Okay, so a good friend recently couldn’t believe I hadn’t seen the two Robin Williams movies, Dead Poets’ Society (1989) and Good Will Hunting (1997) before. So I set out to watch them both. I know neither are horror movies, and you’re probably wondering why they should be included in a horror newsletter. Well, a movie, or a novel for that matter, needn’t be specifically of the horror genre to create that cascading shiver of the spine moment, that emotional impact that gives you a lump in your throat. Horror can come from anywhere, whether it’s the vampire across the street, or something more subtle like a boarding school’s crushing conformity, which happens to be the main antagonist in Dead Poets’ Society.
I’m not going to dwell too much here on Good Will Hunting, other than to say it’s a great film with a great script and a satisfying, if maybe slightly formulaic, ending. It maybe gets compared with DPS a lot, because the late and oft-missed Robin Williams plays an offbeat kind of mentor to young men in both films. Go see it, if you haven’t already.
I would though really urge you to watch Dead Poets’ Society, in my view the better of the two films. Much of the reason why I hadn’t watched these films before was that I’ve never been that keen on coming of age stories. Anyway, without giving away the storyline, DPS has a real kicker moment that will leave you stunned. For me, this reaction is quite rare from watching any kind of movie, whether a horror or a thriller, let alone a boarding school drama.
Peter Weir’s sensitive direction and a wise choice to keep Robin Williams (much as we love him) reined in a little helps make this a must-see movie. With that kind twinkle in his eyes, he really becomes just one of the boys. The script is witty and tenderly written, and we become emotionally attached to the characters. We revel in their temporary escape from the school’s overbearing, stuffy authority through classic poetry, illicit smoking and comradeship. Their refuge is a cave. They’re going back to basics.
So my movie recommendation this week is to rent/ stream Dead Poets’ Society. Chucky XXVII can wait till next week LOL. Please let me know what you think. If you’ve already seen Good Will Hunting, I’d be interested in which you think is the better film too.
And do you have any movie recommendations, horror or otherwise?