Although it's a few months early for Halloween yet I wanted to give review of this Treehouse of Horror special. Opening of Marge on stage warning about terrifying show is totally unnecessary, even the singing scene in end. It has the gag of Groundskeeper Willie (in each of the three segments which I'll review individually) coming to someone's rescue only to get axed in back and killed: first by deranged Homer, then Maggie (with eerie voice role by James Earle Jones) and Principal Skinner.
The Shinning: This first segment is based off the 1980 psychological horror film, The Shining, directed by Stanley Kubrick and stars Jack Nicholson (and the Stephen King horror novel). There's many references or similarities to the film even with Homer as Jack Torrance, Marge as Wendy, Bart as Danny, Willie as Halloran: wife swinging a baseball bat at her insane husband before locking him in the pantry, torrent of blood coming from an elevator/lift, the hedge maze, the word REDRUM (word "murder" backwards) Maggie using her blocks, Homer saying Jack Nicholson's iconic line "Here's Johnny!" and family freezes in the snow like Jack Torrance's death. This is without doubt most popular Treehouse of Horror segment, with laughs even Homer's "Can't murder now: eating"
Time and Punishment: This one is somewhat quite a weird Treehouse of Horror segment, and inspired by Ray Bradbury's short story "A Sound of Thunder". Of course, time travel is somewhat tense (with unpredictable consequences) yet seems to have more a science-fiction theme than horror with some pop culture references and one-liners. After breaking and somewhat repairing the toaster, Homer travels back to prehistoric times and alter the course of history, even his reaction to each of the altered realities he turns up in - one with Flanders as an amiable villain and even one Homer has a rich house yet he misses out that it rains doughnuts.
As it ends, Homer, hilarious, gives questions for confirmation: "What's my name? What colour is the sky? What of donuts? What?! For the love of God, tell me!" And just when it seemed Homer has returned back to the present, Oh no, his family have, eat with amphibian forked tongues which gave a bit of scare. A world without using cutlery? Doesn't bother me or Homer with good answer: "Eh, close enough".
Nightmare Cafeteria: This is quite a dark disturbing school slasher with bit of stomach-churning gruesome cannibalism sorta made for Halloween, and it's literally a tasty revenge some people by overcrowded detention students. Who knew school faculty make disturbing villains?
Overall, this is a popular Treehouse of Horror special, even if the second one of Homer time-travelling doesn't outshine the first and third ones. And the unwanted singing at end (fog turning their bodies) quite like the Christmas "Hark the Herald Angels Sing" ending to previous Treehouse of Horror.
The Shinning: This first segment is based off the 1980 psychological horror film, The Shining, directed by Stanley Kubrick and stars Jack Nicholson (and the Stephen King horror novel). There's many references or similarities to the film even with Homer as Jack Torrance, Marge as Wendy, Bart as Danny, Willie as Halloran: wife swinging a baseball bat at her insane husband before locking him in the pantry, torrent of blood coming from an elevator/lift, the hedge maze, the word REDRUM (word "murder" backwards) Maggie using her blocks, Homer saying Jack Nicholson's iconic line "Here's Johnny!" and family freezes in the snow like Jack Torrance's death. This is without doubt most popular Treehouse of Horror segment, with laughs even Homer's "Can't murder now: eating"
Time and Punishment: This one is somewhat quite a weird Treehouse of Horror segment, and inspired by Ray Bradbury's short story "A Sound of Thunder". Of course, time travel is somewhat tense (with unpredictable consequences) yet seems to have more a science-fiction theme than horror with some pop culture references and one-liners. After breaking and somewhat repairing the toaster, Homer travels back to prehistoric times and alter the course of history, even his reaction to each of the altered realities he turns up in - one with Flanders as an amiable villain and even one Homer has a rich house yet he misses out that it rains doughnuts.
As it ends, Homer, hilarious, gives questions for confirmation: "What's my name? What colour is the sky? What of donuts? What?! For the love of God, tell me!" And just when it seemed Homer has returned back to the present, Oh no, his family have, eat with amphibian forked tongues which gave a bit of scare. A world without using cutlery? Doesn't bother me or Homer with good answer: "Eh, close enough".
Nightmare Cafeteria: This is quite a dark disturbing school slasher with bit of stomach-churning gruesome cannibalism sorta made for Halloween, and it's literally a tasty revenge some people by overcrowded detention students. Who knew school faculty make disturbing villains?
Overall, this is a popular Treehouse of Horror special, even if the second one of Homer time-travelling doesn't outshine the first and third ones. And the unwanted singing at end (fog turning their bodies) quite like the Christmas "Hark the Herald Angels Sing" ending to previous Treehouse of Horror.