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RESTROSPECTIVE

Dr. Strangelove (Or How I Learned To Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb)
Starring: Peter Sellers, George C. Scott, Sterling Hayden, Slim Pickens
Directed By: Stanley Kubrick
Produced By: Stanley Kubrick
Written By: Terry Southern, Stanley Kubrick, Peter George
Distributed By: Columbia Pictur
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     This classic, originally released in 1964, features Peter Sellers, George C. Scott, James Earl Jones, and Slim Pickens blended together to form one of greatest comedy films of all time. In 1964, there was a real threat of nuclear war with the Russians and this movie was just a big joke on the whole thing, however, there was a possibility of this kind of event really occurring.

     Dr. Strangelove presents a very real danger in a comical way. To citizens of the world at this time, the cold war always seemed on the verge of becoming a shooting war and everyone was worried that the commies were going to attack. The fact that the events depicted in this film could have actually happened was what gave it an ironic edge in the filmmaking business at the time.

     In this movie, a commander of an American Air Force Base, Jack T. Ripper, goes crazy and orders his planes to drop their nuclear weapons on Russia. Then, his executive officer, Mandrake (Peter Sellers), spends most of the rest of the movie trying to get him to call them back. Meanwhile, in the Pentagon, General Turdgison (George C. Scott), The President (Peter Sellers), and Dr. Strangelove (Peter Sellers), try to figure out a way to stop the bombers from attacking. They desperately need to stop them because the Russians have something called a Dooms-Day Machine, which will destroy all life on the Planet Earth if a nuclear weapon is dropped on Russia.

     Although the graphics do not exactly look real in some parts, this masterpiece is extremely funny. Every scene has some bit of strange comedy, which makes this movie unique. Whenever I watch Dr. Strangelove I can’t help but role on the floor, laughing. The twisted, ironic sense of humor throughout the film makes every scene fun-filled and enjoyable. If you’re looking for something to do on a Saturday afternoon and feel like a good laugh, watch Dr. Strangelove and you won’t be disappointed. 

     Not one minute of this masterpiece is boring, there is always something happening that will keep the watcher interested. Whether it be Peter Sellers cracking some odd joke or George C. Scott trying to convince the President that we should bomb Russia all out, there is always action and comedy blended together to create a wonderful effect which people of all ages will really laugh at.

     Peter Sellers shows how great an actor he really is by playing three completely different kinds of roles, and makes them all hysterically funny. In his first role he plays a British officer in the RAF and is stationed in the same base as Jack T. Ripper. He tries to get Ripper to call the bombers back in all sorts of ways. In his second, he plays the President and is in the War Room at the Pentagon trying to solve the problem of the bombers attacking along with the other generals and another man named Dr. Strangelove. Peter Sellers also plays Dr. Strangelove, a German Scientist who is a now a chief advisor of the President’s about nuclear weapons and nuclear physics.

     Altogether, Dr. Strangelove was a very funny movie, which presented a serious issue in a comical way. It is one of the funniest movies I have ever seen and I would recommend it to anyone who enjoyed the Pink Panther series and other comical films. However, I believe this work of art would be enjoyed by anyone no matter what kind of movie that person likes.  So don’t be afraid of the black and white and old-school graphics, Dr. Strangelove is a great comedy that everyone should see.


-Steven Cipriano, Bucket Reviews