The Top 10 Most Referenced Movies on The Simpsons
Many people who grew up with The Simpsons in the nineties were first introduced to countless classic movies through the show. But what movies were referenced the most in those formative early seasons?
In this article, we rank the most frequently referenced movies in the first 13 seasons of The Simpsons, based on our Simpsons Movie Reference Database (SMRDb).
10. Godzilla
Directed by Ishirô Honda, 1954
Total References: 15 | Major References: 2 | SMRDb Additions: 1
Godzilla signs autographs in “Mayored to the Mob” (S10E9).
Before any kaiju visited Springfield, sharp-eyed Simpson fans may notice a tiny version of Godzilla on Bart’s desk as far back as the first episode of season 2.
Since then, Springfield and other cities around the world have been destroyed by Pierre and Marie Curie, giant corporate mascots come to life, and Rodan—all doing their best Godzilla impression. Well, at least the U.S. Navy is out there every day, protecting us from Godzilla himself. Yvan eht nioj!
Marie and Pierre Curie destroy Tokyo in “Marge Gets a Job” (S4E7).
Lard Lad screams like Godzilla in “Treehouse of Horror VI” (S7E6).
Godzilla and company roar at a plane in “Thirty Minutes over Tokyo” (S10E23).
Homer fights Rodan (who sounds like Godzilla) in “Simpsons Tall Tales” (S12E21).
Bloodzilla, Zoidzilla, Buttzilla—just like in the real world, there are a lot of spinoffs of Godzilla on The Simpsons. I hope the estate of Ishirō Honda is getting those sweet, sweet royalties. Mmm… royalties.
Listen on the Podcast:
Ep. 26 - Godzilla (1954)
See every reference to Godzilla on The Simpsons, and learn more on our full podcast episode.
9. Goldfinger
Directed by Guy Hamilton, 1964
Total References: 15 | Major References: 5 | SMRDb Additions: 6
Homer prevents a meltdown with 7 seconds to spare in “Homer Defined” (S3E5), just like Bond in this movie.
Soundalikes of John Barry’s brassy score for Goldfinger have become shorthand for cool spy stuff on The Simpsons, y’know, like sucking the center out of a wedding cake using a collapsible straw. The theme song itself, as sung by Shirley Bassey, has been parodied at least three times, including the end credits for the McBain movie, an original them for Globex’s evil President Scorpio, and Homer’s personal jingle when he changes his name to Max Power.
Bart has a tattoo removed in “Simpsons Roasting on an Open Fire” (S1E1).
Itchy lasers Scratchy in “Cape Feare” (S5E2).
Scorpio lasers James Bondt in “You Only Move Twice” (S8E2).
Of course, variations on the movie’s famous laser sequence also make several appearances, from Bart’s tattoo removal in the pilot episode to an episode of Itchy & Scratchy to Scorpio’s trap for James Bondt. Likewise, Goldfinger himself has been sent up in “Who Shot Mr. Burns,” when Springfield’s own supervillain reveals his plan to block out the sun using a scale model of the city.
The Republican Party meets in their Ken Adam-style HQ in “Sideshow Bob Roberts” (S6E5).
But more broadly, the Bond aesthetic of big-red-button gadgets and modernist Ken Adam-style buildings seems to have influenced the animators behind The Simpsons far beyond direct James Bond parodies.
8. It’s a Wonderful Life (1946)
Directed by Frank Capra, 1946
Total References: 15 | Major References: 6 | SMRDb Additions: 2
A guardian angel educates Jimmy about a world without zinc in “Bart the Lover” (S3E16).
Teacher says every time a bell rings, The Simpsons references It’s a Wonderful Life. Much like the next two entries on this list, nearly the entire film can be recreated through Simpsons parodies, from the most memorable moments to the tiniest details.
The town rallies to support the Simpsons in “Miracle on Evergreen Terrace” (S9E10).
Homer toasts the richest left-handed guy in town in “When Flanders Failed“ (S3E3).
More than any other movie on this list, It’s a Wonderful Life also speaks to the heart that always made The Simpsons more than just a bundle of gags. Much like Frank Capra’s most beloved film, many a memorable Simpsons episode is 99% devastating, with a 1% slice of uplifting at the end.
Bart and Lisa find a sadly plausible alternate ending to It’s a Wonderful Life in “Natural Born Kissers” (S9E25).
