# The Simpsons Movie review thread (Spoilers) **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [July 27, 2007, 6:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-simpsons-movie-review-thread-spoilers/413341 "2007-07-27T06:16:46Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 9
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2007, 5:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-simpsons-movie-review-thread-spoilers/413341/161 "2007-08-08T17:05:58Z")
[QUOTE=Kid\_A] the crashed ambulance on the other side of the gorge [/QUOTE] I didn’t even see that - another reason to buy the DVD. ---
**Author:** ![mobo85](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b19c9b/32.png) [@mobo85](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mobo85)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2007, 11:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-simpsons-movie-review-thread-spoilers/413341/162 "2007-08-08T23:41:05Z")
[QUOTE=alphaboi867] How many nooses were on the tree, 4 or 5? 😕 If it was only 4 then which Simpson was to be spared? It couldn’t have been Maggie since one had a pacifyer. [/QUOTE] There were five- one for each Simpson. ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2007, 2:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-simpsons-movie-review-thread-spoilers/413341/163 "2007-08-09T02:45:11Z")
Where were Snowball II/V and Uter? ---
**Author:** ![Rick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/9f8e36/32.png) [@Rick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rick)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2007, 5:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-simpsons-movie-review-thread-spoilers/413341/164 "2007-08-09T05:40:04Z")
[QUOTE=mobo85] > [@Zoggie](#): > > For a girl who laments that Gore Vidal has kissed more boys than she ever will, she’s gotten around! Girls, **Zoggie**. Boys kiss girls. [/QUOTE] Psst.. **Mobo** , Gore Vidal is gay. ---
**Author:** ![BraheSilver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ecccb3/32.png) [@BraheSilver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BraheSilver)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2007, 7:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-simpsons-movie-review-thread-spoilers/413341/165 "2007-08-09T07:05:54Z")
I’m irritated that “Harry Trotter” is a _much_ better name than “Harry Plopper” for a pig in glasses, and it only took me about a quarter of a second to come up with it after hearing the original joke. Ooter’s gone, **Bryan**. His parents just want closure. ---
**Author:** ![Trunk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/87869e/32.png) [@Trunk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Trunk)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2007, 11:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-simpsons-movie-review-thread-spoilers/413341/166 "2007-08-09T11:27:14Z")
[QUOTE=Rick] Psst.. **Mobo** , Gore Vidal is gay. [/QUOTE] Time to turn in your Simpsons card, Rick (and, I think “Harry Plopper” is funnier.) ---
**Author:** ![IvoryTowerDenizen](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ivorytowerdenizen/32/17937_2.png) [@IvoryTowerDenizen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/IvoryTowerDenizen)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2007, 1:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-simpsons-movie-review-thread-spoilers/413341/167 "2007-08-09T13:07:51Z")
[QUOTE=BraheSilver] I’m irritated that “Harry Trotter” is a _much_ better name than “Harry Plopper” for a pig in glasses, and it only took me about a quarter of a second to come up with it after hearing the original joke. Ooter’s gone, **Bryan**. His parents just want closure. [/QUOTE] I thought of Harry Trotter too- I actually argued with my kids when they came home from camp (having heard about the movie there) that they were wrong- it’s not Plopper it must be Trotter. :smack: ---
**Author:** ![Trunk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/87869e/32.png) [@Trunk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Trunk)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2007, 1:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-simpsons-movie-review-thread-spoilers/413341/168 "2007-08-09T13:13:31Z")
Do you guys use “plop” as a euphemism for poop? Like “cow plop” or “horse plop”? Or do you just see it as like “plopping down on the couch”? Where I’m from, it was somewhat common to call the animal droppings “plop”. I know “the trots” is a euphemism for diarrhea, but “plop”, like I said, is also a poop synomym, and it’s a funnier word than “trot”. ---
**Author:** ![IvoryTowerDenizen](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ivorytowerdenizen/32/17937_2.png) [@IvoryTowerDenizen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/IvoryTowerDenizen)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2007, 1:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-simpsons-movie-review-thread-spoilers/413341/169 "2007-08-09T13:20:35Z")
[QUOTE=Trunk] Do you guys use “plop” as a euphemism for poop? Like “cow plop” or “horse plop”? Or do you just see it as like “plopping down on the couch”? Where I’m from, it was somewhat common to call the animal droppings “plop”. I know “the trots” is a euphemism for diarrhea, but “plop”, like I said, is also a poop synomym, and it’s a funnier word than “trot”. [/QUOTE] “Trotter” is a common reference to pigs- To quote M-W: Main Entry: trot·ter Pronunciation: 'trä-t&r Function: noun 1 : one that trots; specifically : a standardbred horse trained for harness racing 2 : a pig’s foot used as food So I saw the humor as a specific reference to pigs that sounded like Potter. Plop does remind me of poop- and given the plot (where the pig poop caused all the trouble) maybe it does make sense. I liked Trotter for how it sounds and the pig reference. ---
