Dead Poets Society

Plot synopsis:
New England, the late 1950s. Todd Anderson (Ethan Hawke), a lonely and painfully shy teenager, who is under pressure by his stern parents because he must live up to his older brother's reputation to attend Yale and become a lawyer, arrives for the new semester at the Welton Academy for boys -- Todd's brother also attended Welton and was a popular and well-regarded student there. This semester begins during an orientation gathering with a speech given by the stern Headmaster Nolan (Norman Lloyd), who states the academy's four pillars: Tradition, Honor, Discipline, and Excellence. Todd meets Neil Perry (Robert Sean Leonard) an ambitious student whom becomes his dorm roommate.Later in his dorm, Neil is ordered by his grumpy and domineering father (Kurtwood Smith) to drop his involvement with the school annual in order to maintain good grades so the boy may become a doctor much as he has done. Neil is under pressure from his stern father's will. Also, Mr. Perry tells Neil that Mrs. Perry also wants him to become a doctor, which further worries the boy. A little later, Todd tells Neil that he is in a similar situation with his parents involving his older brother who also attended Welton a few years ago, graduated, and attended Yale Law School and became a lawyer and his parents want the exact same thing for him. But Todd does not have the courage to tell his parents that he instead wants to be a writer, not a lawyer.During the first day of classes Todd and Neil experience the various teaching methods which include speeches by the trig teacher, as well as the Latin teacher, and the math teacher who states that "all 20 questions at the end of the first chapter are due tomorrow". In stark contrast to these orthodox teaching methods, the guys see a different side of the school when they attend English class taught by the newly arrived (and liberal-minded) Mr. Keating (Robin Williams), whom they met briefly during the orientation -- Keating tells his class he was also a student at Welton ("Helton" as the students secretly refer to the institution) himself many years ago. Keating enters his class whistling the 1812 Overture, and he first takes the boys out in the hallway to the school's displays cases containing artifacts of the school's sports achievements. He tells them that they all have the potential to become powerful individuals, and they are responsible for what their futures will hold. These two actions show his difference from the other teachers because no other teacher would commit the actions he does. Also, he tells the boys they may call him "Oh Captain, my Captain", if they dare. These examples of Mr. Keating's teachings show the boys how to think for themselves. Mr. Keating then tells the boys "Carpe Diem", which is Latin for "seize the day".In addition to Todd and Neil, a small group of other students whom include the lovesick Knox Overstreet (Josh Charles), the flip Charlie Dalton (Gale Hansen), the pragmatic Richard Cameron (Dylan Kussman), liberal Steven Meeks (Allelon Ruggiero) and the moderate Gerard Pitts (James Waterston), also react to the first day's lesson with comments from "that was weird" to "neat". Cameron asks if anything Keating told them will be on a future test and the boys respond with mild scorn.The next day Keating starts the class with a traditional teaching approach by having Neil read out loud the introduction to their poetry textbook, which describes how to rate the quality of poetry according to mathematical plotting. Keating finds such mathematical criticism ridiculous and instructs his pupils to rip out the essay which is one of three ways that he demonstrates freedom of expression and non-conformity. When some students hesitate, he tells them "this is not the Bible. This is a battle, a war. You will have to learn to think for yourselves." He later has the students stand on his desk as a reminder to look at the world in a different way.A few days later, Knox Overstreet is asked to attend a dinner party at the Danburry household, friends of his parents. When he arrives, a beautiful girl answers the doorbell and intently captures his attention. Later, he learns that the girl, Christine, has boyfriend named Chet, but does not give up the hope of dating her.One day, Neil finds an old Welton yearbook with Mr. Keating in it. After seeing that Mr. Keating listed "Dead Poets Society" as one of his activities at the school, the boys ask Mr. Keating what this was. He replies that the DPS was a secret club dedicated to taking the meaning out of life. To do so, the members would sit in a cave near a certain pond less then a mile from school grounds and recite poetry, philosophically drawing life lessons from it to enhance their lives and appreciation of literature. With this new idea in their head from asking Mr. Keating what the DPS was, Neil and the boys decide to start up the DPS once again.While coming inside after recess, Neil convinces the boys to join the DPS and meet at midnight by the creek to start their first meeting. Todd tells them that he will come along to the meeting as long as he does not have to read any poetry. When they arrive at the cave, the boys hold their first meeting. Knox shows up so that he can build confidence, like learning pretty