On the commentary, the writers often credit those touching moments to producer and one-time show runner James L. Brooks (to whom Frank Capra coincidentally gave his first academy award for Terms of Endearment in 1984). But other times, the juice comes from outside the writers room. As Mike Reiss writes in Springfield Confidential, “If you want to make a touching TV show, rip off a touching movie.”
It’s a Wonderful Life definitely fits the bill.
Listen on the Podcast:
Ep. 8 - It's a Wonderful Life with Daniel Baptista
See every reference to It’s a Wonderful Life on The Simpsons, and learn more on our full podcast episode.
7. Citizen Kane
Directed by Orson Welles, 1941
Total References: 17 | Major References: 10 | SMRDb Additions: 4
The first moments of “Rosebud” (S5E4) recreates the iconic opening of Citizen Kane.
Gun to the head, we would have guessed Citizen Kane was the most referenced film on The Simpsons. At various points in the DVD commentary, the writers observe that you could probably recreate the entire movie by cutting together the many lengthy parodies in the show.
But as it turns out, while Orson Welles’ masterpiece may be The Simpsons’ most thoroughly referenced film, it’s not necessarily its most frequently referenced.
Mr. Burns’s campaign rally in “Two Cars in Every Garage and Three Eyes on Every Fish” (S2E4).
Bob’s campaign rally in “Sideshow Bob Roberts” (S6E5).
Homer’s campaign rally in “Weekend at Burnsie's” (S13E16).
Mr. Burns often provides the alibi to recreate an entire scene from the movie. As we mentioned, “Rosebud” (S5E4) Simpsonizes the film’s core plot: a heartless miser’s attempt to reunite with his prized childhood possession.
Mr. Smithers holding the cane from Citizen Kane in “Marge Gets a Job” (S4E7).
But Burns’ run for governor, his Xanadu-like mansion (at least in season 1), and Smithers’ musical tribute to him are all more subtle references to the life and times of Charles Foster Kane.
6. The Godfather
Directed by Francis Ford Coppola, 1972
Total References: 17 | Major References: 8 | SMRDb Additions: 3
Local restaurant owners meet like the Five Families in “Guess Who's Coming to Criticize Dinner?” (S11E3).
What can you say about The Godfather? There’s just something about Mario Puzo’s spare and snappy dialogue that seems to stick in the minds of men of a certain age. Whether it’s The Simpsons or The Sopranos, bits of dialogue from the Corleone saga abound in TV shows of the nineties and aughts.
A perfect recreation of Sonny Corleone’s death in “Mr. Plow” (S4E9).
Whenever the Simpson family brushes up against organized crime in Springfield, you can be sure that someone is going to sleep with the fishes or have a meeting with a godfather (although they may also throw in a nod to Goodfellas or The Untouchables for good measure).
Bart wakes up next to the head of Jebediah Springfield in “The Telltale Head” (S1E8)
Lisa wakes up next to a surprise gift in “Lisa's Pony” (S3E8).
But the visual language of the film creeps into civilian life in Springfield too. One scene The Simpsons returns to again and again is the famous horse head sequence. It’s not just that it’s fun to swap out the dead horse with something else, like a living horse or a statue’s head. It seems like the sunrise lighting, the reveal moment, the scream, and the cutting between interior and exterior all offer a satisfying sandbox for animators to play in.
5. Frankenstein
Directed by James Whale, 1931
Total References: 18 | Major References: 4 | SMRDb Additions: 10
Mr. Burns creates life in “Treehouse of Horror II” (S3E7).
What movie screams horror more than Frankenstein?
While Treehouse of Horror II does include a segment-long parody of the famous monster movie, the brunt of the references are much smaller to this seminal monster movie, like Halloween costumes and multiple creepy credits (sometimes even within one episode)—I’m looking at you, Bill Frankenfreesh, Dr. Frankenwelker, and Fran-Ken Tsumara-Stein.
Marge warns the audience in her introduction to “Treehouse of Horror” (S2E3).
However, Frankenstein’s greatest contribution to The Simpsons is Marge’s classic opening to the first Treehouse of Horror, as well as the second and fifth entries in the series. Added out of fear that their fiendish experiment would raise the ire of protective parents, they added this introductory parody to soften the blow.
4. Jaws
Directed by Steven Spielberg, 1975
Total References: 18 | Major References: 6 | SMRDb Additions: 8
Homer is fooled by his own shark prank in “Itchy & Scratchy Land” (S6E4).
