[REVIEW MOVIE] 1989 Dead Poets Society: Extreme passion!
Passion in teaching and learning is the theme that filmmakers always focus on. For the Poetry Club ( Dead Poets Society ), this is a movie product that brings such excitement. And from here, the nakedness of new reality makes the film stand out and be more contemplative than ever.
The romantic poem about teaching career in the movie Poetry Club (Dead Poets Society
"Dead Poets Society" is probably unlike any other inspiring or mature film. It not only leads to a dream, it also slaps viewers to wake up to reality. One can discuss decades of the meaning of innovation in the film, but one thing that is undeniable is the sharpness and appeal of an Oscar-winning story for Best Original Screenplay.
Through literature and flying words, the film cleverly created dots that evoke a great inspiration for reform and for change. A movie worth watching for teachers, students and their parents.
The story of the "Poetry Club" is about a group of students at Welton University Preparatory School, which is also known as Hell-ton. With the principle of four words “Tradition. Honour. Discipline. Merit, ”Welton has been famous for hundreds of years as the best school for students to go to college. Depicted with the discipline and dogmatic teaching style, with the rigor and toughness of the administrators, sadly the school was like a cage that locked its students.
It was only until an English teacher came along that the signs of change gradually came out. John Keating, a former student at Welton, has developed a completely different teaching mindset. The teaching method of the new teacher is like blowing a whole new wind into the minds of these students, leading them to decide to form the group "Dead Poets Society" with the motto of living hard to the present.
In the middle of the adolescent adolescence, suddenly broke off the middle of the road by the death of a student. This marked the end of Mr. Keating's career at Welton, but fortunately did not quell the changing spirit of the rest of the students.
In general, the "Dead Poets Society" is an uneasy story about education reform, or a sad story. The ending came to the film in a realistic, naked way, a bit sad. A firelight could not burn a fortified stronghold for a hundred years.
But above all, it still raises the ray of hope, even the most fragile. In the "Dead Poets Society" contains many educational philosophies expressed in a very poetic way, which is to borrow words of epic poems. On the contrary, it also depicts profound life lessons, expressed frankly without being metaphorical.
It can be said that making a success for "The Poetry Club" is not only the wonderful acting of the talented young cast and the improvising ability of the legendary Robin William. At its core is a sensible, smooth screenplay that is full of reality but also lacking in romance and subtle metaphor.
Thus, the film gives viewers not only temporary emotions, but also sprawling thoughts about education and people. In addition, it attracts deep sympathy for audiences today, especially in a place where the educational system is still inadequate as our country.
What is emphasized first is the learning environment.
Through the lens of the "Dead Poets Society" Welton's school appeared in the opposite scene. On one side is a vast and beautiful natural setting with flocks of birds flying away, on one side are cramped staircases cramped in purposeful rotation.
All indirectly directed to the image of a tight cages, it is hard to see the way out and the students only hang around inside. Through each film of the classroom, the traditional way of teaching that is dogmatic and achievement is also slowly shown, adding to the stifling and restrictive.
In addition, parents' expectations weigh heavily on children's shoulders. We will come across a Todd Anderson nestled in the shadow of a talented brother, a sociable and generous Neil Perry who is suddenly serious and humble when speaking to his father, one or two saying, "Yes, sir". .
Only once they have experienced or put themselves in the shoes of the boys can they understand the burdens and pressures they are carrying. Everyone is destined to have a glorious career like a banker, lawyer, or doctor, just need to work hard on the designated path, whether he wants it or not.
Realistically, it is not difficult to understand when resigned thinking is so deeply embedded in the minds of Welton boys. Nearly 20 years of your life, almost from the young age "was" (or "been") pressed and oriented to succeed. Like the comment in the movie "Shawshark Redemption", which is similar to the "institutionalization" phenomenon, people gradually come to accept grip as an obvious truth after being tied for too long.
