Dead Poets Society was a major success for Peter Weir. Costing, according to the oracle, $16.4 million, it grossed over $234 million. That's a success by any standard. It's a beautifully filmed movie (the cinematography is by John Seales, who did Mosquito Coast and Witness) with a very appealing cast of young actors in a story that never gets old: coming of age. It's funny, it's touching, it makes you laugh, it makes you cry—and has Robin Williams doing Marlon Brando doing Shakespeare. Who can resist that? It's also, like Master and Commander and Witness, a deceptive movie: Keating urges his students to look closely, to see what's around them: he's talking to us as well.
So: 1. What is your reaction to what we saw? Like? Dislike? Why? And what moment or image stayed with you from today's viewing—and why?
2. John Keating and Allie Fox. Compare and contrast them. At the end of the day, are they more alike than different, or more different than alike? This isn't a silly question. Really think about this and answer in depth.
We'll finish the movie tomorrow. We're really looking forward to the discussion. Heads up—we're calling on everybody tomorrow.
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ReplyDelete1. I found today’s film entertaining, but probably not one of my favorites. There were some aspects of it that I really enjoyed, such as the repeating theme of carpe diem, but it all kind of seemed like a plot we’re all familiar with. I’ve seen plenty of movies with the plot of detached students growing and expanding their horizons because a new and inspiring teacher or mentor figure has suddenly come into their lives. I’m not saying the entire film is cliché, but the baseline of the story kind of is.
ReplyDeleteMy favorite scene today was when Mr. Keating brought all of the boys into the hall to look at the old pictures of the students who used to attend their school. This could have been a quick and simple message, but something about how it was kind of stretched out and repeated in that scene was really cool. It was almost like Weir refused to let you get away without thinking about it.
2. John Keating and Allie Fox both seem to have a longing to live their lives to the fullest. John Keating finds this in literature, while Allie Fox finds this in moving out into the middle of the jungle and inventing things. Both of them also have the need to spread this feeling to the people around them. John Keating does this by teaching prep school boys, while Allie Fox does this by forcing his family to stay in the wild with him. This is where they differ. Although we have not yet seen all of John Keating, he does not seem to force his way of living onto the people who do not agree with him. Although he does seem very persistent, he tends to let the boys interpret the things he says in their own way. Allie Fox, on the other hand, has this vindictive need for everyone to live life the exact way he thinks it needs to be lived. He goes as far as burning down a church! Allie is the kind of man who will not rest until everyone around him is doing exactly what he thinks they should be doing.
This is my favorite Weir film by far, but this is also probably one of my favorite films to date after watching even just the first half. I’ve never seen it before, but this movie has been at the top of my to-watch list since I can remember. This movie is also the reason I signed up for this class- so basically: I love this movie without a doubt. I think that the coming of age story in this movie is so beautifully done and so touching. It’s cliché, but a lot of things are cliché, and this is one that is really well-done, so I give it two thumbs up. Clichés are clichés for a reason, because they stand up time and time again and they hold true over decades. The relationship between the boys seems relatively realistic, and the struggle that we see the boys go through as they become more free-thinking is one that every teenager has to go through. I love the scene when Keating brought all of the boys into the hall to look at the pictures of the alumni while simultaneously arguing about the shortness/futility of life. He makes clear a message that everyone needs to hear at some point in their life: you may think yourself to be king of the world, you may be at your peak right now, you may think you are at your worst, you may be in any given point in your life, but one day: you will be pushing up daisies, rotting in the ground, just like everyone else. You are not immortal, you are mortal, and Keating takes this moment and thought and uses it to argue that we should live life to the fullest.
ReplyDeleteBoth Fox and Keating are similar in the idea that they both believe that man is self-reliant. Fox takes this to an extreme, forcing himself and his family to live off the land in the jungle, truly relying on himself with a blind faith that quickly goes from extraordinary to stupid. Keating on the other hand, teaches his boys to be free-thinkers, as he believes every individual should be. He teaches that it is an individual’s responsibility to stand up for what is true to them, and to not conform if there really is no reason to. Keating offers this view (a very transcendentalist one at that) and allows his students a truly free-thinker option: if they want to be free-thinkers and think for themselves, they can. If they are too scared to, then they can conform. He never once forces them to commit to nonconformity, just makes them try a new idea they’ve never been shown before.
