A New Take," "Cosmic Wars: The Gathering Shadow," and the Christmas special. The "Cosmic Wars" franchise is a pretty clear Simpsons parody of Star Wars. The franchise first made its appearance in season 15, episode 15, "Co-Dependent's Day."
Death Wish IX
Appearing in Jay Sherman's movie review series, "Coming Attractions," a brief preview of the movie shows Charles Bronson lying in a hospital bed, wishing he was dead. The movie, the sixth installment in its franchise, can be spotted in season 6, episode 18, "A Star is Burns."
Dunderhead Deputies in Farmyard Follies
"Dunderhead Deputies in Farmyard Follies" is a silent comedy film centered around Italian Pete and his attempts to throw Officer Joe off his trail after he stole some chickens. The movie is played in Jebediah Springfield park in season 18, episode 10, "The Wife Aquatic."
Everybody Poops
When Bart becomes the owner of Denis Leary's cellphone, he agrees to play a Constipated Gorilla in the movie "Everybody Poops" while pretending to be Leary himself. "Everybody Poops" appears in The Simpsons season 20, episode 2, "Lost Verizon."
Everyman
Based on a superhero created by Comic Book Guy, "Everyman" is about a mail carrier named Avery Mann, who gains the powers of any comic book he touches. Homer Simpson portrays Everyman in the film adaptation in The Simpsons season 21, episode 1, "Homer the Whopper."
Good-Time Slim, Uncle Doobie, and the Great "Frisco Freak-out"
"Good-Time Slim, Uncle Doobie, and the Great 'Frisco Freak-out'" is a 1971 movie starring the celebrity Troy McClure. The brief clip shown on TV in The Simpsons season 6, episode 10, "Grampa vs. Sexual Inadequacy," shows two tie-dye-clad men escaping from the police in a brightly VW Bug after stealing numerous diamonds.
Gorilla the Conqueror
Defined as "the granddaddy of them all" by Homer, "Gorilla the Conqueror" is a black-and-white movie from the 1930s, reminiscent of the original King Kong. It is another Simpsons parody movie. Homer can be seen watching the movie on the Million Dollar Movie Channel in The Simpsons season 2, episode 1, "Bart Gets an 'F'."
Hail to the Chimp
Like many of Homer's favorite movies, "Hail to the Chimp" predominately features a monkey as its main character. This time, that monkey is the President of the United States. Homer can be seen watching at the Springfield Drive-In in season 9, episode 16, "Dumbbell Indemnity," while he's meant to be helping Moe commit insurance fraud.
Happy Little Elves Meet the Curious Bear Cub
As one of the direct-to-video films inspired by the Happy Little Elves children's program, "Happy Little Elves Meet the Curious Bear Cub" is aimed at young children. This is the movie that the Babysitter Bandit, Miss Botz, plays for The Simpsons' children while babysitting them in The Simpsons season 1, episode 13, "Some Enchanted Evening."
Help! My Son's a Nerd
In "Help! My Son's a Nerd," mega-star Rainier Wolfcastle plays a father who finds out, to his horror, that his college-aged son has grown up to be a nerd. Despite the humorous premise, as Rainier goes at pains to emphasize, the movie isn't a comedy. The movie is mentioned in season 4, episode 22, "Krusty Gets Kancelled."
The Itchy & Scratchy Movie
Created from the popular children's show, the Academy Award-winning "The Itchy & Scratchy Movie" features skits of Itchy and Scratchy killing each other in methods far too violent to show on TV. In season 4, episode 6, "Itchy & Scratchy: The Movie," The Simpsons' Bart is the only kid in Springfield who doesn't get to see the movie in theaters, as he's being punished for allowing Maggie to go on a joyride with the family car.
Left Below
"Left Below" is a Christian movie, predominantly following the rapture and those that are left behind on Earth because they refuse to live a Christian lifestyle. Parodying the "Left Behind" Christian book series, the movie can be seen playing at the Springfield Mall in The Simpsons season 16, episode 19, "Thank God It's Doomsday," sparking Homer's fear of the apocalypse.
The McBain Series
The McBain movie franchise, starring Rainier Wolfcastle as the titular McBain, is an action film series surrounding an ex-politician-turned-hero as well as endless clichés. The film franchise shows up several times throughout the series, but the first installment, "McBain," makes its first The Simpsons appearance in season 2, episode 12, "The Way We Was."