poetry, to swoon Christine Danburry.During their next poetry class, Mr. Keating makes the boys stand on his desk to see the world from a different perspective, which is another way he demonstrates non-conformity and freedom. At the end of class, Mr. Keating orders the boys to write an original poem for homework which will be read aloud during Monday's class.Keating's unorthodox teaching methods soon circulate quietly among the other teachers who scorn his liberal and ideal methods. During a dinner, the Latin teacher tells Keating, "you are taking a big risk in making your students think they are artists". Keating replies: "I'm only trying to make them free thinkers". The Latin teacher rebukes him by saying, "free thinkers at age seventeen?", reciting some poetry from a realist poet to emphasize his point. Keating recites another line "It is only in their minds that men can truly be free. T'was always thus, and always thus shall be."Neil attempts to seize the day by trying out for a part in the play 'A Midsummer Nights Dream' the school is putting on -- such an act is done in full defiance of his father's wishes. Meanwhile, Knox goes to a nearby public high school football game and sees Christine in the arms of Chet, who is a football player at that school.Back in English class, Mr. Keating has the boys kick soccer balls while yelling poetry aloud, the final way that he demonstrates freedom and non-conformity. Then, Neil receives a letter that says he got the part of Puck in the play. Now he must forge a letter of permission to the headmaster and Mr. Perry, along with their signature of approval.The next day in class, Mr. Keating tells Todd to stand up and recite his poem. When Todd tells his teacher that he did not write a poem, Mr. Keating tells the boy to make one up right now on the spur of the moment. Todd's new poem is about the picture of Walt Whitman on the wall, and Mr. Keating seems to have an astounding affect on Todd. Todd improvises with Keating's aggressive but kind coaching and he refers to Whitman as the "snaggly-toothed madman." The rest of the class, including one of the more cynical students applaud Todd's efforts. By pulling the boy out of his seat in front of the class and create his own poem, Mr. Keating successfully reaches out to Todd and builds his confidence.That night, the boys meet at the cave to hold another DPS meeting, and afterwords Knox gets the courage to phone Christine, who invites him to a party at her house.The following day, Mr. Keating teaches tells the boys not to conform, and Todd gets the same desk pen set from his parents that they got him last year for his birthday. Neil finds Todd sitting alone and disappointed and boosts his roommate's confidence by telling him that he should take the desk set and throw it to see how aerodynamic it is. Todd's mood is instantly improved.When Knox goes to Christine's party that night, he becomes drunk and finds himself sitting next to a mostly unconscious Christine on the couch. He recalls Keating's words "carpe diem" and kisses her, only to be caught by Chet, who punches him out. Though Christine comes to his aid, Knox leaves the party.The day after the DPS meeting, which is also attended by some girls Charlie invited, Dalton writes a joking and anonymous letter on behalf of the DPS to the school asking if girls may be admitted to Welton Academy. During a hastily arranged school meeting which addresses this letter, a phone is heard ringing. Charlie pulls out a hidden phone, answers it and says the call is from "God" and that God wants girls to attend Welton. The school's headmaster holds a private meeting with Charlie, demanding to know who is in the DPS. Charlie refuses and the headmaster paddles him harshly. The headmaster later talks to Keating, telling him he is aware of Keating's unorthodox teaching methods and that encouragement of free-thinking among the students is dangerous. Keating later talks to Charlie and the boys, telling Charlie that "sucking the marrow out of life doesn't mean choking on the bone." Pranks like Charlie's can have the effect of hurting a student's future rather than making them a school legend.When Neil's father arrives at Welton on an unexpected visit, he scolds Neil for joining the play and orders him to quit. Neil tells Mr. Keating about the incident, and that his father won't allow Neil to act. To this, Mr. Keating suggests that Neil tell his father how the boy truly feels. Neil does, but his bossy and stubborn father continues to refuse to let him partake in the play and tells Neil that he must focus all his energy on studying to become a doctor. A few days later, Neil lies to Mr. Keating and tells him that his father allowed him to continue with the play.When Knox goes to Christine's high school, he embarrasses her in class by giving her flowers and reciting poetry. Christine goes to Welton where she angrily tells Knox that his actions embarrassed her in front of her classmates. Knox apologizes and asks Christine if she would go to the play with him. Christine is again embarrassed, but flattered by the attention Knox displays, accepts his offer as a date.At the theatre, Neil gives a great performance as Puck. As he is about to give Puck's closing monologue, Neil spots his father looking stern and angry from