So far I like this movie, it really does remind me of Mona Lisa Smile though. But regardless, I do like the movie in itself. Obviously there is the theme of tradition, and like in other Weir films, there are young characters, actually a lot more young characters than the other movies… I think the image that stay with me most was Neil was telling Keating that he had talked to his father. I personally think that he lied, and that scene is staying with me because we ended with Neil going to talk to his father, and I don’t think that it is going to be a good conversation. And knowing Peter Weir, I doubt Neil will get a happy ending (am I being to dark again?).
ReplyDeleteI actually find Allie and Keating similar in the way that they are trying to save something that they see as corrupt. Allie leaves America because he loves it too much to see it collapse, and Keating loves teaching, but believes that the way the school conforms the boys is wrong and is trying to change that. And now that I'm thinking about it, both figures use rather extreme methods of enforcing certain ideas. I actually found the scene were Keating was covering Todd’s eyes to be really alarming at first, mainly because Todd looked extremely uncomfortable and there was so much chaos in the way that it was filmed in that spinning fashion. I see both characters as having similar characters that drive them to create something better. However, Keating may not have as much of an ego problem as Allie does. Both characters are equally driven and sure that they are doing the right thing to help others.
It is easy to see why this movie did so well commercially: it has clear themes, likable characters, easy to follow, not anything out of the ordinary. It has not been my favorite Weir film though; the movie was almost boring. Maybe it's because I've watched so many other movies by Weir with complicated plots and themes, but I don't have to think in order to get this movie. I miss the thinking, the confusion. One scene that stood out to me, though the intent was obvious, was the scene where all the boys were in the courtyard, and Mr. Keating was telling them to all walk in different paths with different speeds. He quotes Robert Frost's "The Road Not Taken." He tells the boys not to follow, but to be different. This is similar to lasts night blog's question: does Weir think we should live by straight lines or crooked ones? In this scene he is having everyone take their own crooked paths, proving in yet another movie that breaking tradition is not necessarily a bad thing.
ReplyDeleteAlthough Mr. Keating is much more likable than Allie, they both seem all-knowing to the people around them. In the beginning of The Mosquito Coast in Allie's son's voice over, his son talks about how his dad is the smartest person he has met. Mr. Keating also comes off as a very intelligent man to many of his students. Both seem to inspire the kids in the two movies. They also are both breakers of tradition; Allie moving to a whole different part of the world, and Mr. Keating with his ways of teaching. They also believe I'm themselves. Allie comes off egotistical and tyrannical whereas Keating comes off confident. The two are more similar than you would notice from a distance.
1. I’m enjoying the movie but it isn’t as exciting as the others. There was much more at stake in the other films. In Dead Poets Society, no one is dying. Also, I’m having trouble keeping track of who’s who. There are so many main characters that I can’t remember each of their stories. I like the geese scattering scenes and the scenes in which the boys are singing but the relationship between Neil Perry and his father seems cliché to me. I found the scene in which Charlie Dalton brings two girls to the Dead Poets Society very interesting. There’s a lot of tension in the air because the Society was a secret between the boys and without consulting them, Dalton exposes them to two clueless girls. It’s also a very funny scene because the girls are so grossed out by their surroundings and believe, when Dalton recites Shakespeare to them, that he has written it.
ReplyDelete2. Though both John Keating and Allie Fox are eccentrics, Fox is practically insane when Keating stays within reason. When Dalton gets in trouble, Keating realizes that both he and the boy can get in big trouble and he tells Dalton to tone it down. Allie would have told Dalton to keep going and probably would have gotten both of them kicked out. Both Keating and Fox don’t really like what’s going on around them and deal with it in a drastic manner. Fox flees but Keating stays at the school and turns the rigid style of discipline into jumping on desks and walking around like penguins. I don’t think that the two are very alike although they both share a zeal for life.
