Matt Groening Movies
He put the "d'oh!" in the Oxford English Dictionary, the Canyonero on the road, and he's put The Simpsons in your living room every week for well over a decade. Matt Groening has managed to capture a realistically outrageous family dynamic in one of television history's longest-running shows that had been awarded 18 Emmy Awards by 2003. Born February 15, 1954, the Portland, OR, native was encouraged to draw by his father, who was also a cartoonist. He doodled his way through school, working for the newspaper and also forming a political party called Teens for Decency. With the slogan of "If You're Against Decency, What Are You For?," he mischievously won the student body presidency. After graduating from Evergreen State College in Olympia, WA, in 1977, he headed out to L.A. To keep friends and relatives informed on how his life was progressing -- or actually, was not -- his letters home detailed his jobs at a sewage treatment plant and as a chauffeur in comic strip form. And thus, Life in Hell was born. The adventures of lead character Binky, his wife Sheba, and Akbar and Jeff, among others, made their way into the Los Angeles Reader in 1980 and can now be found in 250 newspapers worldwide. His next venture would also prove to be long lasting. What started out as animated segments aired during Fox's The Tracey Ullman Show in 1987, The Simpsons got its own timeslot in December 1989. Groening and his team of writers and producers crafted the not-so-atypical family and their friends and neighbors in a comedic light, keeping them all just on the edge of ridiculousness. One episode captures America's favorite under-achieving dad Homer in one of his many schemes as he gains enough weight to be considered medically obese, thus excusing him from having to actually go to work. He instead stays home wearing a muumuu hollering at local kids who come by for a laugh at his expense. As is common, yet trivial Simpsons knowledge, the characters on the series have been named after Groening's family members, as Homer and Marge truly are his parents' names, and so on. As one to pay homage to his beginnings, Groening has the littlest Simpson, Maggie, lugging around a rabbit stuffed animal, which is one of his Life in Hell characters. Creating the sarcastic landscape that is Springfield, he infused his witty outlook on life and said when people watch The Simpsons, they are rewarded for paying attention with inside and/or well-placed jokes. Case in point, Homer decries cartoon writers for their unrealistic story lines; meanwhile, another Homer walks by the window in quite an unfathomable manner. Such humor is lost on some, but has been impressed on enough hearts and minds to keep people tuning in every Sunday night. Groening also dabbled in album cover art design, which can be found on the 1987 self-titled album from Crazy Backwards Alphabet. In 1993, he formed Bongo Comics, which publishes Simpsons-related Itchy & Scratchy, Radioactive Man,Lisa, and Krusty comics. He also started Zongo Comics in 1995. Books and guides giving detailed information on The Simpsons series have been published, including The Simpsons: A Complete Guide to Our Favorite Family. Games, both board and video, have also been produced involving the famous inhabitants of 742 Evergreen Terrace and Groening has also written books featuring his Life in Hell characters, including Childhood Is Hell, Love Is Hell, School Is Hell, and The Big Book of Hell. His next venture was into the future with the appropriately titled Futurama. Premiering in March 1999 and featuring the voice of Ren and Stimpy, Billy West, the sci-fi cartoon series started with the main character, Fry, delivering a pizza to a cryogenics lab. He ends up being frozen and when he wakes up in the year 3000, he's stuck marveling at the future while lamenting about his lost past with the likes of a one-eyed love interest, a robotic best friend, and a crab as a doctor. In 2000, he helped produce the animated adaptation of the book Olive, the Other Reindeer by J. Otto Seibold and Vivian Walsh. The film's main character, Olive, is the voice of Drew Barrymore and also features Simpsons' regular Dan Castellaneta (the voice of Homer, Krusty the Clown, and other Springfieldians), and former Saturday Night Live cast member Tim Meadows.
July 2007 finally saw the release of a long-awaited Simpsons' movie (cleverly titled as such). The collaborative effort includes direction by David Silverman and writing credits for Groening and James L. Brooks, among many others.