the back but receives a standing ovation. Neil is angrily driven home by his father, who also tells Keating to stay away from his son. While at home, Mr. Perry tells Neil that in retaliation for his defiance, he will pull Neil out of Welton and forcibly enroll him in Braden Military School to prepare him for Harvard University and a career in medicine. Unable to cope with the future that awaits him or make his stern and narrow-minded father understand his emotions, Neil commits suicide by shooting himself with his father's gun.The next day in school, the boys are told of Neil's suicide and each is asked about the DPS after Cameron reveals the club's secrets to the headmaster. Dalton is expelled from the Welton Academy when he punches Cameron for betraying them. Cameron's defense of his actions is that they can all save their respective futures at the school if they cooperate, even if they can't keep Keating from being fired.When Todd is called to Nolan's office, where his parents are waiting, Nolan forces Todd to admit to being a member of the Dead Poets Society, and tries to make him sign a document blaming Keating for abusing his authority, inciting the boys to restart the Dead Poets Society, and encouraging Neil to flout his father's authority. Todd sees Richard's, Knox's, Steven's and Gerald's signatures already on the document. At first, Todd refuses to sign, but when Nolan threatens to expel him and his equally stern parents refuse to take him back home should he be kicked out of school, the painfully shy Todd does not have the nerve to argue with any of them and signs the paper.Keating is fired from Welton and is forced to leave without any severance pay or letter of recommendation to teach at any other public or private school in the state. Although the other teachers at Welton have disapproved of his teaching methods, most of them are somewhat upset to see Keating leaveThe next day, Headmaster Nolan arrives at English class where he tells the students that he is their new teacher until a substitute will arrive to replace him. The shy and afraid Todd cannot respond when asked what the boys have done in the class so far, so Nolan asks Cameron. He tells the teacher that the class thoroughly covered poetry, but skipped over realism. The headmaster has the boys read the introduction, but it is ripped out, so he gives Cameron the teachers book to read from. Just then, Mr. Keating enters the room to collect a few of his papers before he leaves. Todd reveals to Keating that he and the other students were intimidated into signing the confession. Nolan orders Todd to be quiet and demands that Keating leave.As Keating is about to exit the classroom, Todd finally breaks through his cowardice and self-pity and calls out: "O Captain! My Captain!" and then stands on top of his desk and faces Keating. Nolan warns Todd to sit down or face expulsion. In what is probably the movie's most touching and emotionally powerful scene, one by one, Knox, Steven, Gerard, and all of the members of the Dead Poets Society, except for Cameron and one or two other students, climb onto their desks and face Keating to salute their former teacher, and they remain standing on their desks despite Nolan's orders for them to sit back down until he gives up and slumps against the teacher's desk, angry and emotionally defeated. Seeing that his work at the school had not been in vain, a visibly touched Keating says: "Thank you, boys. Thank you." With Todd and the other the students looking on, Keating then happily leaves the classroom with tears in his eyes, and walks out of the school for good.

Tags: dramatic, sentimental, inspiring, philosophical, melodrama

Review:
They change your life, subtly altering your perceptions of reality, almost always for the better.Dead Poets Society is one of those few films.I saw the movie back when I was in High School.
However, every time I mention this film, I have to answer most people's quizzical looks with "It's a beautiful little 80s film that stayed in the 80s." After seeing it for the 24th time since I first saw it 5 years ago, on my 13th birthday, I can gladly say that this movie went far and beyond the 80s, and the power and inspiration of the message can be felt every day.Dead Poets Society is a most underrated film by a most underrated director whose inspiring, uplifting and moral tales firmly grounded in reality are not nearly as appreciated as they should be.
The new English teacher though, Mr John Keating (Robin Williams), who graduated from the very same school, uses unorthodox, but quite effective methods to teach the students about literature, and poetry.
The plot also centers around two students: Neil (Robert Sean Leonard), who is funny and popular, but fails to gain his fathers pride, because of his wish to become an actor, and Todd (Ethan Hawke), who is very shy and unsure of himself, and is inspired by Keating to use his imagination and eventually we find out that he is very talented when it comes to poetry.
After they find out about a club Keating was a member of while he was a student, the Dead Poets Society, which was forbidden by the school, they decide to reestablish it, what ultimately gets them into a lot of trouble.There are several key factors, that make this movie as brilliant as it is.