1. Before class today, I had seen this movie once. The first time I watched it, I remember liking it because of it's historical setting and likable characters. My goal at the time was not to think about themes and how it relates to other movies, but to get a good introduction to poetry before the JH poetry slam, so I didn't have to really think about it. Now, as I'm watching it again, and knowing that this class is about more than the poetry, it's almost boring. The main theme, tradition, is practically thrown in your face, so it's very difficult to look around this theme to the less prominent. The characters, while likable in the first viewing, have turned into annoying people who keep trying to get things out of their reach (being in a play, Chris, etc.). Overall, this movie may be good for a light movie to watch on a rainy afternoon, but it's not very fun to look for themes in, as they are very obvious. The most memorable moment for me was the way Neil changed from so happy to so unhappy after the play was over. He had just finished a wonderful performance, and everyone was praising him, and he had seen his father in the audience, probably thinking he was there to make peace. But when the woman says his father sounds angry, he is scared. His one moment of pure joy is completely ruined by his father's desire to have everything his way.
ReplyDelete2. It seems strange to compare Keating to Fox, but now that it's pointed out, it makes sense. They are both led entirely for their love of what they do, whether it be teaching or living in the wild. They both abandon perfectly respectable lives and people who need and/or love them for their passion. They are both unusual teachers. However, Keating teaches his students to be different and to do what they love, and Allie teaches his children to obey him and not try to live an easier life because he doesn't want them to. It seems that Keating's ideas are more beneficial to his students, and they may be in the moment, but Allie's are more beneficial in the long run. He teaches his children about hierarchy, and how to obey those more powerful than you. Assuming they go back to America, which they probably will, considering their condition, they will have to get jobs in which they have a boss who tells them what to do. They may want to rebel, but their father has taught them to do what they are told. Keating, however, teaches his students to do what they want, pick what job they want, even if it goes against their parents's wishes. They are set up to have a very hard time obeying people more powerful than them when there isn't a threat of pain of some sort hanging over their heads. Once they can't be physically injured, they will have no boundaries. They won't care if they're disobeying their superiors because they know they won't be hurt. They may both be teaching ways to live in a hierarchical society, but they teach very different things, with very different views of life. Keating is an optimist, thinking the boys will be whatever they want and will be at the top of the hierarchy, and Allie is a pessimist, knowing that his kids will have to work up to being at the top, and will have to deal with bossy people.
1. I'm really enjoying this movie so far. As some people have mentioned, it's a bit cliche, but I feel like in this case the term cliche is used because the thing that's cliche is something that actually happens to everyone. We all come of age, and so to put that in a movie makes it cliche. The thing that I really love about the movie is that what's bringing about the coming of age and self discovery in these boys is something intellectual and emotional. Keating says it himself, poetry is about love and passion and that's what they're finding and I really like that. The moments that stay with me the most are when Keating makes Todd come up with a poem and when Neil has Todd throw his desk set. I have a soft spot for Todd.
ReplyDelete2. Well. I hate Allie and I don't hate Keating, that's the biggest difference. No, I think the real biggest difference is that Allie has a God complex and Keating loves teaching and wants to help the kids. Allie feels the need to be recognized and appreciated and to be the most brilliant person around. And while I'm sure Keating wants to be accepted (because we all do), I also think he legitimately wants to help these boys find their passions and seize the day and not have to live in the oppressive environment he knows they deal with.
I really, really enjoy this film so far -- it's probably my favorite. It seems a lot more uplifting than any of the other films, but that really isn't saying too much, as none of Weir's other films have been anything close to uplifting so far. Dead Poets Society, regardless, is a very interesting and entertaining film. I've really enjoyed it so far and I have been able to relate to almost all of the characters, definitely not something I would say about Weir's other characters (Picnic at Hanging Rock comes to mind). I think that one reason I like this film so much is probably that the main cast, with the exception of Mr Keating, are all high school students. An image that sticks with me is the scene where the students go to have their first meeting, and they're running away from the school in hoods and jackets, silhouetted with the dark trees in the background. It was kind of eerie in strange, and it seemed a little bit out of place with the rest of the movie, but that was part of the reason I liked it so much.
