British graffiti artist Banksy has left his mark on Springfield by creating a controversial title sequence for The Simpsons.It starts with clouds parting as usual, but the cartoon show’s famous crow flies across the screen carrying one of the Bristol-based artist’s trademark mice. As the camera zooms in on Springfield Elementary School, Banksy’s name is seen scrawled across a giant billboard advertising Krusty the Clown’s funeral service.

Bart Simpson is seen doing his punishment lines on the school blackboard as usual – but the whole classroom is covered with the phrase: ‘I must not write all over the walls.’ As the camera pans back, Banksy’s name is seen again on a school wall.The sequence continues as usual until the family are settled on the sofa, when it suddenly switches to a grim vision of Asian sweatshops. Rows of workers are seen in a warehouse producing animations for the show and making merchandise. Kittens are shown being thrown into a wood chipper to produce stuffing for Bart Simpson dolls. A panda is used to haul wagon-loads of the dolls, while a decapitated dolphin head is used to seal boxes. And a chained unicorn comes in handy for punching holes in the centre of DVDs

The extended sequence was apparently inspired by reports the show outsources the bulk of their animation to a company in South Korea, according to the BBC.The street artist claimed his storyboard led to delays, disputes over broadcast standards and a threatened walk out by the animation department.’This is what you get when you outsource,’ joked The Simpsons executive producer Al Jean. The sequence ends with a horrifying version of the logo of the show’s parent company, 20th Century Fox.It’s not the first time the show’s creators have poked fun at Fox – with regular jokes about the quality of programming on the company’s US TV network. The episode, called MoneyBart, was broadcast in America last night. It will be shown in the UK on 21 October.

Watch the intro in full here
Sorce: Daily Mail
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