Groening's 15-year marriage produced two sons, Homer and Abe. ~ Rachel Sprovtsoff-Mangus, All Movie Guide
They've kept television viewers laughing for nearly 20 years, and now the most popular animated family on the small screen makes the leap into theaters as Homer, Marge, Lisa, Bart, ad Maggie embark on their first-ever feature-length adventure. Directed by David Silverman and written by a whole host of Simpsons veterans including Matt Groening and James L. Brooks, The Simpsons Movie also features special guest appearances by Albert Brooks among others. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Dan Castellaneta, Julie Kavner, (more)
Ed "Big Daddy" Roth was a genius of outlaw art who took America's obsession with all that is fast, loud and streamlined and built it into an empire. In the 1950's, Roth was a hot-rodder who moved from body work and helping guys fine-tune the look of their jalopies to building unique custom machines. Roth threw out the rule book of conventional automotive design and created fantastic visions of chrome, fiberglass and supercharged engines which took one of America's most conventional consumer items and turned it into a freaked-out vision of post-adolescent cool. Roth was also a gifted cartoonist, and along with his cars he also created freaked-out automotive cartoons which made the artwork in Mad Magazine look sedate; his trademark character was Rat Fink, a maniacal, grinning rodent who was usually seen popping the clutch behind the wheel of one of Roth outlandish cars. Between Roth's crazed automobiles which drew thousands of fans to auto shows, the reproductions of them (in the form of model kits) which sold in the millions, and the Rat Fink and Monster T-shirts (which are still on the market today), Roth was one of the most influential figures in popular culture in the 1960's, and Tales Of The Rat Fink is a documentary by Ron Mann which features interviews with Roth's friends and fans as well as animated sequences that bring his cars and creatures to life on screen. John Goodman, Tom Wolfe, Brian Wilson, Matt Groening, Jay Leno and Ann-Margaret are among those who contributed their voices to the project; acclaimed indie-rockers the Sadies composed and performed the musical score. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- 2004
As the prom draws near and the popular head cheerleader of Echo Lake High dumps her star quarterback boyfriend in favor of attending the dance with the biggest loser in school, the raging footballer plots murderous revenge in cult animation icon Bill Plympton's darkly satirical take on the teen tragedy radio hits and high-school melodramas of the 1950s and '60s. High-school sweethearts Cherri (Sarah Silverman) and Rod (Dermot Mulroney) are a match made in popularity heaven. When nerdy new student Spud (Eric Gilliland) makes the fateful mistake of offending both Cherri and Rod on his first day at Echo Lake High, his punishment is to serve as Cherri's "slave" until both she and her brutish boyfriend decree that he has made up for his unintentional transgression. Though the mere sight of Spud at first makes Cherri's skin crawl, the unlikely pair soon grow exceptionally close until, one day, love blossoms between them. Upon learning that his onetime sweetheart will now be attending the prom on the arm of the socially awkward Spud, Rod angrily forces their car off of the road on and into the icy waters of Echo Lake as the couple makes their way to the big dance. Though cunningly successful in thwarting attempts made by local authorities to locate the missing teens, Rod soon discovers that sometimes the dead have a curious way of exposing the crimes of their killers. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Dermot Mulroney, Zak Orth, (more)
A decade after wowing critics with his debut feature Half Japanese: The Band That Would Be King, director Jeff Feuerzeig finally delivered his sophomore effort -- a documentary about the life and music of singer/songwriter Daniel Johnston. Using archived film clips and recordings with newly shot footage and interviews, the film paints a detailed and honest picture of the tortured genius. The Devil and Daniel Johnston premiered at the 2005 Sundance Film Festival. ~ Matthew Tobey, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Daniel Johnston, Mabel Johnston, (more)
