Itchy & Scratchy Land
| "Itchy & Scratchy Land" | |
|---|---|
| The Simpsons episode | |
| File:ItchyScratchyLand.png | |
| Episode no. | Season 6 |
| Directed by | Wesley Archer |
| Written by | John Swartzwelder |
| Original air dates | October 2, 1994 |
| Episode features | |
| Chalkboard gag | "I am not the reincarnation of Sammy Davis Jr."[1] |
| Couch gag | The family is beamed onto the couch, Star Trek style.[2] |
| Commentary | Matt Groening David Mirkin Dan Castellaneta Yeardley Smith Wes Archer |
"Itchy & Scratchy Land" is the fourth episode of The Simpsons' sixth season and first aired on October 2, 1994.[3] Wanting a perfect family vacation, the Simpson family visits Itchy & Scratchy Land. The trip starts out great, but things take a turn for the worst when a horde of Itchy and Scratchy robots go on a murderous rampage. It was written by John Swartzwelder and directed by Wes Archer.[2]
Plot
Bart and Lisa see a commercial for the new amusement park named Itchy & Scratchy Land, and immediately want to visit it. Marge has already booked a family vacation to a bird sanctuary, but after much pleading, Bart and Lisa win their parents over. After a long car journey, they reach Itchy & Scratchy Land.
Marge is slightly uneasy with the many references to violence at the park, but has an enjoyable time visiting the various violent attractions, which include a parade filled with Itchy and Scratchy robots. Homer and Marge eventually tire out and spend time away from the kids at the nearby "Parents Island" as Bart and Lisa continue having fun. Bart and Lisa also visit a movie theater, where the old Itchy & Scratchy film "Scratchtasia" is shown. Although going well, the family's vacation is ruined when Bart launches a stink bomb onto an actor in an Itchy suit and is captured by park security. Homer is also captured for kicking an Itchy in the butt. Marge is informed of her son and husband's transgressions and is immediately embarrassed.
Meanwhile Professor Frink, chief of the animatronic robots in the park parades, learns that all the Itchy & Scratchy robots will turn on their masters; this happens seconds after he makes the announcement. Bart and Homer are released and just as Marge is chewing them out, all power is cut and a orde of Itchy and Scratchy robots advance on them. Homer frantically throws everything he can at them and discovers that the flash of a camera short circuits the robots' systems. The Simpsons then grab dozens of cameras from a gift shop and defeat the entire Itchy & Scratchy army. The family are thanked for saving the park and agree that it was their best vacation ever. Although, they decide to never to speak of the trip again.[3][1][2]
Production
"Itchy & Scratchy Land", written by the entire writing team but credited to John Swartzwelder, was a very difficult episode to produce. It involved creating an entire new environment, which involved a large amount of writing as well as all new sets.[4] At the time that the episode was produced, new, more stringent, censorship laws had been put in place. As a result, the Fox network tried to stop the writers from including Itchy & Scratchy cartoons in episodes. In response, the writers decided to create this episode, which they decided would be as violent as possible. The network threatened that if the episode was produced, they would cut the Itchy & Scratchy parts out themselves, but relented when showrunner David Mirkin threatened to tell the media. The writers nevertheless promised to try not to overdo the violence and in some scenes the violence was cut.[4]
Although the episode was quite difficult to animate, "Itchy & Scratchy Land" was "a dream come true" for the animators, as they quite enjoyed animating scenes filled with violence.[5]
Cultural references
Itchy & Scratchy Land is mostly based on Disneyland, and several aspects of the park, such as the electric light parade, are parodied.[4] The Euro Itchy & Scratchy Land is a parody of Disneyland Paris Resort, which at the time was a failing theme park.[4] Several scenes, such as the helicopter ride, and parts of the story are based on the film Jurassic Park. Other parts of the episode, such as the "theme park of the future", are based on Westworld. "Scratchtasia" is a reference to the Sorcerer's Apprentice segment of the Disney film Fantasia, with several shots and the music being exact parodies of the film.[4] Hans Moleman being attacked by predatory birds while in the phone booth is a spoof of the 1963 Alfred Hitchcock film The Birds.[2] Walt Disney's alleged antisemitism is spoofed in the character of Roger Meyers, Sr.[6]
Reception
"Scratchtasia" is one of David Mirkin's favorite Itchy & Scratchy cartoons.[4] In 2003, Entertainment Weekly made a list of the Top twenty-five episodes, and placed this episode in seventh place, saying "When the animatronics attack, the showdown between man and machine -- okay, Homer and a giant robot mouse -- is an uproarious rebuttal to capitalism run amok."[6] Warren Martyn and Adrian Wood called it "an untypical episode, with an especially thin plot. But anyone that's been to Disneyland will get the point."[2]
References
- ^ a b Richmond, Ray (1997). The Simpsons: A Complete Guide to our Favorite Family. Harper Collins Publishers. ISBN 0-00063-8898-1.
{{cite book}}: Unknown parameter|coauthors=ignored (|author=suggested) (help) - ^ a b c d e Martyn, Warren; Wood, Adrian (2000). "Itchy & Scratchy & Marge". BBC. Retrieved 2007-08-02.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) - ^ a b "Itchy & Scratchy Land". The Simpsons.com. Retrieved 2007-08-02.
- ^ a b c d e f Mirkin, David (2005). The Simpsons season 6 DVD commentary for the episode "Itchy & Scratchy Land" (DVD). 20th Century Fox.
{{cite AV media}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter:|1=(help) - ^ Archer, Wes (2005). The Simpsons season 6 DVD commentary for the episode "Itchy & Scratchy Land" (DVD). 20th Century Fox.
{{cite AV media}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter:|1=(help) - ^ a b "The Family Dynamic". Entertainment Weekly. 2003-01-29. Retrieved 2007-08-03.
{{cite web}}: Check date values in:|date=(help)
External links
