His father killed him. He didn't pull the trigger, but he killed him. This is the perfect movie to show someone who's trying to live their kid's life for them.

I’m a retired teacher who started teaching in ‘89. The movie made the deepest impression on me. This, and To Sir With Love with Sidney Poitier, cemented my commitment to my career. Thank you!

This film should be shown in EVERY CLASSROOM ACROSS THIS NATION

I get the chills every time He stands on that desk and says Oh Captain My Captain

I LOVE this movie.....but when Robert Sean Leonard's character does what he does, my heart sinks every time, and when they all stand on their desks at the end, I lose it....it's filled with so much emotion and love for their teacher. They may have fired him, but these young men will never forget him and those "educators" can't touch that.

RIP, Robin Williams. "Oh, Captain, my Captain." "Carpe Diem."

Fun facts: 1. Matt Carey, the actor who portrays Hopkins and delivers the line "The cat sat on a mat," was a St. Andrew's student at the time (where this was filmed). He earned more than his teachers that year. 2. At the premiere, Kurtwood Smith (Mr. Perry) saw a family with the father domineering his son very much like his own character in the film. After the film Smith noticed the family leaving and saw that the father was crying.

Norman Lloyd, who played the headmaster Mr. Nolan, had one of the longest acting careers ever. He started out as a child performer in vaudeville at age nine in 1913 and was in his final film in 2015, at age 100. He died just a year ago. He was a charter member of Orson Welles’ Mercury Theatre in the 1930s, worked often with Hitchcock, and later had a major regular cast role on the ‘80s tv series St. Elsewhere, which is where I became familiar with him. He and his wife Peggy were married for 75 years!

Couldn’t thank you enough for reacting to Dead Poets Society. This is a wonderful little gem of a movie. Definitely a top 10 for me. Robin Williams gold. He made us laugh, he made us cry. Absolutely brilliant at his craft. RIP, captain, my captain. You are truly missed. ❤️

Back in the day it was totally common for parents to deciding their kids careers and futures. I have a friend who was only allowed to attend college if she majored in restaurants. So she signed up to be an exchange student in America, knowing that she'd never go back home, because she didn't want to run her parents restaurant. Plus, she still hates cooking and is terrible at it.

Talk about a movie that stands the test of time. Still makes me cry every time, and I've watched it a dozen times

One really amusing thing about this movie is that Ethan Hawke actually struggled terribly in school, and even dropped out of college when he got cast...as the most serious and dedicated student.

Neil (dr. Wilson from house) was the stand out for me. Having such high expectations put on you, not being allowed to make your own choices and not being able to speak up for yourself are still issues i struggle with until this day. But it was 10x's worse when i was younger because i didn't have anyone around me that encouraged me to take control of my life and find what made me happy. I knew what Neil was going to do and why. Some people who may describe their life as a mess are those i most envy. They had the freedom to make mistakes while trying to choose their own path.

I remember the first time that I experienced this movie, I was 12-13. We were watching it in a creative writing class and we all were blown away. During the suicide, we were all crying. When everyone stood on the desks, we cheered through our tears. Honestly, the scene that stuck with me the most was where they were walking in the courtyard.

My personal favorite Robin Williams movie, such a great performance!

The irony is that Robert Sean Leonard’s character does become a doctor - he went on to play a doctor in the TV series House!

Oooh yes. Another classic from Robin Williams.

Pretty much all of Peter Weir's films have this kind of ambiguous ending where you're left with little idea what you should be thinking about any of it. It's the kind of thing we could use more of, really.

I love the scene of "change your perspective". My Grandpa Gene taught me a wonderful lesson at age 8. The first time I used the word hate in front of him he said, " Before you can love or hate anyone or anything you must first try to understand it." Eathan Hawke's sweaty tooth madman hit me too. Much love and keep on keepin on J.