Matt Groening helped produce this animated adaptation of the popular children's book written by J. Otto Seibold and Vivian Walsh. Olive (voice of Drew Barrymore) is a little dog who is very excited about the upcoming Christmas holidays, and wishes she could somehow help Santa Claus (voice of Edward Asner) with his work. Word begins to circulate that one of Santa's reindeer has hurt his leg and won't be able to make the trip, and when someone mentions "all of the other reindeer," Olive mistaken thinks they've said "Olive, the other reindeer," and is convinced Santa wants her to come to the North Pole to help pull the sleigh. Dan Castellaneta, Peter MacNichol, Diedrich Bader, and Tim Meadows also contribute to the voice cast; Michael Stipe from the band R.E.M. voices one of the characters and contributes a song to the soundtrack. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- 1999
On December 31, 1999, deadbeat pizza delivery boy Fry (voice of Billy West) gets accidentally cryogenically frozen until the year 3000. When he emerges, cyclops alien Leela (voice of Katey Sagal) is ordered to implant a chip in his hand for a life assignment. When he finds out that he's ordered to be a delivery boy again, he escapes. He is rightfully baffled by the future world and mistakes a suicide booth for a phone booth, where he meets the lovably debauched robot, Bender (voice of John DiMaggio). Fry and Bender go underground to the ruins of old New York, but Leela catches up with them. When Fry gives himself up, Leela decides to take out her life assignment chip and join them. They find Fry's only living relative, Professor Farnsworth (voice of Billy West), and get new jobs making deliveries with the Planet Express company in the Professor's space ship. ~ Andrea LeVasseur, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Billy West, Katey Sagal, (more)
- 1998
Looking to boost sales, Costington's Department Store invents a new holiday, Love Day, which prompts Springfield residents to buy one another gifts such as "Sir Loves-A-Lot, the bear who loves to love." However, all those boxes and wrapping paper mean plenty of trash, and Homer Simpson (voice of Dan Castellaneta), typically late in taking the trash out to the curb, curses the sanitation workers when they don't pick up his rubbish. The angry garbage men refuse to pick up the Simpsons' trash until Homer apologizes, which he's highly reluctant to do. Eventually, Marge (voice of Julie Kavner) apologizes on her husband's behalf, which leads to an angry confrontation between Homer and Ray Patterson (voice of Steve Martin), Springfield's sanitation commissioner. Homer decides to put Patterson out of business by running for sanitation commissioner himself, and after making a number of ridiculous promises and slandering his opponent, Homer wins the office. However, Homer's ambitious plans cause him to blow through his annual sanitation budget in less than a month, and to cover up his mistakes, he starts accepting dangerous waste from other cities until Springfield's landfills are overflowing. First aired on April 26, 1998, "Trash of the Titans" also features a guest appearance from Bono, The Edge, Adam Clayton and Larry Mullen of the rock group U2 as themselves. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- 1998
It's April 15, and all over Springfield people are rushing to finish filing their taxes before the midnight deadline -- all except for Homer Simpson (voice of Dan Castellaneta), who reassures his wife Marge (voice of Julie Kavner) "I paid my taxes over a year ago!" When Marge convinces Homer that the Internal Revenue Service expects him to pay taxes every year, Homer files a return in a blind rush, and to no one's surprise he's called in for an audit. With a possible tax fraud conviction hanging over his head, Homer agrees to turn informant to the FBI on tax cheats, and ends up turning one of his co-workers over to the authorities. Convinced Homer is ready for something bigger, the FBI assigns him to take part in a sting operation to recover a one-of-a-kind trillion dollar bill, which they believe was stolen by craven energy magnate C. Montgomery Burns (voice of Harry Shearer) during an ill-fated goodwill mission to Europe in 1945. Homer discovers Burns does indeed have the valuable banknote, but Burns persuades Homer to help him flee the country with the cash, and with uber-friendly Ned Flanders (also voiced by Harry Shearer) in tow, Burns and Company seek exile in Cuba. "The Trouble With Trillions" aired for the first time ten days before tax day on April 5, 1998. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- 1997
