Home/Episodes/Dead Poets Society
‘Dead Poets Society’ With Bill Simmons, Mallory Rubin, and Chris Ryan
June 12, 2019 · Dead Poets Society (1989) · Comedy · Drama · 1:45:52 · ▶ Listen on Spotify
Categories
Most Rewatchable Scene
Bill SimmonsMultiple scenes including when Keating meets the kids in the lobby and does the carpe diem speech, and ripping the understanding poetry part out of the book▶ 23:11
Best Quote
Mallory RubinI stand up on my desk to remind myself that we must constantly look at things in a different way. The world looks very different from up here.▶ 32:43
What's Aged the Worst
Bill SimmonsEvery single scene of Knox and Chet's girlfriend - the stalking behavior and problematic romantic subplot▶ 1:00:21
Chris RyanThe Knox storyline - feels like a bad B plot on a TV show that drags down the movie▶ 1:00:49
Mallory RubinKnox's behavior - petting and kissing the girl while she's passed out and stalking her after she told him to leave her alone▶ 1:00:53
Casting What-Ifs
Bill SimmonsDustin Hoffman — Discussed multiple casting alternatives: thought Dustin Hoffman would make it darker but still good, Mel Gibson wouldn't have been bad but not as good as Robin Williams, expressed amazement at Liam Neeson almost getting the role▶ 1:04:36
Chris RyanDustin Hoffman — Agreed Dustin Hoffman would create a very different, darker tone and made jokes about Liam Neeson's eventual Taken persona applied to Dead Poets Society▶ 1:04:41
Mallory RubinLiam Neeson — Made jokes about Liam Neeson's skills being applied to rescuing Leaves of Grass instead of people, and added that Sam Rockwell auditioned for Charlie▶ 1:05:45
Half-Assed Internet Research
Bill SimmonsA scene in the original script showed Keating dying in a hospital removed by Peter Weir. Keating was supposed to die of leukemia because that's apparently what happened to the teacher.▶ 1:09:10
Joey Pants Award
Mallory RubinDiscusses the concept of 'belated that guy' - actors who become 'that guy' actors in reverse, using Cameron as an example▶ 1:20:30
Overacting Award
Bill SimmonsKurtwood Smith — Neil's father - specifically the scene where he discovers Neil is dead and repeatedly says 'He's not right!'▶ 1:21:17
Chris RyanRobert Sean Leonard — Suggests multiple candidates: Nuwanda moments in the cave, Dalton playing the sax, and Neil's mother in her emotional scenes with tears▶ 1:21:32
Ethan HawkeKurtwood Smith — Neil's father - performs an imitation of the father's overacting, mimicking 'Oh, my God! Oh! Oh, my son! He's not high! My son! My poor son! He's not right!' repeatedly▶ 1:21:19
Mallory RubinDefends the performances, particularly Neil's mother, arguing the hosts are being too hard on 1950s housewives trying to protect their children▶ 1:21:52
Who Won the Movie
Bill SimmonsRobin Williams — Robin Williams - states there's nobody who could do those classroom scenes like Robin Williams could have▶ 1:38:28
Chris RyanRobin Williams — Agrees with Robin Williams but also makes a case for Robert Sean Leonard (Neil)▶ 1:38:42
Ethan HawkeRobin Williams — Discusses how Dead Poets Society was the perfect movie for Robin Williams at the right time, breaking the spell of audiences not taking him seriously as an actor▶ 1:41:16
Mallory RubinRobin Williams — Agrees with Robin Williams but also mentions Walt Whitman and other poets as winners▶ 1:38:52
Movies Referenced (41)
| Title (year) | Links | Mentions | Mentioned by | First |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Field of Dreams (1989) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 3 | Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan | ▶ 3:36 |
| Stand by Me (1986) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 3 | Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan | ▶ 0:23 |
| What Dreams May Come (1998) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 3 | Bill Simmons | ▶ 1:17:16 |
| Aladdin (1992) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 2 | Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan | ▶ 1:15:56 |
| Good Time (2017) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 2 | Bill Simmons | ▶ 33:53 |
| Good Will Hunting (1997) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 2 | Mallory Rubin, Bill Simmons | ▶ 1:16:59 |
| Jerry Maguire (1996) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 2 | Bill Simmons | ▶ 1:45:02 |
| Psycho (1960) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 2 | Bill Simmons | ▶ 58:11 |
| Rebel Without a Cause (1955) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 2 | Chris Ryan | ▶ 11:25 |
| Revenge of the Nerds (1984) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 2 | Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan | ▶ 1:05:06 |
