Peter Sellers is the man…. and the man…. and the man
What amazes me about this film is that after having it shoved down my throat in film class, I still love and respect it. It still makes me laugh and the characters, while all are given equal playing time onscreen (the characters, not the actors), bring a unique piece to the film that I didn’t fully understand until my latest viewing of it.
Let’s talk about the star of the film. Let’s talk about Peter Sellers. When I first saw this I had no idea that he played three characters in the movie. I know, I know, I feel dumb now, but for these college kid eyes viewing Dr. Strangelove for the first time, those three characters were brilliantly played by three different people. After being told in 1996 that Sellers played the United States President, Dr. Strangelove and Group Captain Lionel Mandrake, I was flabbergasted. This man made this characters unnoticeably separate from each other. He brought three distinct, very different personalties to each and made them work on different levels. For the President, you get this wimpy, weasel of a politician who has no clue how to handle a crisis. For his Group Captain Lionel Mandrake, you have a gentle soul who is trying to do the right thing by taking out General Jack D. Ripper (great name, eh?), but has to eloquently do so. What people remember Sellers the most for is his insane, German wheel-chaired doctor named Dr. Strangelove, who simply has a warped plan for the human survival after a nuclear war. These three characters are brilliant.
With that said, if you’ve never had the pleasure of seeing the film, here’s a short summary. General Jack D. Ripper has taken it upon himself to call for a nuclear air strike of Russia. He fears that the Russians will invade and contaminate American’s bodily fluids. He calls the air strike, cuts off communication and let’s the good times roll. Shortly after, Buck Turgidson is informed of what’s happening and has to get together with politicians and military leaders in the war room to figure out how to stop this disaster from coming to fruition. In the meantime, they also turn to an insane doctor, named Dr. Strangelove, to come up with a plan just in case the air strike follows through and the Russians retaliate.
Kubrick’s vision, which was originally set as a serious piece, is truly warped and satirical at the same time. He takes a serious subject, certainly one that was incredibly serious during the early 60s, and puts together a film that tells everyone that if something is to happen, you’ll just have to accept it. Fear of getting into a nuclear war was rampant during this time period and the rise of media and it’s widespread fear mongering certainly didn’t diminish an already insecure feeling that most Americans were experiencing. Kubrick simply looked at all that built up tension and decided to create a valve to release it. That valve was Dr. Strangelove. His intent to show the world that they simply were helpless with a bunch of mindless idiots who were elected by us, but weren’t looking out for our best interest, was nothing short of brilliant. What’s really great about this film is that it probably helped to shape military security more than people want to give it credit for. The idea that one man can take upon himself to start a nuclear war while others around him have their hands tied is simply scary and spot-on at the same time. I’m sure the military hadn’t planned on getting betrayed by a madman, but they certainly took note of the possibility, if they hadn’t already, after this film. Kubrick knew what he was doing and seemed to meticulously shape the serious film into a black comedy, while still keeping his serious theme intact. Not many filmmakers can do that this day and age (in fact, most don’t).
Outside of Kubrick, the cast that was involved in this was nothing short of brilliant. Sellers we already know, but people like George C. Scott, Sterling Hayden, Slim Pickens and even James Earl Jones, make this film work. Each one gives a great performance. Scott plays a war hungry general who would rather go with the situation than try to prevent it. Hayden plays General Ripper who is insane and obsessed with bodily fluids (still one of the oddest characters in film). Pickens immortalizes himself as the obedient pilot who rides the malfunctioning bomb to its proper destination. As for Jones, he plays a minor role, but everyone always points out, “Hey! That’s Darth Vader.” Poor guy, I still love him for Field of Dreams (as does ESPN). So, with this type of cast, playing their parts perfectly, where could you possibly go wrong?