ReplyDeleteWhen I first saw this question, I thought it was a bit ridiculous, but thinking about it, Allie and Keating are much more similar than they appear. Both men have their own way of thinking and aren't afraid to stray outside the norm, although Allie does stray a bit more drastically than Keating. Both men are also very unusual to other people around their age, but are looked up to and seen as figureheads by people younger than them that they are influencing. With Allie, Charlie and the younger son see him as an all-knowing genius who is completely confident and sure of what he's doing. Keating leads the class in a strange and exciting way that makes his students see him as a great teacher and someone to look up to, even following in his footsteps by re-creating the Dead Poets Society. However, Allie eventually loses the trust of the people that look up to him, and this makes me worried about what will happen with Keating and the students later.
I love this film. It’s a very joyous film; everyone is running around, finding themselves, goofing off, etc. etc. Out of all the films we’ve watched, it feels like a breath of fresh air because it feels like Weir finally wants us to feel joy and not just burden us with philosophical dilemmas. This film certainly has its fair share of moral and emotional dilemmas. One moment in the film that really sticks out to me is when Keating is trying to get Todd to speak up in the class. I remember the first time I saw it that scene really pissed me off, because I though Keating was going a bit overboard and getting a bit tyrannical; it clearly wasn’t something Todd was comfortable with but Keating pushed him anyway. Even though Keating broke through to Todd and Todd benefitted from it, it still made me uncomfortable to see someone treated like this in a classroom. It could have really backfired for Keating, and it makes me question his blind trust in his methods. But I guess that is what makes him the passion teacher that he is.
ReplyDeleteI think they are very similar people. They both have a very narrow mindset that they preach to the people around them, the people who have less power than them. They disagree with anybody who questions their beliefs. At some point, passion turns into something a little scarier, and I think in Allie’s case, it was a frightening desire to be defiant, and in Keating’s case, it has not gotten to that point yet but it easily could.
I really loved what we’ve seen of this movie so far, but I am also a big movie person and have really liked just about everything we’ve watched. I definitely understand why it was such a big success where The Mosquito Coast wasn’t. As someone mentioned in class today, Dead Poet’s Society is the kind of movie that people go to see just to relax and enjoy. You don’t need to think as much about it as the others we’ve seen—Picnic at Hanging Rock, The Last Wave. I do agree that the story may be cliché at times, but it’s a good kind of cliché, if that makes any sense. My favorite scene(s) were the ones when Keating was teaching the boys a lesson with interaction and proving his points. For example, I thought that the courtyard scene when he quotes Robert Frost’s “Road Not Taken” was great and I really felt like he was teaching me, too.
ReplyDeleteI agree that Keating and Allie are a lot more alike than I had thought at first. Both characters are passionate about teaching different from the “norm.” Allie prefers to teach by experience and nature and Keating prefers to break away from the traditional ways of the prep school with his active life lessons. Like Emi said, both want to live away from their oppressive environments. Though Keating may not appear to be quite as egotistical and confident as Allie (so far), they both believe that they’re doing the right thing and helping others.
Compared to his other films, Weir’s Dead Poets Society was a profound disappointment. While Weir has a tendency to take seemingly bland thrillers and mysteries and season them with incredible thematic complexity, Dead Poets Society was overwrought with cliches and simplicity. Unlike his other movies which transcend their genres, Dead Poets was just another cookie-cutter version of our typical students-meet-teacher-who-changes-their-life story. While some may view Robin Williams’ performance as superb, I found his character overly goofy and romantic. The moment that stayed with me the most was when the father walked in the middle of Neil’s performance in A Midsummer Night’s Dream. The boy’s costume was ridiculous, even for a fairy’s, and the whole begrudging-father-finally-accepts-his-child-likes-theater-and-walks-in-on-his-performance is so specific, yet something I’ve seen way too many times before.
ReplyDeleteJohn Keating and Allie Fox are very similar. Both are incredibly intelligent trailblazers in their respective fields, and both try to use their unique view of the world to teach others. However, while Allie is propelled by his incredible narcissism to live completely outside of the world he detests, never questioning himself, John Keating lives inside the world he challenges. Because John Keating’s character isn’t so prideful, it isn’t as annoying as Fox’s.
