Dead Poets Society

[James Marcus Bach]

Even though it's a movie about school, it has a radical unschooling spirit.

[Sandra Dodd]

I love Robin Williams in this, but another actor is well worth watching, and has tie-ins with other things older kids might know or care about:


Robert Sean Leonard plays Neil, who wants to be an actor, but his dad (played by Kurtwood Smith, who plays the dad on That 70's Show, which is comedy; Dead Poets Society is drama) says no.

In one scene he's playing Puck from "A Midsummer Night's Dream."

The actor played one of the lead roles in "Much Ado about Nothing" (a movie, easily available on DVD) a few years later. And now he's a regular on House.

So on one hand there's the plot and school scenery of Dead Poet's Society (and most people haven't seen the insides of a school like that), and then there are the opportunities for connecting to other things.

House fans will be glad to see seasons III and "Forth" of Blackadder, to see Hugh Laurie doing broad comedy, and from that they get back to Shakespeare again, especially in the most recent (from 1999) Blackadder, which is called Blackadder Back and Forth.

[Cindy]

Thanks Sandra,
We have enjoyed that movie (Dead Poets Society) many times as well, we still have our old VHS copy...but I had never made the connection with Robert Sean Leonard, as we are big House fans as well. On your recommendation, we watched Blackadder Back and Forth and it was hilarious. We especially enjoyed Hugh Laurie and some of the outfits.

Afterward, Drew shared the IT Crowd with me, and listened to music from NCIS, while drinking chocolate milk.

Sandra Dodd said:

I love Robin Williams in this, but another actor is well worth watching, and has tie-ins with other things older kids might know or care about: Robert Sean Leonard plays Neil, who wants to be an actor, but his dad (played by Kurtwood Smith, who plays the dad on That 70's Show, which is comedy; Dead Poets Society is drama) says no.
In one scene he's playing Puck from "A Midsummer Night's Dream."

The actor played one of the lead roles in "Much Ado about Nothing" (a movie, easily available on DVD) a few years later. And now he's a regular on House.

So on one hand there's the plot and school scenery of Dead Poet's Society (and most people haven't seen the insides of a school like that), and then there are the opportunities for connecting to other things.

House fans will be glad to see seasons III and "Forth" of Blackadder, to see Hugh Laurie doing broad comedy, and from that they get back to Shakespeare again, especially in the most recent (from 1999) Blackadder, which is called Blackadder Back and Forth.