Difference between revisions of "The War of the Simpsons/References"

Latest revision as of 20:53, January 20, 2026

Cultural references[edit]

• The title is based on the 1989 film The War of the Roses, which was produced by Gracie Films and also starred Dan Castellaneta.
• When Ned Flanders is making drinks at the Simpsons' party, much of the flashy ways he is seen preparing the cocktails is similar to Tom Cruise's bartending stunts in the 1988 film Cocktail.
• Homer wears a lampshade on his head during the party. The exact origins of the trend is uncertain, but in 1928 piece titled "Life of the Party" gave the following advice, "It is usually customary for the life of the party about the middle of the evening to put a lampshade on his head and after which he tells a joke that is not meant for mixed company."
• The music in the scene where an infant Bart chases his teenage babysitter with the car is similar to the score from The Omen.
• Homer's false memory of the party is a reference to the Algonquin Round Table, a group of New York City writers, critics, actors and wits. The guests and the party and the way they are drawn resemble Al Hirschfeld's caricature of the group. As Hirschfeld's drawings were always in black and white, the color scheme is borrowed from the covers for The New Yorker.
• John and Gloria bear a strong resemblance to George and Martha from Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?.
• Homer's marathon attempt at catching General Sherman, his bludgeoning of the fish and the line "I love you but I have to kill you" are all based on Santiago's fight with the marlin in Ernest Hemingway's The Old Man and the Sea.
• Homer sings "We Are the Champions" by Queen after he finally catches General Sherman, although he butchers the lyrics by singing "I Am the Champions", in which he fails to singularize the lyrics in order to describe only himself.
• The picture of General Sherman, in the service station, is a reference to the famous hoax picture of the Loch Ness Monster.
• Grandpa sings "Over There", a popular song during the First World War, when getting out of the shower.
• Other songs that are played during the episode include:
  • Tom Jones - "It's Not Unusual"
  • Dusty Springfield - "The Look of Love"
  • KC and the Sunshine Band - "That's the Way (I Like It)"
  • Jarabe Tapatío - "Mexican Hat Dance"

Trivia[edit]

• The family from Mr. Burns' picnic in "There's No Disgrace Like Home" is seen again in church in front of Marge.
• Also in church, when Maude sees Homer looking for Marge, she hastily checks to make sure her blouse is fully buttoned. (The scene takes place the very next day after Homer looked down her dress during the party.)
• Gloria and John are voiced by Julie Kavner and Dan Castellaneta, making it a rare time where they voiced a couple other than Homer and Marge. Also, Kavner's role of Gloria is one of the few times she has voiced a character other than Marge or one of the women of the Bouvier family.

Continuity[edit]

• Marge urges Homer to go easy on the "al-key-hol". The last time she used that term she was halfway in the bag herself, and performed similar embarrassing drunken revelry at Mr. Burns' picnic in "There's No Disgrace Like Home".
• Sydney and Tanya from "Bart the Genius" appear at Bart's party.
• Barney talks to Patty and Selma at party stating he remembers them, Barney went on a date with Selma which was interrupted by Patty in "Principal Charming".
• The record Homer puts as the guest start to arrive plays It's Not Unusual by Tom Jones which later Marge tells Mr. Burns how Tom Jones music always cheers her up. ("Marge Gets a Job")

Goofs[edit]

• There is a frame at the party where a part of Ned's head is missing where his hand overlaps it.
• When Grandpa finds out about the party, there were some multiple goofs in this scene:
  • Wendell having a green shirt.
  • Sherri (or Terri) having yellow skin, blue socks and a red bow.