I've been very fortunate that my parents have always been incredibly supportive of my dreams, particularly my dad. With both me and my older sisters, he always said, _"I don't care if you end up being garbage truck drivers. So long as you're happy, that's all I want for you."_ Not to shit on sanitation workers, of course, but meaning that most parents usually want their kids to aspire to bigger things than that even though it's a vitally important job in society. A lot of people who go into the arts have to do so on their own because their parents won't support them in it. Go to a "real school" so you can get a "real job" and have a "real career" and all that, since they think all artists just hawk paintings on a street corner or something rather than it being the lucrative career that it is if you have what it takes. My dad was actually the one who put the idea in my head to BE an artist in the first place, back when I was 12. _"You've always been really good at drawing. You love those Disney movies so much, why don't you be an animator?"_ and that became my life goal. I buckled down and started seriously studying and trying to improve my skills. When I was 14 and told my parents I wanted to go to art school for college they didn't say, _"Oh, god, where did we go wrong?"_ Their immediate answer was, _"Wonderful! Which one?"_ The entrance essay subject for Ringling was writing about who inspired you the most in being an artist, and I literally wrote about my parents because of everything they did to support me and my work while I was growing up, my mom taking me to museums and buying me all the art supplies under the sun, both of them trying to find art tutors for me while growing up since my school's art department SUCKED (not the TEACHER whom I'm still friends with, it was just severely underfunded), paying to put me in art camp down at the local art museum every summer, etc. I'm 37 now. I graduated from Ringling with honors in 2007 with a BFA in illustration, the first in my family to earn a degree, and for the last 15 years I've been happily working as an illustrator, designer, and colorist. And my parents are still my biggest cheerleaders. And it's vitally important.

The way the teacher spoke so poetically about poetry made it interesting.

My mum told me to watch this when I was 16. Not only did I love it, it inspired me to continue writing and become a writer.

One of my most favorite lines in movie history is "Oh! Captain My Captain". I had not heard that before watching this film about two decades ago but it took root in my young mind and I for me to hear those words from Robbin Williams my first time... it is deeply touching at the end to see a very young Ethan Hawk repeating those words to Robin . I really appreciate both your reactions and comments for this film so much... this was a treat and is now in my favorites list . Thank you both very much.

I watched this with my grandpa and he had a lot more sympathy for Neil's dad than I expected. He went on this whole spiel about how Neil's dad likely served in WW2 and probably come of age in the Great Depression. He'd been raised with a "life is hard, and people are literally starving in front of me" kind of thinking. In his mind, making sure his son had security and safety was how he showed his love, and this was also back in the "blind obedience is proof of good parenting" days, so he probably didn't have the first clue how to communicate effectively with his son about bigger ideals than simple survival. It makes Mr. Keating's earlier speech about sustaining live vs. what we live for all the more powerful. The same way Neil was a product of his family and his father and his schooling, Neil's father was too. It's sad from start to finish.

This movie came out when I was in MS. It was profound. Just like today, think for yourself and build your own conclusions is stifled by those who are "smart". "Oh Captain"....and "It's not your fault" we miss Robin Williams

The cast was on Oprah when this was released, and she tried to keep the focus on Robin, but he was not having it. Constantly trying to defer to the rest of the cast, being totally selfless.

This movie left an indelible mark on my soul, and it still breaks me. When I graduated high school I decorated my graduation cap with quotes from this movie imposed over a typewriter. "Carpe diem" and "What will your verse be?" People loved it, especially because I was going on to college to study English Literature, but my cap kept falling off, lol. Now I manage an independent bookstore and my specialties are Poetry and Lit. Although I didn't earn my degree because I left school due to family illness and became a caregiver, I still followed my passion and my dream came true. Next step: own my very own bookstore.

This was a piece of brilliance. I loved it and it's one of the most quoted of my generation. RIP Robin, oh Captain my Captain

I love this movie. If "Oh Captain, my captain!" doesn't bring about SOME sort of emotional response (tears, chills, the biggest smile, etc.) then a person has no soul.

Looks at clock, realizes it's late and I should go to bed. Sees this reaction by my favorite brothers to one of my favorite Robin Williams movies, settles in with coffee instead.

When you didn't think you can love Robin any more than you already do. We all want and need a teacher like that, whether we deserve him or not :) Aah, the movie is heartbreaking, but you will re-watch it every few years.

Whenever I see this, I remember Good Will Hunting and the scene between Williams and Skaarsgard. "Direction is one thing, manipulation is another." It really can have disastrous results. I don't object to a good education but there are days when you have to let kids grow into adults by letting them find their own path in life.

This is one of my all time favourite movies! Robin Williams is so charming. They all are.

Extremely sad, bawled my eyes out in theatre, but I was frustrated also because he could have waited until he got to 18 and then leave school and go is own way. Easy to say when you are not in it but I wanted to shake some sens in both the father and the son. Great movie, stay with you a long time after.

