Submitted for your approval, that twilighty movie about that zone. Film critic and podcaster Matthew Simpson joins Nate and Adam to unpack Twilight Zone: The Movie (1983), a cursed compilation of episode remakes from Rod Serling’s pioneering TV series directed by Stephen Spielberg, Joe Dante, George Miller, and Simpsons shudder John Landis. We also revisit The Simpsons’ own adaptations of two of the same Twilight Zone episodes in "Treehouse of Horror II" (S3E7) and "Treehouse of Horror IV" (S5E5).

Also in this episode:

• Matthew regails us with his quest to watch and rank every “Treehouse of Horror” segment

• An ode to the horror anthology format, from Eerie Tales (1919) to Black Mirror (2011)

• Nancy Cartwright gets sucked into a cartoon on TV for all eternity (oh, and that happens in the movie, too)

• The on-set tragedy that led to new Hollywood safety standards and overshadows this movie’s legacy today

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

Next time, returning guest Dede Crimmins joins the podcast as we delve even deeper into “Treehouse of Horror IV” (S5E5) and its parody of Bram Stoker’s Dracula (1992). God bless Bonerland.

For more of Matthew Simpson’s film reviews and journalism check out Stretched.ca or catch him every week on The Awesome Friday Podcast.

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