The definition of satire is the use of humor, irony, exaggeration, or ridicule to expose and criticize people’s stupidity or vices, particularly in the context of contemporary politics and other topical issues. That is a great definition. Another great definition is simply, “Dr. Strangelove”. Yes, Stanley Kubrick’s masterpiece from 1964 is the most perfect and exact definition of a satire that I have ever seen. Look at the above definition. This movie has everything within the definition of satire. It is also one of the funniest movies ever made. One of the top 5 comedies if you ask me. In addition, there are moments in the movie that are truly horrifying. I am going to assume in my review, that there are a few people reading this that have never seen the movie, and as such will do my best not to spoil some of the greatest and most iconic moments found in film history that are found within the movie. It is a masterpiece and there has never been anything quite like it before or since. There have been other satires, and some of them very good. “Thank you for Smoking”, comes to mind. Still no other movie contains the incisive bite that permeates within, Kubrick’s biting satire about Nuclear War. Throughout the movie there is non-stop laughter, yet at the end of it, I found myself more worried about our world than before, making the film’s title, stating on how to stop worrying just another exaggerated irony. The story of the film resides in a rogue American General, with the incredible power to order a nuclear strike, actually ordering one such strike on communist Russia, and then the mad rush to stop him. The more or less 90 minutes running time is basically how long it will take for the planes carrying the bombs to arrive at their targets. If they succeed, they will cause an unstoppable automatic nuclear response from Russia that will basically destroy the world. The great comedic actor, Peter Sellers, plays three roles in the movie, which are;
- Group Captain Lionel Mandrake, as the immediate subordinate to the mad General. Sellers plays him with a stiff upper lip British accent and a semi buffoonish, reserved look.
- President Merkin Muffley, the President of the United States. Here Sellers, who was an expert mimic, portrays him with an American Midwestern accent. While Playing the role completely straight, Seller’s President has some of the funniest lines in the movie. His telephone call to the Russian President is priceless.
- Dr. Strangelove, the President’s scientific advisor to nuclear weaponry. After World War II, the American Government actively recruited German Scientists to work on their Nuclear program and Strangelove as played by Sellers is the evil indoctrination of all of these Nazi criminal scientists. On top of it all, he is in a wheelchair and has a sinister black glove on his left hand, which constantly spasms without control into a Nazi salute. We don’t meet Strangelove until almost an hour into the movie and when he emerges, it is from the shadows, dark and ominous. His harsh German/Austrian accent is harsh and shrilling. In a speech concerning how survivors of the nuclear holocaust will survive, Sellers, purposely emphasizes the word, “Slaughtered”, to chilling and humorous effect. His eyes bulging when he says the word.
Seller is not alone in brilliant characterizations within the fantastic cast of the film. There is George C Scott as General Buck Turgidson, who has the unenviable task of telling the President the bad news. Scott plays the General as if he was on steroids. Constantly chewing gum as the situation gets worse and worse. His speech about acceptable casualties is at the same time funny and sickening. Watching the movie and seeing the almost complete male cast, with their sexist mentality and narcissistic attitude made me think about today’s, “Me too”, and “Black Lives Matter”, movements, making the message in the movie still prevalent today. Then there is, Slim Pickens”, who plays the B52 bomber pilot, “Major Kong”. Pickens was a real life Texas Cowboy and took the biting script, turning it into something else with his long Texas drawl and cowboy hat. He also has the most Iconic scene in the movie, which when seen makes you want to laugh and close your eyes at the same time. It is Brilliant. Finally, Kubrick brought the Stoic actor, “Sterling Hayden”, out of retirement to play the Crazy General, whose name in the film is, General Jack Ripper (aka Jack the Ripper). All the character names have humorous and insightful names. For example, the Soviet President is call Kissoff. The names are part and parcel to the immense humor found in every second of this movie.
Stanley Kubrick was a perfectionist and the three main sets of the movie contain his artistic touch. Especially the Pentagon, “War Room”. A so called, “War Room”, does not even exist in the real world,as it was a complete fictional fabrication of Kubrick and his designers. And what an imagination they had. It is a movie set like no other. A huge long cavernous room, that gave the impression of being the mother of all bomb shelters. We don’t know where this War Room of the movie was in the White House, but I had the impression that it was underground, due to the way the characters behaved towards the end of the movie. It had a large circular table in the middle for all the people in the war cabinet to sit in and large fluorescent lights directly above the table. Then on one side of the of the room was a giant screen showing strategic maps. The floor had a back shiny sheen that reflected the map. Even if the rest of the movie was not spectacular, which it is, just the sight of the War Room, is worth the price of admission. By making his nightmare into a comedy and satire, Kubrick has created a thought provoking spectacular on the outrageous absurdness of nuclear war that will have you rolling in your seats in laughter. It is also the greatest satire ever made.
1001 Movies before you die 
One of my all-time favorite movies!
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