Every time I watch this movie I dont just enjoy it, I love it...
It teaches so many different things about ppl, meanwhile being sensitive and inteligent without being boring.
Kevin Kline could at least be nominated as Best Leading Role in the Oscar instead of Nicolas Cage in Adaptation(eeks by the way).
14 mil domestic ?? I guessed its to smart for its audience ...
Just my toughts...
I think it wasn't a hit because the plot was not very engaging. The character cheated when he was a kid and then again when he was an adult. It's a shame, but it's not a subject that's going to make people really start talking.
shareI don't think the story was the problem, the movie was rendered as just another Mr. Chips-Dead Poets film, when it really did have it's own structure and perspective. Kline, of course, manages a definite degree of warmth as he mixes his natural comic abilities with dignified intelligence. Kline is rather overlooked these days as an actor. This has a Mr. Chips feeling, in that he's trying to reach his students to motivate themselves and make themselves leaders and movers in their society, and it actually has a subtle, albeit realistic victory. One of his most promising students gets away, he becomes tainted by politics and ambition. It doesn't mean he has no ability to be a leader and shaker, but is constant attachment to cheating, cutting the corners is a grey defeat. He sort of reminds me of a John Kennedy, a man of considerable intelligence, understanding and charisma who let his ambition and ego get in his way at times. But story remains, you win some and you lose some, and appreciate the ones you win. Why Kline was overlook come Oscar time is strange, but I imagine Oscar was afraid of replaying the on the hype of Mr. Chips, Dead Poets Society, Pride of Miss Jean Bradie, and The Paper Chase. Even Scent of a Woman had a similar education, makers-of-men feeling, even though Chris O'Donnell's real education happens outside the classrom.
May peculiarity tame the norm.
--Anonymous.
I take it your repeated "Mr. Chips" references are to "Goodbye Mr. Chips", of which there are at least two versions -- a 1939 and a 1969. Personally, I prefer the 1969 version, with Peter O'Toole.
As good as this movie is, and I give it a 7, I prefer "Goodbye Mr. Chips", giving it a 9.
Kline is no Robin Williams when it comes to box office.
Maybe had the movie had a major star do a few songs for the soundtrack.
Movie is very good.
Because people already saw it when it was released as "The Dead Poets Society"
shareAnd by that, you mean people had already seen it done several times better as The Dead Poets Society.
Seriously. The Emperor's Club is a very poor imitation.
So what?
The actors are amazing and the film was really good because of them. I think it's the actors that made this movie good.
I'm Batman! Come, Robin, To The BatCave!
The acting was amateurish at best
shareBecause it is one-dimensional with awful writing.
Some examples.
Brutus is considered to be the most worthy Roman (he gets rid of Caesar as he wants to get rid of the Republic). But the contest is dedicated to Caesar, this epitome of undemocratic tendencies.
Kevin Kline's character is deemed to be the best teacher. But all he does is making the pupils to remember names, places, various dictums. No context, no understanding of cause and effect. The contest(s) are cringe-worthy. Name this, name that, ...something you may cover in a few days time by browsing through a book or two. Is this called education?
The (best in the whole World) teacher victimizes a dedicated and in many respects very talented pupil without a real hesitation. The teacher is a monster really, but not to the director of the movie. Just a day's work.
The two scenes of cheating are a total disaster. Who is the guy in the corner if he is not "an assistant" to a blatant fraud? A DJ? But only a hawk-eye is able to identify the goings-on. And the mike in the ear. It is unbelievable.
This is an extremely poor movie. Kevin Kline stated once that he would never act in a bad movie. Well, Kevin, this one does not prove you right.
"Bad movies" do well at the box office all the time. Same with excellent movies that don't do well. I remember going to see it, and not really hearing about it at all-I may have seen an ad in the paper for it.
shareBrutus was hardly a worthy Roman.
Hitler! C'mon, I'll buy you a glass of lemonade.
[deleted]