We can literally feel his fear and shyness when he stands in front of the class and gets no word out, because he's so embarrassed.Peter Weir, who is probably most known for his recent movie "Master and Commander" shows what a great director he is with this film and it definitely deserved the Oscar for Best Original Screenplay, and the nominations for Best Picture, Director and Leading Actor for Robin Williams.Some of you may have heard about Roger Ebert absolutely negative review of this movie and that "he wanted to throw up at the end of the film".
As a former teacher myself (albeit of science), I view it as a tribute to the profession at its best...teaching not merely the subject but also the person, and having a lifelong impact on students' lives.The setting is Weldon Academy, a very traditional New England boys' prep school in 1959.
He brings warmth, passion, and an endearing quiet humor to the role as he fosters individualism in a school environment of total conformity, endeavoring to teach these young men both the beauty of the English language and the importance of living life to the full, of "seizing the day".
The "Dead Poets Society", and the boys on which Mr. Keating has such a profound impact, include an interesting mix of characters...Neil Perry (the passionate young man at odds with his father's clearly defined expectations for his son's life), Todd Anderson (the classic shy adolescent, through whose eyes we view the unfolding drama), Charlie Dalton (the quintessential rebel), Knox Overstreet (the teen with whom most viewers can identify, deep in the throes of first love), and Richard Cameron (the mindless conformist).Ethan Hawke gives a moving performance as Todd, the younger brother of a former Weldon valedictorian and my personal favorite, who undergoes a character transformation as the plot unfolds.
The film Dead Poets Society is a film that explores the idea of "Carpe Diem" (seize the day) from the viewpoint of a classroom of young men at an all boys boarding school.
Their teacher Mr. Keating (played by Robin Williams)helps them stretch their minds, and exercise their right to defiant acts of love for life and poetry, rebuttlng society.
I thought Ethan Hawke (Todd Anderson) gave a true life twist to the film, Robin Williams (Mr. Keating or also known as Captain my captain) added an element of excitement, and Robert Sean Leonard (Neil Perry)added passion that leaves you mesmerized.
Several scenes are stunning, yet it never gets sentimental and stays sincere throughout the whole film.Because he was such a fantastic emotional actor, Robin Williams was the perfect choice to play John Keating, an original English teacher who wants his students to think for themselves, not only about poetry but also about life itself.
First of all, I would like to say that my English is not that good, but I think I can make myself understandable.This movie made a big impression on me, I saw it for the first time, I think just 2 years ago, I did not heard about this movie before.One of my favorite actors is Mr. Robin Williams and his playing his part here, as usual perfect.I totally agree with the one message of the movie, that parents should not put so much pressure on their children and let them take their own decisions.I like poetry as well and one of my favorite moments in the movie is when the character Todd Anderson (Ethan Hawke) has to tell his poem in front of the class but he has none and is challenged from his teacher to improvise....
It's about an extraordinary English teacher named John Keating, who uses unique ways through literature and poetry, to teach his students about life.
In fact, 'Dead Poets Society ' is a film about not a great poet, but an (allegedly) great teacher (Keating, played by Robin Williams), but the problem is still the same: can you convince the viewer that your character is truly inspiring, and not just irritating?
This is a movie that although could be described as trying too hard for emotion, still just makes you want to smile, you want these boys to break out of their closed off traditional world and do what they want to do in life.The story is about an elite prep boarding school and its students, where some are being worked hard as they await the day they enter college.
The story has its ways of making Williams just great to watch; the young guys who act here work well alongside him and make this a movie that has no central character, but a central story to share.Directed by Peter Weir, the movie is not all about Robin Williams and the famous scenes that are involved.
As for Williams's nomination for an Academy Award, well maybe I agree, I mean his acting is great here and although I've seen some criticise his comic side coming out here, I for one don't think it was a bad thing.When you get a film that just makes you think, you know it is fairly special, but one that adds into it emotion too, then it starts to become sublime.
His room-mate, Neil Parry (Robert Sean Leonard), although very bright and popular, is under the thumb of his controlling father (Kurtwood Smith) The two, along with their other friends, meet Professor Keating (A brilliant Robin Williams in one of his serious moods) their new English teacher, who tells them of the Dead Poets Society, and encourages them to seize the day, and make their lives extraordinary.For an actor well known for his comedic roles, Robin Williams is in fact, a very effective dramatic actor.
