15 Times The Simpons Incredibly Parodied Historial Images Without You Noticing
The single most important reason that Disney films do so well is that they relate to everybody. Other successful cartoons have of course followed suit – with Family Guy and The Simpsons leading the way. Kids can enjoy said shows (and movies) because of the funny character names, one liners and slapstick jokes; where adults see something entirely different. They get the references, parodies and puns that are carefully weaved in.
Often, The Simpsons are so successful in their parody that people only know certain stories and events through their episodes. For me this happened with the story of Hamlet – when I came to reading Shaky’s play, I already knew exactly what went down.
Here are 15 amazing Simpsons parodies that totally killed it.
1. Remember the scene where the Simpsons family had lunch sitting on a scaffold high above the city?
It was inspired by the iconic 1932 photograph “Lunch atop a Skyscraper.” The image shows construction workers lunching on the 69th floor of the former RCA building in Manhattan.
2. What about this festive gathering in the woods?
The scene mimics a famous photograph taken by Burk Uzzle during the 1969 Woodstock Music Festival.
3. Here’s a Duff zeppelin crashing over Springfield. Or is it?
The image was inspired by the Hindenburg disaster in 1937. The German airship caught on fire due to an electrostatic discharge.
4. Here’s Apu, Skinner, Barney and Homer chilling with the one and only Yoko Ono.
The original photograph shows The Beatles recording their eleventh studio album, Abbey Road.
5. Look familiar?
Homer’s holding an album that looks strikingly like The Beatles’ Abbey Road.
6. Here’s a curious still from an episode of what seems to be the Loch Ness monster.
And indeed, it is. It’s the first known photograph of Nessie, taken by Hugh Gray in 1933.
7. Even Itchy and Scratchy borrowed some ideas from history.
Like the chaos that followed the murder of Lee Harvey Oswald.
8. With his hand on his hip, Bart looks almost like a model.
He’s imitating an iconic pose by American dancer, singer and actress, Betty Grable, from 1943.
9. Just who is this soldier…?
It’s evoking Robert Capa’s photograph “The Falling Soldier,” depicting a Spanish Republican soldier dying during the Spanish Civil War in 1936.
10. Here’s Millhouse with a really sad and face…
The actual photograph depicts a French man crying during the Nazi occupation of France in 1940.
11. Martin announces some big news in this still…
It’s parodying Truman holding the inaccurate version of Chicago Tribune after his victory in the 1948 Presidential Election.
12. Here’s the gang planting a flag pole on the beach.
In the real photo, one of the most famous ever taken, there were five U.S. marines and one corpsman raising the American flag on Iwo Jima’s Mount Suribachi.
13. In this episode, the entire town of Springfield got in line to board a helicopter.
The original photograph captures the evacuation of American civilians during the Fall of Saigon in 1975.
14. Burns and Elvis?
The framed photo references the secret meeting between Elvis and President Nixon in 1970.
15. Lisa waves after winning the Little Miss Springfield contest.
In reality, it was President Lyndon B. Johnson taking the oath of office two hours after the assassination of John F. Kennedy.
The Simpsons’ knack for parody is one of the reasons for the shows unprecedented longevity, they keep us laughing and coming back for more. I for one can’t wait for their next hit parody.