Dr. Strangelove

The first time I saw this movie, it was an assignment from my high school English teacher, and I remember how how much I liked. This would be the second, and I liked it even more. The entire film is filled with comedic appeal including slapstick and satire, yet equally includes the incredibly serious topic of nuclear war. Because of this, Stanley Kubrick managed to make a film that is quite enjoyable while also memorable even to this day. As sad as it is, people today can relate to the theme. Nuclear war has become an even more real possibility with the evidence of countries like North Korea and Iran obtaining the ability to build and fire nuclear weapons. Instead of just troubling over the likelihood of war, this movie can turn a positive spin on the whole situation, and make us laugh. For example, the use of irony. I mainly observed this twice in the movie. The first being the gunfire and fighting next to the billboard that reads “Peace is our profession.” I also saw irony in president Muffley's claim “You can't fight in here! This is the war room!” Such antics make the film hilarious

Of course with every movie we watch in class, as well as pretty much any movie ever, there are some hidden and not so hidden messages involved. First off, I noticed a huge criticism on the governments of the worlds nuclear powers. The entire plot was brought forth because of the United States' inability to control their own military force. Once Plan R was set into motion, there was nothing that could be done by the president or his uppers about the situation. They had to end up fighting and killing their own men to gain access into their own airbase. This also introduces the topic of corruption in the military. Ripper, despite being a high ranking military officer is also insane. This is a huge hit on the U.S. Army.

However, broken government is not limited to the United States. The Russian leader, Dimitri, is not such a great leader himself. From what we can tell, Dimitri is always drunk, partying, and doing little or nothing to support his country. From my point of view, this is a huge critic on Russian government as well.

Perhaps the largest theme, aside from war, was the danger of miscommunication. Throughout the entire film, no one can get in contact with anyone. All the radios and phones are down for the people who need them the most. This, in my opinion, was a criticism on us as a whole, and how much we rely on technology. Apparently, once a few radios are turned off, the world turns to nuclear war. It's almost as if technology is bad for us, which is a theme we observed in “The Gods Must be Crazy.” According to these movies, Technology will be the death of us.

Overall, my favorite move so far. (My appologies for being a tad late... )

How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love Dr. Strangelove

Holly Reese
2-24-13

             Dr. Srtangelove

           Stanley Kubric is one of those directors who can do no wrong in my eyes. While Dr. Strangelove is not my favorite Kubric film, it is still a beautiful film especially in terms of mis-en-scene. Each shot of this film is is complex and interesting. The first time I watched this film, admittedly I didn't know it was a comedy until almost an hour into it. It took the line "Gentlemen, there's no fighting in here! This is the war room!" for me to actually laugh out loud and understand the satirical comedy that composed this film.
             
           The subtle humor of this film is unlike any of the others we have watched this semester. Peter Sellers does a very effective job playing the roles of Mandrake, the President, and Dr. Strangelove. Mandrake and the President aren't necessarily funny characters, they are the voices of reason amongst the more outrageous characters. Dr. Strangelove is a very over-the-top character. His accent and voice was ridiculous and his uncontrollable arm was hilarious. This is a film that gets funnier with each viewing. When you understand the plot, it gives you the chance to pay closer attention to the funnier parts of the film.
            
            The most obvious theme of this film is the critique of government military organizations. When the men in the war room are worried about the Russian ambassador entering the war room, their main concern is that he will the the big boards. This kind of joke is funny because it is so subtle. There are many small jokes sprinkled throughout this film. They are so small that they can be missed and almost seem believable. Even the emergency kit that the pilots on the plane are equipped with seem legitimate (well, maybe not the nylons and lipstick).

             This film is definitely one that deserves multiple viewings. While this is very unlike the Kubric films that people are more familiar with (A Clockwork Orange and The Shining), it is still a carefully crafted comedy. It might take sitting through this film to give it full appreciation, but it is definitely worth it in the end.

Dr. Strangelove

Dr. Strangelove is the most serious movie we have watched this year so far. Its humor was highbrow and sometimes hard to catch.

