THE SET-UP
A new teacher (Robin Williams) at a stuffy, traditional boarding school uses uncoventional methods to inspire his students to "Seize the Day."
Written by: Tom Schulman
Directed by: Peter Weir
THE DELIVERY
Over twenty years after its release, Dead Poets Society holds up incredibly well as a modern classic. Featuring an Oscar-nominated performance by Robin Williams, the film is an earnest, inspirational tale that never drifts into sappy sentimentality. That is a credit to the smart screenplay by Tom Schulman and the guiding hand of director Peter Weir, who provide an excellent audio commentary on the Blu-ray.
After all these years, I am surprised how much of the film has entered American pop culture. English teachers might argue otherwise, but the film popularized the phrases "Seize the day" and "O Captain! My Captain!" to our current generation. One can only hope that as the years go by, and our culture is bombarded with poor excuses for art, this film will continue to inspire future generations to discover the beauty of poetry.
While the film is a perfect vehicle for the talents and character of Robin Williams, it is important to recognize the outstanding supporting cast, who truly make the film work. Ethan Hawke may be best remembered among the cast, but it is Robert Sean Leonard (TV's House) who provides the film's key performance, one that will stay with you long after the credits roll.
Even though the plot takes a dark turn at the end, the uplifting final scene has solidified its standing as a modern classic. After seeing it once, it will likely join your list of films that should be seen at least once a year. It has for me.
VIDEO AND AUDIO
While the Blu-ray has provided perhaps the best video presentation the film has rever seen, the image seems surprisingly soft. It does not feature as much detail as I would epect, even for a film from 1989. Director Weir does deliberately shoot the film in a naturally lit style, to give it a retro look, so the color palette and original image is not meant to be razor sharp. It does not detract from one's enjoyment of the film, but from a technical standpoint, one wonders if a better image could be had with a new video transfer.
The audio is 5.1 DTS-HD, and sounds quite good, although it seems obvious that much of the sound was recorded on the set rather than voiced over in a studio. It does give the film a more natural sound, and the sound mix features a nice score and a wonderful assembly by Alan Splet, who gets his due in a special featurette.
SPECIAL FEATURES
The extras on the disc are carried over from a previous DVD release, but they are still quite good. The commentary by director Weir, writer Tom Schulman, and cinematographer Seale is excellent, especially to hear a director of Weir's caliber talking about the filmmaking process.
The "A Look Back" documentary clocks in at about an hour, and provides a number of great stories and interviews about the film. The interviews are a bit dated, but they are still fine nevertheless. There are a number of excellent behind-the-scenes stories from the cast, although it appears Ethan Hawke can't remember much of anything besides his own performance. Several deleted scenes are included, as are some outstanding featurettes. Sound designer Alan Splet gets a nice tribute from Weir and director David Lynch, and a featurette about lighting a scene is quite good. A theatrical trailer rounds out the extras.
THE BOTTOM LINE: BUY IT OR REDBOX IT?
Ratings
Movie: A
Video: B
Audio: A-
Extras: B
Overall grade: B+
Few contemporary films entertain like Dead Poets Society does, and the film gets a nice Blu-ray treatment from Touchstone/Disney. The video could be stronger and it would have been nice to have some newly-produced features, but it still provides an excellent technical presentation and satisfying extras. It gets a well-deserved "BUY" recommendation from us. Pick it up and be inspired once more.
BLU-RAY SPECS
Release Date: January 17, 2012
Running Time: 129 minutes
Rating: PG
Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1
Audio: English 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio
Subtitles: English for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing, French
Special Features: "Dead Poets: A Look Back" featurette, Raw Takes (deleted scenes), "Master of Sound: Alan Splet" featurette, Cinematography Master Class featurette, Theatrical trailer
Audio Commentary: With director Peter Weir, screenwriter Tom Schulman, and cinematographer John Seale.
