Simpsons movie...sequel on horizon?

After years of languishing on the storyboards, "The Simpsons" headed into movie houses for the wide-screen version of the celebrated TV hit.

Over the years, there have been many memorable moments on the well-written, ground-breaking show; too many to mention here.

Of course, it's always been a badge of honor for an actor to be invited to inhabit one of the characters on the top-rated comedy.

Such notables as Elizabeth Taylor, Jerry Lewis, Harvey Fierstein, Danny De Vito, Bob Hope, Leonard Nimoy, James Woods, and Meryl Streep - to name an illustrious few - offered up their golden voices for a host of hilarious characters over the past few seasons.

The popular comedy is not only the longest running animated feature on Television, but the most Internationally-syndicated show around the planet.

According to at least one modern-day Philosopher, Carl Matheson, it is the "deepest show on Television".

In a book of essays, one writer astutely notes, "...it is a corporate-manufactured show that openly and self-reflexively parodies the very consumer capitalism it simultaneously promotes."

To others, simply put, "...it's a celebration of family or an indictment of the American family."

In the movie, there is much of the same.

However, in the screen version, there are at least one-hundred speaking roles to track in the hushed, dimly-lit theatres.

The producers assured the press prior to release that the movie would have the same artistic sensibility of the series with "grander backgrounds, nuanced lighting and shadows, more colors, and a scope that would be impossible to carry off on a TV production budget". And, they delivered.

James L. Brooks noted at a recent press outing that while there is no 3-D, Pixar-style animation, the film does have a depth and sweep that goes beyond the 2-D Artful flavor of the small screen series

Due to a PG-13 rating, Brooks was thrilled to be able to venture into new comedic ground, as well.

In one scene, a cartoon penis is featured, for example; in another, Homer gives the mighty finger.

Two cops passionately lip-locking in a key scene signal the gender-bending trends of a permissive society.

Producers are hoping the release of the feature will revive the TV show somewhat.

The jury is still out on that.

In its last year, Simpsons won the Emmy for best animated program, Writers Guild Award for best animated script, and a People's Choice Award for cartoons.

Although the Simpsons "MOVIE" took almost a decade to emerge from the small black box onto the big silver screen, there are already vigorous talks ongoing about a potential sequel.