uplifting

Rating: 10/10 (6 May 2016)

Revisiting Dead Poets' Society decades after first viewing, it is reassuring to see that it has not only lasted, but rewards with repeat viewing. A new English teacher at an elite boys' boarding school brings a maverick sense of teaching to the stuffy institution, injecting vitality into the life of some of the boys, while putting himself on a collision course with the school authorities. Great scenes abound: the walk in the courtyard to teach about the dangers of conformity, Tom's blindfolded poetry read, and the climactic tribute of the boys to their fallen captain, one of the greatest tear-jerkers in cinema. Look at Weir's angle and camera placement - absolutely perfect. His extreme wide shot of a grieving Tom in a snow landscape, and his silent depiction of Neil's demise, all attest to poetry in both script and mise-en-scene. Very few films are faultless, but there is not one word, shot, casting decision or any other element of this film that one would change. Outstanding cinema.