Lisa Simpson (voice of Yeardley Smith) learns that ground will soon be broken for a new shopping mall in Sabretooth Meadows, a part of Springfield where rare fossils have been uncovered in the past. Eager to see if more can be discovered, Lisa asks the developers permission for Springfield Elementary's students to organize a dig on the grounds before construction starts. They agree, and to the surprise of all, a strange skeleton is uncovered -- one with the body of a human, but with what appears to be wings growing from its back. While many townspeople are convinced the remains of an angel has been found -- including Homer (voice of Dan Castellaneta), who steals the remain and puts them on display in his garage -- Lisa is convinced there's a scientific explanation for the strange find, and asks Stephen Jay Gould to look into the matter. However, the next day the skeleton disappears and is discovered at the top of a hill, emblazoned with the legend "The End Is Near." As Springfield's residents ponder the meaning of this ominous statement, the matter divides the Simpson household, with Lisa standing on the side of science and reason while her mother Marge (voice of Julie Kavner) expresses her belief in the spiritual world. "Lisa The Skeptic" first aired on November 23, 1997. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- 1996
Just as Homer Simpson (voice of Dan Castellaneta) has convinced himself he's the most popular guy in the neighborhood when he mans the microphone and moves much merchandise at a neighborhood garage sale, he discovers he has new competition as top dog in Springfield when former president George Bush (voice of Harry Shearer) moves in across the street. Homer and George don't quite hit it off, though Marge (voice of Julie Kavner) gets along just fine with one-time First Lady Barbara (voice of Maggie Roswell); the real trouble, though, comes when Bart (voice of Nancy Cartwright) starts showing up at the Bush household uninvited, usually causing trouble. One day, Bart accidentally destroys the manuscript to George's just-completed memoirs with an outboard motor, and George angrily gives the boy a spanking. Homer is outraged that Bush has taken away his "right to raise a disobedient, smart-aleky son," and soon it's all-out war between Homer and the former president. Meanwhile, Springfield Elementary School institutes a policy forcing the students to wear uniforms, and soon the kids are so mired in conformity that they begin blinking in unison. "Two Bad Neighbors" first aired on January 14, 1996; it also marked one of the very few times that a celebrity who was a significant character on the show did not provide his or her own voice (though given the numerous jokes at George Bush's expense, it's no great surprise he didn't participate in this episode). ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- 1995
Springfield energy tycoon C. Montgomery Burns (voice of Harry Shearer) has never been one to endear himself to his fellow citizens, but his public image sinks even lower than usual after oil is discovered on the grounds of the local elementary school. While Principal Skinner (also voiced by Shearer) plans massive improvements for the school -- including buying a new crystal slop-bucket for Groundskeeper Willie (voice of Dan Castellaneta) and hiring Latin jazz great Tito Puente as a music teacher -- Burns instead finds a way to tap into the oil well, adding to his already bulging bankroll and forcing massive cutbacks for the school. The after-effects of Burns' actions prove to be widespread -- the local retirement home collapses, leaving Grampa Simpson (also voiced by Castellaneta) with nowhere to go, while Moe (voice of Hank Azaria) is forced to close his tavern due to toxic fumes, and Bart (voice of Nancy Cartwright) is angry after his dog is injured by a blast of crude oil. Meanwhile, Homer (also voiced by Castellaneta) begins to snap when Burns is unable to remember his name, and the few citizens not already furious with Burns are out for his blood when he constructs a giant shield that prevents the sun from shining on Springfield. When Mr. Burns is shot after a town meeting, the question isn't "Who would want to kill the richest man in town?" but "Who wouldn't?" "Who Shot Mr. Burns (Part One)," the cliffhanging finale of the sixth season of The Simpsons, first aired on May 21, 1995. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- 1995
