Episode 74 - Dead Poets Society

Carpe diem! It's time to sneak out of the dormitory at your elite
all-boys prep school and go to the old Indian cave to read poetry
into the wee hours of the morning. The 1989 film "Dead Poets
Society" won the Oscar for Best Original Screenplay for showing
its audience that life isn't worth living unless you are fiercely
pursuing the things you are passionate about regardless of the
consequences.


Robin Williams plays John Keating (no relation to one of this
show's hosts), an irreverent young English teacher who returns to
the stodgy school that he once attended in order sow the seeds of
discontent amongst his students, but somehow he is surprised and
hurt when the administration isn't happy with what he's doing.


Robert Sean Leonard plays Neil Perry, an unstable and
brittle-spirited student who has a desire to pursue acting
against his tyrannical father's wishes. After being inspired by
his teacher to follow his dreams, Neil's quest to become his own
man spins wildly out of control and ultimately ends tragically in
a self-inflicted bullet to the ol' noggin.


Ethan Hawke plays Todd Anderson, a timid student who lives in the
shadow of his illustrious older brother. With a little help from
his friends and his favorite teacher, Todd is able to break out
of his shell and tap into his limitless hidden potential like
some sort of Tony Robbins seminar attendee. 


Josh Charles plays Knox Overstreet, a horny student who
misconstrues his teacher’s instruction to seize the day as
permission for him to creepily obsess over the girl he is
pursuing to the point where he eventually sexually assaults her
while she is passed out.


Gale Hansen plays Charlie Dalton (a.k.a Nuwanda), a fun-loving
student who is the only character in the film to actually embody
the carpe diem attitude. Also, he's the only character who
doesn't turn on John Keating and become a rat fink after the
school administration applies the slightest pressure.


Join us as we discuss how and why Keating & Jim were both
permanently kicked out of one of their high school classes, our
speculation that the Robin Williams character in this is
basically a cult leader, and how Jim was once on a high school
wrestling team with a future Playboy Playmate.


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This episode is sponsored by Build-A-Relationship.


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