| Year One (2009) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 2 | Bill Simmons, Mallory Rubin | ▶ 12:17 |
| Alien (1979) | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 1 | Bill Simmons | ▶ 12:57 |
Directors Referenced (7)
| Name | Links | Mentions | Mentioned by | Known For | First |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| John Keating | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 43 | Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan, Mallory Rubin | Limitless, One for the Money | ▶ 3:23 |
| Peter Weir | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 9 | Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan, Ethan Hawke | The Way Back, Witness | ▶ 19:30 |
| Mel Gibson | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 5 | Bill Simmons | Braveheart, Lethal Weapon 3, Conspiracy Theory | ▶ 0:51 |
| Andy Robertson | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 1 | Chris Ryan | ▶ 1:24:19 | |
| Clay Travis | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 1 | Bill Simmons | ▶ 26:01 | |
| Logan Thoreau | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 1 | Mallory Rubin | Before We Go | ▶ 1:39:13 |
| Spike Lee | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 1 | Ethan Hawke | Do the Right Thing, Malcolm X, She's Gotta Have It | ▶ 1:42:22 |
Actors Referenced (49)
| Name | Links | Mentions | Mentioned by | Known For | First |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Robin Williams | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 30 | Bill Simmons, Ethan Hawke, Chris Ryan | Mrs. Doubtfire | ▶ 1:36 |
| Todd Anderson | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 27 | Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan, Mallory Rubin | The Lone Ranger | ▶ 13:31 |
| Josh Charles | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 15 | Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan, Ethan Hawke | Dead Poets Society, Four Brothers | ▶ 20:21 |
| Robert Sean Leonard | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 8 | Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan, Ethan Hawke | Dead Poets Society, The Age of Innocence | ▶ 6:46 |
| River Phoenix | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 7 | Bill Simmons, Ethan Hawke | My Own Private Idaho, Stand by Me, The Mosquito Coast | ▶ 0:29 |
| Deep Dish | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 3 | Bill Simmons | ▶ 0:45 | |
| Dustin Hoffman | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 3 | Bill Simmons, Chris Ryan | Rain Man, Tootsie, Midnight Cowboy | ▶ 1:04:36 |
| Kurtwood Smith | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 3 | Chris Ryan, Bill Simmons | Broken Arrow, RoboCop | ▶ 1:08:02 |
| Lara Flynn Boyle | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 3 | Chris Ryan, Bill Simmons, Mallory Rubin | Wayne's World | ▶ 1:02:24 |
| Omar Epps | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 3 | Bill Simmons, Mallory Rubin, Chris Ryan | Love & Basketball | ▶ 1:10:20 |
| Billy Crystal | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 2 | Bill Simmons | City Slickers, When Harry Met Sally... | ▶ 1:16:21 |
| James Dean | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 2 | Chris Ryan, Bill Simmons | East of Eden, Rebel Without a Cause | ▶ 11:45 |
Writers Referenced (8)
| Name | Links | Mentions | Mentioned by | Known For | First |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Roger Ebert | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 2 | Bill Simmons | ▶ 11:55 | |
| David Letterman | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 1 | Bill Simmons | ▶ 1:06:49 | |
| Jeffrey Katzenberg | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 1 | Bill Simmons | Shrek, Just Like Heaven | ▶ 1:06:24 |
| John Irving | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 1 | Bill Simmons | The Cider House Rules, The World According to Garp | ▶ 1:11:59 |
| Johnny Cash | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 1 | Chris Ryan | Walk the Line | ▶ 37:13 |
| Kenneth Lonergan | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 1 | Chris Ryan | Manchester by the Sea, You Can Count on Me | ▶ 1:19:47 |
| Noah Baumbach | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 1 | Chris Ryan | The Squid and the Whale, Marriage Story | ▶ 20:24 |
| Patch Adams | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 1 | Bill Simmons | Patch Adams | ▶ 1:17:16 |
Cinematographers Referenced (2)
| Name | Links | Mentions | Mentioned by | Known For | First |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Michael Grantland | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 2 | Bill Simmons, Mallory Rubin | The Other Guys | ▶ 53:33 |
| Hunter Thompson | IMDb ↗Lb ↗ | 1 | Bill Simmons | ▶ 9:49 |