Hawke commented in an interview that his own kids can't identify him in this film. For those who already know Neil's storyline, consider the fact that, in another life, he became both actor and doctor, in "House, M.D." In the '80s, there were plenty of films that captured the intimate friendships of boys, in a way that will likely never be done again, with the constant need to turn intimate friendships into same-sex romances.

Great video, guys! I saw this movie when it came out & I was in college. I was a theater major, and everyone was telling me I'd never succeed. Well. I stayed with it. And I made my living onstage until my kids were both diagnosed with Autism, and I left the profession, because they needed me. (And I needed to be with them. ☺️). I still step on stage now and then, and I certainly never had the career I dreamed about when I was in school, but success has a different meaning for everyone. Thank you for posting this video! ❤

What Dreams May Come is a seriously underrated Robin Williams movie

"Comfort is the death of ambition." I'm keeping that.

I would find it incredibly interesting to see you guys react to "What Dreams May Come" or Bicentennial Man" - other underrated Robin Williams films that challenge belief systems.

“Captain My Captain” RIP the amazing Robin Williams ❤

The thing that he says about poetry is true, but NOT only Poetry, any kind of art or artistic expression is something that unconciously we Need. As a Mammal we evolved, like any others. We developped traits to help our survival and that of the species, traits that are pragmatical and neccesary. Yet somewhere along the way, while humankind was devlopping ways to survive harsh environements, tools to make advanced work and other things that would increase our livelyhood and the proficiency at wich we could work and thus Survive and Trive. We also developped an interest in Arts, be it music, poetry, literature, Painting, dances and other Artistic Expressions that has not only survived till now but also had its own evolution.(Movies, games, etc) Art is NOT neccesary for the survival of a species, and yet we give it so much importance, people live and die for the Art. WE NEED something that challenges our minds, something that sooth us, or make us question things and put things into perspective, we aspire to Greater things be it through the way we travers live, or through the way we use our imagination and put our minds to the test. From a purely biologic point, Art is useless for the preservation of the species, and yet it is one of the most primordial aspect of what makes us Human beings.

oh some of us are not insecure, nor afraid of your violence. i am here to see the dog.

Julia Roberts' "Mona Lisa Smile" is the chick version of this film, and I think you guys would love it as a follow-on to this film.

The song Keating is whistling is the 1812 Overture. One word: CANNONS!!!

I remember when this movie came out and I was so overwhelmed by the message that I couldn't even speak. It doesn't have THAT level of impact still but I still love it and watch it whenever I am needing a reminder of living life to the absolute fullest - not just existing in the monotony of life.

OMG yes, this is one of my all time favorite movies, with probably my favorite Robin Williams performance of all time. RIP 💜

It's on my top 10 movie list of all time. I first saw it for a theater class in college in 1990. I have loved ever since. Has tons of symbolism throughout the movie including the names used for the characters. Winner of an Academy Award (Oscar) for Original screenplay. I remember watching the entire cast on the Phil Donahue talk show and they talked about the movie for the entire hour. Ethan Hawke and Robert Sean Leonard were outstanding. Thanks for the great reaction. I appreciate it. 👍

great movie. unfortunately i know what it's like to have parents like that kid who killed himself, so i really felt it when he took that direction because i've thought about it countless times myself. needless to say i've pretty much cut contact with my parents now as an adult because there's really nothing that we see eye to eye on. robin williams did an amazing job with this role and showcasing the importance of individuality. if you haven't seen good will hunting that's another great williams movie.

You guys really should watch Good Will Hunting and Scent of a Woman, just as Dead Poets these two are fantastic heartfelt movies that are an absolutely must see. Thanks for the reaction and for the very appreciated advice in the end!

I like what you said about someone needing to be pushed out of their comfort zone. Imagine a small circle interlinked with a much larger circle. The smaller circle labelled "your comfort zone" the larger circle "where the magic happens", cross the line and the world can be what you make it to be

Truly one of the great movies. Maybe that’s because I was about 11 when this came out and timing is very powerful, but I have a hard time believing many people would scoff at this being an all-time great movie.

I used to watch this movie all the time. I love the variety of films you guys react to! 😁

-Me and my fat ass standing over a chair: "Oh captain, my captain".... -My neighbour watching me through the window: "Fu**ing weirdo".....

I think they showed us this movie in class in high school, I haven't watched it more than a few times, but it still made a huge impact.

I hope you guys get to watch Big fish. So many talented actors.. Including Steve Buscemi.

