On January 17, 2012, Dead Poets Society was released on Blu-Ray Hi-Def in honor of it’s 25th anniversary. It’s been digitally remastered and looks pretty nice! I remember watching this movie when I was younger, but I can hardly believe it’s been 25 years! It’s definitely a classic with Robin Williams in one of his most inspirational roles. If Mr. Keating had been one of my English professors I would have enjoyed class much more! Thankfully, I did have a few teachers that taught in a way that encouraged free thinking and outside of the box.

Film Synopsis:

Academy Award winner Robin Williams (Best Supporting Actor, Good Will Hunting, 1997) delivers one of his most memorable performances in Dead Poets Society – digitally restored and presented for the first time ever in breathtaking Blu-rayTM High Definition.

For generations, Welton Academy students have been groomed to live lives of conformity and tradition – until new professor John Keating inspires them to think for themselves, live life to the fullest and “Carpe Diem.” This unconventional approach awakens the spirits of the students, but draws the wrath of a disapproving faculty when an unexpected tragedy strikes the school. With unforgettable characters and beautiful cinematography, Dead Poets Society will captivate and inspire you time and time again.

I am happy to review this classic because I liked the movie then and I still like it now. I will admit that it impacts me in a different way now, but it evokes strong emotions. Since this is not a new movie and many of you are already familiar with it, I will focus my review on the special featured bonus content that isn’t available anywhere else!

A Look Back
It was really interesting hearing the actors talk about auditioning (even if they thought they shouldn’t have to) and how pivotal and important this movie was for an 18 year old actor. One actor discussed how he was able to talk with Peter Weir about rewriting an action did his character at the end of the film because he felt it wasn’t true to his character. It’s easy to watch a movie for just what it is without realizing everything that goes into it behind the scenes! I found it fascinating that they were also encouraged to write poetry during their time rehearsing. I kind of prefer the this type of behind the scenes because they are reflecting on the experience rather than being interviewed while still filming.

Cinematography

This segment was more interesting than I thought it would be. Overall, I think cinematography is interesting because it really is an art form to use lighting and camera angles to help set the mood of a scene. When this started up, it looked unexciting when they showed the small stage set up for the dorm room. I never would have guessed it wasn’t a room in an actual building. They went on to show how they set up lamps to mimic sunlight at the end of the day, in winter, etc. even though they were indoors with the little stage built room. They also showed a few tricks they used to hide their handy work and make it blend in and appear natural.

So those were my favorite two bonus features. There was also a segment where Peter Weir discusses use of music and audio commentary you can toggle on while watching the movie.

Have you seen this movie? Can you believe it’s been 25 years since it came out?

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About Darcy

Darcy Zalewski is a married, stay-at-home mom who is discovering her greener side, starting with advocating for cloth diapering. When she's not changing diapers or singing the Itsy Bitsy Spider, she can be found at Tales From the Nursery, where she shares tales of motherhood as well as product reviews, or at ShePromotes, a resource for blogger support.

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