What more can be said about Jaws (1975)? For the 50th anniversary of the original summer blockbuster, we invited filmmaker and podcaster Devan Scott to help us unpack how it quietly became one of the most referenced movies in the classic years of The Simpsons.

Also in this episode:

• The many parodies of Quint and his iconic introduction, including our Simpsons double feature, “The Joy of Sect” (S9E13)

• A deep dive on the dolly zoom, from Hitchcock to Spielberg to The Simpsons

• How Amity provides a template for the small-town politics of Springfield

• Why does The Simpsons leave the climax of this movie untouched by parodies?

• Plus, check out our show notes for a complete list of Simpsons references, double feature suggestions, and further reading

Next time, for our season finale, we celebrate the 30th anniversary of one of the most memorable Simpsons finales of all time, “Who Shot Mr. Burns” (S6E25) and its parody of Goldfinger (1964).

For more of Devan Scott’s film content, check out the complete podcast How Would Lubitsch Do It? and his video essays on YouTube, or follow him on Bluesky, Letterboxd, and Instagram. Plus, check out Arrow Video’s new definitive 4K UHD release of The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly (1966), which Devan consulted on as part of a “weird Leone amateur brain trust.” (Nate has already pre-ordered.)

For more Simpsons movie parody content, check out SpringfieldGoogolplex.com, or follow us @simpsonsfilmpod on Instagram, Bluesky, TikTok, YouTube, and Letterboxd. Discover more great podcasts on the That Shelf Podcast Network.

Why does “Bart Gets Hit by a Car” (S2E10) show the episode title on screen at the beginning, unlike nearly every other episode of The Simpsons? We think we found an answer in The Fortune Cookie (1966), the very first pairing of longtime comedy duo Jack Lemmon and Walter Matthau. They’re the original odd couple! This forgotten movie provided the plot for this early episode of The Simpsons, and possibly much more.

Also in this episode:

• A classic example of “homage, French for theft”

• How this movie may have inspired the origins of Lionel Hutz and Dr. Nick Riviera

• When does Walter Matthau sound most like season 1 Homer in this movie?

• Adam and Nate unwisely try to rewrite Billy Wilder and I.A.L. Diamond, two masters of comedy writing

Plus, check out our show notes for a complete list of Simpsons references, double feature suggestions, and further reading

Next time, filmmaker and podcaster Devan Scott returns to discuss Jaws (1975) on its 50th anniversary, alongside its culty parody in “The Joy of Sect” (S9E13).

For more Simpsons movie parody content, check out SpringfieldGoogolplex.com, or follow us @simpsonsfilmpod on Instagram, Bluesky, TikTok, YouTube, and Letterboxd. Discover more great podcasts on the That Shelf Podcast Network.

Sean Baker’s movie had heart, but Football in the Groin had a football in the groin. Adam and Nate review the 97th Academy Awards, and compare their top five movies of 2024.

Also in this episode:

• The biggest surprises, snubs, and satisfying wins of the night

• Does former Simpsons writer Conan O’Brien work as host of the Oscars?

• A round-up of the night’s best Simpsons memes

• A trivia game about the most reference Best Picture-winners on The Simpsons, fresh from the Simpsons Movie Reference Database

Plus, check out our show notes for our top five lists, trivia answers, and more bonus content

Next time, we’re back to our regularly scheduled programming with The Fortune Cookie (1966), a Billy Wilder joint that had its plot stolen for The Simpsons episode “Bart Gets Hit By a Car” (S2E10).

For more Simpsons movie parody content, check out SpringfieldGoogolplex.com, or follow us @simpsonsfilmpod on Instagram, Bluesky, TikTok, YouTube, and Letterboxd. Discover more great podcasts on the That Shelf Podcast Network.