The Simpsons draws broadly and diversely from Spielberg’s first blockbuster, including the thumping score (duh-dum), multiple shark (and dolphin) attacks, and the small-town characters and politics of Amity.
Bart scratches a chalkboard in “Homer Goes to College” (S5E3).
Willie scratches a stained-glass window in “The Joy of Sect” (S9E13).
But the most frequently parodied moment is an iconic piece of cinematography: the dolly zoom.
A dolly zoom in “Treehouse of Horror” (S2E3).
A dolly zoom in “Home Sweet Homediddly-Dum-Doodily” (S7E3).
A dolly zoom in “Realty Bites” (S9E9).
A dolly zoom in “Homer the Moe” (S13E3).
While this technique was invented by Alfred Hitchcock for Vertigo (1958) to replicate the dizzying effects of the hero’s fear of heights, Spielberg created his own version by adding a face in the middle of the warping background. Ever since Lisa first saw Kang and Kodos in the very first “Treehouse of Horror,” this version of the dolly zoom has become part of the Simpsons visual vocabulary, from courtroom twists to grizzly discoveries.
3. Psycho
Directed by Alfred Hitchcock, 1960
Total References: 24 | Major References: 4 | SMRDb Additions: 6
A recreation of the famous shower scene from “Itchy & Scratchy & Marge” (S2E9).
There is no shortage of iconic moments to parody in Alfred Hitchcock’s most iconic thriller. The most obvious is the famous shower murder scene, which Maggie once recreated in detail (and tried to recreate twice more), inspired by the violence on The Itchy & Scratchy Show.
An orchestra plays Psycho’s famous murder theme on a bus in “The Springfield Files” (S8E10).
More subtle are the many nods to cinematography, editing, production design, and score. In particular, the violin stings from the famous shower scene have become a shorthand on the show for murderousness. Likewise, by our count, versions of the Bates house itself makes at least five appearances on the show as one cursed-ass house or another.
Principal Skinner speaks to his mother like Norman Bates in “Brother from the Same Planet” (S4E14).
Marge looks at the “murder house” in “Realty Bites” (S9E9).
But the relationship between Principal Skinner and his mother Agnes provides some of the funniest references to Psycho in the series. While there are only a few of these direct parodies—like a one-sided conversation between Skinner and mother in “Brother from the Same Planet” (S4E14)—the regular creepy interactions between Seymour and Agnes keep the Psycho vibes going long after any official reference.
2. Star Wars
Directed by George Lucas, 1977
Total References: 31 | Major References: 3 | SMRDb Additions: 7
Comic Book Guy snuggles Jar Jar Binks in his Star Wars-packed bedroom in “Half-Decent Proposal” (S13E10).
Considering how many references there are to Star Wars on The Simpsons, it’s surprising how few of them are full-on scene or plot parodies. More than half of them are just mentions, allusions, and background text or visuals. More than anything, the writers use Star Wars to poke fun at what we would now call “fandom,” and particularly how obsessive and critical fans of The Simpsons could be. (“Worst episode ever.”)
Barney plays Obi-Wan Kenobi to Homer’s Luke in “Homer Defined” (S3E5).
Bart’s teacher tells him to “use the ballet” in “Homer vs. Patty and Selma” (S6E17).
However, versions of a few classic lines of dialogue have occasionally found their way into the show. Consider, for example, the multiple references to Obi Wan’s ghostly advice to “use the force.” Or when Patty says of Lisa, "The bitterness is strong in this one." Or when Ralph Wiggum observes, “I bent my wookiee.”
Guest star Mark Hamill sings “Luke Be a Jedi Tonight” in “Mayored to the Mob” (S10E9).
Of course, a guest appearance by Mark Hamill in “Mayored to the Mob” (S10E9) opened up an episode-long opportunity to poke fun at Star Wars, but the writers seem more interested in destroying C-3P0 and inventing musical mashups (“Luke be a jedi tonight…”) than recreating entire scenes in great detail.
1. The Wizard of Oz
Directed by Victor Fleming, 1939
Total References: 31 | Major References: 5 | SMRDb Additions: 3
Patty and Selma ride rocking chairs through a tornado in “Bart Gets an Elephant” (S5E17).
On a list of Matt Groening’s 100 favorite things, Victor Fleming’s The Wizard of Oz comes in at #7. It’s the highest movie on the list, though it can’t compete with “Vietnamese spring rolls or sex.”