It was in the strangely stifling stifling that John Keating's appearance blew a breath of fresh air into the Welton school hours. In the "Poetry Club", he is the symbol of innovation and reform. The way Mr. Keating asked his students to call themselves "O captain, my captain" as the title of a poem by Walt Whitman also has a symbolic meaning. The "Captain" in this poem is President Abraham Lincoln, known as the "great liberator" after the end of slavery in the United States. It seems that Mr. Keating also hopes to become a guide to lead his students to overcome barriers and break the old way to be free.
Although there are many complaining about the way Mr. Keating used literature to guide students, but he is still a convincing spokesman for radical ideas in teaching. Through literature, with contemporary perspectives attached to reality (not in the way of digging and dissecting author's dignity to value literature), the film delicately drives viewers to key points in the meaning of education.
The first point is the thought of "live hard for today". Taken from a verse from the verse, the thought of Carpe diem (Seize the day) has become the slogan that guides the actions of the boys in the Poetry Club group.
Right from the first day of class, Mr. Keating talked about living his life to the present, not regretting the past and not clinging to the future. "Carpe diem" urging young people to engage and accept challenges, if not successful, will also receive valuable lessons.
The manifesto of the "Dead Poets Society", read at the beginning of the meeting, is excerpted from a paragraph in "Walden" by the poet Henry D. Thoreau, which is also the guideline for the actions of youth:
“I went to the forest because I wanted to live leisurely.
I want to live deeply and to absorb the essence of life.
To repel the pathetic in life
So that it is not until I die to realize that I have never lived. ”
The second point, encourage self-study and find your own path.
There is a highly symbolic action in the "Dead poets society", which is Mr. Keating's request for students to tear the book. Get rid of the whole introductory section of literature regarding the perception of literature in a way that evaluates mathematics, with review points and numbers. This is a dramatic action that demonstrates a very powerful statement about the need for students to find their own path.
“You will learn to think for yourself.
They will learn to enjoy words and language ”
It has a huge impact on the importance of autonomy in thinking. It may be appropriate for general education, but it is a bit unwise to put it into literature. Perception of literature is subjective and conventional, so in fact no idea is right or completely wrong. Respecting the views of others is also a way to increase your self-worth.
However, it is undeniable that the impact of this small act on the students only, when they are completely convinced and accepted to throw out old thoughts to open the minds of the thoughts. more differrent.
"I want you to find your own way to walk, in particular you will stride in any direction."
With just one hour of extra-curricular time, Mr. Keating conveyed the profound thoughts to each student in a way that was extremely close and understandable. This is precisely because of the core of the education he aims at, which can be judged to be the most important and radical in the film.
"I always think that the idea of education is to learn to think for myself"
The classic saying is often repeated "University is self-study". However, the earlier they learn how to self-study, the more active and quick students are in seeking knowledge. So it can be said, this saying is the educational philosophy that precedes the era and the most correct in the whole movie. It was the key to all Keating's reformist thinking of wanting to bring it to his students.
The third point, when it comes to English language proficiency, what students realize is the value of literature.
“We don't read and write poetry because it's cute.
We read and write poetry because we are members of humanity, and humanity is filled with passion.
Medicine, law, technology, business, these pursuits are noble and necessary to sustain life. But poetry, beauty, romance, love are what we live for. ”
Here, the value of poetry is emphasized not in the epoch, ie born in accordance with the time they were written, but in the timeless value. In any era, in any circumstance, literature is always the closest thing to human emotions.
The "Poetry Club" taking Shakespeare as an example of the practicality of literature is also an interesting option. Everyone knows that his masterpieces are immortal writings, but that does not mean that they must be performed on a large stage, in a professional academic style or exemplary manner, in order to be Shakespeare.
Because it is a script, the ability to create virtual variables in the rhythms and expressions of actors is not limited. It's for every age, every object is the way it expresses different beliefs and aspirations depending on each person's feelings. Like the way Mr. Keating read a piece that made all students laugh, or like how Neil borrowed Puck's lines to tell his father.
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So learning literature is not an analysis, then, literature is an experience. It makes life richer, makes the view wider and more dimensional. Along with that, life is also a play.
