Cultural references
For songs played in the film, see Shrek the Third: The Motion Picture Soundtrack.
Continuing a tradition set by the first two films, Shrek the Third contains several references to popular culture, history, fairy tales, and legend:
During the scene where Prince Charming goes to his dressing room in the alley, a picture of the fairy godmother can be seen with the title of Journey's "Don't Stop Believin'".
During the first scene with Prince Charming throw-up from graffiti artist "Cope2" can be seen in the back ground on a wall.
In an early scene when Donkey wakes Shrek and Fiona, he sings the song "Good Morning" from the musical "Singin' in the Rain".
During one of the earlier scenes in the Land of Far Far Away, a shop called "Versarchery" (written in the signature Versace typeface) is shown, next door to the "Abercrombie and Witch" (Fitch).
During the final battle, after taking the body of Puss in Boots, Donkey uses his (Puss') sword to carve a "D" into Pinocchio. Similarly, Puss carved a "P" into a tree in his first appearance in Shrek 2. Both of these are a parody of the character Zorro, which was played, among other actors over the years, by Antonio Banderas (the same actor who voices Puss in Boots).
After smashing the second wall, the dazed Queen can be heard humming "A Spoonful of Sugar". Julie Andrews, who plays the queen, sang the same song in Mary Poppins. After Fiona asks if she's okay, the Queen hums "My Favorite Things" the song Julie sang in "The Sound of Music".
The animal call that Snow White uses against the Talking Trees is actually the war cry from Led Zeppelin's "Immigrant Song", but the beginning is actually a spoof of With a Smile and Song from the original Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs Disney movie.
When Snow White rips the sleeve of her dress, she has a tattoo that says Dopey on it that is referring to the seven dwarfs in the Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs Disney movie
In the beginning of the film, in Prince Charming's dinner theater, coconuts are used for horse's hoof beats. This same technique was used in Monty Python and the Holy Grail, which also starred John Cleese and Eric Idle. Idle claims to be considering suing the producers of Shrek for the unauthorised use of this gag, while the producers claim they were honoring Idle and Cleese by putting the part in.[8]
Merlin, Lancelot, King Arthur (Artie), and Guinevere (Gwen) are all characters from Arthurian lore. Artie is not the knight in shining armor most would expect, but a so-called loser being beat up by jousting jock Lancelot. This character may be based on what most Tudor historians think was Arthur, Prince of Wales' character.
The incantations used by Merlin are similar to that of the Disney production "Sword in the Stone"
When Donkey, Puss in Boots, and Shrek are outside the gates of the High School Artie, Lancelot, and Gwen attend it says: 'Worcestershire'. Donkey misspronounces it, and then after Shrek explains the correct pronunciation, Donkey makes a joke out of it by comparing it to Worcestershire sauce. Though it escaped some, Prince Arthur Tudor has a "Prince Arthur's Chantry" dedicated to him in Worcester Cathedral.
Before Shrek and Artie have a heart to heart, Merlin plays the opening music to "That's What Friends Are For".
After Gingy's life flashes before his eyes, he sings "On the Good Ship Lollipop".
Also, during that scene, there is a short montage in reference to The Six Million Dollar Man, in reference to Gingy losing his legs at the hands of Lord Farquaad and having them re-attached later.
In the same montage there is a scene of Gingy leaping huge distances in a wheat field, a reference to the first Superman movie.
When Charming is in his dressing room, you can see the phantom of the opera's mask and costume.
At King Harold's funeral the theme song for the James Bond movie Live and Let Die is sung - John Cleese (who voiced Harold) played the second Q in the James Bond film series. The song, originally performed by Paul McCartney's group Wings, is sung by a Frog Chorus.
The Arthur and Merlin pair is related to The Sword in the Stone Disney movie.
When the villains are vandalizing Far Far Away, one of them changes the "Bootery" store to "Hooters." Subsequently, many cheering men enter.
The "Just Say Nay" Program at the high school is a reference to the anti-drug campaign "Just Say No".
At Worcestershire a setting of a farm says "Widow Tweed's Farm" which is from The Fox and the Hound Disney movie.
In the scene where Shrek is on the ship dreaming about being a dad, the stroller that rolls into his room is from the movie "Rosemary's Baby".
At King Harold's funeral when Queen Lillian pushes the box away it says "Ye Olde Foot Locker".
Before Arthur is dragged out of the assembly by Shrek, he mentions that he will build a city on rock and roll. This is a reference to Jefferson Starship's "We Built This City".
In the scene where Shrek and Arthur are having a conversation by the fire outside Merlin's house, the stars to the right of Shrek's ear form the Southern Cross, a reference to Shrek 1 and 2 director, Andrew Adamson, who is a New Zealander.[citation needed]
When Charming is about to kill Shrek during the play, Camille Saint-Säens's Danse Macabre is being played in the background. Viewers in the UK would relate part of this piece to the theme of the BBC hit show Jonathan Creek.
In the final confrontation scene between Shrek's comrades and Prince Charming during the performance, there is a short refrain that borrows from Queen's "Bohemian Rhapsody" (a song that was brought back to the charts thanks to Mike Myers' Wayne's World).
In an earlier scene during the same village performance, a song played during the pirate characters' appearance on the stage while rowing a ship sounds similar to the theme song from Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl.
When Puss in Boots and Shrek talk about fatherhood on the ship leaving Far Far Away (middle of the film), there is a short refrain from Harry Chapin's "Cat's in the Cradle" sung by Donkey.
Just before the final show, there are trees dressed like characters of A Chorus Line, while you hear "One" in the background.
When Shrek enters the high school, two characters can be seen falling out of a carriage, with whispers of smoke pouring out behind them. This is a parody of Fast Times at Ridgemont High in which Sean Penn's character falls out of his car after smoking pot.
During the Far Far Away invasion, Australian band Wolfmother's song "The Joker & the Thief" was played briefly.
At Worcestershire, the Cheerleaders start their chant with "Ok, let's go!" An allusion to Bring it On
When the ladies escape from their prison with Fiona leading them through the sewers, there is a brief overhead shot of the characters running over a narrow bridge. The composition of the shot is a direct reference to the Fellowship running from the Balrog in Moria in The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring.
During the prison scene, as Donkey and Puss are explaining their predicament, Donkey (in Puss) says "And it was a lot of "Bibbidi-Bobbidi-Boo", a reference to the Disney Cinderella.
During the scene where the Princesses are preparing for battle, the background music resembles the soundtrack from the movie "Kill Bill"
Just before leaving for Far, Far Away, Artie turns to the popular girl and says, "Gwen, I've always loved you." This is a reference to Guenivere, Arthur's queen.
When the ladies are on their quest to retrieve Shrek, the ugly step sister sticks her leg out at a guard. This is a reference to the Graduate when Mrs Robinson does this to Ben to be seduced.
When the princesses are locked in the tower, Cinderella can be seen neurotically scrubbing the floor whilst talking to herself. She can be seen in the now reflective floor as coversing with herself like Gollum in the Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers.
When Snow White starts singing after they had escaped from the jail cell they had been locked in, animals come out, two of those animals happen to be from Bambi, Bambi and Thumper.
In all three Shrek movies, Shrek repeats this line, "Better out than in I always say". In Shrek 1 when they were walking through the forest after breakfast, in Shrek 2 when they were having dinner with the parents, and in Shrek the Third, when the baby happens to burp.
One of the seven dwarves painting the set of Prince Charming's show is asleep; an allusion to Sleepy from Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (1937 film).