1. I have seen this movie before as well as most of the other ones for some reason, and I love it. However, I would have to say that the part we saw is not nearly as interesting, emotional, and perfect as the ending. Yes, the first part is still great, but the end really blows it out of the water. I say this because in the beginning the characters all seem to have all of these different things going on in their lives. I think that all of the side stories take away from the point of the movie. Yes, the side stories do tell us more about the characters and provide content and both of those things are important, but they still detract from the beginning of the movie. It is more realistic that most of the people in the class would not be really in to poetry, but it is better when they all (or at least the important characters) come together at the end.
ReplyDelete2. I would say that they are very similar characters. They both like to live simply and freely, and they both don’t like what is happening/has happened to America. Obviously they are different characters because Keating seems to have settled in life while Allie is obviously very obsessed with perfecting many of the aforementioned mental characteristics and their manifestations as a way of life. They are both teachers who are trying to convey their views to the next generation so that what they believe to be important will continue forever. They are both both invertors. Allie is an inventor in the physical world while Keating is an inventor of the mind.
I absolutely love this movie! I remember the first time that I saw it. My parents suggested this movie and I thought, "Well, with a name like 'Dead Poets Society' I am sure this movie will involve many dead poets". I was not a fan of poetry and frankly, I wasn't too excited about watching it. Then I DID watch it and it was amazing! This experience is happening all over again! Not the skeptical judgement before watching, the loving it part. I mean, it is Robin Williams. Who doesn't love Robin Williams? He brings such a light aspect to the movie. I feel like many people could make this movie too heavy and serious (even with the silly scenes) and Robin Williams does a great job in not doing that. As for scenes that stuck out, I love the scene where Neil is finishing his final scene of the play and he looks out at his father. He isn't just acting, he is talking to his father. This is how he stands up to his father. Seeing as he wasn't actually able to tell his father that he was in the play, this is his chance to show strength. It really made me think about the relationship that I have with my own father. Luckily, my father has attended all of my shows and is far from Neil's father. Another little clip that I liked was when there are a few shots of birds (switching with each ring of the church bells) and then it goes to the shots of the boys. At first it takes a moment to differentiate the sound of the birds from the sounds of the boys. I thought it was interesting. I also love when Charlie goes to the party. I mean, what a stereotypical scene. Two stupid and drunk football players, people making out everywhere, a girl who has fallen asleep (or passed out..though it seems like she has just fallen asleep) and a fight to finish the night. I still liked it though. When Charlie goes to stroke Chris' hair I feel mixed emotions. On one hand I think that he is drunk and it's cute and I really feel how much he cares for her. On the other hand I want to treat the moment like a horror movie and yell, "Don't do it! You know it's a bad idea!" except like any horror movie, yelling wouldn't help. I just like how this movie really shows the more sensitive side of the boys.
ReplyDeleteOnto the second question. John Keating and Allie Fox. I do see how these two men are similar. For one thing, they are both eccentric and strange men. Allie is not only eccentric and strange, he might be crazy as well. In fact, I am just going to go with saying that he is crazy. I also think that some could view John Keating as crazy. I bet the teacher who asked Mr. Keating what was going on in the courtyard thought that Keating was crazy (I hope that sentence made sense). They are also both smart men. Fox is able to create incredible physical objects. He can take a town (Jeronimo!) from sparse and ragged to lively and functioning. Keating is able to create incredible imagery and thoughts. He is the kind of teacher that not only teaches information but also teaches lessons. I don't mean lessons from a book. I mean moral lessons and life lessons. These two men are free-thinkers. They make a difference and enjoy doing it. They are both leaders. In Keating's case, I believe that his role of leader is strongly supported by his ability to step back and observe as a follower. I think this is where Fox lacked skill. He was never able to step down from his high and mighty position and because of this, he came to an early end in life.