**Author:** ![Yookeroo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yookeroo/32/323_2.png) [@Yookeroo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yookeroo)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2007, 12:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-simpsons-movie-review-thread-spoilers/413341/170 "2007-08-10T00:08:59Z")
[QUOTE=IvoryTowerDenizen] “Trotter” is a common reference to pigs- To quote M-W: Main Entry: trot·ter Pronunciation: 'trä-t&r Function: noun 1 : one that trots; specifically : a standardbred horse trained for harness racing 2 : a pig’s foot used as food So I saw the humor as a specific reference to pigs that sounded like Potter. Plop does remind me of poop- and given the plot (where the pig poop caused all the trouble) maybe it does make sense. I liked Trotter for how it sounds and the pig reference. [/QUOTE] I get the pig reference, but “trotter” would make me think horse before pig. Plopper is funnier and fits the poop part of the plot. ---
**Author:** ![MichaelQReilly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/df705f/32.png) [@MichaelQReilly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MichaelQReilly)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2007, 8:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-simpsons-movie-review-thread-spoilers/413341/171 "2007-08-10T20:50:31Z")
Maybe I love the old Simpsons too much, but I loathed this movie. As others have mentioned, the fact that the president wasn’t Ranier Wolfcastle and that Homer and Marge had a wedding video even though they were married in Shotgun Pete’s majorly annoyed me. I was also bothered by the fact that many of the plot points in the movie, like the over-pollution of Springfield and Flanders trying to replace Homer were recycled and far inferior to their earlier incarnations. The one thing, however, that galled me the most about this movie was the lack of any meaningful involvement of secondary characters and the under use of the conventional settings of the town of Springfield. I also thought that this movie, like most new episodes, failed to portray any of the characters, Simpsons or otherwise, as they had consistently been constructed for 10+ years, and instead used them as amorphous vehicles for cheap jokes. There were some good lines in the movie, but all in all, I never felt like I was watching an episodes of the Simpsons. The characters are drawn the same and have the same voices, but other than that could have been newly made up for this movie. ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2007, 9:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-simpsons-movie-review-thread-spoilers/413341/172 "2007-08-10T21:10:53Z")
I have no objection to Schwarzenegger being president instead of Wolfcastle. Choosing the latter would require an explanation to people who weren’t regular watchers and waste valuable joke time. In fact, having Wolfcastle there would require additional explanations about why he’s content with letting his EPA advisor dome Springfield. I mean, jeez, how much fanwankery do you need? ---
**Author:** ![cmkeller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cmkeller/32/118_2.png) [@cmkeller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cmkeller)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2007, 11:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-simpsons-movie-review-thread-spoilers/413341/173 "2007-08-10T23:46:15Z")
> [@](#): > > I mean, jeez, how much fanwankery do you need? We want the Most. Fanwankery. Ever. ---
**Author:** ![Siam\_Sam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2007, 1:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-simpsons-movie-review-thread-spoilers/413341/174 "2007-08-11T01:35:50Z")
[QUOTE=Bryan Ekers] I have no objection to Schwarzenegger being president instead of Wolfcastle. Choosing the latter would require an explanation to people who weren’t regular watchers and waste valuable joke time. In fact, having Wolfcastle there would require additional explanations about why he’s content with letting his EPA advisor dome Springfield. I mean, jeez, how much fanwankery do you need? [/QUOTE] That’s one of the few cultural references the locals over here can understand. Schwarzenegger enjoys almost godlike status. And not just in Thailand. I was amused a few years ago, upon leaving Beijing Airport, to be met with a series of giant posters of Arnold hawking all sorts of home electrical appliances. Blenders, shavers, you name it. (Lately, I’ve seen he’s been replaced with Jackie Chan and Yao Ming.) ---
**Author:** ![Merijeek](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f05b48/32.png) [@Merijeek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Merijeek)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2007, 2:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-simpsons-movie-review-thread-spoilers/413341/175 "2007-08-11T02:40:50Z")
[QUOTE=Bryan Ekers] I have no objection to Schwarzenegger being president instead of Wolfcastle. Choosing the latter would require an explanation to people who weren’t regular watchers and waste valuable joke time. In fact, having Wolfcastle there would require additional explanations about why he’s content with letting his EPA advisor dome Springfield. I mean, jeez, how much fanwankery do you need? [/QUOTE] Yes, because the moviegoing public could **never** have seen Rainier Wolfcastle and made the connection that he was a parody of Ahnold. Totally impossible. -Joe ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2007, 3:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-simpsons-movie-review-thread-spoilers/413341/176 "2007-08-11T03:35:48Z")