Pandora Strain
"Pandora Strain," starring Treat Williams as William Sullivan, tells the story of ships that were forced to stay at sea in order to avoid infection from a new viral outbreak that was plaguing the land. Not wanting his cruise to end in The Simpsons season 23, episode 19, "A Totally Fun Thing Bart Will Never Do Again," Bart Simpson uses clips from the movie to trick the crew and passengers into believing there is a real virus outbreak on land so that they could stay at sea even longer and continue their fun.
Paul Flart: Water Park Cop
In a parody of Pall Blart: Mall Cop, "Paul Flart: Water Park Cop" is a comedy film that follows a less-than-capable water park security officer. After skipping work to see the movie at the Aztec Theater in season 23, episode 4, "Replaceable You," Homer is enamored with the movie. However, The Simpsons has Homer's job put under the microscope when Mr. Burns discovered what he'd done.
Radioactive Man & Radioactive Man Re-Rises
Radioactive Man is the beloved comic book hero of Bart and Milhouse. When it is revealed in The Simpsons season 7, episode 2, "Radioactive Man," that the movie adaptation is to be film in Springfield, both boys audition for the role of his sidekick, Fallout Boy. However, it almost ends their friendship when Milhouse lands the role and Bart's jealousy grows. A second movie, "Radioactive Man Re-Rises," is filmed without Milhouse.
The Re-Deadening
"The Re-Deadening" is a horror film about a possessed doll named Baby Button Eyes that commits horrible murders. In The Simpsons season 15, episode 14, "The Ziff Who Came to Dinner," Homer takes Rod and Todd Flanders to see the movie, and ends up scarring them, at the Googolplex Theater. This is while he babysits them for their father, Ned Flanders.
Rocky VII: Adrian's Revenge
A fictional installment in the Rocky film series, "Rocky VII: Adrian's Revenge" is mentioned in The Simpsons season 6, episode 24, "Lemon of Troy," 20 years before the real seventh installment, Creed, is actually released. The plot of the film isn't mentioned as Bart uses the title to remember Roman numerals, but as Adrian would be deceased by the seventh installment, her revenge would require her to come back to life in some capacity, either as a ghost or a zombie.
Roger Corman's Titanic
When this Titanic remake was given the Simpsons parody touch in the style of director Roger Corman, the movie plays out a little differently. The Titanic sinks comically fast, Rose appears in an anachronistic bikini, and the Titanic returns in an attempt to eat Jack and Rose. This satirically problematic Simpsons parody appears in season 10, episode 9, "Mayored to the Mob."
School of Hard Knockers
In a college comedy movie starring Corey Masterson, "School of Hard Knockers" features a group of rowdy frat members of the Chugalug House. They have a pranking rivalry against the uptight Dean Bitterman, which culminates in a "bra bomb." Homer watches the movie before taking Nuclear Physics 101 in The Simpsons season 5, episode 3, "Homer Goes to College," in an attempt to study campus life.
Scratchtasia
A Simpsons parody of the movie Fantasia, "Scratchtasia" is a full-length musical film starring the beloved characters of Itchy and Scratchy — and, as per usual, the pair were still trying to kill each other all the while. The parody film appears in a documentary played at the new Itchy & Scratchy amusement park in The Simpsons season 6, episode 4, "Itchy & Scratchy Land."
Soccer Mummy
"Soccer Mummy" is an upcoming comedy at the Springfield Googolplex Theater. The movie tells the story of Justin and his last-place soccer team which is saved when a talented, soccer-playing mummy is brought back from the dead. The preview for "Soccer Mummy" can be seen in season 13, episode 9, "Jaws Wired Shut."
Space Mutants
"Space Mutants" is a long-running sci-fi movie series in The Simpsons, typically seen playing at the Springfield Googolplex Theater. The series, involving gruesome alien invasions, has 12 movie installments and several video games. "Space Mutants" has appeared several times in The Simpsons, but made its first appearance in the short "Scary Movie" on The Tracey Ullman Show in 1989.
Star Trek XII: So Very Tired
In a commercial billed as the "latest and greatest" Star Trek adventure, The Simpsons Star Trek parody "Star Trek XII: So Very Tired" features a worn and aged crew of the Starship Enterprise, who are more concerned with complaining about drafts and sleeping troubles than the boarding Klingons. This Star Trek reference can be spotted in the episode "Itchy & Scratchy: The Movie."
