DEAD POETS SOCIETY

US, 1989, 128 minutes, Colour.
Robin Williams, Robert Sean Leonard, Ethan Hawke, Kurtwood Smith, Josh Charles.
Directed by Peter Weir.

Dead Poets Society is a Peter Weir film. It takes up education themes that he explored in Picnic At Hanging Rock. It also has the mystique of adolescents and their growing up, also a theme from Picnic. However, Weir is able to dramatise the American context of 1959 - and make it interesting and relevant to world-wide audiences.

Robin Williams is subdued as the creative English teacher, John Keating. It is a Williams performance (Mork and Mindy, Moscow on the Hudson, Popeye, Good Morning Vietnam) - but it has a depth of understanding and compassion. The performances by the boys are very good, especially that of Robert Sean Leonard (My Best Friend is a Vampire) who has to sustain the tragic side of the film.

Photographed in Delaware, the film shows the strict way of life at an all-boys preparatory school in the late '50s, the ethos and codes of the school, the pressures of parents and teachers - and the possibility of thinking for oneself and breaking out. The Dead Poets Society is a group of boys which meets weekly in order to exercise and support that creativity.

A moving and exhilarating film about the possibilities of creativity and education. The screenplay is by Tom Schulman and the musical score by Maurice Jarre who scored many of Weir's films.

1. Interesting and entertaining film? Themes of education and creativity?

2. Delaware locations, the preparatory college, the atmosphere of 1959? Enclosed, privileged? The special effects - the sequences with the birds? Musical score, popular songs, classics?

3. The title, the focus on poetry, freedom and dreams, John Keating and the group in the '40s, the book of poetry, the effect on himself and his friends? The revival of the society in 1959, the boys' dreams and their creative and destructive effects?

4. Education and schools, prestigious preparatory schools, the exercise of power, the emphasis on careers, 1959 and the continuity of the four pillars: tradition, discipline, honour, excellence? The opening ceremony, the role of the staff and the faculty, the all-male atmosphere, the boys' rooms, the regime of the school, classes, dining room and formalities? The staff as an elite? Rules and code?

5. The headmaster and his opening speech, the four pillars and the boys standing, the boys watching Keating after the introduction? The headmaster and his supervising Keating, his interrogating the teacher, warning him, watching the boys in their classes, forcing the boys to sign the document against Keating, his taking over Keating's class, wanting to use the textbook - and the boys' revolt against him?

6. Robin Williams' portrait of John Keating: a past student of the school, on the staff, the introduction in the chapel, Williams' subdued but enthusiastic style, the first class and his introduction, walking through, the boys mystified, taking them to look at the photos, his speech about the boys in 1900, getting them to listen to the voices? His philosophy of `Carpe diem,' `Seize the day'? `Gather ye rosebuds while ye may'? The standing on the desk and looking at the world from a different perspective? Getting the boys to write poetry, Todd and his creative efforts, his being drawn out by Keating and being spontaneously creative, the transforming effect on him? The other boys watching and being absorbed? The class where he got the three to walk, their walking in unison, dramatising convention? Shakespeare and his imitations of the various voices including Marlon Brando and John Wayne as Macbeth? The football training, the verses of poetry and the boys kicking? Their victories, their carrying him, his encouragement? His talk about his own past, schooldays, the Dead Poets Society, Thoreau and `sucking the marrow of life'? His encouragement of each of the boys, the discussion with Neil about the theatre, urging him to tell the truth to his father? Going to the play, Neil's death and his grief? His wave to the cynical confrere and their previous discussions? His being asked to leave, the interview with the headmaster? Going into the class, the boys standing on the desk as a salute and a gesture to his creative power? The destructive aspects of his teaching? The creative aspects?

7. Who was right, who was wrong? `Carpe diem' - `Dying, not knowing that I have lived'?

8. The boys, their place in the school, the special group, the range of types, family background, personalities? The strict parents - the pressures on Todd and the memories of his brother? Neil and the severity of his father, the expectations, his life mapped out, going to Harvard, forbidding him to work on the annual? The boys and their reaction to their parents, wishing they could speak directly but unable to, smoking, mocking the four pillars? The rebellion and the conformity, hopes? Classes and their reaction? Joining the Dead Poets Society and its change on them?

9. Neil as leader, pleasant young man, helping Todd, studying, the dominance of his father, the silence of his mother? His wanting to lead his own life? The attraction to the poetry, the response to the society, getting it going again? Friendship with each of the boys, persuading Todd to come to the society? Going for the play, the audition, his being accepted? Forging the letter from his father and the headmaster? Discussing with Mr Keating? Lying to him about the play and his father? His father forbidding him to be in the play? His acting, success, feeling great? The character of Puck, the fairy, the magic? The crown of thorns? His father's presence, his going home, inability to speak directly to his father, opening the window, the freezing, the crown of thorns, going downstairs, shooting himself? The ritual of dying? The repercussions on his parents, the boys?

10. The sketch of Neil's parents, their hopes, credibility, his father's self-righteousness? Mother's inability to help? Their blaming Keating for their son's death?

11. Todd as the quiet young man, the pressure of his parents and his brother's reputation, rooming with Neil, his fears of speaking in public, writing the poem, being drawn out by Keating in class and being changed, enjoying the Dead Poets Society, his being called to the headmaster to testify against Keating, his signing, but his standing on the desk at the end?

12. Knox, his infatuation with Chris, the dinner, in love, the phone call, the party, being bashed, the flowers and the apology, her coming to see him, taking her to the theatre, the happiness together - and his testifying against Keating?

13. Pitts and Meeks, the jokes on their name, working together on the forbidden radio, their participation in the club, their capitulating to the headmaster?

14. Charlie Dalton, the rich rebel, with the girls at the society meeting, writing the article, the phone call from God in the assembly, his standing by his values, sent away?

15. Cameron, serious, copying everything down, testing whether things were right or not, his place in the group, sharing in the society, his not really believing in it, his denunciation of Keating to the other boys, his signing the document?

16. The meetings, finding the cave, at night, quoting Thoreau, reading the poetry, their own compositions, playing music, the girl's visit?

17. An exploration of growing up, education and values?