As you probably know Peter Sellers plays three of the most important roles in this movie. He plays Captain Mandrake, President Muffley, and Dr. Strangelove. I think that these three characters show important sides of the human condition. One is the will to do right, even if it is against orders (Captain Mandrake). Another is being rather incompetent but having a good heart and trying do right even if it costs lives (President Muffley). Finally there is the inherent evil within all humans, which can or cannot be controlled (Dr. Strangelove, more specifically Dr. Strangelove’s right hand).

I thought that the combat gear given to the pilots was rather humorous. Giving each soldier $100 in gold and Rubles? That’s pretty extreme. As is giving each soldier three tubes of lipstick.

In one brief scene, this movie again deals with the issue of female gender roles.  The only female character in this movie, Miss Scott, is General Turgidson’s secretary. She also happens to be his mistress, which rather fits the era as we have seen in Rock Hunter. She is also only interested in one thing from General Turgidson, which she cant seem to get because he is in the war room with the president. In fact the rest of the movie deals with male gender roles of the time. The men fly the planes, run the government, and give the orders.  This is the norm of the time. Not trying to be offensive, but it really hasn’t changed too much since. Men still hold the majority of the power in the government as well as the military and men often fly planes in war zones. However women are having a larger presence in the commercial flying industry.

I think this movie also exposes some flaws in the United States military. Brigadier General Ripper calls for the bombing of Russia without the consent of those who rank higher than he is.  This shows a possibility, if only a slim one, that either it has happened or could happen. I know that it is not likely for a lower ranking officer to attack without orders, especially in modern times, but there is always a chance.

I thought that the doomsday device was rather ridiculous. One device that can effectively destroy the whole world? I don’t think its possible. There are however large amounts of nuclear weapons in the world, especially in Russia and the US.  It is possible to die from nuclear radiation from several weapons, but not just one device. Technology for that kind of global device is still years away.

I have seen this movie before, when I was younger. Then I didn’t really like it because it didn’t really fit into the genres of film I liked watching, But Watching it again years later it had a different effect. I liked the more serious feel and the topics it dealt with, which I had not noticed the first time I watched it. A great and classic movie well worth the watch.

Turgid Nash Equilibrium

The opening of Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb, starts with a physical act of love, represented by the refueling B52 bomber, a turgid protrusion from the fueling plane, ejaculating into the storage tanks of the bomber, presented more tastefully than I have written, with gentle music. This is a running theme throughout the movie, men chewing cigars, bodily fluids, affairs and the discussion at the end of the film about how to survive. In combining aspects of a horrifying doomsday war, sex and comedy, Kubrick directed a compact story that expresses deep truths about human nature and modern warfare.

The leaders shared humanity runs through the entire story. Turgidson accuses Kiss-off of being a "degenerate" after the Russian ambassador implies that Kiss-off is hard to reach because he is having an affair. This coming from the mouth of Turgidson, whom we saw with the only female character earlier in the film; his secretary, in a bikini at 3 A.M. Military personnel look the same in black and white, no matter if they are in the army, navy or air force. The President tells the Soviet Premier "I am just as capable of being as sorry as you are."

A beautiful part of this film is that it holds inside jokes for people who have a priori knowledge of the issues and culture surrounding the questions of nuclear warfare. When Dr. Strangelove mentions the "Bland Corporation" that is a reference to the Rand Corporation, a think tank that has written thousands of papers on military issues, and its renaming is a witty comment on their nature. The overall subject of the film is mutually assured destruction; also known as a type of Nash equilibrium. Shortly, the equilibrium states that if players of a game cannot benefit from a change in strategy, then it is in their interest to keep their strategy. In other words, if everyone will lose when one player does something the other players are unwilling to do, all players have an interest in maintaining the status quo.

Dr. Strangelove illustrates that this only works if the players involved are rational and sane. And it makes the assertion that while the leaders may all be striving for sanity, we all have the seeds of insanity within us.

The Dr. Strangelove character is fighting himself, his sane half being his ungloved hand, his insane half being his gloved hand. There are insane elements to all of the characters: Turgidson arguing that the United States could win, while a folder in front of him has "World Targets in Megadeaths."

The very basis of mutual destruction is attacked in the film: even if  the Soviet doomsday machine was not secret, that would make no difference given the circumstances of an insane U.S. general sending attacking forces without authorization. The doomsday machine itself is an insane device, inhuman, designed to set itself off automatically because "...it is not something a sane man would do" says the Soviet Ambassador.