The Beautiful Game
A poster for the movie "The Beautiful Game" can be spotted outside the theater in season 26, episode 9, "I Won't Be Home for Christmas." Starring Jonah Hill and Seth Rogen, the film is a parody of the real-life movie, A Beautiful Mind. Although there are no details about the movie's plot, it seems to involve soccer somehow, as Seth Rogen's character can be seen holding a soccer ball on the poster.
The Diversity Kittens on Meltingpot Mountain
"The Diversity Kittens on Meltingpot Mountain" is a children's direct-to-video movie that focuses on lessons of diversity and tolerance. Homer rents the video for the Simpson family to watch while on a rafting trip in season 23, episode 7, "The Man in the Blue Flannel Pants." However, he accidentally switches it with the copy of "Drunk Girls Who Signed Waivers" that he rents to impress a few bigwig nuclear regulators.
The Erotic Adventures of Hercules
With Troy McClure starring as Hercules, "The Erotic Adventures of Hercules" tells a sexualized version of the Ancient Greek legend of Hercules. A brief clip of the movie can be seen in season 4, episode 13, "Selma's Choice," as Marge and Homer take the chance to watch an adult film when Aunt Selma takes Bart and Lisa to Duff Gardens for the weekend.
The Momentum Of Things
"The Momentum of Things" is a historical drama that runs at the same time as "Cosmic Wars: The Gathering Shadow," telling the story of an English coal miner under the ministry of Margaret Thatcher. The movie is clearly emotional, as Otto Mann, the only one of The Simpsons' Springfield residents in the showing's audience, is brought to tears by the end. The movie can be seen in season 15, episode 15, "Co-Dependent's Day."
The Monster That Ate Everybody
"The Monster That Ate Everybody" is a horror movie where a group of young adults that are preyed upon by a monster in the middle of the woods. When asked by the actress if Patrick and Erica had been eaten, the male star angrily insists that the monster "ate everybody." Homer and Bart see the movie at the Stardust Drive-In in season 10, episode 17, "Maximum Homerdrive," commenting that one of the actresses is "stupid."
The Muppets Go Medieval
"The Muppets Go Medieval" is Troy McClure's last theatrically released movie. In the film, McClure kidnaps Miss Piggy while fighting off Kermit the Frog. By the end of the film, McClure proposes to Miss Piggy. The movie appears in The Simpsons season 7, episode 19, "A Fish Called Selma," as Troy McClure fights to save his sinking movie career. The movie plays on the television as the Simpson family watches, with Marge Simpson explaining that McClure used to be a heartthrob in his time.
The Stockholm Affair
"The Stockholm Affair" is a political thriller involving the collapse of the Greco-Bolivian alliance. Homer and Marge go to see the film in the theater in The Simpsons season 3, episode 20, "Colonel Homer." Although the film is highly regarded, Homer is not impressed, complaining out loud in the theater that the movie is boring and complicated with poor special effects.
The Survival Games Franchise
Parodying the Hunger Games franchise, the "Survival Games" movies feature Keendah Wildwill, Joshuel, and Thayson as they take on the Survival Games. The movie originally causes a divide between Lisa Simpson and Homer in season 25, episode 20, "Brick Like Me," because Lisa chooses to see the "Survival Games" in theaters instead of participating in a LEGO Construct contest with her father. Later in the episode, the title of the sequel, "The Survival Games: Braving Courage," is revealed.
Tic-Tac-Toe X V. O
A trailer for the sci-fi film, "Tic-Tac-Toe X v. O," appears in The Simpsons season 21, episode 19, "The Squirt and the Whale." The movie tells the tale of a tic-tac-toe-like war between two factions, the Xs and the Os. However, things turn upside when the representatives of each side, Rome-O and Juli-X, fall in love. Posters for the movie can also be seen throughout the series.
Too Many Grandmas
When Mr. Burns's son, Larry Burns, and Homer Simpson are trying to fake a kidnapping in The Simpsons season 8, episode 4, "Burns, Baby Burns," they decide to hide out in an empty theater. The theater happens to be playing "Too Many Grandmas," a likely action-comedy film starring Olivia Dukakis and Bo Derek that features a dramatic car chase as well as plenty of grandmas.