Dead Poets Society

Scene where Knox Overstreet is on the telephone to Kris.

Knox Overstreet played a fair part in the film Dead Poets

Society. One
particular scene that Knox was in was the phone conversation with the
girl he
loves, Kris.
The scene starts with Knox at the telephone. The camera closes
in on
his face and his fingers dialling the telephone. The camera stays on
his face
as the phone rings and awaits a pick up. When Kris picks up the phone,
Konx's
facial expression changes from one of ambition to one of much
nervousness. The
camera swings to show Knox's hand as he promptly hangs up the phone.
Next, the
camera swings around from Knox to his friends. This medium close-up
shows the
disappointment on all their faces and that expression makes Knox ring
once more.
This time, the camera angles are the same and Knox goes through
with the
phone call all the way.
While he is talking, the camera is focused on his face and hand
holding
the phone to his ear. When Knox hears the news that he has been
invited to go
to a party with the girl of his dreams, his face lights up and he cant
help but
smile. Still with the same angle, the camera swings around to show the
faces of
his friends as he tells them his news. Their facial expressions as
showed by
the camera are delightful and happy ones. This makes Knox even more
happy.
The scene ends with a close up of Knox hanging up the phone and
then a
high level shot of him running up the stairs.

Scene where Mr Keating tell the class to come up and stand on the desk.

To start this scene camera view as seen through Mr Keating's

eyes shows
the whole class sitting quietly. He tells the class to come up and
stand on the
desk and he does it himself. A high angle shot show Mr Keating
standing on the
desk and looking around. We then see a low angle view of the whole
class. This
shot shows that the class is reluctant to go up as it is not normal
procedure.
You can tell that they are all used to a strict almost boring class and
that is
why they are slow to try out Mr Keatings new methods.
As each student goes up we see a high angle shot of them and
then a shot
of Mr Keatings face as he tells the boys to think differently and act
differently.

2.) Neil

The first scene where the director makes the audience feels
sorry for
Neil is early in the movie. This happens where all Neil's friends are
around.
Neil's father comes in and the camera goes into a low angle one,
looking down
upon Neil. The camera moves around to show all his friends ready to
leave but
then goes back to Mr Perry as he tells them all to stay. With the
camera
switching from Neil to Mr Perry, Mr Perry delivers the news that Neil
is to
cease all participation on the school paper. Mr Perry embarrasses Neil
in front
of his friends and when Neil tries to reason with his father he is
treated like
a criminal. Once outside Neil's room, Mr Perry gives Neil a stern and
unreasonable talking to. A close up of Neil's face reveals a sad and
angry
young man who knows he cannot defy his fathers wishes.
When Mr Perry leaves, Neil's friends peer around the door and we
once
again see Neil's face. This time he is putting on a brave face and
assuring his
friends that he doesn't mind giving up the school paper when really he
is
shattered.
Most times that we feel sorry for Neil are times where Neil
clashes with
his strict father. The next time we feel for him is when he is all
revved up
about going for the lead part in the play. He is really happy and
can't wait to
start, but when Todd queries Neil about his father's opinion. This
"bursts
Neil's bubble" as he is faced with reality. Neil knows that his father
would
not approve of his part in the play and Neil actually looses his temper
with
Todd.
The director shows Neil's emotions on the matter through a
medium level
shot of Neil and Todd.
When Neil gets the part in the play, he fakes a permission note
from his
father thinking he can participate in the play without his father
knowing. I
don't know about the rest of the class but I felt sorry here as I think
it is
sad that you have to keep something like this a secret from your
parents. I
would like my parents to see me if I was as good as him at acting.
When Neil's father finds out that his son is in the play from a
different source, he hastens to the school and forbids Neil to be a
part of the
play. This is the night before the opening. We feel sorry for him
here as we
see Neil's face grow sadder than when he was dis-allowed to participate
in the
school paper.
Neil takes his problem to the wise teacher, Mr Keating. Here we
feel
very sorry Neil as we se him unable to control his emotions and he
weeps. A
sympathetic Mr Keating tells him to stand up to his father and remain
in the
play. This cheers Neil up and the audience think that he will tell his
father
but it is sad when we learn that he lied to Mr Keating about him
telling his
father.
Neil would rather lie to a teacher than tell his father. That
is sad
and in my opinion that is the saddest thing apart from his death.
When Mr Perry enters the theatre during the play and Neil sees
him, that
change in the facial expression shows us that Neil is scared, but
determined to
complete the play.
After the play when Neil is taken home, low angled camera shots
give the
impression of Neil being lesser of a person than his father. He seems
to be
small, weak and powerless against his father. He is unable to stand up
against
his father and when he eventually tries he is left speechless and his
facial
expression "helpless", it was as if he had given up altogether and after
watching the movie we know he has given up.
The end of Neil's sad life begins with Neil carrying out an
almost
"spiritual" ceremony and we see him treasuring the crown of thorns he
wore in
the play.
To me, the director made Neil powerless against his father and
that is
why I have sympathy for him.