The Simpsons: Treehouse of Horror [DVD] [1990]

However I think it could have been better thought out, instead of slapping a half hearted DVD together for the holidays. The episodes are a randon pick from about 13 specials to date. The episodes chosen aren't the best halloween ones either. Apart from the episodes there is a montage of Kang and Kodos, the cycloptic aliens who always make an apperance in the halloween episodes. This montage is pointless and the jokes make no sense out of context. A waste of 3 minutes.
On the plus side, the episodes(5, 6, 9, 12) do contain a few scenes that were edited out of the original TV release episodes due to bad taste and time restrictions. As for the episodes themselves, they're pretty good, but they could have chosen better episodes for this collection. For simpsons fans only.

Actually, this really should be "Volume 2" of "The Simpsons: Treehouse of Horror," because it offers "Treehouse of Horror" V, VI, VII and XII. Whatever the joke is here, I am clearly missing out on it. Why not V, VI, VII and VIII? For that matter why not I, II, III and IV? Is it because the first three seasons of the Simpsons are out on DVD? It is because Roman numerals confused the people making the decisions? To add insult to injury, these are bare boned discs. No commentaries, no features, no animated menus, just a some clips of Kang and Kodos (e.g., Kang on Jerry Springer). The episodes are great, but the bad faith effort here loses a star.

"Treehouse of Horror V" offers a take off on "The Shining," Homer traveling through time with the aid of a toaster in "Time and Punishment," and the school staff doing the Sweeney Todd and Mrs. Lovett bit with the students in "Nightmare Cafeteria." "Treehouse of Horror VI" offers killer billboards in "Attack of the 50-Foot Eyesores," Groundskeeper Willie as a Freddie Krueger clone in "Nightmare on Evergreen Terrance," and a computer generated Homer making it to the real world in "Homer3". "Treehouse of Horror VII" reveals that Bart's evil twin has been chained in the attic in "The Thing and I," Lisa creates a microscopic world as a science project in "The Genesis Tub," and Kang and Kodos replace Bill Clinton and Bob Dole in the election as "Mr. Kang Goes to Washington." We then skip ahead to "Treehouse of Horror XII" which has a gypsy curse destroying Homer's life in "Hex and the City," the Simpsons living in a computerized home in "House of Whacks," and the Simpsons' twist on Harry Potter in "Wiz Kids."

Of course, the rule of thumb here is what it always has been for "The Simpsons," which is that the more familiar you are with the original films and other pop culture elements being referenced in these episodes, the more you will enjoy them. I should add that these episodes have been "restored" for DVD, which means that the scenes cut for syndication are back in this time around. But the obvious lesson here is that each fall, when the World Series finally ends and FOX gets around to airing the Simpson's new "Treehouse of Horror" episode sometime in early November you should go ahead an tape it to keep for your Halloween enjoyment each year. Who knows when it will actually become available on DVD.

'Treehouse of Horror V': This is an episode that starts off with a short story about the 'The Shining', which really is quality comedy.
It depicts Homer as a crazy axe weilding maniac who goes nuts when he has no beer or tv.
Homer is so funny acting really crazy.
But this is only a third of whats on this episode, the other two episodes contain amusing stories of Homer travelling back in time continuosly and always going back to the present where everythings changed because of what he did when he travelled to the past, and another story in how Bart and Lisa fear that them and the rest of the kids at school are on the menu for the school teachers, who find a taste for their school children.

For the second episode giant billboards come to life to cause havoc in downtown Springfield, Groundskeeper Wullie does a Freddy Krueger, and invades the dreams of the school children for revenge, and the third short story is interesting because it involves Homer being transported to the third dimension, and for the first time Homer appears in the real world of Earth.

the third episode contains the meeting between Bart and his evil twin, Lisa creates a miniature world by accident for a science project, but becomes a litle more involved with her project than she might have wanted, and American election candidates Bill Clinton and Bob Dole have their bodies taken over by aliens Kang and Kodos, in their bid to rule America and enslave humanity.

But the fourth episode is truly bland and uninsperational, as the first story is abouta gypsy putting a curse on Homer and things go worng for the people he knows and loves, but thats not all wait for the really stupid idea to include a pointless lepracon thats role in the story is really un-needed.
The next story is about a house that takes a fancy to Marge, and has the intention to get Homer out of the picture.
This is a clear example of the way new episodes of The Simpsons are going with the story being built around the celebrity voice (Peirce Brosnan), rather than the other way round.
And the third story is a depiction of Lisa being in the role of Harry Potter, and being against the evil Lord Montymort (Mr. Burns).

There's also a montage of humouress and the most memorable clips involving popular aliens Kang and Kodos, and features their previous inclusions in the hallo'ween specials.

Overall, this is The Simpsons at their best and the episodes on this DVD, apart from the last episode, are really top-quality stuff with the show really on form with what it produces here.