Customer Reviews

"Gentlemen, You Can't Fight In Here, This Is The War Room!" - By: prisrob, 09 Aug 2007
"In the days after it first openedin early 1964, Stanley Kubrick's "Dr. Strangelove" took on the enchanted aura of a film that had gotten away with something. Johnson wasin the White House, the Republicans were grooming Goldwater, both sides took the Cold War with grim solemnity, & the world was learning to be comfortable with the term "nuclear deterrent," which meant that if you blow me up, I'm gonna blow you up, & then we'll all be dead. "Better dead than Red," some said. Others said the opposite. The choice was not appealing. The Bomb overshadowed global politics. It was a kind of ultimate hole cardin a game where the stakes were life on earth." Roger Ebert

I purchased the 40th Anniversary CD & this is my third or forth viewing, but "Dr. Strangelove" seems fresh & undated - an irreverant dangerous satire. The willingness of the Director to follow the film to its logical conclusion - nuclear annihilation - has a touch that today's happy-ending films would never condone. Its black & white photography puts a face on its political messages.

Commanding a wing of the Strategic Air Command, General Ripper orders the B-52 bombers under his command to attack the Soviet Union. When the British military attachein one of his three roles, Peter Sellers, tries to stop him, Ripper explains the Commie plot to taint our water supply & deplete our "precious bodily fluids." He won't even discuss the re-call code. Eventually, he realizes he will be caught & he ends his personal game. Events on the Army Base are interspersed with the B-52 nearest the intended goal, & with the War Roomin the Pentagon. President Muffley learns of these events from Dr Strangelove & the Doomsday Machine. It appears that neither the Doomsday Machine nor one of the U.S. bombers can be turned from their missions.

"The movie's screenplay, by Terry Southern with help from the Director Stanley Kubrick turn this scenario into a dark comedy of errors, illuminated by flashes of brilliant satire. Some of the dialogue has entered the language - "precious bodily fluids," of course, & also the way the dim-witted Col. Bat Guano (Keenan Wynn) hints darkly of Commie "preverts." The scene at the telephone booth between Guano & the British attache, who does not have the correct small change to call the White House & save the world, is one of the movie's best-constructed gags." Roger Ebert

The actingin this film is superb,in fact it would be very difficult to top this crew. Sterling Hayden is the epitome of a paranoiac Gen. Ripper. George C. Scott, however, steals the movie & is brilliant as, Gen. Buck Turgidson, head of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, who chews gum, makes faces, & breaks one piece of bad news after another to the President. And Peter Sellers, as President,as Dr Strangelove & RAF Group Captain Mandrake has a series of roles that portray the epitome of humor, satire & acting. Maj. "King" Kong (Slim Pickens), who promises his crew there's going to be promotions & decorations all around is perfectin the role of the pilot. His exit from the movie, riding a bomb like a bronco, remains one of the most famous momentsin modern film, & is my favorite scene from the movie.

"When you consider the history of motion pictures, certain watershed films leap to mind -- productions which have left their mark on the craft. Without a doubt, one of those is Stanley Kubrik's 1964 masterpiece, Dr. Strangelove (or, as it's subtitled, How I Learned to Stop Worrying & Love the Bomb). As political satire, few movies -- even those as incisive as the hilariously vicious 1992 release Bob Roberts -- come close to this level of accomplishment. In the case of Dr. Strangelove, the barbs & quips (both subtle & obvious) hold up as well today as they did thirty years ago." Bosley Crowther

Stanley Kubrick's film opened with the force of a pail of cold water, rightin the face. What Kubrick's Cold War satire showed was not men at the mercy of machines, but machines at the mercy of men. This film shows that it is possible to laugh & to laugh continuously at a shocker of a film that is filled with black satire. It is only when Slim Pickens is riding the bomb do we realizae that this could be real. There But For The Grace Of God, Go We.

Highly, Highly Recommended. prisrob 08-0507

2001 - A Space Odyssey [HD DVD]

A Clockwork Orange

Being There

Patton

Blazing Saddles (30th Anniversary Special Edition)

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Another film that's a product of its own insane hype - By: Lou Knee, 28 Jul 2007
Now I know this is a classic, & a supposed masterpiece & all that but I'm going to have to say, quite respectfully, that this film is a little bit overrated, by my reckoning. The narrative seems to be rushed through by Kubrik, his need for the film's suspense to hinge on the all important deadline set by the hastily arranged war cabinet taking clear precedence over characterisation. The film becomes heavily reliant upon the genius that was Peter Sellers, & apart from a quite masterful script, & some nicely conceived scenes, it actually has a strange feel of cheapness about it to me. Right up until the final bomber dispatch scene, (which is a superior movie scene, I do not contest) I can't get away from the feeling this is madein a studio, & one that has a converted warehouse feel about it. I'm not against the satire of itin the slightest, it was a great idea that's right up my own avenue, however I can't help thinking that the greatness of the idea, its expediencein light of the political landscape of that very year, & the assumed intellectualism of the piece is blinding many people to the fact it has serious flaws. Okay? There, wasn't too painful, was it.