Waylon Smithers (voice of Harry Shearer) awakes with a brutal hangover, convinced that in a drunken haze he attempted to kill C. Montgomery Burns (also voiced by Shearer), his employer, mentor, and secret love. However, after being taken in by the police, it's discovered that Smithers actually shot elderly eccentric Jasper (also voiced by Shearer) in his wooden leg. So who did attempt to take Mr. Burns' life? Jazz great Tito Puente (who provides his own voice) is let off the hook after he reveals his own revenge against Burns in the form of a "slanderous mambo," and all eyes turn to the Simpson family when a test of the bullet reveals evidence of the family's DNA. The likely suspects appear to be Homer (voice of Dan Castellaneta), enraged that Burns could not remember his name; Lisa (voice of Yeardley Smith), angry that Puente lost his teaching position after Burns stole oil reserves from the local elementary school; and Bart (voice of Nancy Cartwright), who pledged to get revenge after Burns' oil put his dog in the animal hospital. Burns finally comes to his senses and reveals that a member of the Simpson family did indeed shoot him -- but not the one anyone expected. Answering the questions raised by the cliffhanging Who Shot Mr. Burns (Part One), which closed out the sixth season of The Simpsons, "Who Shot Mr. Burns? (Part Two)" kicked off season seven when it first aired on September 17, 1995. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- 1995
After Bart (voice of Nancy Cartwright) is kept after Sunday school as punishment for tricking the congregation into singing "In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida," and Milhouse (voice of Pamela Hayden) is also kept behind for squealing on his friend, the boys have a debate about the nature of the soul. Ever the skeptic, Bart offers to sell his soul to Milhouse for five bucks, and Milhouse takes him up on the offer. Before long, however, Bart gets the sinking feeling that he has made a big mistake, and he asks Milhouse for his soul back, only to discover that Milhouse has shrewdly raised the price to $50. Elsewhere, local barkeep Moe (voice of Hank Azaria) decides that running a "dank pit" isn't bringing in the business it once did, and decides to turn his tavern into a family style restaurant, Uncle Moe's Family Feedbag, which may not be a good business decision for a cranky guy with a short temper who loathes the sound of children's laughter. "Bart Sells His Soul" first aired on October 8, 1995. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- 1994
Semi-corrupt public official Mayor Joe Quimby (voice of Dan Castellaneta) is up for re-election, and radio talk-show host and Republican activist Birch Barlow (voice of Harry Shearer) is determined to put a more conservative candidate in office. Looking for the right man to run against Quimby, Barlow and his right-wing brain trust think they may have found their man in Sideshow Bob (voice of Kelsey Grammer), convicted felon, former children's entertainer, and nemesis of Bart Simpson (voice of Nancy Cartwright). After Barlow's radio campaign results in Sideshow Bob's early release, Bart and Lisa (voice of Yeardley Smith) help Mayor Quimby in his campaign against the charismatically evil Bob, but Quimby spoils his own campaign and Bob wins with a projected 100 percent of the vote. However, an anonymous tipster tells Bart and Lisa that something was not cricket with the election, and the kids make a shocking discovery as they examine Springfield's polling records. Sideshow Bob Roberts also features a guest voice-appearance by noted disc jockey and music archivist Dr. Demento as himself; the episode first aired on October 9, 1994. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- 1994
After sneaking away from a school field trip to a box factory, Bart Simpson (voice of Nancy Cartwright) makes his way to the television studio where his hero, Krusty the Clown (voice of Dan Castellaneta), tapes his show. When Krusty throws a star fit after not being served the Danish he demanded, Bart steals one for him from newsman Kent Brockman (voice of Harry Shearer), and the grateful clown gives Bart a job as his assistant. Bart soon discovers that being Krusty's assistant means doing the errands no one else is willing to do ("Now I need you to go clean out my toilet . . . Eew! I don't know what I was thinking last night!"), but when Sideshow Mel falls ill, Bart is given a small part in a sketch. Bart muffs his entrance, then tries to cover by saying "I didn't do it." The line gets a big laugh, and Krusty brings Bart back again to say the line several more times. Soon Bart is famous as "The I Didn't Do It Boy," but he grows tired of being known only for his catch phrase. He soon discovers, though, that his fans aren't all that interested in watching him expand his repertoire. "Bart Gets Famous" first aired on February 3, 1994. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- 1994
