The Simpsons’ Treehouse of Horror (2015) 21

Like the Sears Wish Book of old would herald each year’s Christmas season, so did The Simpsons’ Treehouse of Horror. Both came in September, each promising the respective holiday would soon be there.

Opening with Graveyard Shift, Apu finds himself in director Joe Dante’s world of Gremlins. Too bad he didn’t heed the warning: No Squishees after midnight.

The 1984 horror comedy was a critical and commercial success. Gremlins raked in $12.5 million in its first weekend, second only to the original Ghostbusters. By November 29 of the same year, Gremlins had earned $148,168,459 in the United States alone.

All on an $11 million investment.

It spawned a sequel in 1990 with Gremlins 2: The New Batch. It was not as well received as its inspiration, but does have its fans.

The Left Behinders is a cleverly penned story title giving readers a clue as to Ned Flanders nightmare. Homer’s nosy neighbor believes he has been ignored at the Rapture. He later finds he’s not the only one to share a common trait among those remaining.

Ian Boothby and James Lloyd’s tragic narrative may be based on Stephen King’s The Langoliers, a novella collected in the 1990 compilation Four Past Midnight.

Finally, Springfieldopolis spoofs Fritz Lang’s expressionist science-fiction drama made in 1927. Marge is the symbol of the downtrodden mirrored against Mr. Burns’ greed.

Metropolis is often cited as one of the most influential films ever made. It took 17 months to make and cost $5 million Reichsmarks, one of the most expensive movies made to that point. It was originally budgeted at $1.5 million Reichsmarks.

When finished, Metropolis was an exhausting 153 minutes. It would later be edited to 128 minutes and, finally, 91 minutes by its American debut.

Initially, the movie met with mixed reviews. It would take hindsight and patience to appreciate the film.