Dead Poets Society (1989)

English teacher John Keating inspires his students to look at poetry with a different perspective of authentic knowledge and feelings.

Director:

Peter Weir

Writer:

Tom Schulman

Stars:

Robin Williams, Robert Sean Leonard, Ethan Hawke

Top Rated Movies #225 | Won 1 Oscar. Another 19 wins & 18 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Robin Williams	...	John Keating
Robert Sean Leonard	...	Neil Perry
Ethan Hawke	...	Todd Anderson
Josh Charles	...	Knox Overstreet
Gale Hansen	...	Charlie Dalton
Dylan Kussman	...	Richard Cameron
Allelon Ruggiero	...	Steven Meeks
James Waterston	...	Gerard Pitts
Norman Lloyd	...	Mr. Nolan
Kurtwood Smith	...	Mr. Perry
Carla Belver	...	Mrs. Perry
Leon Pownall	...	McAllister
George Martin	...	Dr. Hager
Joe Aufiery	...	Chemistry Teacher
Matt Carey	...	Hopkins

Storyline

Painfully shy Todd Anderson has been sent to the school where his popular older brother was valedictorian. His roommate, Neil Perry, although exceedingly bright and popular, is very much under the thumb of his overbearing father. The two, along with their other friends, meet Professor Keating, their new English teacher, who tells them of the Dead Poets Society, and encourages them to go against the status quo. Each does so in his own way, and is changed for life.

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Plot Keywords:

english teacher | professor | education | suicide | poet | 

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Taglines:

He was their inspiration. He made their lives extraordinary.

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Genres:

Comedy | Drama

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Certificate:

PG

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English Latin

Release Date:

9 June 1989 (USA)

Also Known As:

La sociedad de los poetas muertos

Filming Locations:

Everett Theatre - 47 West Main Street, Middletown, Delaware, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$16,400,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$340,456, 4 June 1989, Limited Release

Gross USA:

$95,860,116

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$140,000,000

Company Credits

Production Co:

Touchstone Pictures, Silver Screen Partners IV, A Steven Haft Production

Technical Specs

Runtime:

128 min 140 min (laserdisc)

Sound Mix:

70 mm 6-Track (70 mm prints) Dolby Stereo (35 mm prints)

Color:

Color (Metrocolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

In the opening scenes of the film, the boys are wearing military unit patch lapel pins.

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Goofs

When the students are stepping up onto Mr. Keating's desk to get a different view of the room, Pitts goes up twice: once towards the beginning and then later when Mr. Keating tells them that they are to write a poem.

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Quotes

John Keating: This is a battle, a war, and the casualties could be your hearts and souls.

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Alternate Versions

TV version shown on USA Network (and released on laserdisc) includes 14 minutes of extra footage not included in the original theatrical release.

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Connections

Spoofed in Bob's Burgers: Bob and Deliver (2013)

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Soundtracks

Stranded in the Jungle
Written by Al Curry, James Johnson and Ernestine Smith
Performed by The Cadets
Courtesy of Kent Records

User Reviews

Carpe Diem, because the days don't stand still

First of all, this is movie is my all-time favorite, out of all the hundreds of films I have seen. 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. Here, we see one of his very personal and cradled projects, and he shows the visual style and concentration on characters in which he is so affluent. His control of the camera and the characters are very strong and very smooth. The cinematography is near perfect, with every shot, along with the editing, seamless. Also very compelling are the color-tones in every scene, perfectly matching the mood and events of the scene. Could you say this is art? Absolutely.

Then we have the performances. Robin Williams continues in stride as one who has to-date remained the most touching, heart-wrenching, awe-inspiring comedians with inarguable acting talent (he still remains my most favorite performer on the film screen). His Professor John Keating is a man who embodies every professor who you thought was cool and respectable, every person who taught or enlightened you in something out of the ordinary. In fact - dare I say it? - he teaches something EXTRAORDINARY! We have the tragically underrated Robert Sean Leonard in his role as the free-thinking catalyst student Neil. Why is this man not a household name/Hollywood heavyweight? His roles are always full of inspiration, energy, and tragic emotion that never fail to move an audience. His role in this movie is fresh, unhindered, and never pretentious as the cautionary tale of the movie. And then we have Ethan Hawke in one of his earliest roles as the point-of-view character. The entire supporting cast is very strong, also, providing the foundation and serve as the various emotional ties that further involve us in the story. Josh Charles's role as Knox Overstreet is a role that almost all guys can relate to wholeheartedly. And of course, all the actors who are in that Dead Poets Society do a fine job.

And lastly, the story. I won't summarize it since it's been summarized many times here, but I will say that it is one of the best coming of age stories for not only adolescents, but anyone. I have personally heard from nine-to-fivers who were inspired by this movie to change the situations of their jobs, careers, relationships for the better. I first saw this movie when I was 13, and immediately stamped, crowned and elevated this movie as my all-time favorite. Now that I am 18 and living on my own, with very different concerns than back then, I turn back to this movie over and over again, to find inspiration, solace and of course, entertainment. It is still my all-time favorite, and it still inspires me to seize the day and make my life extraordinary.