Dead Poets Society Turns 35 Rare On-Set Interviews With Robin Williams

Transcript

00:00 "Set for rehearsal, please."

00:02 "I thought the point of learning was to think for yourself."

00:04 "To think for yourself."

00:05 "At these boys' age..."

00:06 "I think Robin really inspires all of us to do stuff a little better than we normally do."

00:10 "You know, getting to be surrounded by other young people who are in love with the same

00:14 thing that I was in love with, you know, tell a story that affects your generation.

00:19 That was my experience on Dead Poets Society."

00:22 "Oh, good God, boy, yeah, like that!"

00:24 "There it is!"

00:25 The little coming-of-age drama went on to be the third highest-grossing film of 1989.

00:31 Robin Williams earned an Oscar nomination for the role of beloved teacher John Keating.

00:35 Liam Neeson, Dustin Hoffman, and Tom Hanks were also eyed for the part.

00:39 "Some of the scenes I tried full-out comedy on, it just didn't play.

00:43 It was like Saran Wrap on Velcro, it wouldn't stick."

00:45 "I mean, he's taken improv to another level.

00:48 And he can turn it on and turn it off whenever he wants."

00:51 "This week on Entertainment Tonight..."

00:52 "Da-da-da-da-da-da!"

00:54 "Wild and crazy, he'll be back. Watch out, he's funny!"

00:56 "It's like Tennessee Williams plays. Like drool on a dog's lip."

01:01 We know Taylor Swift loves all things 1989.

01:04 Her music video for "Fortnite" paid homage to the movie when she cast

01:08 Josh Charles and Ethan Hawke for a cameo.

01:10 "Only a fortnight, I touch you."

01:15 "Taylor's releasing an album, The Tortured Poets Department."

01:18 "Yeah."

01:19 "And I think she wanted to hide a little Easter egg about Dead Poets Society."

01:22 "Right."

01:23 "I was already a fan of her music, but if any of you ever get to meet her,

01:26 like, your fandom for her would just go up through the roof."

01:29 "We felt like the biggest rock stars in the world."

01:32 "If you listen real close, you can hear them whisper their legacy to you."

01:36 "Carpe Diem."

01:39 "Seize the day, that was the line in the film."

01:42 "For me, right now, it's Carpe Tempum. It's seize the time.

01:45 Because that's the most precious thing for me."

01:48 "Fortnite" is available now.