A review on 'Dead Poets Society' | 1989

Last week, Mr Gnawali gave us a movie list to watch them what he thinks that they are must-watch movies for teachers. I could remember that I downloaded this movie two or three times in my student life to watch but could not hold my patience in getting addicted to skipping after watching a lot of action movies. Nobody told me about this movie before but I downloaded it for no interest as most of the students do.

When respected Laxman Gnawali recommended 'Dead Poets Society' I was thinking what the especially of this movie. I know Robin Williams as he is a famous actor and watched some of his movies but other faces I could not recognise. Anyway, my teacher never recommended unnedominatingcessary things to watch except for education and its other genres.

The moment I am writing this review it is late night and the hour compas is about to have a sleep with Mr 3. I thought it's better not to look for some details about the movie to write this review and I want it fresh and juicy as I watched it.

A new batch has been admitted in Welton Academy - a renowned boys' prep school in Vermont, America. Parents and enthusiasts are desperately seeking to get to admission in this school for their children's better future. All the teachers including the school administration follow traditional teaching with a lot of assignments, drilling and memorizing. The poetry teacher, an alumnus of Welton, John Keating is a different one and he wants the boys to get the real taste of poetry thinking out of the box, looking at things from different angles and teaching the meaning of life. Parents are so dominating here they are always conscious about their children's careers and want them to be a doctor or an engineer. Some boys are so afraid that they even did not speak against their parents. The students find that Mr Keating was a member of an inactive and unsanctioned club named 'Dead Poets Society.' Neil with his friends restarts this secret club again where they practice free will, passion, poetry and culture. A boy named 'Neil' wants to be an actor on the stage but his parents do not want him to be rather than to become a doctor. Without informing his parents, he acts in a drama and gets appreciation from everyone except his father. He takes Neil to his house and asks him to get a new admission to an army school. Neil cannot say anything because he does not know how to make feel his father about his desire and passion. He committed suicide. The administration takes action against Mr Keating accusing him to spoil the boys. However, the boys stand with Mr Keating in the last scene, "O Captain! My Captain!"

I found that there were tears in my eyes four times getting emotional to some of the touchy scenes. When Mr Keating was sounding the Latin word 'carpe diem,' (seize the day) I got a goosebump for the first time. The way he motivated the students to live their life and passion in the first class, it reminded me of the first of my professional teaching career. I was so illiterate in teaching that I encouraged my students to speak in English in the first class thinking of my misery. I did not want to let it happen to my beloved students. Being a parrot does not help to develop the critical thinking of a child which is most important for a child's psychological development. The test system in our exams has its own fault. It is not friendly to get the real scenario of the students' skills. They reminded me not only of my present career as a teacher but also of the time when I was a student. I could remember when I asked my parents to select the subject that I should get admitted. Mr Captain (John Keating) shows the ways to the students to express themselves and come out with the inner talent, that nobody cares about them before but only the students themselves. This is the practice of a system where children cannot go with their passion and the society is still stuck with the idea of traditional career path; for example, doctor, engineer etc. The ruling old thoughts even narrow down the way of getting the scope of other professions and their respect. Children need to learn to express themselves and no one has the right to stop it. Otherwise, those souls will be called dead and a society of emotionless people.

The cinematography of some scenes was outstanding, especially the meetings of Dead Poets Society and the staging of A Midsummer Night's Dream. A few of the scenes with Mr Keating seemed to me unnatural, I think the producer could limit the emotion in some cases. The spanking scene was so rude to think how far a headmaster can go to bring discipline in a school. It still exists in many places around the world officially or unofficially. Anyway, sometimes movies cross the limit of our thinking and emotion.

I am really thankful to my Captain Mr Gnawali sir for recommending us this movie to watch. This kind of movie is made in a hundred years and I recommend everyone to watch this great movie.