Late October brings yet another trio of comic nightmares from The Simpsons. In The Shinning, Homer (voice of Dan Castellaneta) gets a job as winter caretaker at a resort hotel high in the mountains owned by Mr. Burns (voice of Harry Shearer). The maintenance man, Groundskeeper Willie (voice of Castellaneta), discovers Bart (voice of Nancy Cartwright) shares his psychic gift of "shinning" ("You mean 'shining'?" "Shh! You wanna get sued?!?"), which comes in handy when Homer snaps under the pressure after finding the hotel has no beer or television. Time and Punishment finds Homer trying to fix a toaster and somehow becoming unstuck in time, encountering any number of alternate histories as he zooms back and forth from the prehistoric age to the "present." And in Nightmare Cafeteria, Bart and Lisa (voice of Yeardley Smith) notice that students kept after school for detention are disappearing, as the cafeteria is suddenly serving an abundance of rich, meaty dishes, leading the quickly shrinking number of students to wonder if Principal Skinner (voice of Shearer) and Lunchlady Doris (voice of Doris Grau) are resorting to cannibalism. "Treehouse of Horror" first aired on October 30, 1994. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- 1993
Homer Simpson (voice of Dan Castellaneta) and his alcoholic friend Barney Gumble (also voiced by Castellaneta) sneak out of work and take a tour of the Duff Brewery, where they help themselves to the copious free samples of Duff Beer, Duff Lite, Duff Dry, Duff Dark, and Raspberry Duff. On his way home, Homer gets picked up for drunk driving, causing him to lose his license and to attend Alc-Anon meetings under a court order. He pledges to give up drinking for thirty days, in part to get his license back and in part to please Marge (voice of Julie Kavner), who is worried about Homer's fondness for alcohol, but Homer finds that going a month without beer is harder than he expected. Meanwhile, after Bart (voice of Nancy Cartwright) destroys a giant tomato that Lisa (voice of Yeardley Smith) was growing for a science fair project, she gets an idea for a new project -- an experiment in which she'll prove an ordinary hamster is smarter than her brother. Duffless was first aired on February 18, 1993. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- 1993
Valentine's Day has come to Springfield Elementary School, and while the rest of his classmates have gotten cards from their fellow students, intellectually challenged Ralph Wiggum (voice of Nancy Cartwright) hasn't received a single valentine. Lisa (voice of Yeardley Smith) feels sorry for poor Ralph, so she erases the name from a card she was given and passes it along to Ralph. Convinced she likes him, Ralph quickly develops a major crush on Lisa, but the more time she spends with Ralph, the more Lisa is convinced she doesn't feel anything for him but a mixture of annoyance and pity. Ralph tries to win Lisa's heart with Malibu Stacy accessories and tickets to the Krusty the Clown Anniversary Special, where Lisa is prodded into admitting on the air that she doesn't like Ralph, breaking his heart. Lisa feels awful about hurting Ralph's feelings, and her heart sinks even deeper when she discovers she has won the female lead in the school play, portraying Martha Washington -- and that her leading man will be Ralph, cast as George. I Love Lisa was first aired on February 11, 1993, just in time for Valentine's Day. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- 1993
After C. Montgomery Burns (voice of Harry Shearer) is found guilty of dumping toxic waste from the Springfield Nuclear Power Plant in a city park, he's fined $3 million, which he pays at once, in cash. With a sudden and unexpected budget surplus, the good people of Springfield are trying to decide what to do with the money when smooth-talking salesman Lyle Lanley (voice of Phil Hartman) convinces the town that what they need is a monorail system. Marge Simpson (voice of Julie Kavner), however, is against the idea and has reason to believe that Lanley is pulling a fast one on the city, even though Homer (voice of Dan Castellaneta) has already enrolled in monorail conductor's school. Marge discovers that the monorails Lanley constructed in other cities were not only faulty but dangerous, and she must race back to Springfield before someone gets hurt and before Lanley gets away with the money. Leonard Nimoy makes a guest appearance as a celebrity attending the monorail dedication (whom Mayor Quimby mistakes for one of the Little Rascals). "Marge Vs. The Monorail" first aired on January 14, 1993. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- 1993