1. I’m enjoying this film, but I wouldn’t say it’s my favorite or Weir’s best. It is, as everyone has said, much more lighthearted and fun than the other movies. It’s not a thriller, adventure, war drama, or mystery, so it seems quite different than everything else we’ve watched. That’s not necessarily bad, it’s nice to change pace and watch something uplifting. However, I find this film just a bit too uplifting. It almost seems like it’s trying too hard to be inspiring. I know how this sounds, but I think there are ways to be uplifting without throwing it right at the audience. Everyone is too nice and supportive. We have our token stodgy and stifling old men (Neil’s father and Mr. Nolan), but everyone else seems too perfect. Nobody’s mean to anybody ever? They all encourage each other no matter what’s going on? Everybody is a best friend? I mean, Paideia is a nice place. Probably one of the more friendly environments, but it’s not like this. Everyone in this movie seems to have their heart in the right place (save mean father and mean Nolan). Mr. Keating is the stereotypical perfect teacher. He’s fun, he’s spontaneous, he throws caution to the wind and breaks the rules (rip out the pages and stand on the desk, gee whiz this guy is neato). And of course he’s compassionate and understanding when need be. Then there are the students who always seem to win. Knox (from the point of view of Chris) acts like a bit of a weirdo, and he still gets her. I don’t know, maybe there’s something to be said for his persistence. Todd overcomes his fear and speaks brilliantly without any real trials. Charlie pulls his little phone stunt and it looks like he might be in real trouble. He’s paddled for information, which he (inspiringly!) does not give up. So what happens to him for his insubordination? Well…nothing it seems. He’s kindly reprimanded by Mr. Keating who makes a joke before leaving (golly this guy really gets me). Then Nolan and Mr. Perry seem to have no redeeming qualities. The characters are so black and white. There’s no doubt whatsoever who we are supposed to boo at and who we are supposed to cheer for.
ReplyDelete2. I think they are alike in ideology. They both feel that going with the current is a poor choice. They feel that the ideas being passed down without a second glance are not great (the poetry book introduction and American commercialism). However, they go about upholding their beliefs in very different ways. Allie picks up his family and leaves to create a new society. Mr. Keating moves to the heart of the society he disagrees with and tries to make a difference. I mentioned in my last blog that I thought something like this would be a much better idea. It does seem like Mr. Keating is accomplishing his task much more efficiently. However, the fact that Keating is more calm, more successful, and more open makes him a less complex and less interesting character. Throughout Mosquito Coast, I was constantly changing my mind about Allie, and I think that is always an accomplishment in a film.
Watching it so far, I have enjoyed it. I really like it because its easy to follow along, and I would also say that this could possibly be one of my favorite movies in this short term class. As I said its relatively easy to watch, which is something that I really like. Its straight forward and is really fun to watch. An image that I really liked was when John Keating and Neil were talking about how Neil's father wanted him to quit the play and John said that he should stay in the play. I really liked that because he stuck up to his dad even if his dad didnt like it, and also because Neil showed a huge passion to acting and he knew it was something he loved. Mr. Perry seemed very straight about what he wanted, and didnt care about what Neil wanted, so to have Neil stand up to his father (Mr. Perry), was something that I really liked.
ReplyDeleteI think Allie and John are similar because they both break the regular way of living, and for John, the way of teaching. Allie movies his whole family to a foreign country and thats totally different. John doesnt teach the 'normal' way. On the first day of class he didnt teach in the classroom, he brought them all outside in the hall. I also think that they are both smart. For Allie because of his inventions and stuff, and for John it seems like he knows a lot of literature, and knows a lot of common knowledge.
I love this movie--as I said today in class, it actually makes me happy, which none of the other movies have. Obviously, I can relate to these characters better than any of the characters in the other movies, so when they are seizing the day and enjoying themselves, it makes me happy. One moment that sticks with me is Neil's conversation with Keating about his passion for acting and how his parents didn't understand. Every time Neil talked about his father I wanted to scream at him and tell him to do what he wants for god's sakes! That scene in particular stuck with me not only because I totally understand being passionate about acting, but because I understood exactly how he felt, wanting to be something his parents didn't approve of and not knowing how to tell them that they had sacrificed so much for something he never wanted. I feel I can apply this movie to my own life more than I can apply the other movies. I hadn't really thought to compare Keating to Allie, but since you asked it makes a lot of sense: both characters have their own idea of how to save those they care about and rule over from what they see as the corrupt world. Both want to break free from tradition and both are determined to see their vision to its end. One critical difference is that Allie wants complete control over the world around him while Keating encourages the chaos that ensues when the boys tap into their emotions. I hope that Keating doesn't turn out to be as blindly ambitious or as dangerous as Allie was because I like him and I appreciate what he's doing for his students.