Accompanying a cast of bright, young actors {some of whom you'll recognise from their later successes, including Ethan Hawke and Robert Sean Leonard} is comedy veteran Robin Williams, whose warmth and passion forms the emotional core of the story.The prestigious Welton Academy prep school ("Tradition, Honor, Discipline and Excellence"), as they're four-pillar motto suggests, has a long-standing history of success and high reputation.
Into the school comes former student, now English teacher, John Keating (Williams), whose unorthodox approach to lessons, and vigorous passion towards literature and poetry, inspires many of his impressionable young students, and severely ruffles the feathers of Welton Academy's management.
Keating's rousing motto of "carpe diem" (a Latin phrase meaning "pluck/seize the day," borrowed from Horace's "Odes 1.11") inspires the young boys to make the most of every opportunity, and to look within themselves to discover the correct path for their lives.The film proved quite successful at the 1990 Academy Awards, acquiring an Oscar for Best Original Screenplay, and nominations for Best Actor (Robin Williams), Best Director (Weir's second nomination in that category) and Best Picture.
Perhaps because of the preparatory school setting and the cast of young actors, 'Dead Poets Society' seems as though it would be most effective with young teenage boys, who will relish the film's opposition towards conformity and strict authority.
When the movie ventures into darker territory in the closing quarter it falters, becoming an awkward attempt at manipulating emotions that jars against the promising story told in the beginning.Set in a prestigious school where the upper lips are stiff, the shirts stuffed and the emotions repressed, a class of teenage boys find their new English teacher John Keating (Robin Williams) taking a slight detour from the established curriculum.
And while I'm not an expert on teenage depression, I'd like to think it takes more for a young lad to blow his own head off than simply running into life's first obstacle.Dead Poets Society therefore is ultimately a promise that wasn't completely fulfilled as the subtle, intelligent storytelling is blown out of the water by the mishandling of the closing scenes.
Williams is excellent as always though and for seventy five percent of the time, Dead Poets Society is a great film..
Well, I remember loving this movie when I first saw it 15 years ago in junior high, but perhaps the film's main theme of a young, convention-defying teacher challenging kids to think freely and "seize the day" (an injunction that was repeated ad nauseum, even by a kid who used it as justification for molesting a passed-out girl) has been mimicked so many times that it just isn't novel anymore.
Dead Poets Society is directed by Peter Weir (Picnic At Hanging Rock/Gallipoli) and stars Robin Williams, Robert Sean Leonard, Ethan Hawke, Kurtwood Smith, Gale Hansen & Norman Lloyd.
The story follows that of English teacher John Keating who uses his different method of teaching to inspire his students to be all that they can be whilst warning of the perils of conformity.Dead Poets Society was a monster smash hit that made almost $220 million profit in Worldwide box office takings.
Young men, soon to be full adults, who have their lives mapped out for them, are challenged by Mr Keating to be spontaneous, to pursue idealism and view life with new perspectives.Coming two years after he was nominated for Good Morning Vietnam, Williams once and for all proves to his doubters that he is a quality dramatic actor.
That Schulman's script has avoided the usual clichés that come with teacher-student relations in film's helps Williams as an actor to breath intelligent life into Keating.
Actually Robin Williams character is dangerous and should be kicked out .His influence makes one of his students  commit suicide:that does not prevent his mindless idiot mates to give him (the teacher) a loud cheer.Don't tell me their "carpe diem" mentor teaches them to live!
Next, the film could have been an interesting experiment in synthesizing the different approaches to pedagogy when comparing the "old school" structured techniques of the school dean with the "free spirited" techniques of the teacher played by Robin Williams, but once again, this does not happen in the movie.
It is that spirit of such poetry and the spirit of carpe diem (seize the day) that is lit like a candle in some boys and a fire in others; Neil, Todd, Charlie, Knox, Meeks and Pitts as well as a few other of their classmates.Neil (Robert Sean Leonard pre, pre House) is a star pupil who wants to act, Todd (Ethan Hawke) is the new shy boy, Charlie (Gale Hansen) makes the boys laugh and us audience laugh and swoon, Knox (Josh Charles) is the one who dares to woo a girl he meets at a formal dinner, Meeks is the sweet boy and he and Pitts are scientifically both challenged and inspired.Mr Keating tells them to rip out anything that restricts their thinking.
I will say no more other than I think this character wanted to seize the passion.And like life, things and people in Dead Poets Society are always moving, the movie relies on you as an audience to pay attention and you might, just might, catch something that you missed before or that the person next to you missed.
