I beat you to it on this blog, and my giggling Smiley graphic sums it up. I share your scepticism about artist biopics, but I also think this is the silliest miscasting since John Wayne as the centurian in The Greatest Story Ever Told. When Wayne drawled "Surely he was the Son-a Gawd" I fell about! Future candidate for the Golden Raspberry Award?
 

I have to say I am a bit skeptical too and I like al pacino.
I really enjoyed Kahlo movie, but Basquiat was really brilliant casting. I read the book before I saw the movie and there was a lot missing, but in general I really think they captured Basquiat's life and work.
 

Dido on Basquiat. I love Nicol's Gattaca, but I'm doubtful anything good could come out of this movie. I mean...do you go the route of Un Chien Andalou (Buñuel) or something so tame it's bland (or worse saccharine)?
 

Clocks!....Melting!....WHOOOHAHHH!
 

I have to say that, better than John Wayne in the picture you mentioned or as an Oriental conqueror, was Cary Grant playing Cole Porter.
For the general public at that time it was a poor use of a considerable talent, for insiders (and at that time these things were not a matter of public knowledge) the idea of Grant playing Porter was hilarious for other than the fact that he was considerably taller.
Would DeNiro have been a better choice? His father, a noted artist, most likely did know Dali when NYC (and Hollywood) were taken over by surrealists fleeing Europe. My own choice might well be whoever today resembles the young Danny Kaye. After all, whatever his qualities as an artist, he created the role of Dali both to protect himself and to create the aura which apparently allowed him to create a 75 million dollar estate when that was "real"money
 

I think you under estimate the acting abiltiy of Al Pacino. I am just happy that the movie industry has finally decided to make a movie about the life of Salvador Dali and to choose such an esteemed actor as Pacino shows at least that they are going to try to do it right.
Like a piece of art....lets wait and see the finished film before we dismiss it. I myself enjoy artist bios. They inspire me as an artist.
Some of my favorites are : "Vincent and Theo" starring Tim Roth, "The Impressionists" a three part mini series, starring Richard Armitage, and "Modigliani" starring Andy Garcia.
 

Ed Harris made the Jackson Pollock film well worth while.
Too see who I would like to play Dali check out my site here
http://plusultrapics.blogspot.com/2007/04/al-pacino-as-salvador-dali-in-dali-and.html
 

Hmm....im noting the sceptical nature of most of these comments and im fairly surprised! maybe you are only familiar with al in his OTT roles such as scarface, glengarry glen ross and the devils advocate, but if you look back along films such as dog day afternoon, serpico and godfather 2 then you will see a subtlety in pacino's acting that i think will come across in this movie. And like Ed Harris made Pollock the fantastic film it is, im sure pacino will do justice to the genius of dali. and for the idiot who suggested al pacino as a candidate for the golden rasberry, please do yourself and everyone else a favour and confine your limited knowledge and prejudicial opinions to yourself. Al's gonna prove you soooo wrong.
 

geat above comment, lets wait and see teh movie frist before we begin conceiving our selective opinions. Pacino is a genius, he will do Dali justice
 

i dont understand what you are talking about. movie is also art. a character in a movie cant be like in real life. the director and the screenwriter have to construct something that is far bigger then life, far more exaggerated. Then if they do their job of exaggeration well, the viewers will see the exaggeration dimly but well enough to think: "woo, this character is amazing and he look like areal person to me.
good example that related is al pacino movie "scarface"
Al Pacino plays Tony Montana, a Cuban immigrant and one of many criminals sent to the United States in 1980 by Fidel Castro claiming political asylum. He starts off as small time crook and works his way up to big time drug dealer in Miami.
he much bigger then life
and you hate him and you love him in the same time....

http://www.thescarfaceworld.com/video.html
 

I am a die hard DALI fan and am quite relieved that a superstar like Al Pacino has agreed to take the role. The movie will take place in the years just after Dali had become rich and successful. I believe this will allow for any levels of "cheesyness" you all seem to elaborate to.
 

I have been waiting years for a hollywood movie on the genius Salvador Dali. I actually found out about it when I purchased one of his final editions and signed lithographs at a Dali gallery in New Haven Ct. If there are any collectors of Dali out there, this is a great find for authentic Dali lithographs.If anyone wants details, leave a comment and I'll be intouch
 

Hi Where's that gallery in CT to purchase Dali lithographs?
 

I can see it, Pacino is good at playing gritty roles, and lets face it, Salvador Dali was a gritty sort og guy.

On Dalí’s personality, George Orwell once remarked that ‘one ought to be able to hold in one’s head simultaneously the two facts, that Dalí is a good draughtsman and a disgusting human being, the one does not invalidate or, in a sense, affect the other.’ Lol!

http://www.free-art-images.com/
 

well physically they look alike. They both have similar face structures and the same open eyes expression, this should be a piece of cake for Pachino to tackle