Review of Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb (1964) by Nikhil U — 06 Apr 2014

The 1960's.

The Cuban Missile Crisis. Cold War. The technology of the Hydrogen bomb.

When Soviet Union and the United States were in the midst of competition to achieve total global super power, Stanley Kubrick combined all these elements into a downright hilarious laugh riot.

The most serious situations can be well converted into a satire. Kubrick provides life to this idea as the Russians in a desperate attempt to ward of enemy strikes after losing the space race, the arms competition and the peace competition, creates the Doomsday Machine which shall annihilate life on earth if a nuclear attack is made on the Soviet soil. A delusional colonel's false theories of accusation against the Russians, which is actually a cause of his own dysfunction, leads to supposed string of impending nuclear attacks on the Soviet Union by the United States. The President and his pentagon honchos are helpless as the presidents faulty policy has given the colonel an upper hand as the launched bombers cannot be called back. The crisis and frustrated war room drama turns into carnival of black comedy.

Dr. Strangelove surely stands superior to every comedy movie till date. While providing laughs, at the same time Kubrick has also brought in elements of social morality - the power of capitalism over the government, faulty policies from political bigshots, delusion over self dysfunction. Dr. Strangelove also explores how an attempt in the development of a foolproof system cannot be achieved as certain minor errors can drastically threaten the national security.

Stanley Kubrick, with a keen eye on profound projections of literature has once again adapted them with his stamp of brilliance.

Peter Sellers takes the reigns of three equally hilarious roles as the American President Merkin Muffley, Captain Lionel Mandrake of the British RAF and the ex-Nazi scientist Dr. Strangelove with his superb comic performance.

Kubrick's best work till date and a classic which stands firm rooted in the history of film making.