Movies I Haven't Seen: Dead Poets Society
Even though I have seen my fair share of movies, there are a ton of cinematic classics, cult favorites, and essential movies I have missed. Today that changes with 'Movies I Haven't Seen.' I will not only watch movies that everyone else has seen, I will also blog about each entry.
Dead Poets Society is a 1989 film nominated for four Academy Awards (won best original screenplay) released by Touchstone Pictures. Directed by Peter Weir, an Australian direcror who at this time had played a role in Australian New Wave (an era of resurgence in worldwide popularity of Australian cinema). Since Dead Poets Society, Weir has gone on to direct notable films such as The Truman Show and Master and Commander.
A great teacher inspires, gives birth to epiphanies, and can be a compass some of use to find themselves in this world. Robin Williams plays Mr. John Keating, a former student of Welton Academy who in 1959 returns to his alma mater as an English teacher who through his teaching methods and poetry inspires his students.
“We don’t read and write poetry because it’s cute. We read and write poetry because we are members of the human race And the human race is filled with passion. And medicine, law, business, engineering, these are noble pursuits and necessary to sustain life. But poetry, beauty, romance, love, these are what we stay alive for.”
After doing a bit of research Mr. Keating’s students find out he was apart of a group called the Dead Poets Society and decide to resurrect the now defunct club. In the middle of the night they would sneak off into the woods and gather in a cave to talk, recite poetry, and live life.
What I liked:
All the performances were great. Robert Sean Leonard (House) as Neil Perry, a kid whose love of acting was in direct conflict with what his father played by Kurtwood Smith (That 70s Show, Robocop) had planned out. The son not wanting to disappoint a father who never considered his feelings was acted out brilliantly.
When people talk about Robin Williams movies they often bring up Dead Poets Society, but the truth of the matter is he is not in that many scenes compared to the other actors in the film, but the scenes he is in are powerful and awe inspiring, he is the catalyst for the events that take place in the film.
What I did not like:
Nothing, this was a good movie from beginning to end.
Favorite Scene:
Robin Williams getting Todd Anderson played by Ethan Hawke (Training Day) to “freestyle” a poem he failed to write in front of the entire class.
Recommendation:
If you have not seen this movie, you should check it out its a coming of an age tale that does not treat teenagers like one dimensional halfwits. It also stresses the importance of life, never take it for granted, always seize the day.
You can rent or buy Dead Poets Society on iTunes, Amazon or Google Play