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NO FIGHTING IN HERE, THIS IS THE WAR ROOM - By: stuart, 18 Feb 2007
I had heard plenty of things about this saying how good this is & so I watched it last night & agree with what people say about the film. It's funny. Stanley Kubrick's celebrated black comedy about an "accidental" nuclear attack was nominated for four 1964 Academy Awards. Created during the time when the paranoia of the Cold War was at its peak, the film still seems surprisingly relevant today. Convinced the Commies are polluting America's "precious bodily fluids", a crazed General (Sterling Hayden) orders a surprise nuclear air strike on the USSR. His aide Captain Mandrake (Peter Sellers) furiously attempts to figure out a recall code to stop the bombing. Meanwhile the U.S. President (Sellers again) gets on the hot line to convince the drunken Soviet premier that the impending attack is a silly mistake, while the President's advisor (and ex - Nazi) scientist Dr. Strangelove (Sellers once more) confirms the existence of the dreaded Doomsday Machine - a new secret Soviet retaliatory device guaranteed the human race once & for all!.

I thought one thing let it down & that was it seemed to cut dead at the end but it was funny & most of the film was improvised which shows that the actors were clearly allowed freedom on the film & when Kubrick got given the film he thought it sounded so stupid & far fetched that there was no other way to do it other then a comedy. This is a another film worthy of 5 starsin Kubrick's filmography which included 2001: A Space Odyssey, The Shining, A Clockwork Orange & Eyes Wide Shut this.

Allin all a good comedy & funny but serious enough not to be slapstick comedy & it's worth at least one watch & Kubrick fans this is essential viewing. The film is 90 mins long & black & white but don't let that put you off watching one of the best films ever made.

Thank you for reading my review.

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'Mr. President, I cannot allow...a mineshaft gap!' - By: Mr. A. E. Hall, 01 Aug 2006
How best to tackle the subject of nuclear war? Some would say a documentary or a hard hitting docu-drama. Perhaps an action movie or thriller. Some might even use science fiction or perhaps horror. But comedy? Black comedy to tackle the most horrific subject imaginable? It'll never work!

Stanley Kubrick, genius that he was turnedin his finest filmin 1963 with Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying & Love the Bomb. Peter Sellers starsin three parts as the quiet but determined Captain Mandrake, the equally determined but powerless President Merkin Mufflin & the crazed, former Nazi Dr. Strangelove.

Kubrick was given the story but thought it so ridiculous that the only way to tackle it was through black comedy. George C. Scott's gum-chewing, blustering, patriotic, gung-ho general is hysterical, as is Major 'Nuclear combat toe-to-toe with the Rooskies' Kong aboard the bomber. Dr. Strangelove with his malfunctioning, robotic hand is another highlight. Many lines will have you rolling over with laughter; 'I can no longer sit & back & allow, communist infiltration, communist indoctrination, communist subversion, & the international communist conspiracy, to sap & impurify...ALL OF OUR PRECIOUS BODILY FLUIDS' & the unforgettable 'Gentlemen you can't fightin here, this is the War room'.

The film manages to get its point across far better than any serious film, as one is left laughing at the sheer stupidity of the paranoia of the main characters & the mindless futility of nuclear war. Dr. Stranglove, is one of the finest & funniest films ever made.

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Simply brilliant, and not boring at all... - By: Belén, 24 Jul 2006
"Dr. Strangelove or How I Learned to Stop Worrying & Love the Bomb" is an old movie that tackles a difficult subject, the end of the world as we know it due to a nuclear war. Despite that, it is simply brilliant, & not boring at all.

Why? Well, there are different reasons to say that, but I think I'll point out only those that I deem more important:

1- To start with, even though this film was madein 1964, director Stanley Kubrick managed to create a timeless masterpiece that depicts,in a sardonic way, the dangers of nuclear war. The message of this movie still comes across as valid, albeit nowadays for different reasons.

2- Secondly, even though the subject is undeniably serious, this movie is a black comedy that makes you laugh. If that is difficult to believe, take into account that the plot involves a crazy general (Sterling Hayden) that sidesteps the chain of commandin order to launch a nuclear airstrike on the URSS, something his aide (Captain Mandrake, played by Peter Sellers), the President (played by Peter Sellers!!) & many of his advisors (including Dr. Strangelove, a scientist also played by Peter Sellers) try to stop. But will that be possible? And what about the Soviet "Doomsday Machine", that will be triggered automatically by any nuclear attack on Soviet soil?

Allin all, I think this is the kind of movie you simply must watch. Highly recommended :)

Belen Alcat