Todd - obviously (and deeply) in love with the one person who sees him truly, encourages him, challenges him - finds his barbaric yawp at 31:52… and it is Neil’s name.

A lot of this was filmed here in my home state of Delaware while I was in high school. A friend of mine used to babysit Williams' children when they were here.

MANNNN you’ve know idea. I’ve been refreshing my feed watching every dead poets society reaction on KZfaq since I watched it for the first time 4 days ago and this has just appeared 😄

This is one of my favorites. Even though I always cry when he comits suicide.

You can go on all night as far as I'm concerned. Great reaction and commentary guys.

When I was in college...I was a lifeguard at the rec pool on campus. I usually worked the mornings cause it was easier and mainly faculty would swim at that time. One professor who I would make chit chat with was the ACTUAL professor Robin Williams plays! I had no idea until afterwards!!!

This movie was one of many epic movies in 1989. As good as it is on a small screen, it was even better in the theatre.

I saw this movie for the first time when I was a teenager and it definitely stayed with me. Robin Williams is so amazing!

When this movie came out, I was 14 and I was inspired to be a teacher. Even though I am glad that I didn't go into teaching, I still like teaching other people new things. This movie is one of my most favorite movies of all time.

This movie is an important cornerstone of my life. This movie literally made me who I am today at the age of 48. Every time I watch it, I take something new away from it. The entire cast is phenomenal. This is a near-perfect film. Glad you guys enjoyed it and really got the message. So cool to see. Cheers!

A Robin classic! Glad you guys watched this one. I emulating my teaching style off this character.

I understood the term, took my breath away, when that kid stands on that desk . I couldn't breathe for the last 30 seconds of this movie.

Great reaction video .... NEXT MOVIE Y'ALL SHOULD SEE IS " DEVIL IN A BLUE DRESS" 1995... y'all will love it...

Good movie. I enjoyed your comments. For fans of Robbin Williams (or those who are not, although I can't imagine that) I recommend Moscow on the Hudson (1984), and The World According to Garp (1982 ), and a later and a very different roll for him, One Hour Photo (2002).

Thanks for this! I adore Robin; recommend “Good Morning Vietnam” -I LOVE that film and it showcases his comic brilliance at its height.

I can't believe no one mentioned "Patch Adams", also Robin Williams and "The World According to Garp" these are both must sees! RIP Robin, Thank you!

We had poetry lessons in college and i remember that on the first day of class the professor wrote a poem on the board and asked us to give our own interpretation so i went on and basically created an entire story about chaos & war. The professor told me the poem wasn't about that, that it was about a guy wanting some fruit in the middle of the night. I became extremely frustrated because she invalidated my analysis and thought i was trolling. At that moment, i wished my captain was in the room encouraging me to finish my story. 🥺

33:10 I get blue guy's reaction perfectly. I also have this feeling when Rudy got accepted at Notre-Dame, or when the Mcrib returns.

Forcing someone out of their comfort zone is only half ... making whatever happens there feel safe is a huge second part that is never said.

This is one of my favorite movies because my senior literature teacher in highschool was a lot like Robin Williams character. He had unconventional lesson plans like dramatic reads of Beowulf with Scandinavian symphonic metal in the background. Or having us read poetry in the courtyard then find something that we think best represents the verse then making a collage of those items as a class. After we finished 1984 He had us re write the school News paper according to "the party". He played indie music in his class room between classes and during lunch and was impressed when someone knew the band. I've never found anyone who was as supportive of his students as he was. Mr. Bawlin I remember you.

They just don't make films of this quality anymore. I can't remember a film that made my heart swell like the ending here in the past 20 years.

"HOLY SHIT! What a fucking PHENOMENAL movie, dude!!!" There aren't too many movies that can generate that kind of reaction, but DPS was one of them.

One of the best adaptations from a book i've ever seen. If you wanna see an even younger Ethan Hawke you should watch "Explorers", his first movie. Kind of "The goonies" similar style movie but of scifi with aliens, underrated and forgotten but a true gem for me.

Ivy League schools are Harvard, Yale, Brown and a few others, but you get the drift. The song he is whistling is part of Tchaikovsky's 1812 Overture. Not many people know where it's from, but almost everyone knows that part. I forgot how much I cry at this. We had 1 teacher, when I was in high school in the early 70's, that didn't conform to be like all the other strict teachers. We liked learning from him. I paid attention. I didn't skip his class. But he got fired. We protested his firing. I'm 67 now & he is my friend on Facebook. Thank you Mr. Caruso. Thank you guys for reacting to this. Love your commentary. You spoke the truth.

