Henry Miller In Popular Culture

A Pandora's Box has indeed opened, as James has noted in 'commentaries' on the Seinfeld posting: references to Henry Miller in TV, film, music, books and elsewhere in pop culture abound. Well, maybe not "abound," but they do exist in fragments throughout the years. For this reason I've created this post, which will exist as a permanent entity, updated as needed. Just add new info to "Comments" whenever a Miller references pops up, and I'll add it to the main body of the posting.

SEINFELD (1991) - The Library police come after Jerry after 20 years, for not returning Tropic Of Cancer. (RC)

THE THORN BIRDS (1983) - "[A] disabled bookish woman helps her fight the depression by some unexpected feminist help towards self-liberation etc. This help, includes reading of course and the disable recommends Henry Miller. I think there's this scene where she says: "Oh dear you must read more. You must expand you mind. Learn to look out for your self. Here is some of my books that you must read." [not exact quote of course] Then she hands her lots of classic modern 20th C stuff and finally she says, to the effect of: "And you absolutly MUST read Henry Miller...he is very very ADVENTUROUS!!". Later on in the storyline, the servant-woman is dutily sitting outdoors by a table sipping (I guess) ice-tea and reading Tropic of Cancer (I think)...the implication is clearly that Henry Miller is "far out" "very dirty" etc." (Tony)

ANNE MUELLER: Oh, Meggie! You've the face of an angel and the body of a goddess, and what you mean is, you don't know how to make a man get you pregnant? What you need is a good education. Lady Chatterley's lover! And Henry Miller, definitely Henry Miller! [ref]

NORTHERN EXPOSURE - Episode? (James)

CYBILL - episode? (James)

SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE - " involving a predatory 'Scout Master' who planned to read some HM to the boys." (James). Alec Baldwin played this character when Adam Sandler played Canteen Boy. This seems to have happened twice, but it doesn't appear to be the Feb.12, 1994 episode, so it must be the Dec.10, 1994 episode. (RC)

CAPE FEAR (1991) - "Robert De Niro uses Sexus to lure Juliette Lewis." (James) . I'll create a seperate post for this because the script dialogue is lengthy.

AFTER HOURS (1985) - "Paul Hackett (Griffin Dunne) is reading Tropic of Cancer when he spots Marcy Franklin (Rosanna Arquette) and Marcy starts to quote Miller" (Pierre). Again, sepearte post with dialogue to come.

MY FAMILY AND OTHER ANIMALS (2005) - Miller portrayed briefly (writing in the nude) in this BBC story about the Durrell family. (RC)

FAHRENHEIT 451 (1966) - Amongst the piles of great works of literature set aflame by the conservative forces in the film, lies Miller's Plexus.

- Tell me,why do you burn books?

- What? Well, it's a job like any other. Good work with lots of variety. Monday, we burn Miller; Tuesday,Tolstoy; Wednesday, Walt Whitman; Friday, Faulkner; and Saturday and Sunday, Schopenhauer and Sartre. [ref]

BITTER MOON (1992) - Peter Coyote's character is said to aspire to being Henry Miller, but I can't locate the screenplay for this Polanski flop, so I can't tell is Miller is directly referenced or not.

THE REAL DIRT ON FARMER JOHN (2005, documentary) - Part of oddball farmer John Peterson's story involves his appreciation of Henry Miller, whose work inspires him to travel (to Mexico).