Now, are there any shortcomings to the film? It all depends on what you expect. If you’re a huge film buff, you understand and respect the dry humor and the small nuances of the film that make it work so well. I’m not saying those who get it are ‘high-brow’, but knowing what Kubrick has done in the past (and future now), it’s so odd to see such a film made by him. For the common man, this isn’t your typical comedy. You must understand the time period, you must understand the dry humor and you have to go with the flow to truly appreciate it. Anyone going into it with a sitcom mentality, you’re just in the wrong movie. Dance Flick will be out on Blu-ray sometime this holiday season, wait for it. For those looking for a mix of intelligence and humor, you’re in the right place. It’s like watching an episode of Fraiser with a friend who only appreciates Friends. It’s tough to make them laugh, but they are aware something is funny. Anyway, I’m not intentionally trying to upset my viewers, but if you haven’t fully experienced Dr. Strangelove, do some research and go into the film with an open mind. There was a time where war wasn’t a CNN thing that you could watch from your iPhone. There was a time where war scared the shit out of people; it scared them enough to make people want to buy underground shelters in their backyard. This was a different time period that required a different way of thinking when it came to entertainment.
The only fear that I have, if there is a fear about this film (outside of nuclear war), is that it may not carry over to a new generation of film goers. For someone that isn’t in film, who doesn’t know of Kubrick’s work outside of movies like The Shining or Eyes Wide Shut (cringe), they may not get it. Simply put, the film is a classic, but people may not relate to it because of when it was done. That’s my biggest fear. Of course, on the flip side to that coin, this movie may help people understand what was going on during that time period. It may help them understand what the climate of that time period was and what train of thought people were using during that time. Again, like I stated in the previous paragraph, it all depends on what type of viewer is seeing this film.
In the end, Kubrick put together a political message, a comedy and a way for people to breath a sigh of relief if even for two hours. Dr. Strangelove was a movie that people needed to see so that they could laugh and live a little. This is why it deserves your attention and it demands your respect.
Black and White and Blu-ray
For a film that was made in 1963, in black and white no doubt, you have to give the boys and girls at Sony Pictures some major kudos for making this sucker look gorgeous in HD. Dr. Strangelove is the new reigning champ for best looking Blu-ray I’ve seen. It beats out the former champ A Clockwork Orange. For movies that are this old you usually get a bit of graininess when you’re viewing them on a 1080p set, but there is a minimum amount of graininess in this transfer. It looks sharp and it sounds superb. You get a fantastic soundtrack that might lack in a traditional orchestrated soundtrack, but makes up in crisp dialogue and one piece of music made specifically for a bombing run. All-around, I’m visually and audibly impressed with what Sony has preserved and improved.
As for features, here’s what you get:
· The Cold War: Picture-in-Picture and Pop-Up Trivia Track with interviews-
o Thomas Schelling (RAND* Corp. employee during late 1950s and early 1960s – wrote article on novel “Red Alert” that prompted Kubrick’s interest in adapting the book to a film)
o Richard A. Clarke (Author of “Against All Enemies,” counter-terrorism and command and control systems expert)
o Daniel Ellsberg (RAND Corp. employee during late 1950s and early 1960s; consultant to JFK admin., Dept. of Defense)
o George Quester (Professor of Government and Politics, University of Maryland; expert on nuclear proliferation, deterrence, and nuclear diplomacy)
o David Alan Rosenberg (Temple University professor; Historian of Nuclear Strategy; ex-military)
· Four Documentaries
o No Fighting in the War Room or: Dr. Strangelove and the Nuclear Threat
o Inside: Dr. Strangelove Or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb
o The Art of Stanley Kubrick: From Short Films to Strangelove
· Best Sellers Or: Peter Sellers and Dr. Strangelove Remembered
· An Interview with Former Secretary of Defense Robert McNamara
· Interviews with Peter Sellers and George C. Scott
The features really pay respect to the wonderful 45 years that this film has survived. It also pays a lot of respect to Kubrick and Sellers, which is truly something special. One feature, which isn’t mentioned here, is the booklet that comes with the Blu-ray. I found myself reading this thing thoroughly. It’s not simply an add-on, it’s a feature. It brings a lot more insight to the film and to the process. Excellent work on the features all-around.