Super Safi’s Monday Morning Musings 109 – The Shining

Morning Musically-Minded, Medically-Minded, Masticators!

(Today’s post is sponsored by the letter “M”)

Over the past 600+ episodes, The Simpsons has taken us on an amazing journey involving music, science, and food to name a few concepts.

And what better way to start your week, than by discussing some of these concepts Monday morning?

So let’s get started this week by talking about a classic horror novel and it’s subsequent movie adaptation.

In the one hundredth and eighth episode of The Simpsons, Treehouse of Horror V (Season 06, Episode 06), the first segment parodies The Shining.

Mr. Burns invites Homer and the Simpsons family to look after his summer estate.

But from the get go, things are amiss, such as an elevator full of blood.

There’s a giant hedge maze, which Bart finds a shortcut through – using a hedge trimmer.

After Mr. Burns leaves, Homer is upset to find that there is no TV and no beer.

Marge stumbles upon Homer’s writings, wherein he graffiti’s all the walls with “NO TV AND NO BEER MAKE HOMER GO CRAZY”.

Homer goes crazy and tries to kill his family.

Until Lisa finds a portable TV that distracts Homer’s craziness.

But have you ever wondered what The Shining is?

The Shining

The Shining is author Stephen King’s third novel and first bestseller, published January 28 1977. The Shining is about Jack Torrance, a struggling writer and recovering alcoholic who accepts a position as the off-season caretaker of the historic Overlook Hotel. His family accompanies him on this job, including his young son Danny Torrance, who possesses “the shining”, an array of psychic abilities that allow Danny to see the hotel’s horrific past. After a winter storm leaves them snowbound, the supernatural forces inhabiting the hotel cause Jack to go crazy, leaving his wife and son in incredible danger.

Stephen King (September 21 1947 – Present)

It was adapted into a movie of the same name in 1980, directed by Stanley Kubrick. The movie stars stars Jack Nicholson, Shelley Duvall, Scatman Crothers, and Danny Lloyd.

Stanley Kubrick (July 26 1928 – March 7 1999)

The book was followed by a sequel, Doctor Sleep, published in 2013, which was adapted into a movie of the same name in 2019.

Now that we’ve learned more about The Shining, be sure to come back next week when we continue our Monday morning musings with the next episode of The Simpsons.

Did you remember this episode? Have you ever seen The Shining? What’s your favourite Simpsons literary reference? What about your favourite Simpsons movie reference? Sound off in the comments below. You know we love hearing from you.