2009’s Treehouse Of Horror XX opens in classic Horror fashion as the Universal Monsters coming to life for Halloween. It’s funny that they’re seen as old hat so they need to get themselves some modern costumes, and funnier still when their various brides turn up to ruin the party.
Dial “M” For Murder Or Press “#” To Return To Main Menu
“And you should have seen the look on Hoover’s face. In fact – here it is!”
A Hitchcockian smörgåsbord of references, with the main focus being “Strangers On A Train”. It’s pretty violent but thanks to the black and white it’s not anywhere near as gory as some of its predecessors. Bart’s web of double-crosses feels like it could have sustained a longer story but it’s the end which delivers the most delicious moment.
Don’t Have A Cow, Mankind
“We start with grade-a beef, feed that to other cows then kill them and serve the unholy results on a seven-grain bun.”
Krusty’s new burger causes an outbreak of zombie fever-ism in this riff on the very real scandal of Mad Cow Disease. The story picks up 28 days later *ahem* with the Simpsons hunkered down in their house. It’s a funny spoof which moves from “28 Days Later” to “I Am Legend” when Bart’s hunger leads to him eating a burger and it turns out he’s immune. The visual gags are good and the dialogue is even better. This feels like The Simpsons of old.
There’s No Business Like Moe Business
“It’s a letter from Homer, on my stationery in my handwriting using my idioms and speech patterns…”
Deliberately theatrical, this “Sweeney Todd” pastiche is a triumph. The lyrics are witty and the musical numbers are terrific. The ‘behind the scenes’ setting showing how the show is staged just adds to the fun. It a bravura end to Treehouse Of Horror XX, a great Simpsons Halloween Special and something of a return to form.
