Itchy & Scratchy Land is mostly based on Disneyland, and several aspects of the park, such as the electric light parade, are parodied.[1]
The film Bart and Lisa watch is a reference to the The Walt Disney Story, while the name Parents Island is a reference to Pleasure Island, and a castle resembling Sleeping Beauty Castle is seen.
Euro-Itchy & Scratchy Land is a parody of Disneyland Paris, which at the time was a failing theme park known as Euro Disney.[1]
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.[1]
Pinnitchio is a parody of the Disney film Pinocchio.
Walt Disney's alleged antisemitism is spoofed in the character of Roger Meyers, Sr.'s 1938 creation of the "controversial cartoon" Nazi Supermen Are Our Superiors. Despite censorship of Disney cartoons in Nazi Germany, Disney's brother Roy was acknowledged to have visited Nazi Germany in 1938, and that during this time, he gave the Germany Ministry of Propaganda a copy of Walt's 1937 cartoon movie Snow White and the Seven Dwarves, which was acknowledged to have been shown to a private audience of high-ranking Nazi officials at Hitler's private movie theater in Ubersalzberg.[2] For business reasons, Walt Disney also attended German-American Bund meetings, but, even more controversially, was fond of Nazi propaganda film-maker Leni Riefenstahl, who released Olympia, a documentary about the 1936 Berlin Olympics, in the year 1938, though the film, which was well received in Nazi Germany, would in fact be banned in the United States.[3] Disney was also more reluctant to use Mickey Mouse, who he even regarded as his alter ego,[2] than he was to use his more extreme, ill-tempered character Donald Duck, who he mainly regarded as a Mickey Mouse supporting character, as his flagship cartoon character. In contrast with other Disney characters whose roles in the war effort were quite limited, including even Mickey Mouse, Donald Duck would serve as the star character for the contribution which the Walt Disney Studios made in making morale-boosting cartoons for U.S. military soldiers.[4] In 1943, journalist Theodore Strauss reflected the growing change in Donald's stardom, as well as his pro-war effort, in a The New York Times where he wrote, “Donald, who used to be just another noisy neighbor, has by some odd token of fate become a sort of ambassador-at-large, a salesman of the American Way. As for Disney, he… has become one of this country’s №1 propagandists.”[4][5]
The concept of a theme park's attractions turning on its guests parodies two of Crichton's works, with several direct references to each as well:
Several scenes, such as the helicopter ride as well as the logo visible on the side of the helicopter are based on the Crichton book and ensuing film Jurassic Park. Frink explaining that "elemental chaos theory" will lead to the robots turning evil is what Ian Malcolm says in the film about the dinosaurs.
Much of the episode is based on another Crichton story, Westworld, which is about a theme park in the near future which caters to the rich that has realistic androids in Westworld, Medievalworld, and Romanworld. Guests pay a lot of money in order to enact any fantasy they wish, which includes killing the male androids or having sex with the female androids. The androids start to malfunction and begin attacking guests and employees.[1][6] The Delos park in Westworld is also, like Itchy and Scratchy Land, referred to as a "theme park of the future." Similarly, when the helicopter pilot says "Where nothing can possiblay {sic} go wrong", this is reference to the tagline of Westworld seen on the movie posters, "Where nothing can possibly go worng {sic}." Furthermore, the concept of the Itchy and Scratchy robots having special sensors to ensure they can't harm humans mirrors the heat sensor guns in Westworld, as does Homer taunting a robot, failing to realise that it is no longer harmless. The music as the robot group marches towards the Simpsons is based on music from Westworld.
John Travolta's career slump is referenced with himself serving as the bartender at T. G. I. McScratchy's; he is dressed like his character from the film Saturday Night Fever.[7] Coincidentally, Travolta's career would pick up a few days after this episode aired with him starring in Quentin Tarantino's Pulp Fiction.
The robot's screen displays are similar to the Terminator.
Camera flashes disabling the robots is similar to the film Gremlins.
The Itchy and Scratchy title "Last Traction Hero" is a reference to the Last Action Hero as is Bart's line "with a dry, cool wit like that I could be an action hero." It is also the name of a Season 28episode.
Disgruntled Goat is the Parody of Grumpy the Dwarf in Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs.
A toy depicting an Itchy & and Scratchy and Friends character named "Klu Klux Klam" is a reference to the Ku Klux Klan, as well as the tendency for TV shows to add needless characters to boost sagging ratings, and how cartoons of the past have characters that, to modern sensibilities, would be considered racially and culturally insensitive (some real-life examples include Mammy Two-Shoes [the Africa-American housekeeper/maid] from the Tom and Jerry cartoons, Sunflower the black centaur from Fantasia, and Speedy Gonzales and Pepe Le Pew from the Warner Bros./Looney Tunes cartoons).[6]
The Simpsons beam aboard the couch in the couch gag, just like Star Trek.[7]
The name of the restaurant "Tavern on the Scream" is a reference to the Tavern on the Green in New York's Central Park.
The name of the restaurant "T. G. I. McScratchy's" is a reference to the T. G. I. Friday's restaurant chain.
Trivia[]
There is a sign that says "Freeway To Some Other State" on the highway, referring to Springfield's unknown location.
The gag about Homer smuggling vegetables in the trunk references attempts by the US government to restrict transport of certain crops. This was to prevent the spread of crop destroying pests. However this was deemed unfeasible in the US without installing random checkpoints, hence the gag about a fruit and vegetable checkpoint on the highway.
This episode is known for mentioning the "Bort" license plate. When Bart attempts to locate a license plate with his name on it in the gift shop, he is disappointed that the gift shop has "Bort" license plates but not "Bart" license plates. Eventually, the gift shop runs out of "Bort" license plates. In real life, motorists across the United States have applied for "Bort" license plates for their cars in their home states, and many states have issued a "Bort" license plate, thus referencing the line from this episode where the "Bort" license plates are unavailable.
There is no place in the US where the borders of five states meet. Five Corners is likely a reference the Four Corners attraction at the borders of Utah, Colorado, Arizona, and New Mexico.
Euro Itchy and Scratchy land has a sign that lists rides not currently in operation like the US Itchy and Scratchy Land. In french it reads the Pulverizer, the Bleeding, the Massacre, and the nurses station.
Clips from this episode appear on the television monitors in the queue for The Simpsons Ride at Universal Orlando and Universal Studios Hollywood.
Maggie missing a spike of hair
Goofs[]
When Bart and Lisa gasp in delight among figuring they won their parents over into going to Itchy & Scratchy Land for a vacation, Lisa's tongue is missing.
The robot's eye shining through the mallet
A few of the fruits and vegetables change color when flying out of the Simpson family's car.
When Marge is complaining about the violence in The Itchy & Scratchy Show, the top spike of Maggie's hair repeatedly disappears.
