Salvador Dali's works and life have influenced everyone from Woody Allen to Lady Gaga, but one connection to film and media may not be as well known. James L Brooks is known for his work on The Simpsons film, Broadcast News, Taxi, Mary Tyler Moore show and many others. Brooks love of Dali becomes apparent in the Epiphany scene in The Simpsons as shown here, a creation that resembles the well known painting at the Museum of Modern Art (MOMA) titled: "Persistence of Memory" by Salvador Dali.
You can see the obvious reference when you compare the images.
Brooks is also known for the film "As Good As It Gets" with Jack Nicholson and Helen Hunt.
Look at this image of Jack Nicholson as he sits and works on his book as the character Melvin Udall, a misanthrope novelist in New York who resides not far from where Dali lived for 10 years in the
1960's and 70's.
If you look at the portait on the wall of Udall's apartment, you see an image of Salvador Dali.
Another and very obvious Dali reference in the film takes place when Greg Kinnear's character Simon Bishop is inspired to start creating art again once he sees Helen Hunts character Carol Connely sitting on the edge of a tub about to bathe. Notice the position of the towell on her lap and the position she is seated in and then look at the image below that shows one of Dali's best known works which features a nude Gala, Dali's wife.
"My wife nude contemplating her own flesh becoming stairs,
three vertebrae of a column, sky and architecture"
by
Salvador Dali
If you would like to see other film or TV references to Dali, there is a page located
Email us any questions about Dali or owning a copy of the authorized
signed print above.