This is the age at which I saw this film.Robin Williams' character, Keating, is introduced as a teacher of poetry but becomes a teacher of life.
Beautifully crafted with standout performances from Robin Williams(as the unconventional English professor), Ethan Hawke & Robert Sean Leonard, the film celebrates individuality and all those who want to "seize the day" and live life to the full.Full of warmth, wit and real perception, it's a joy from first to last though inevitably very poignant too as befits anything advocating an unequivocal embracing of all that life has to offer.
Robin Williams Lives On. Dead Poets Society is a film about a group of boys attending a prestigious Prep school in New England during the 1950's.
The new English teacher, a former student John Keating (Robin Williams), presents the students with a different outlook and encourages the boys to seize the day.
English teacher John Keating (Robin Williams) inspires his students to discover their love for poetry and seize the day.This is a story about what one teacher (or a mentor of any kind) can do to inspire the youth, whether it be for good or evil.
Such, is the life of Neil Perry (played by Robert Sean Leonard) who wants to be an actor, while his father does not want him to be that.Acted wonderfully by Robin Williams, who plays the part of John Keating this film speaks volumes of how good an actor Robin is.
this is one of the few films, I fall back on when I look for some inspiration, it essentially helps us write.Like in one scene, Robin Williams gives his students an Onion and asks them to see if they can write a poem on that.
Did not think that I would enjoy this film because I am not a big fan of Robin Williams who plays the role as John Keating, an English Professor who loves poetry and teaches this subject quite different than anyone else.
As far as the cast is concerned, Robin Williams is great, as always, and the young men (among them the future star Ethan Hawke) act very well.So watch this excellent movie and...
Dead Poets Society is a coming of age movie that teaches us that life is not only about growing up to have a nice job due to a good education.
The film is too self-consciously calculating and manipulative to be fully masterful, but it sure looks nice.******** Dead Poets Society (6/2/89) Peter Weir ~ Robin Williams, Ethan Hawke, Robert Sean Leonard, Gale Hansen.
Robin Williams, Robert Sean Leonard, Ethan Hawke, Norman Lloyd, and Alexandra Powers star in "Dead Poets Society," a 1989 film directed by Peter Weir and written by Tom Schulman.William plays an English teacher, John Keating, who comes back to his alma mater, an exclusive boys school, to teach.
Problems arise due to Keating's unorthodox teaching methods and opening these kids' minds.What a beautiful movie and what great imagery of birds flying free, the boys standing on their school desks and seeing the room from a different perspective, that idea of being "up high" used when Neil late at night looks out the window of his home.The film is predictable, but that doesn't make it any less powerful.
From Robin Williams I expected nothing less than impressive, because I've always considered him to be, one of the most skilled actors, here making no exception as Professor Keating, a sensitive man who experiences happiness through poetry, a sincere and altruist person who fervently wants to share his beloved passion with his much younger students.The real surprise was the performance of Robert Sean Leonard (Wilson from House MD TV series ) impersonating Neil Perry, a boy who loves acting but can't follow his dream because of his father's wish, as if his opinion didn't count at all, as if his personality was literally caged.
The film is like an inspirational teacher, the one in high school that changed the way you thought about life and knowledge.
It reflects this in Mr. Keating, the teacher who touched the lives of a group of teenage boys for the better despite the monstrous obstacle of conformity in all their paths.Directed by Peter Weir ("Gallipoli") and written beautifully by Tom Schulman, "Dead Poets Society" stars Robin Williams in one his first great dramatic performances as Keating, an English teacher at an all-boys boarding school who inspires his students with poetry and by encourages their own free thinking with the simple motto of "carpe diem (seize the day)."But the film is really about the boys and their various struggles.
Keating's lessons inspire their actions and bring out new parts of themselves and together they hold Dead Poets Society meetings in a cave in the woods.The clique of rebellious teenage boys and their unusual teacher are not motifs foreign to film, and neither are themes of fighting conformity and making the most of life.
I generally find great inspiration in films like this, and "Dead Poets Society" is no exception.
Robin Williams' character was equally great to watch.Someone advised teachers not to make their students watch this movie, and I think that that's a shame; but probably true.
DEAD POETS SOCIETY, in my opinion, is an excellent Robin Williams film.
Especially Robin Williams,an English teacher, who taught his students the importance of "seizing the day."  It encourages me in many good ways in my life, just as it did the students.