Anti-utopian Simpsons

While reading some of the novels, I wondered how many references to famous dystopian and anti-utopian novels and movies can be found on the show (you know, references to novels or movies like 1984, Brave New World, Clockwork Orange, Fahrenheit 451 and others.)

Just a few examples:

• Dr. Monroe�s laboratory in 7G04 (like Clockwork Orange)
• Bart as Alec from Clockwork Orange in 9F04
• the Clockwork Orange-like "cupcake conditioning" in 9F14
• the "Time & Punishment" segment in THOH V with the Re-Neducation Centre
• the "All is well" tape in 3F01 (partly cut in syndication)
• the newspaper headline "Parade to Distract Joyless Citizens" in 3F13

Any other examples?

Chris

Somebody claiming to be [email] (Chris Pfeiler) wrote in news:[email]:

How about the Ayn Rand day care center? Now, I know Rand's novels are more optimistic, but the Simpson portrayal of Objectivism was clearly dystopian.

Kill The Alligator And Run has a reference to the movie Logan's Run... The crystal in the VJ's hand blinks when she turns 25... In the movie, it did that when you were 30 and then it was your time to die.

Austin

Chris Pfeiler wrote in message news:[email]...

I can't remember the "Brave New World" reference. (I'm curious because I actually thought it was a pretty nice future, given the nature of people. I guess that one man's utopia is everyone else's horror)

-Bob

R H Menzel wrote:

I think there is no real reference to "Brave New World" (at least I haven�t noticed one.)

The Ayn Rand School for Tots would have been a good opportunity but they used it for other references (Birds and Great Escape).

The only scene that comes somehow close is again the "Crime&Punishment" segment. The general idea and especially the angry face of Ned on the wall screens is more like "1984" but the idea that everyone has to be happy ("It�s bliss") is IMO a little like BNW. Maybe someone knows a better reference.

Chris

Chris Pfeiler wrote in message news:[email]...

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I thought there was once a reference to "soma", but that could have been in my fevered imagination.

-Bob

"R H Menzel" wrote in message news:3d1dcf79$[email]...

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There were a few references to 'Soylent Green' - perhaps that's what you're thinking of? Could Soylent Green be considered a distopian movie? (I haven't read the book it was based on).

Ciao Peter

Peter Smyth wrote in message news:agl1ts$2ep$[email]...

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haven't

It's been a few years, but I believe soma was a "happy" drug used in the brave, new world designed by Huxley. And, I think "Soylent Green" was based on a short story. Either that, or it was a novelization of the movie.

Things get fuzzy after a while.

-Bob

"R H Menzel" wrote in message news:[email]...

Yeah - IIRC, soma was like 'super-alcohol', without a hangover. Soylent Green *was* based on a short story, but it had a different title. I saw Soylent Green last week, as it happens (it was pants).

Ciao Peter

Peter Smyth wrote in message news:agn763$fhr$[email]...

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Then you can answer a nagging question. At the end of the movie, does Charlton Heston yell," Get your filthy paws off my Soylent Green, you damn, dirty Pharaoh!"?

The mind goes after forty.

-Bob

Chris Pfeiler wrote in message news:[email]...

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Chris, just wanted to let you know that this is one of the most thought provoking questions I've seen here in quite some time. Thanks for making me dust off another corner of my brain.

-Bob

There's Spring-diddly-ingfiel-diddlydoodly-ield in that Halloween episode. And the Flanderses's house has to be a reference to something. the Book Burning Mobile, the Police Chief Wiggum billboard with We Never Sleep,

Chris Pfeiler wrote:

Your Utopia is more of a Fruitopia!

On 28 Jun 2002 15:32:26 GMT, [email] (Chris Pfeiler) wrote:

Santa's Little Helper gets conditioned ala "Clockwork Orange" in 8F17. Homer throws books in the fireplace, including a copy of "Fahrenheit 451" also in 8F17.

[email] (Chris Pfeiler) wrote in message news:...

Krusty crashing into the mountain with his airplane was a spoof of the scene in Catch 22 where one of the men committed suicide the same way!

Space

There were two episodes influenced by "Lord of the Flies," the very explicit parody of "Das Bus," and, to a lesser extent, "Kamp Krusty."

"Aaron Hirshberg" wrote in message news:[email]...

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How many Catch-22 references have there been in The Simpsons? That's the first one I've ever heard of (although I'm not even sure that that was a direct spoof). I'd imagine that there must be more - Heller's humour is quite similar to the Simpsons'.

Ciao Peter

If you ask Hirshberg, he'll tell you there is at least one in every episode :)

Kevin