Do you remember when “The Simpsons’” Halloween specials were some of the funniest episodes of the series? Even during the creative peak of “The Simpsons,” the annual “Treehouse of Horror” was often the highlight of the season.
The last few “Simpsons” Halloween episodes haven’t been able to recapture that same magic. But for this year’s “Treehouse of Horror XXVI,” Guillermo del Toro has directed a fantastic opening sequence that mashes the Simpsons and the residents of Springfield with del Toro’s films, including Cronos, Mimic, Blade II, Hellboy, Pan’s Labyrinth and maybe even del Toro’s unproduced At the Mountains of Madness!
There also references to Alfred Hitchcock’s The Birds, The Shining, the classic Universal movie monsters and several Simpsons in-jokes. In short, it’s an amazing achievement that almost makes the last few years of mediocrity worth it.
Almost.
You can check out the entire opening below. “The Simpsons: “Treehouse of Horror XXVI” airs this Sunday on Fox!
