Ep. 30 - Thirty Two Short Films About Glenn Gould
This episode, Adam and Nate will definitely hit their CanCon quota as they review Thirty Two Short Films About Glenn Gould (1993), the namesake of perhaps their favorite Simpsons episode, “22 Short Films about Springfield” (S7E21). This unconventional biopic about eccentric pianist Glenn Gould achieved escape velocity to find its way beyond the Canadian film world and into American media, from Siskel & Ebert to The Simpsons.
Also in this episode:
A statistical analysis of title parodies on The Simpsons (where some of the spiciest movie references live!)
How this movie deconstructs the biopic genre through a series of mixed-media shorts
Our most Canadian episode yet, featuring Heritage Minutes, the National Film Board, an appreciation of Colm Feore, and the Genies!
Next time, former Simpsons and showrunner Bill Oakley joins Adam and Nate as they continue their celebration of “22 Short Films about Springfield” (S7E21) and its parody of Pulp Fiction (1994).
Discover more great podcasts on the That Shelf Podcast Network. Follow us @simpsonsfilmpod on Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, Twitter, and Letterboxd.
Every Simpsons Reference to Thirty Two Short Films About Glenn Gould
By our count, Thirty Two Short Films About Glenn Gould has been directly referenced once in the first 13 seasons of The Simpsons. The first reference appears in “22 Short Films About Springfield” (S7E21) from 1996, 3 years after the release of the movie.
Small References
22 Short Films About Springfield (S7E21): The title of the episode is a reference to this movie. This is also one of only 3 times that an episode title is shown on screen in the first 13 seasons, besides the “Treehouse of Horror” Halloween specials. In this case, it was done intentionally to help audiences immediately grasp the unusual format of this episode.
Bonus: Other references to Glenn Gould on The Simpsons
HOMR (S12E9): After Homer has a surgery to increase his intelligence, he chuckles knowingly when the announcer on 89.9FM says, "That sonata may not be a Glenn Gould performance, but I must say, it’s good as Gould.”
Bonus: Title References on The Simpsons
When we analyzed the movies that have only ever been referenced as title parodies on The Simpsons, it made us wonder if a full scene or episode parody of many of these movies would have turned off the show’s broad, primetime audience.
About three-quarters of these title movie references fall into five categories that might be too spicy or obscure for primetime:
Too Edgy (30%): These movies deal with adult themes, often with a political dimension. This category includes movies about discrimination like Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner or Children of a Lesser God, war movies like Sophie's Choice and Thirty Seconds Over Tokyo, and movies about class struggle like The Grapes of Wrath and A Tale of Two Cities.
Too Artsy (13%): These movies are probably too obscure and inaccessible to the Simpsons’ general audience. This includes foreign films like Smilla's Sense of Snow, indy films like Boyz n the Hood, and art films like Thirty Two Short Films About Glenn Gould.
Too Sexy (12%): These movies deal with a different kind of adult theme... This includes sex thrillers like Indecent Proposal, sex comedies like Blame It on Rio, and sex dramas like Last Tango in Paris.
Too Campy (12%): These are B movies and cult classics that may be too obscure or outlandish for a general audience. This includes blaxploitation movies like Sweet Sweetback's Baadasssss Song, low-budget genre movies like They Saved Hitler's Brain or House of Wax, and so-bad-it’s-good fare like High School Confidential!
Too Cheeky (9%): These are comedies that might be too high-brow or off-color for a general audience. This includes intellectual comedies like Take the Money and Run (notably, no Woody Allen movie is directly parodied in the first 13 seasons of The Simpsons), and dark comedies like The Secret War of Harry Frigg.
The rest are more conventional choices for a Simpsons movie reference, including family movies like Three Men and a Baby, thrillers and action movies like The Man Who Knew Too Much, and musicals and music movies like A Star Is Born.
Extra Credit
Looking for more like this or an interesting double feature? Here are our recommendations.
From Adam: Bon Cop Bad Cop (2006), The Dirties (2013), Operation Avalanche (2016), RocketMan (2019), and BlackBerry (2023)
From Nate: The Tracey Fragments (2007)
On the Watchlist: I’m Not There (2007)
Further Reading & Viewing
Article: Noel Murray, “The Simpsons, ‘22 Short Films About Springfield’,“ AV Club, March 25, 2010.
Article: Evan Eisenberg, “The Goldberg Variations Made New,“ Slate, August 27, 2007.
Article: Etan Vlessing, “Thirty Two Short Films About Glenn Gould,” Playback, accessed July 7, 2024.
Profile: “Glenn Gould,” Canadian Music Hall of Fame, accessed July 7, 2024.
My god! What is that Very Tall Man doing to Grampa?