So maybe it’s no surprise that The Wizard of Oz is woven into the very fabric of The Simpsons from the beginning. Citizen Kane may be able to claim the title of most thoroughly recreated, but Oz finds its way into over 30 blink-and-you-miss-it moments.
Mr. Burns’ guards sing “March of the Winkies” in “Rosebud” (S5E4).
Mr. Burns releases his “flying” monkeys in “The Last Temptation of Homer” (S5E9).
Part Darth Vader, part Charles Foster Kane, and part Wicked Witch of the West, Mr. Burns has stocked his mansion with guards that sing “March of the Winkies” and a cage of “flying” monkeys, ready to be tossed out the window.
Many of the movie’s musical numbers make a brief appearance, too. Ned and Rod Flanders sing their own version of “We Welcome You to the Munchkin Land” when the Simpsons first move in, while John Waters’ car horn plays “Somewhere Over the Rainbow.”
Bart wakes up like Dorothy in “Bart Gets Hit by a Car” (S2E10).
Grampa wakes up like Dorothy in “Raging Abe Simpson and His Grumbling Grandson in ‘The Curse of the Flying Hellfish’” (S7E22).
Unky Herb says his goodbye to the family by giving each one of them a gift like the titular Wizard, and of course, the ending of the movie when Dorothy wakes up back in Kansas gets The Simpsons treatment at least twice.
But why The Wizard of Oz?
Marge and Homer’s prom in “Half-Decent Proposal” (S13E10).
Well, Oz is colorful and surreal. It’s full of boisterous music, wacky characters, and clever dialogue. It has a dark, even satirical edge just below the surface. Sound familiar?
When you think about it, The Wizard of Oz is so at home in The Simpsons that we barely even noticed it.
Honorable Glavins
Two honorable mentions go to Star Trek: The Motion Picture (1979) and Batman: The Movie (1966).
Most of the references that could be attributed to these movies are likely directed toward the popular TV series that predate them, eve if they technically apply to the movies, too. For example, the TV series and movies often have characters, world-building, or overall style in common.
Star Trek: The Motion Picture
Directed by Robert Wise, 1979
Total References: 1 | Major References: 1 | Indirect References: 32 | SMRDb Additions: 6
William Shatner auditions for Mr. Burns in his admiral uniform in “A Star Is Burns” (S6E18).
It seems like every geek in Springfield owns a pair of Vulcan ears. Much like Star Wars, the Simpsons writers regularly use Star Trek and its film adaptations to joke about their love-hate relationship with geekdom.
This became particularly prominent as the internet grew up alongside the series. As Homer once put it, "The information superhighway showed the average person what some nerd thinks about Star Trek."
Batman: The Movie
Directed by Leslie H. Martinson, 1966
Total References: 0 | Major References: 0 | Indirect References: 21 | SMRDb Additions: 9
The campy sixties Radioactive Man TV show from “Radioactive Man” (S7E2).
References to the sixties incarnation of Batman, on the other hand, helped give the show a taste of the surreal even early on.
Back in season 1, Homer whimsically calls Mr. Burns’ home “stately Burns Manor,” and by seasons 3 and 4, we are treated to spinning interstitials, several Batmobile montages, and multiple matching fire poles. And, since Fox owns the rights, we even hear the real Batman TV theme song on the show a couple of times, rather than an Alf Clausen soundalike.
Listen on the Podcast:
Ep. 27 - Batman: The Movie (1966) with Daniel Grant
See every reference to Batman: The Movie on The Simpsons, and learn more on our full podcast episode.
But wait, there’s more!
Those are the dozen most referenced movies in the first 13 seasons of The Simpsons, but we’ve found references to another 900 movies so far in our search.
That’s what the Springfield Googolplex podcast is all about. Every episode, hosts Adam and Nate pick one of these movies they haven’t seen before (or haven’t seen in a while) to watch, dissect, and relate back to our favorite Simpsons parodies.
So as you plan your next movie night, why not join us and let a classic episode of The Simpsons inspire your choice? Eat my shorts, streaming algorithms!
Explore the Data
This spreadsheet sorts every movie referenced on The Simpsons by the number of total references and the number of major references.
Try searching for your favorite movie or filtering by your favorite director or decade!
Want more sweet, sweet numbers? Check out the full Simpsons Movie Reference Database.
