Dead Poets Society (1989)

Director:

Peter Weir

Writer (WGA):

Tom Schulman (written by)

Release Date:

9 June 1989 (USA)

Genre:

Drama

Tagline:

He was their inspiration. He made their lives extraordinary.

Plot:

English professor John Keating inspires his students to a love of poetry and to seize the day.

Plot Keywords:

Professor | Poetry | Poet | Student | Teacher

Awards:

Won Oscar. Another 13 wins & 15 nominations

Cast

Robin Williams	...	John Keating
Robert Sean Leonard	...	Neil Perry
Ethan Hawke	...	Todd Anderson
Josh Charles	...	Knox Overstreet
Gale Hansen	...	Charlie Dalton
Dylan Kussman	...	Richard Cameron
Allelon Ruggiero	...	Steven Meeks
James Waterston	...	Gerard Pitts
Norman Lloyd	...	Mr. Nolan
Kurtwood Smith	...	Mr. Perry
Carla Belver	...	Mrs. Perry
Leon Pownall	...	McAllister
George Martin	...	Dr. Hager
Joe Aufiery	...	Chemistry Teacher
Matt Carey	...	Hopkins
Kevin Cooney	...	Joe Danburry
Jane Moore	...	Mrs. Danburry
Lara Flynn Boyle	...	Ginny Danburry (scenes deleted)
Colin Irving	...	Chet Danburry
Alexandra Powers	...	Chris Noel
Melora Walters	...	Gloria
Welker White	...	Tina
Steve Mathios	...	Steve
Alan Pottinger	...	Bubba
Pamela Burrell	...	Directing Teacher
Allison Hedges	...	Actor / Fairy
Christine D'Ercole	...	Titania
John Cunningham	...	Mr. Anderson
Debra Mooney	...	Mrs. Anderson
John Martin Bradley	...	Bagpiper
Charles Lord	...	Mr. Dalton
Kurt Leitner	...	Lester
Richard Stites	...	Stick
James J. Christy	...	Spaz
Catherine Soles	...	Stage Manager
Hoover Sutton	...	Welton Professor
Simon Mein	...	Welton Vicar
Ashton W. Richards	...	Physical Education Teacher
Robert Gleason	...	Father of Spaz
Bill Rowe	...	Dormitory Porter
Robert J. Zigler III	...	Beans
Keith Snyder	...	Russell
Nicholas K. Gilhool	...	Shroom
Jonas Stiklorius	...	Jonas
Craig Johnson	...	Dewey
Chris Hull	...	Ace
Jason Woody	...	Woodsie
Sam Stegeman	...	Sam
Andrew Hill	...	Senior Student
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Barry Godin	...	Language Teacher (uncredited)
Jamie Kennedy	...	(uncredited)
Nancy Kirk	...	Parent (uncredited)

Directed by
Peter Weir

Writing credits (WGA)
Tom Schulman		(written by)

Produced by
Steven Haft	....	producer
Duncan Henderson	....	associate producer
Paul Junger Witt	....	producer
Tony Thomas	....	producer

Original Music by
Maurice Jarre

Cinematography by
John Seale		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
William M. Anderson		(as William Anderson)

Casting by
Howard Feuer

Production Design by
Wendy Stites

Art Direction by
Sandy Veneziano

Set Decoration by
John H. Anderson		(as John Anderson)

Makeup Department
Susan A. Cabral	....	makeup artist
Bette Iverson	....	hair stylist

Production Management
Duncan Henderson	....	unit production manager
David Hoberman	....	executive in charge of production: Walt Disney Studios (uncredited)

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Alan B. Curtiss	....	first assistant director
Brian Fong	....	second second assistant director (as Brian T. Fong)
John Rusk	....	second second assistant director
B. Thomas Seidman	....	second assistant director

Art Department
Nigel A. Boucher	....	lead man (as Nigel Bouchet)
Mike Carrillo	....	assistant property master (as Michael Carrillo)
Stan Cockerell	....	assistant property master (as Stan W. Cockerell)
Albert B. Cooper IV	....	carpenter
Dale Covey	....	greens foreman
Cal DiValerio	....	construction coordinator
Louis S. Fleming	....	property master
George Fouche	....	construction foreman (as George C. Fouche)
Hank Giardina	....	stand-by painter
Charles R. Lipscomb	....	lead man (as Chuck Lipscomb)
Louis M. Mann	....	assistant art director
Carleton E. Reynolds	....	set designer
Alex Scutti Jr.	....	cave constructor (as Alexander Scutti Jr.)
William Boyd	....	construction foreman (uncredited)
Bruce Di Valerio	....	general construction foreman (uncredited)
Thomas J. Healy IV	....	property assistant (uncredited)
David J. Negron Jr.	....	illustrator (uncredited)

