If you're an older boomer you're likely to have vivid memories from this black comedy classic produced and directed by Stanley Kubrick. It premiered on January 29, 1964, fifteen months after the United States and Soviet Union pulled back from nuclear confrontation brought about by the Cuban missile crisis and twenty years of the Cold War. The plot involves the failure of a "fail safe" nuclear attack system and the personalities fated to deal with it. In addition to Dr. Strangelove, they include among others, Gen. "Buck" Turgidson, Brig. Gen. Jack Ripper, Group Captain Lionel Mandrake, Col. "Bat" Guano, Maj. "King" Kong, Soviet Ambassador Alexis de Sadesky and President Merkin Muffley.
George C, Scott, Sterling Hayden, and Slim Pickens are in the cast, all led by the comedy genius of Peter Sellers who plays three characters (Strangelove, Mandrake, and Muffley)..
Dr Strangelove consistently finds itself rising in "best of" film lists everywhere as it approaches its sixtieth anniversary. The American Film Institute ranks Strangelove the third funniest American film and thirty-ninth on a list of greatest American films. There is so much material in this film from dialog to set design to editing that it has become a course subject in many universities across the nation, and not just in those popular culture courses.
Readers may wonder why I feel it's useful to discuss such a well-known film. The motivation here is to reach younger viewers who more and more seems to find little value in anything older than their birth date. Furthermore, the focus on the here and now seems to tighten more everyday. Sometimes it's essential to stop and listen to yesterday if we're going to have anything to say about tomorrow. The bottom line: don't miss this masterpiece.
Here is a fine documentary on the making of Dr. Strangelove. It deserves a spoiler warning but at the same time remains a great teaser filled with interesting background on Kubrick and the world setting that shaped the production:
Kubrick was only 36 when he made this film. He would go on to bring audiences 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968), A Clockwork Orange (1971), Barry Lyndon (1975), The Shining (1980), Full Metal Jacket (1987), and Eyes Wide Shut (1999) and receive world-wide recognition as one of the greatest directors in film history.
Sources
Photos and Illustrations:
poster, wikipedia.org, as fair use under copyright law of the United States
Text:
Dr. Strangelove: wikipedia.org
Stanley Kubrick, wikipedia.org
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