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How do you question authority in a healthy way?

Licensed therapist Jonathan Decker and filmmaker Alan Seawright are reacting to Dead Poets Society with guest Gale Hansen, who plays Charlie Dalton in the film. They talk about Charlie’s character arc, including Nuwanda, and the theme of conformity vs. rebellion. Jonathan talks about the balance of respecting and questioning authority and what happens when you push boundaries. They talk about Keating’s inspirational teaching methods and how he influences the young men. And Gale talks about what it was like to work with our cinema hero, Robin Williams.

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Comments

Wayward Ace

Definitely looking forward to this one!

Wendy Darling

Squeeeeeeeeeeeeee! ::deep breath:: Squeeeeeeeeeeeeee!

Smidge

Oh, COOL 🥰

Holly✌️

OH CAPTAIN, MY CAPTAIN! I can't wait!

Terpsichore

I'm excited to hear their thoughts on this! 💭

Darcie D

Wow haven’t see Dead Poets society in ages. This should be great. I imagine I’ll be crying here at the end.

CinemaTherapy

Wassup? This is johno on the official CT account

Holly✌️

I just rewatched this weekend in anticipation

Alan Seawright

Gale was SO GREAT everyone! I’m so stoked for you to see this.

Terpsichore

Oh Alan... I miss Robin every day. He's a legend.

Dorikuu Garcia

Confesinf that I have never watched this movie.... And I had always wanted to. *Gulp*

Alan Seawright

Gale actually hadn’t heard of us until we reached out (through a friend) but after he heard about the show, he binged like, 20 episodes and emailed me with loads of thoughts and quotes. It was a truly weird experience for me.

Drug Princess

I am home for a drop!! Super fun!

CinemaTherapy

You want more Alan talking filmmaking? You GOT it. Patreon!

Alan Seawright

I didn’t push back against Gale on this “Charlie doesn’t have a story arc” bit. But I actually disagree (with the guy who played the character.) Jono covers it diplomatically here.

Terpsichore

Like A Lord of the Flies moment...

Holly✌️

I love Lord of the Flies

Drug Princess

Poetry is underrated. Robin Williams is amazing as always

Terpsichore

Oh, that's amazing to hear what it's like to work with Robin. How magical.

Tatiana Botschagow

Honestly though, I always love watching Robin perform, especially in this movie. Like I know I'm preaching to the choir here but there's such a earnestness to it and it really is magical

Wayward Ace

Just started, so I’m behind the rest of you, but still here!

Alan Seawright

I love Gale walking through all the actor process stuff like it’s totally blasé. He REALLY put in work. I’ve studied and read for years, and he just blasts through it as a 26 yr-old.

Alan Seawright

People who regularly read fiction score SIGNIFICANTLY higher in empathy. Literally the most important thing in the world. Empathy saves lives, saves environments, saves ourselves.

Alan Seawright

Seale may actually be the GOAT. What a talent.

CinemaTherapy

This entire section is not in the YouTube cut. Enjoy!

Darcie D

That scene looks like a dance

Smidge

The dizzying camera work is SO good for feeling the kid's disorientation. I love that choice!

Dorikuu Garcia

We don't question, we don't pop the bubble.... I love it!

Pam Jackson

We teach to intellect ignoring instinct.

Terpsichore

My internet connection sucks And the video froze. I'll have to finish watching this later. But I wanted to thank you all so much for a wonderful experience here!! You are great 😊.

Tatiana Botschagow

Totally agree with Gale here, as someone who's bisexual, I wholeheartedly agree that a lot of LGBTQIA+ folks really identify with the movie, myself included

Alan Seawright

Jono had such an interesting take on this. I hadn’t ever gotten the “Progress, but measured” take on it, but I can’t not see it now.

Pam Jackson

Okokok I’ll watch the film

Dorikuu Garcia

I think I will need a lot of tissues to watch this one. It is going to touch a lot of things of my upbringing.

Smidge

OOOOOOO, I have such a visceral reaction to people hurting kids as "discipline".

Smidge

Okay, aptly dropping a DBZ metaphor is definitely Cool Dad points ✌️

Alan Seawright

So Gale actually wrote and pitched a sequel miniseries to Dead Poets Society. I desperately would have liked to watch that show.

Smidge

"Might have been on the losing side... still not convinced it's the wrong one."

Alan Seawright

Alright, what do you all think? More episodes like this, revisiting classics with actors/directors/writers and digging in to depths?

Alan Seawright

That phone-call from God from Gale? His idea!

MsHalcyon

Beautiful episode!

Darcie D

Thanks! That was a great episode.

Pam Jackson

Thanks guys. That was wonderful

Smeeson

Thank you so much for this episode. Robin Williams is legitimately the most influential person to my life. Never met him, but he was always someone I turned to when I was feeling down by putting in one of his movies. I also really took a quote of his to heart about how the saddest people are usually the ones trying to make others laugh, because they don't want others to experience what they have experienced. It kinda became my life motto. I really appreciate you guys for talking about how he touched your lives as well. He is gone and that's tragic, but he lives on in all of our hearts and that's beautiful.

Alex

Oh, I love this- thank you so much! I don't mean to spam you with recommendations, but a sibling showed me the movie Nimona last night, and it just struck me as something potentially very rich for you to view and/or discuss. The whole thing is about prejudice, and how damaging it is for all involved- but also about how prejudice can expand by demanding that anyone/thing that even appears to question the basis of the prejudice must also be attacked. And about trust, love and support, and what effective versions of that look like- and how someone's love and support might be freely and honestly given, but the form of that support can still be hurtful, damaging, or just not what you need in the moment. And other themes, but I think you'll enjoy the movie any way you choose to watch it.