I graduated high school in June of 1989 when this was in the theaters on first run. I first saw it on the weekend of graduation with my friends, in a packed theater. You cannot imagine the impact that this movie had on my young life. I'm 50 years old now, and looking back, I can honestly say that this movie made a lasting impact, and changed the course of development of my personality entirely. This gave me the courage in a very hostile time to come out as LGBTQ to friends and family, to seize the reins of my own development and goals from my (well-meaning) family and to teach myself to live intentionally. "I went to the woods because I wished to live deep, to suck out all of the marrow of life. And not, when I came to die, discover I had not lived." And so it has been since that fateful Friday night movie show. Carpe diem, friends. It's never too late.

Yes you put this film in good company. I was in the 7th grade when "To Sir with Love" came out and it stayed with me through the years. Robin Williams turned in another masterpiece with this film such as he did with Awakenings, Good morning Vietnam and several others and then left us too soon.

to find inspiration in life that is so long look no further than a poem, film or even a song it might be one word, a scene or lyric for if it makes you feel hold it close don’t let go as the day slowly comes to an end we realize what life seemed so long was never enough

I can't watch any of this movie's scenes without crying. It's my favorite of all time. A teacher played it for us when I was about 14 and I never forgot. I remember how shocking Neil's scene was, and we discussed what else he could have done. At that time I said he should have waited. Once he was of legal age, what could his father do to keep him if he wanted to go away? And even if he needed to wait 10 years, what's that compared to so many years he could have had. That discussion really helped me go through tough moments of my life without giving up, knowing that at some point everything would get better. And it always did. And, of course, this movie thought me every moment is precious, our values aren't negotiable and we should do what we love. I have the quote "The name is Nuwanda" tattooed and a giant poster of the movie on my wall cause I never wanna forget all those lessons.

Most under-rated Robin Williams performance aside from "Bicentennial Man". Comical, Serious, Inspiring, Heart rending.....

I love how they depict that the father feels it when his son is in despair! He does love his son.

Love this movie🥰 I love Robin Williams he's absolutely Stellar in this movie

I loved this movie…. RIP Robin Williams…… will always have a little place in my heart

Omg. One of my all time favorite classics ever, and my favorite Robin Williams film of all time. I’m gonna cry… you’ve no idea what this film means to me next to *THE CROW*

remember the titans would be a good one that i don't see many reactors do, but i watched it for the first time in ages this past week and it gave me chills as if it was the first time seeing it all over again

Feel really blessed to be born when I was, the Movies the Music, TV even Today's I'd so formulaic it is as if we are sleepwalking into dumbing down and lulled into subservience.

One of Robin Williams best films, ever

I started watching you guys when I ran into your reaction to The Color Purple. OMG, now you're doing my favorite movie!! You're amazing!!! ❤️ I had to go to summer school after my senior year. This movie turned me into a poet and a plethora of great things! Thank you for picking this!

This is my favorite movie. I am glad you got to see it. RIP Robin Williams.

Congrats on 50K guys! 🍾🥳

broh just yesterday i was binging reactions for this movie. I recently watched it again at a theater and i was even considering paying some reactors and out of nowhere, my bros go at it. Thank you than youu

In my high school American Literature class, we watched this movie. We also had a poetry book with a terrible introduction. My teacher said we could rip it out like in Dead Poet’s Society. When we read the poem “O Captain! My Captain!” we stood on our desks.

I've been enjoying and watching your videos here on KZfaq for about a year now, and waiting for this movie. Was hoping you guys to like it. I'm glad you did, and loved your insight outro.

I was so happy when I got this notification! I couldn't even count how many times I've seen it & it was just as great watching it again with you two lovely gentlemen ❤

The phone call from god is one my fav moments in cinema

Nice reaction. I was very much like Todd in school. This film introduced me to idea that I might actually survive the risks I was so afraid of taking. After all, what is poetry, or life for that matter, without the ability to truly empathize with the experiences of others. To do one's best to understand someone else's vision of the world, to understand their pain as well as their joy. It is not an easy thing to do, but well worth the effort. Opening our minds and hearts may feel like the greatest risk we can take, and yet, when we do, the rewards can be miraculous.