The citizens of Springfield are being inundated with advertisements heralding the arrival of something called "Gabbo," raising curiosity to a fever pitch. One day, it is revealed that Gabbo is the irrepressible wooden sidekick of ventriloquist Arthur Crandall (voice of Hank Azaria), and that they are to star in a new television show. However, much to the dismay of Bart (voice of Nancy Cartwright) and Lisa (voice of Yeardley Smith), Gabbo's show is scheduled to air opposite that of their favorite entertainer, Krusty the Clown (voice of Dan Castellaneta), and soon Krusty's ratings sink through the floorboards as Gabbo leaps to unprecedented success. Krusty's show is dropped from the schedule, and after his career as a professional gambler hits the skids, Krusty is left with nowhere to go. Eager to help their fallen hero, Bart and Lisa suggest that Krusty stage a comeback special, featuring some of the big-name stars he's become friendly with during his years in show business. Krusty hands his address book to Bart and Lisa and asks them to get to work rounding up talent, while he attempts to lose the weight he put on with a steady diet of milkshakes. Appearing on Krusty's TV special are Bette Midler, Johnny Carson, Hugh Hefner, Luke Perry, and The Red Hot Chili Peppers, all of whom perform their own voices; Barry White and Elizabeth Taylor also provide voice cameos for the episode. "Krusty Gets Kancelled" first aired on May 13, 1993. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- 1993
Former highbrow children's entertainer and failed criminal genius Sideshow Bob (voice of Kelsey Grammer) has once again won parole, and decides to get revenge against the person who twice put him behind bars: Bart Simpson (voice of Nancy Cartwright). While Bob convinces the authorities that he means no harm to his young nemesis (explaining that his "Die, Bart, Die" tattoo is actually a German expression, "The, Bart, The"), it doesn't take long for Bart to figure out that Bob is the man who's been sending him threatening letters written in blood. After Bob begins stalking Bart and his family, the FBI enrolls the Simpsons in the Witness Relocation Program; renamed the "Thompsons," Homer (voice of Dan Castellaneta) and Marge (voice of Julie Kavner) move the kids to a houseboat in the riverfront community of Cape Feare. However, Bob manages to hitch a ride on the underside of the family car, and soon Bob is battling Bart "Thompson" mano a mano as the family's home floats down the river. "Cape Feare" first aired on October 7, 1993. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- 1992
- PG
This colorful, fast-paced documentary pays tribute to animator Chuck Jones on his eightieth birthday. Amidst many clips from his most famous cartoons, major stars and Hollywood figures ranging from Steven Spielburg to Ron Howard to composer Danny Elfman to film historian/critic Leonard Maltin to Whoopi Goldberg pay their respects. Highlights include clips from such cartoon classics as Bug's Bunny's The Rabbit of Seville, Daffy Duck's Duck Amuck, Jones' "Road Runner" shorts, and the classic TV holiday show How the Grinch Stole Christmas. All of these came from his Warner Brothers eras, but also shown are examples of his more experimental work done at MGM including his Oscar-winning The Dot and the Line. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Steven Spielberg, Whoopi Goldberg, (more)
- 1992
Looking for something to break the monotony of her life as a housewife, Marge Simpson (voice of Julie Kavner) auditions for the Springfield Community Center's upcoming production of Streetcar! -- a musical adaptation of A Streetcar Named Desire. The director, melodramatic Llewllyn Sinclair (voice of Jon Lovitz), isn't impressed at first by Marge's audition, but after hearing her talk to Homer (voice of Dan Castellaneta), he's convinced she's just the woman to play Blanche DuBois opposite Ned Flanders (voice of Harry Shearer), who was cast because he looks better with his shirt off than anyone else who tried out. Homer doesn't think much of Marge's new interest in theater, and her anger at her husband gives her performance a keen emotional edge, but will this rift in their marriage prove irreparable? Meanwhile, since Marge is busy with rehearsals, she sends baby Maggie to a daycare center, the Ayn Rand School for Tots, where the staff is determined to keep the children away from their pacifiers; Maggie, however, isn't about to give it up without a fight. A Streetcar Named Marge first aired on October 1, 1992. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