[QUOTE=Merijeek] Yes, because the moviegoing public could **never** have seen Rainier Wolfcastle and made the connection that he was a parody of Ahnold. Totally impossible. -Joe [/QUOTE] But why waste the time? Heck, when Wolfcastle first appeared in the TV show, he wasn’t even Wolfcastle; he was McBain, and only appeared as a character in action movies. We only see President Schwarzenegger in the Oval Office, not doing any of the stereotypical action-movie stuff that established McBain/Wolfcastle. “President Schwarzenegger” is funny enough, why bother to put a _fake_ Schwarzenegger in there? Wankity-wankity-woo. ---
**Author:** ![Merijeek](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f05b48/32.png) [@Merijeek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Merijeek)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2007, 4:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-simpsons-movie-review-thread-spoilers/413341/177 "2007-08-11T16:54:52Z")
[QUOTE=Bryan Ekers] But why waste the time? Heck, when Wolfcastle first appeared in the TV show, he wasn’t even Wolfcastle; he was McBain, and only appeared as a character in action movies. We only see President Schwarzenegger in the Oval Office, not doing any of the stereotypical action-movie stuff that established McBain/Wolfcastle. “President Schwarzenegger” is funny enough, why bother to put a _fake_ Schwarzenegger in there? Wankity-wankity-woo. [/QUOTE] Because the “fake” Schwarzenegger IS PART OF THE SHOW. The real one isn’t. Why have Barney in there when you can just put in George Wendt? More people would have gotten it. And whatever “Wankity-wankity-woo” is supposed to be, I have to tell you, if it’s supposed to be clever, you’re failing miserably. -Joe ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2007, 5:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-simpsons-movie-review-thread-spoilers/413341/178 "2007-08-11T17:25:03Z")
[QUOTE=Merijeek] Because the “fake” Schwarzenegger IS PART OF THE SHOW. The real one isn’t. [/quote] So? Clearly not every character that was PART OF THE SHOW was (or could be) included. > [@](#): > > Why have Barney in there when you can just put in George Wendt? More people would have gotten it. Well, Barney was only barely in there (in fact most of the supporting characters had limited roles; I guess Ned Flanders was the big exception). How was Wolfcastle supposed to have become President, anyway? There’s no PART OF THE SHOW I’m aware of in which Wolfcastle seeks political office. Heck, Krusty (as a congressman) has a better shot. Including George Wendt would’ve invited questions such as “Why is George Wendt in here?” and “Who is George Wendt?” (even during his _Cheers_ heydey, I don’t think he was near-universally known). Barney is just presented as an overweight drunk guy who isn’t too bright. That’s a image anyone can quickly grasp and then move on to being amused by his actions and dialogue without wasting time wondering what his background is. I know it metaphorically drives red-hot pokers covered with fire ants into your eyes to have to share _Simpsons_ with people who were damnable fools and haven’t watched the show regularly these past 17-ish years, but when anything jumps to another medium, compromises have to be made. Gracie _could_ have made a movie that was perfectly consistent with the TV series (I don’t see how, though, since even the TV series isn’t perfectly consistent with the TV series) and slathered on the in-jokes, and risked confusing a potential new audience of tens of millions of people for whom this film is their first _Simpsons_ exposure. I think instead they made a choice that works as well or even better. How would the movie have been improved with President Wolfcastle? A minor chuckle from longtime fans and a confused frown from everyone else? The joke isn’t funny if it has to be explained (Fan: “You see, that’s Rainier Wolfcastle. He’s just like Schwarzenegger only he lives in Springfield.” New viewer: “Oh. Well, whatever.”) But hey, if you want to see PART OF THE SHOW, there’s a simple remedy at your fingertips - GO WATCH THE SHOW. ---
**Author:** ![MaxTheVool](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/9fc29f/32.png) [@MaxTheVool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MaxTheVool)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2007, 9:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-simpsons-movie-review-thread-spoilers/413341/179 "2007-08-11T21:16:38Z")
[QUOTE=MichaelQReilly] and that Homer and Marge had a wedding video even though they were married in Shotgun Pete’s majorly annoyed me. [/QUOTE] Haven’t details of Marge and Homer’s early life, the birth of their kids, their courtship and marriage, etc., already been presented in multiple contradictory ways? It seems that, if anything, the Simpsons writers glory in being deliberately inconsistent with stuff like that. ---
**Author:** ![Yookeroo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yookeroo/32/323_2.png) [@Yookeroo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yookeroo)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2007, 9:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-simpsons-movie-review-thread-spoilers/413341/180 "2007-08-11T21:50:31Z")
[QUOTE=Bryan Ekers] Well, Barney was only barely in there (in fact most of the supporting characters had limited roles; I guess Ned Flanders was the big exception). How was Wolfcastle supposed to have become President, anyway? There’s no PART OF THE SHOW I’m aware of in which Wolfcastle seeks political office. [/QUOTE] Yeah. It works better with Schwarzenegger as president for this reason. The gag has been set up by the real Schwarzenegger. And regarding the Homer/Marge wedding, this isn’t the first time I’ve heard of anyone being upset about the continuity. When have the writers ever worried about continuity? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-simpsons-movie-review-thread-spoilers/413341.md?page=8) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-simpsons-movie-review-thread-spoilers/413341.md?page=10)