“It is a powerful play going on and you can contribute a piece.
So what's your piece? ”
Illustrating this thought also has an extremely memorable scene in the "Dead Poets Society". It was the scene where Mr. Keating almost forced Todd to write poetry. Just a scene full of stressful and intense spinning, with a little kid Todd now pushed to the limit of endurance, exploded all of himself.
A moment of awakening of his personality in Todd, when he first confronted his own emotions. It was truly a breathtaking and breathtaking shot, when viewers realized the blossoming of something new coming from within that quiet boy.
The fourth point in the Poetry Club, which is also the last, always needs to see things in many different ways, but the act of standing on the table is an extremely special symbol. The metaphor of a thought into an action is always an extremely wise step in cinema.
Taking action when Mr. Keating stood on the table helps students realize the value of seeing things in different ways. And in response to the devoted teacher, the students stood on the table to say goodbye to the teacher as a gratitude. It is a symbol of how you will always remember the words of the teacher, seeing things in different ways.
Thanks to the highly suggestive and imaginative, the act of "standing on the table" has become an extremely famous symbol. It was even used by fans as a form of gratitude to Robin William when he died.
Even in this extremely emotional scene, with the great acting of Robin William as a teacher who both regrets and is proud, a character with an equally important role is Todd Anderson.
The turning corner of Todd still narrows him in a cramped frame, but Ethan Hawke fulfills the role of a timid but booming student, becoming a vanguard. This intention may be implied, although there are many constraints, but Todd has sparked the fire of hope and change.
It is thought that such humanistic ideas will produce fruitful results. Neil participated in the play and performed excellently, Knox led his girlfriend Chris out and Todd found joy at school. But the "Poetry Club" reveals a reality that cannot be more frank and cold.
Mr. Keating's efforts in less than a year could not immediately change a solid conservative as walled education. And what stands out on it is the tragedy of Neil Perry.
The deeper we analyze Neil's death, the more people feel full of regret and grief. Why is a confident and brilliant young man with an open future ready to commit suicide in such an easy way? Did Neil Perry seek death simply because his father did not allow him to act?
The answer was definitely no, maybe he had thought of death more than once, and this time it was just a drop of water spilling a glass. There is a kind of extreme suffering that not everyone can grasp, that is when the dearest ones like their parents never understand themselves.
Neil Perry's torment stems from irreversible internal conflicts. The pressure from his father was only a part, if he were not burdened by filial piety.
"Father's dream crushed my life" was when his father uttered a long line:
“I don't understand Neil. You have opportunities that I never dared to dream ”
It's familiar to critique, and it's easy to make a child feel ashamed to be merciless against his parents. But against it is a personal desire, with an interest in acting that makes Neil's life beautiful.
In those internal struggles, maybe Neil is not brave enough to dismiss everything and follow his dreams (he has been imposed for nearly 20 years of his life, fear of freedom is also an expression. understandable) but at the same time full of suffering when looking ahead to the future. It was not unreasonable for him to die, but it was an extreme solution. It shows the deep despair and exhaustion to the end.
The part of Neil committing suicide in the winter night at the Poetry Club also left a lot of obsession for viewers. The symbolic meaning of his being naked and opening the window, while wearing the top of Puck's wreath represents an intense desire for freedom. Puck in Shakespeare's "Summer Night Dream" is an extremely liberal and free goblin.
It goes everywhere and does whatever it likes, although it causes trouble, but everything does not cause many serious consequences. Choosing to have Niel incarnate in Puck, the "Dead poets society" implicitly expresses Neil's expectation for release, to be free and live as he wishes.
"Freedom or death" is only ideal for romantic boys, but the reality is more cruel and more painful. Without further explanation, Neil's departure is a bitter declaration of failure for new ideas. When human strength is too small, reality will never create miracles.
But a consolation is still there, when the flames of hope still light up in those who remain. The conclusion of the Poetry Club movie is a promise, though weak, but full of certainty on the basis for more dramatic changes that will make miracles in the future.