ReplyDelete1. I am really enjoying the film. The teenagers are really funny and Robin Williams is the man. The themes of the film, while slightly more cliché than those in some of his other films, are very relatable, interesting, and engaging. Some of the plot points seemed a little contrived. Todd's eloquence, despite his intense fear of speaking in front of others is a little dramatic. Also Neil Perry getting the lead role in a Shakespeare play, after having never done any acting, and the love-at-first-sight moment. I can accept these moments, however, for two reasons. Having seen Weir's other films I know he doesn't rely on cheesy moments, and there are so many other parts of the film that have deeper meaning. Keating does prompt his students to look behind the surface of things, and there is certainly a lot behind the cheesy, superficial surface of this movie. Again, Weir brings up the theme of tradition vs. change. In this film there is a clear emphasis on the benefits of change, and being able to look at objects and situations in a new light. One of the moments that really stood out to me was when Mr. Keating had his students stand on the desk. I have experienced that same feeling, on accident. I have been in places that I have known all my life, but been in a different position or at a different angle, and noticed that things looked completely different. I love the way Mr. Keating uses that experience to give a suggestion about how to live life.
ReplyDelete2. Sure, they are similar. They are comfortable taking actions that may be unorthodox and looked down upon, and they both want to improve upon things they care about. Mr. Keating has his kids standing on desks and ripping pages out of their books because he believes that's the way literature can be truly appreciated. Allie takes his entire family to live in the jungle because he believes he can create a civilization worthy enough to be a part of the United States. I have a hard time saying they're more similar than not, however, because I do not like Allie in the least, and Mr. Keating is the coolest. I also think that what drives their pursuits is what's most important about them, and what is most different about them. Mr. Keating puts so much effort into his teaching because he truly cares about literature and his students. He wants his students to have everything he had and more, teaching them what he considers to be some of the most valuable lessons in life, and passing on the Dead Poets Society. He wants those kids to know more than just grades, goals, and future plans. I think that Allie, although he does love his country and family, decides to embark on his journey because of his hubris. He is insulted by his boss' rejection, and consequently decides that living in the jungle will give him the greatest chance of recognition. Unlike Keating, I think Allie only tells himself his actions are for the benefit of others, when really they are selfish. He puts his entire family endanger, because he won't even accept advice from Hattie. Although almost all of their actions have connections to each other, I think Mr. Keating and Allie are more different than alike because of what drives them.
I left the room the other day (when I was supposed to have written this blog) with my soul full of peace. I loved Dead Poets Society as a peace of artwork. Not as a commentary or entertainment but as an artwork. Is that not what a director is—an artist? If so, this work is Weir's best. I adored the shot of Knox knocking on the door of the Danbury's home from the perspective of Chris, and Knox pulls off love at first sight perfectly. Art, absolute art.
ReplyDeleteTo me, Mr. Keating and Allie are two totally different kinda of heros, and any similarities they may have do not change that fact. To address their similarities: the two have a desire that lies outside the realm of normality within their respective worlds. In attempts of achieving this goal, they both out-step ethical boundaries. The parallels of these two characters might prompt one to think Weir uses them for the same purpose, which he does not. Allie plays the tragic hero—he who, led by legitimate desire, is ultimately consumed by himself. Allie, Allie on the other hand is candlelight amongst the darkness—a man who enters a fearful world with the desire only to better it. His quest is self rewarding, sure, but the pinnacle he seeks is part of something bigger than self. Keating does not go too far; he is not consumed by himself. Rather, he lights a fire in the darkness, and not all that his light reveals is beautiful. It is the truth nonetheless, and consequences come of it.