Dead Poets Society

Dead Poets Society

Dead Poets Society is a 1989 American coming-of-age drama film directed by Peter Weir and written by Tom Schulman. The film stars Robin Williams and is set in 1959 at a fictional elite boarding school called Welton Academy. It tells the story of an English teacher who inspires his students by teaching them poetry.

Dead Poets Society was produced by Touchstone Pictures and Silver Screen Partners IV and released in the United States by Buena Vista Pictures Distribution on June 2, 1989. The film was a big success and got great reviews. It received many awards and nominations, including Academy Award nominations for Best Picture and Best Director, and a Best Actor nomination for Williams. Schulman won the Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay. The film also won the BAFTA Award for Best Film, the César Award for Best Foreign Film, and the David di Donatello Award for Best Foreign Film.

Plot

In the fall of 1959, a boy named Todd Anderson started his new school year at Welton Academy, a private school for boys in Vermont. His roommate was Neil Perry, and they met Neil's friends including Knox, Richard, Steven, Gerard, and Charlie.

They met their new English teacher, John Keating, who had gone to the same school. He taught them special ways to enjoy life, like saying "seize the day." He encouraged his students to think differently.

Neil and his friends started meeting in a cave to read poetry, inspired by Keating. Neil loved acting and got a big role in a play, even though his father did not approve.

After Neil’s father was very angry about the play, Neil felt very sad and made a sad decision that ended his life.

After this, the school made Keating leave. But Todd and the other boys showed their support for Keating by standing on their desks just like he taught them, showing they believed in his lessons.

Cast

• Robin Williams as John Keating, the new English teacher
• Robert Sean Leonard as Neil Perry
• Ethan Hawke as Todd Anderson
• Josh Charles as Knox Overstreet
• Gale Hansen as Charlie Dalton
• Dylan Kussman as Richard Cameron
• Allelon Ruggiero as Steven Meeks
• James Waterston as Gerard Pitts
• Alexandra Powers as Chris Noel, Knox's friend
• Norman Lloyd as Dr. Gale Nolan, headmaster of Welton Academy.
• Kurtwood Smith as Thomas Perry, Neil's father.
• George Martin as Dr. Hager, mathematics teacher.
• Leon Pownall as George McAllister, Latin teacher
• Lara Flynn Boyle as Ginny Danburry
• Melora Walters as Gloria
• John Cunningham as Mr. Anderson

Production

The original script was written by Tom Schulman, based on his school days at the Montgomery Bell Academy in Nashville, Tennessee. Jeff Kanew was first chosen to direct, but Robin Williams did not want to work with him. So the studio chose another director, Peter Weir.

Filming started in November 1988 and finished in January 1989. The movie was filmed at St. Andrew's School in Middletown, Delaware, and nearby places. To make the movie look older, filmmakers changed stores in Delaware by taking away modern things. While filming, the director asked the young actors not to use today’s slang, even when they were not filming.

Reception

Box office

The film made a lot of money, earning $235,860,579 around the world. It was one of the top movies of 1989.

Critical response

Most reviews of the film were good. On Rotten Tomatoes, it has an 85% rating from 66 reviews. Metacritic gave it a score of 79. Audiences gave it an "A+" grade.

The Washington Post called it "solid, smart entertainment" and praised Robin Williams. The New York Times also praised Williams and the story about the students. Some critics, like Roger Ebert, thought the film was uneven.

Accolades

The film was voted #52 on the American Film Institute's list of inspiring movies. One of its famous lines, "Carpe diem. Seize the day, boys. Make your lives extraordinary," was voted one of the greatest movie quotes.

Legacy

After Robin Williams passed away in 2014, fans honored him by sharing the film's famous "O Captain! My Captain!" scene. Many teachers said they were inspired to teach because of his character, Mr. Keating.

Lara Flynn Boyle scenes

Many of Lara Flynn Boyle's scenes were removed from the final film, though she still appeared in parts showing a Shakespeare performance.

Adaptations

Novelization

Nancy H. Kleinbaum wrote a book called Dead Poets Society in 1989. The book was based on the movie.

Stage play

A play version of the movie was written by Tom Schulman. It was directed by John Doyle. The play opened off-Broadway on October 27, 2016. Jason Sudeikis played the main teacher. The play was later performed in Mexico and Germany with different actors.

Parodies

The movie’s famous ending was spoofed in an episode of Community. It was also made fun of in a Saturday Night Live sketch and an episode of Derry Girls. In these, a new teacher inspires students in a funny way.