Sound Department
C.J. Appel	....	supervising adr editor (as CJ Appel)
Luis Colina	....	assistant adr editor
Gloria D'Alessandro	....	dialogue editor
Carlos Delarios	....	sound re-recording mixer
Frank E. Eulner	....	assistant sound effects editor (as Frank Eulner)
Tina Fallani	....	foley assistant
Robert Grahamjones	....	re-sync (as Robert Graham Jones)
Polly Holmes	....	assistant dialogue editor (as Polly S. Holmes)
Phil Judd	....	sound re-recordist: Australia
Michael J. Kohut	....	sound re-recording mixer (as Michael Kohut)
Ann Kroeber	....	sound effects editor
Mary Helen Leasman	....	foley editor
Robin Lee	....	foley assistant
Robert Marty	....	re-sync (as Bob Marty)
Barbara McBane	....	dialogue editor
Marilyn McCoppen	....	adr editor
Paul Murphey	....	cable person
Martha Pike	....	assistant dialogue editor
E. Jeane Putnam	....	assistant dialogue editor
Aaron Rochin	....	sound re-recording mixer
Robert Shoup	....	foley editor
Robert Shoup	....	sound effects editor
Michael Silvers	....	dialogue editor
Karen Spangenberg	....	supervising dialogue editor
Alan Splet	....	supervising sound editor
Peter Townend	....	sound editor: Australia
John Verbeck	....	sound effects editor
Jeff Watts	....	supervising foley editor
Gordon Webb	....	boom operator
Charles M. Wilborn	....	sound mixer (as Charles Wilborn)
Gwendolyn Yates Whittle	....	assistant dialogue editor (as Gwendolyn Yates)
Kristen Gerstner	....	apprentice sound editor (uncredited)
Philip Rogers	....	sound re-recording mixer (uncredited)
Philip Rogers	....	sound recordist (uncredited)
Jerry Trent	....	foley artist (uncredited)

Special Effects by
Allen Hall	....	special effects coordinator
Gary L. Karas	....	special effects foreman
John S. Baker	....	special effects (uncredited)
Albert Delgado	....	special effects (uncredited)
Nancy Kirk	....	special effects assistant (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Brian W. Armstrong	....	first assistant camera
Chuck Brown	....	best boy grip (as Charles Brown)
François Duhamel	....	still photographer
John J. Ellingwood	....	second assistant camera
Norman Harris	....	chief lighting technician
Ron Kenyon	....	best boy electric
Robin P. Knight	....	key grip (as Robin Knight)
Robert McCarthy	....	rigging gaffer (as Robo McCarthy)
David L. Merrill	....	dolly grip (as David I. Merrill)
Thomas Miligan	....	second assistant camera (as Thomas E. Miligan)
Howard Rose	....	first assistant camera
Stephen G. Shank	....	camera operator (as Stephen Shank)
Michael Leonard	....	assistant Steadicam operator (uncredited)

Animation Department
Bill Martone	....	background artist (uncredited)

Casting Department
Elina deSantos	....	casting: Delaware
Shirley Fulton Crumley	....	location casting (uncredited)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Eddie Marks	....	costume supervisor
Marilyn Matthews	....	set costumer
Anthony J. Scarano	....	set costumer

Editorial Department
Kathy Fenton	....	assistant editor: Australia
Lee Grubin	....	apprentice editor
Gillian L. Hutshing	....	assistant film editor
Louise Innes	....	associate editor: Australia
Armen Minasian	....	first assistant film editor
Priscilla Nedd-Friendly	....	additional film editor (as Priscilla Nedd)
Bruce Pearson	....	color timer
Lee Smith	....	additional film editor
Kimberly Walls	....	apprentice editor: Australia
Noelleen Westcombe	....	assistant editor: Australia
Deborah Zeitman	....	associate film editor

Music Department
Patricia Carlin	....	assistant music editor
Dan Carlin Sr.	....	supervising music editor
Joel Moss	....	music mixer
Joel Moss	....	music recordist
Bob Bornstein	....	music preparation (uncredited)
Jack Bowden Faulkner	....	musician: organ (uncredited)
Patrick Russ	....	orchestrator (uncredited)

Transportation Department
Walt Freitas	....	transportation captain (as Walter Freitas)
Russell McEntyre	....	transportation coordinator
Wayne Stone	....	transportation captain
Nancy Kirk	....	picture car assistant (uncredited)

Other crew
Lori A. Balton	....	assistant production coordinator (as Lori Balton)
Lisa Birnbach	....	technical advisor
Katharine Ann Curtiss	....	production coordinator
Leigh Feitelberg	....	production assistant
Leigh French	....	adr group coordinator
Marlene Fuentes	....	assistant: Mr. Thomas
Jay Gibson	....	production assistant
Robert Gonzales	....	first assistant accountant
T.J. Healy II	....	location liaison (as T.J. Healy)
Tracy L. Kettler	....	assistant to producer
Yvonne Kingon	....	assistant: Mr. Haft
Daniel S. Kudart	....	production assistant
Michael John Meehan	....	location manager (as Michael J. Meehan)
Julie Offer	....	location projectionist (as Julie Karen Offer)
Tom C. Peitzman	....	assistant production coordinator
Kim Roth	....	assistant: Mr. Witt
Jacqueline A. Shea	....	assistant to producer
George Sheanshang	....	production consultant (as George Sheanshang Esq.)
Lauren Beth Strogoff	....	unit publicist
Allen E. Taylor	....	production accountant
Neal Thompson	....	title designer
Jack Tice	....	studio teacher
Plummy Tucker	....	location liaison
Andy Weltman	....	assistant: Mr. Weir
Hope Williams	....	script supervisor
Marsha Garces Williams	....	assistant: Mr. Williams (as Marsha Garces)

