This is the fourth time I have watched this movie in my memory. Every time I watch it, I feel an inexplicable feeling flowing in my heart. It seems that this is a movie that will never cause aesthetic fatigue. It is worth watching again and again in a lifetime, alone or with the same people around you or different people.
The most impressive thing is of course the soundtrack in the film and the children’s chorus and Morhange’s solo vocals. Music is the clue and soul of the entire movie. It can be said that it is precisely because of the choice of music, an inescapable art form, as a support point that the film slowly shows a breathtaking beauty in a blend of artistic atmosphere and humanistic care. . In Dead Poets Society, poetry plays almost the same role. This is a wise choice based on the actual situation of students in different periods. After all, middle school students who are about to enter society are still very different from children in childhood. There is a view in psychology that the psychological maturation process of children repeats the overall psychological maturation process of the entire human race. The outstanding artistic achievements of early humans were concentrated in music, art, and dance. This situation is also consistent with the fact that children love to sing and dance and like to graffiti everywhere. There is no doubt that music is perfect for students in schools like "Bottom of the Pond".
The wonderful expression of childhood is the first reason why I like this movie. Paper airplanes, singing, playing ball, classes, being punished, naughty primary school students, strict teachers, rigid discipline, joy on the playground, even the mottled old walls are in line with the understanding of the lost childhood. Perhaps many people's childhood has nothing to do with these. In everyone's mind, this interpretation of childhood can be called a classic. Who didn’t have a desire for the outside world and freedom during childhood? Who didn’t feel that the world was too harsh on them when they were young? When the group of children showed their pure innocence, youthful worries and dreams with their authentic performances, this movie already had the power to make people sit quietly in front of the screen for two hours. It's like opening the treasure box of Burtado in "Amélie".
The sunshine-like humanistic care and brilliance of humanity are the vitality of the film. Children at the "bottom of the pond" have always lived under the "action-reaction" education model. This model is in line with the understanding of behaviorists, but even behaviorists have found that rewards have a far greater impact on the formation of behavior than punishment. It is conceivable how bad the living conditions of children are. For some children, It was like entering into a nightmare cycle: violation, punishment, hatred, rebellion, and naturally breaking the rules again.
It was Matthew's appearance that changed everything. He is a true educator who puts people first and strives to discover and develop the side of children's nature that is conducive to growth. In a sense, this movie can also be seen as the theory of humanistic psychology challenging traditional behaviorism in education, and achieving a complete victory. This idea is consistent with the current educational philosophy. Matthew didn't say anything about "people-oriented", but the "power of action" he showed showed his thinking everywhere. For those children who were hopeless in the eyes of the world, he asked them to write down their ideals in the first class. This is a shock to those children who have been neglected for a long time.
Perhaps this is the first time they have discovered that they have dreams to pursue, and the first time they have thought about their future. Raising a little height, this behavior promotes the awakening of children's self-awareness. Matthew is different from all the teachers the children have ever seen. He is probably the first superintendent who rarely punishes students. He will warn students for their mistakes, but he will not insult them and will never hurt the children's hearts. Morhange's profile portrait and the corrected tunes in the dormitory, every detail shows the profoundness of humanistic care and its role in education, just like the feeling of spring breeze turning into rain. Of course, humanism is not blindly gentle and indulgent. This can be seen in the attitude towards Morhange. That was the student he cared about most. When he saw him singing for the first time, Matthew must have been as ecstatic as if he had unexpectedly seen a thousand-mile horse. He cared about him and persuaded parents to discover this genius in their children.
But when Morhange made a mistake, he punished him mercilessly for his indifference. It wasn't a narrow blow - Morhange threw ink at him - but anger at the indifference of this gifted student. Of course he forgave him, on a suitable occasion. Morhange truly grew up in this process, learned to be grateful, and learned to care. So there was a scene at the end of the film where he and his mother walked out of the "bottom of the pond" intimately. Mondain's education is a pity, but under those circumstances, it is really difficult for the story to be absolutely perfect.
Matthew's existence is great, although he is just a small person, as he himself said, "a failed musician, an unemployed school superintendent." But it’s the little people like this that make life so wonderful. At the end of the film, it is said that he spent his whole life giving life music lessons and never thought of becoming famous from them. In fact, why doesn't he have the desire to become famous? Personal realization and social recognition are the basic pursuits of everyone.
But in his life as a small person, he saw the meaning of life, and the pursuit of fame and fortune was no longer important. In fact, such people always exist around us, accompanying each of us as we grow. They have no chance or even the ability to realize the dreams buried deep in their hearts (just like Matthew's dream of being a musician), but the seriousness and enthusiasm they show after understanding their position are enough to make them and their dreams come true. The role is equally worthy of respect. Once again, I pay tribute to all such people who have ever existed around me.
I like Pépinot who waits for his family every Saturday in the movie. He is so cute and sad that you can’t help but love him. I like Morhange who is often silent and has a mixture of melancholy and strength in his eyes. I like Boniface who wears glasses. He is docile but also a little silly and honest. He is a standard good boy.
Of course, my favorite is those natural children’s voices. The poetic lyrics and poetic melody are the singing of the sincere childhood heart, evoking the nostalgia for the lost childhood, mixed with a touch of nostalgic melancholy. Although I didn’t understand it, the main idea of ??the lyrics slowly emerged along with the melody when I watched it for the fourth time. So I closed my eyes and let this pure feeling from my heart flow quietly to every corner of my body with the blood.