Customer Reviews

Dead Poet's Society

5 star:		(16)
4 star:		(21)
3 star:		(13)
2 star:		(4)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I love Dead Poets Society. In fact, it's one of the best movies I've watched, ever. It was one of those that deeply moved and touched me. The stories of these boy's lives touched me, as they were so true to life.

However, after reading the book of the movie, I have to say I'm left terribly unimpressed. It read more like a kid's novel than anything else. It lacked depth and emotion. The characters were all made out to be shallow, childish and weak, while Mr. Keating's part in the changing of the boy's lives was terribly downplayed. Some of the very poignant scenes in the movie were simply not justified in the book.

I have to say though, that I have to give credit to the author for some of the extended scenes that were deleted in the movie, but apart from that, it's a big disappointment. It's okay for a read of the outline, but really, you have to watch the movie to really know and understand what DPS is about.

Although it makes me smile to say this now, when I was in middle school, I used to leave this movie in the VCR and watch it almost every morning as I was getting up for school. Something about its 1950's New England setting and cast that all came together to make it important to me. I loved its message of unconventionality and personal freedom of expression. I liked the new worlds the teacher, Mr. Keating, said poetry could open up to a reader. Time passed, I kind of got away from DPS (a film I sadly outgrew) and it wasn't until many years later as I was cruising the book section of a thrift store that I came upon the novel to this movie. Remembering the way this timelessly inspirational story used to make me happy, I bought the book and read it in one sitting. For anyone who was ever touched by Dead Poet's Society I recommend this book. To anyone else, skip it, there's not a lot here for you: no new characters, same sad ending, same time, same place. Dead Poet's Society the book reads exactly like a director's cut extended version of the Peter Weir movie, including in its length a handful of scenes the film never contained. It also has a few lines that were spicier than the dialogue in the motion picture and there's a stronger suggestion of exactly what Charlie 'Newanda' Dalton got up to with those college-age girls from town he brought to the Dead Poet's meeting that one night. I still have this little novel and I'm glad I bought it. I only wish I'd owned it back in the day when Dead Poet's Society was among my favorite movies.

I finished reading the book in just a day. The language used is simple and not too heavy. This book strikes a chord with me as the quotes that Mr Keating used from A Midsummer Night's Dream brought me back to the era of my secondary school days. It was like going down memory lane. My friends and I really loved to quote off-handedly from this play way back then. I still occasionally quote from Shakespeare. In addition, Mr Keating's advocation to carpe diem also transported me back to the days of junior college. Ever since carpe diem found its way to my vocabulary (as I was doing metaphysical poems with the above theme by Andrew Marvell), I have sworn to live by it.However, I find that the book has told more than show and there are room for expanding on its description. In a way, this drawback has made the book border on the superficial. But on the whole, Dead Poets' Society is still a book worth reading, especially for starters who are 'learning' to take an interest in Literature and hence, may not want to get heavily bogged down by literary jargons or a particular subject. My caution for these people: Take care of thyselves as thee venture into the poison springs of Literature.

I find the book very interesting and well written and it's not too difficult to understand for somebody who learns English as a second language.
Thr novel shows the life of some students in a private school and deals with their problems, frustrations and their dreams. The message of the novel is to have an opinion of one's own and to do what you want. But the book shows us too that there are people who have problems to realise their ideas so that they can't help resigning and giving up
The novel is a bit different from the movie.

I would highly recommend the book and the movie to all ages.It is an inspiring and marvelous story that gives me food for thought.The message of the movie/book is that you should "seize the day" and you should make your life extraordinary. Mr. Keating teaches his students to follow the way of the heart and he makes them to personages and freethinkers.The boys admir Mr. Keating and for them he is an idol, that is why they reopen the "Dead Poets Society" club.Neil plays Puck in the "Midsummernight's Dream" but his father forbids him to join in the play.He has to live up to their expectations and he should become a doctor, but everything changes and the movie reveals a dramatic ending. Everybody should watch the movie on his own because it is a great one and perhaps you will receive the message that changes your life. "Carpe diem!"

I watched the film and I was very impressed by the strong conflict between the authority and the freeminded people. The director filled the scenes with beauty, love and humor but also with violence and the cold and strictly ruled atmosphere at Welton Academy. Mr. Keating tries to get the boys out of that coldness and to make them come up with their own thoughts. But he underestimates the danger and the consequences are horrible, because he and the boys don't have enough power to revolt against the authority symbolized by the parents and Mr. Nolan. But nevertheless Keating changes their lives, in a positive way for all of them. I like the the film, but I would have prefered to watch it without stopping it every minute and analyzing all the scenes. Carpe diem!

I think the book "Dead Poets Society" is a good choice, if you have not watched the film . Because the film is much better than the book and if you have watched the film you will not like the book because in the book there is not the athmosphere that is shown in the film. So if you have watched the film you can better "Seize the day" than to read the book!

Carpe Diem--------Seize the day!!!!

In comparison to the movie, the book doesn't convey that many feelings and emotions. In fact some scenes are written quite affectionately so they really touch you.
But on the whole I think the book is a fairly short reproduction of the film.
And even though the book is a shorter presentation of the story, it is nice to read -especially it allowes you to take a closer look at the poems! And since the story is just breathtaking, it seems impossible to write a "bad" book about it!

Rewiew of DPS At school we watched the film in the English lessons and I think it was a very good thing. It was very interesting. The only bad thing was that our English teacher always stopped the film and explained everything very thoroughly. We weren't able to just lean back and enjoy the film because he always asked questions about it. But we're at school here, that's necessary because we have to learn something. But besides that it was nice to watch the film in the lessons and one time he gave the remote control to Lena, a girl of our class and we were able to watch the film without the anoying stopping. I liked the film very much, it makes you think about life and your dreams. The film motivates us the same way as Mr.Keating motivates the boys to SEIZE THE DAY.So the film gives you a message. Also the film is made very well, I think. The musik and the actors are very good. The film shows so many feeling and it really catches you by the heart and always stays in your mind. So make this film part of your life and CARPE DIEM!

I watched the film at school and was given worksheets about each scene. So I worked heavily on the film and think that it is very interesting because you see everyday school life from another point of view. This is due to Mr. Keeting the english teachr who tries to lead the pupils to a wholy different way of life. It is very impressing which methods he uses to encourage the pupils for poetry. But on the other hand there are some scenes which are kind of boring because they don't seem neccesarry for the course of the action. Nevertheless I can recommend the film to all persons in the world. It should be seen by young and old.

The basic idea of the film is "carpe diem" which is expressed very excellently.