Thanks
Charles Harrington	....	thanks
Derin Seale	....	thanks
Wally Williams	....	thanks

Production Companies

• Touchstone Pictures (presents)
• Silver Screen Partners IV (in association with)

Distributors

• Buena Vista Pictures (1989) (USA) (theatrical)
• Warner Bros. (1990) (France) (theatrical)
• Buena Vista International (1990) (Netherlands) (theatrical)
• Buena Vista International (1990) (Germany) (theatrical)
• Columbia Broadcasting System (CBS) (1992) (USA) (TV) (broadcast premiere)
• Buena Vista Home Entertainment (2002) (Japan) (DVD)
• Buena Vista Home Entertainment (2004) (Japan) (DVD)
• Buena Vista Home Entertainment (2005) (Japan) (DVD)
• Buena Vista Home Entertainment (2006) (Japan) (DVD)
• Buena Vista Home Entertainment (2003) (Netherlands) (DVD)
• Buena Vista Home Entertainment (1998) (USA) (DVD)
• Buena Vista Home Entertainment (2006) (USA) (DVD) (special edition)
• Buena Vista Home Video (1995) (Netherlands) (VHS)
• Cinema, The (2007) (Japan) (TV)
• Gativideo (Argentina) (VHS)
• Pioneer LDC (1999) (Japan) (DVD)
• Touchstone Home Video (1990) (USA) (video) (laserdisc)
• Touchstone Home Video (1994) (USA) (VHS)
• Touchstone Home Video (1997) (USA) (video) (laserdisc)

Other Companies

• Cinema Research  titles and opticals
• Lorimar Studios  sound re-recording
• Record Plant Scoring  music recorded at
• Spectrum Films International  post-production facilities
• Triad Music  music editing

Runtime:

128 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Metrocolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

70 mm 6-Track (70 mm prints) | Dolby (35 mm prints)

Certification:

Iceland:L | Spain:13 | South Korea:12 | Brazil:12 | New Zealand:PG | Argentina:13 | Australia:PG | Chile:14 | Finland:S | Netherlands:AL | Norway:11 | Singapore:PG | Sweden:11 | UK:PG | USA:PG (certificate #29797) | West Germany:12

Filming Locations:

Everett Theatre - 47 West Main Street, Middletown, Delaware, USA

Company:

Touchstone Pictures

Trivia:

Director Peter Weir chose to shoot the film in chronological order to better capture the development of the relationships between the boys and their growing respect for Mr. Keating.

Goofs:

Continuity: When John Keating has the boys stand on his desk, he gathers his things to leave the room. Behind his desk (waiting to stand on it) are three boys on the left and none on the right. In the next shot of his desk, there are two boys on the left and two boys on the right.

Quotes:

Neil Perry: I just talked to my father. He's making me quit the play at Henley Hall. Acting's everything to me. I- But he doesn't know! He- I can see his point; we're not a rich family, like Charlie's. We- But he's planning the rest of my life for me, and I- He's never asked me what I want!
John Keating: Have you ever told your father what you just told me? About your passion for acting? You ever showed him that?
Neil Perry: I can't.
John Keating: Why not?
Neil Perry: I can't talk to him this way.
John Keating: Then you're acting for him, too. You're playing the part of the dutiful son. Now, I know this sounds impossible, but you have to talk to him. You have to show him who you are, what your heart is!
Neil Perry: I know what he'll say! He'll tell me that acting's a whim and I should forget it. They're counting on me; he'll just tell me to put it out of my mind for my own good.
John Keating: You are not an indentured servant! It's not a whim for you, you prove it to him by your conviction and your passion! You show that to him, and if he still doesn't believe you - well, by then, you'll be out of school and can do anything you want.
Neil Perry: No. What about the play? The show's tomorrow night!
John Keating: Then you have to talk to him before tomorrow night.
[...]

Movie Connections:

Spoofed in "The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air: Def Poet's Society (#1.7)" (1990)

Soundtrack:

The Battle of New Orleans

Pure excellence...

I watched this movie today for about 15-th time. I'm never bored with it. A few hours ago I felt lonely and depressed.I decided to watch it without the scenes that evoke sadness.And even though I watched it so many times before I found it restorative and heart lifting. There are many good films.Also there are probably many better than this one;cause it's not flawless. But if you believe that a movie can change your life, I have no doubts that this one can influence you as no other. If you have not watched it yet, WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR? Go to the video rentals and buy it.Yes, don't rent it but buy it.It's a movie that you will watch many times.Perhaps it will even save you..As it had saved me..