Just happen to watch an old Simpsons where Marge is afraid of flying. Besides reminding me of how great that show used to be, it made me think how I’ve always assumed the old ‘catching someone doing they’re ashamed of’ scene and them crying out “Don’t look at me!” was a parody of some classic film, but I have no idea if it is or not. I’ve only ever seen parodies of it.
Is there one original version of this scene?
Blue Velvet?
Close?
Kramer: “Look away. I’m hideous!”
Naw, Blue Velvet originated “Don’t you FUCKING look at me!” Entirely different.
Isn’t it from *The Devils? * Awesome Ken Russell movie starring Oliver Reed? It’s been many years since I saw it to confirm for sure, though.
My WAG, a classic horror movie, most likely The Hunchback of Notre Dame.
Hmnn. I checked with The Devils. Without getting too spoilery, although the “DON’T LOOK AT ME!” is indeed there (and bellowed with impressive passion), the context is not the yeller being caught doing shameful but rather them trying to get the crowd to look to a broader problem instead. The yeller IS at the centre of a large crowd pointing and laughing though and it IS an emotional highpoint in the film, so maybe.
Or maybe The Elephant Man?
I haven’t seen this movie in ages, but could it be Ben Hur, when he finds his mother and sister and they are disfigured because of leprosy?
“Cat People?”
That’s what I first thought of.
No idea if this is it, but it was the first I thought of. Film released in 1982.
Matter of fact, whenever I hear the phrase, I think of Nastassja Kinski.
That’s certainly “I am not an animal!” but I would have though that it was in one of the early Phantom of the Opera movies when he is unmasked, or an early version of Beauty and the Beast.
RE: Cat People
FTR, this is what I immediately thought of.
While it isn’t necessarily a movie, nor is the line quoted, the first thing I thought of was Oedipus Rex. King Oedipus cut out his own eyes so he couldn’t see the people of Thebes look upon him in disgust.
Phantom of the Opera was what immediately leapt to mind for me – and in the Simpsons scene, if memory serves, Marge’s father actually pulls his apron in front of his face to form a sort of half-mask.
Probably not what you’re looking for, but here’s another variation on ‘Don’t look at me’ featuring comedian Lucy Montgomery. This is from a TV sketch show where this mad Italian ‘maid’ would constantly try and grab attention while reciting the catch phrase.
Does the idea have to “be” from anywhere? I mean, I could imagine a lot of people in embarrassing or undesirable situations not wanting to have people looking at them.
My first thought was Blue Velvet.
That’s also my first thought when someone mentions Heineken, Pabst Blue Ribbon, or finding an ear on the ground.
Billy Madison?
From IMDB quotes:
Movie is from 1995, but I’m not sure if that predates the Simpson’s episode.