☢️☣️ Sonar IllusionFox ☣️☢️

That Movie was amazing when it released a lot like you Alan I miss Robin Williams I often lay there and think what would he be doing now if he was around 🥺 It was amazing seeing Gale that phone call was awesome and quick thinking 😂

Adam Shockley

As a person who grew up in Delaware (where the movie was filmed) this movie was a favorite of my teachers in school and shown to us in 8th grade (with parental approval) it was a big inspiration to me and thank you for diving deep into this movie.

Sadie

Guys I loved this so much! I also grew up with all the same Robin Williams movies though I am at least 10years younger than you. He was such an amazing being. This movie was introduced to me in middle school and it had such a profound effect on me. Thank you for this. Speakimg of Robin Williams, I would love to hear your thoughts/see an episode(s) on The Birdcage, Patch Adams, and Flubber. I watched them all as a kid but had such a different take on them as an adult.

ruffboiMags

YOOOOOO!!! Charlie was my favorite, LOVED that boy, so cool to get to see Gale on the show!!!!

Lisa C

Joseph Campbell! So cool to hear him mentioned here by Gale, everyone needs to know about the Hero’s Journey and ‘Hero With a Thousand Faces’ is a must read. 😊 📖

Danial McCoy

The "sweaty-toothed madman" bit leaves me in tears every time I watch this movie. I don't know it, but it hits my hard. Seeing the first crack through the walls of self restraint and into someones creativity is so powerful, and if you are every there to see that first moment for someone, it leaves you changed. This part of the movie does exactly that for me.

Colette B

The first time I watched this movie, my 11th grade English teacher had us sit down and watch this. My Mr. Drew was like my very own Mr. Keating. He constantly worked to help us break our brains regarding what we’ve come to know, and however we reassembled the ideas, he wanted to see what each of us came up with. I fear a lot of my classmates just saw him as cooky, but that man helped me reshape my approach to life, which was vital at that age because a lot changed for me personally the following years and I wouldn’t have absorbed it how I have without him. These kinds of educators are exactly who everyone needs

Shhhhh

I know I’m not alone in saying this movie changed my life watching it as a teenager. Well all of Robin William’s movies did, but this one has a special place in my heart and part of why I wanted to become an actor. Thanks so much for making this movie and SO COOL that you got to have Nuwanda on your show!! My heart is very happy ❤️

KrissyArtist

Such a good episode and movie! One of Robin Williams best movies hands down!

McLovinPopeIII

I've seen bits and pieces of this movie when I was a kid, but it's time I give it a proper watch.

2eTherapyJamie

I got my callout during a movie featuring Robin Williams, that I used to teach as an education professor… I can die happy now 🥰

Raiyu Lilliputian

I wish school would still be teaching cursive lessons. They took it away when I was in 4th grade.😰

just me

I had forgotten the speech on changing your perspective (16:30). It hit hard as an adult - I've spent the last few years rewriting hard wiring that God is a judgmental bastard who wants all of us to rot in Hell because we aren't good enough. It's been so hard, but so important.

Diane

What a fascinating, astute discussion with Gale Hansen about a deeply revered film in my life! I am 67, so I did see "Dead Poet's Society" in the theater upon its release. I am of the generation that went to the theater to watch movies; in my young years, it was before video tapes were even available to rent and watch movies! I was excited for the release of "Dead Poet's Society" because Peter Weir was the director. I had already been truly stunned by the films I had seen by Mr. Weir ("Picnic at Hanging Rock," "Gallipoli," "The Year of Living Dangerously," "Witness"). They were moving stories told beautifully. "Dead Poet's Society" was added to that long list of beloved movies directed by Mr. Weir. I do appreciate the ability to stream movies now because it would be difficult to revisit some of the gems I have experienced if they were not made available in some form. However, I agree with your views about seeing movies in the theater and experiencing an emotionally revelatory story within a community. I hope sometime that you might revisit the "Sword of Damocles" (art versus commerce) that now exists for filmmakers. Gale described the situation as it exists so eloquently and mentioned that it was another story. I would love to hear that story. Bravo to all of you and I am grateful for this. I am going to rewatch it for the nuances of the conversation.

Heather George

Yes, I love this movie. What an intelligent guest to have on the show. Gale Hansen's reference to my hero Joseph Campbell was intriguing. I hope to get more information on studio executive's choices on what movies are made effected society.

Amelie W

Gale's comment about the ending, where the Man wins, brings to mind the comic book "Saga" explaining the concept of children's books. To paraphrase, "A young person breaks the rules and goes on an adventure and learns the lesson that the rules are there for a reason and there's no place like home. Stories that might frustrate a clever child and encourage them to try breaking the rules and having adventures."

Meg W.

This movie!!!! The first time I ever watched this movie was when I was 18, on a laptop, in a bedroom at a condo my family was staying at in Palm Springs California 🤣 All seriousness though, I absolutely adore this movie. One of my favourite Robin Williams roles. (And I’m right there with you Alan. Charlie was always my favourite character too!)

KarenMcQueeney

I love this movie! Loved it as a kid! I was like 13-14 years old when I first saw it. Charlie Dalton was my favorite character but I was more like Ethan Hawke’s character (shy to the point of being an introvert). But I watch this movie weekly now.