It is possible to find many meanings in the various names of the characters and I'd like to focus on the british officer, Group Captain Mandrake. Mandrake is referenced in the Bible as the "love plant". Mandrake is also poisonous, in keeping with Mandrake the character being poisonous to the plans of General Ripper. The christian view of love and peace being the central message of the new testament is central to message boards on the air force base, where "Peace is our Profession" is everywhere. This is also linked to what General Ripper was doodling before he shot himself, "Peace On Earth" and "Purity Of Essence." One is not necessarily part of the other.

Dr. Strangelove

Dr. Strangelove, well I can honestly say that it left me thinking in depth after I watched it.  I really wanted to see it again, but due to time constraints I couldn't.  I had to think for a while what was the overall theme to this movie.  I read a few articles and summaries of Dr. Strangelove to see what other people had to say.  I finally narrowed it down, and it satirizes nuclear warfare, war in general, and miscommunication.
In my opinion, Kubrick made an excellent satire of what could happen if the wrong group of people had to make some costly decisions in war.  Just like a lot of the other movies we have viewed this semester the director of this film used humor and satire to address a pretty serious topic.  Major T.J. King Kong receives word to commence "Wing Attack Plan R" which is actually dropping a nuclear bomb.  But at the Air Force no one knows of any news of America being at war.  Some of the men see this as an opportunity to face Communism head on. This is crazy on all levels, I found this as amusingly funny dark humor.  All and all this whole film was basically dark humor.  The Russians on the other hand get word of this attack.  And apparently have this new technology called the "Doomsday Machine" where it could destroy the entire world if the Soviet Union was attacked out of no where.  I think this represents how human beings have the decision do rid our earth for good.  Like, does anyone else get the notion that a single human being could end our world tomorrow with the right amount of nuclear weapons?  This movie does a superb job of portraying this idea.  With the right technology in the wrong hands, geez that could be the day.  This film was made the same year of the Cuban Missile Crisis. So with bombs and missiles fresh in people's mind Kubrick to a shot in the dark making this movie. But by using humor and satire I think this was a very well done film on all levels.
Gender roles are also represented in Dr. Strangelove, you see a military in this movie and it is run by males.  Even the doctor is male. You also see that one lady sleep with her boss.  You also see a theme of technology presented.  The American and Russian societies have different types of new technology, which is still happening to this day.        
 

All is fair in strange love and war?

During the movie Dr. Strangelove, there were a few things that I found particularly interesting.  One of which was the names of the characters, particularly General Jack Ripper.  This is a name of interest to me because it bears a striking resemblance to notorious mass murderer known as Jack the Ripper.  Jack the Ripper is known for killing a plethora of prostitutes in England and mangling their bodies thus earning him the nickname “The Ripper”.  This is a very poetic choice of names in that General Ripper in the movie has essentially ordered the killing of countless lives in Russia and consequently the whole world.  Mass murderer Jack The Ripper is known for being mentally unstable and having a precise way of dealing with things.  To put it short, he was mentally insane, but in no way was he stupid.  General Ripper is depicted in the same way in the film.  It is clear that General Ripper has lost his mind and has become more than paranoid with the idea of Russian sabotage from inside the base.  However, we can tell that he is not stupid because he does a very effective job of sealing the base from the “intruders”. 

There is one scene in particular in the film that shows perfectly both how General Jack Ripper is not stupid, and his mental insanity all at the same time.  That scene is where General Ripper kills himself to protect the transmission codes for the bombers.  General Ripper is the only person that knows the codes that can stop the strike on Russia, and we have already seen the great lengths that he would go to in order to keep them safe including firing on any and all figures that come within 200 yards.  It is at this point in the film where it has become apparent that General Ripper’s defenses will not hold up and what he does next is a stroke of brilliance and insanity all at the same time.  He puts a towel around his neck and shoots himself.  How is this a brilliant act? Well, it not only keeps the codes safe indefinitely, but it also appears that he was shot while shaving.  This is important, as it would cause anyone walking in to the room at that moment think that Captain Mandrake was the one that shot General Ripper, or at least put some form of that idea into their mind. The brilliance of this move goes even further as anyone entering would then not immediately trust anything that Captain Mandrake had to say until they gathered all or more of the facts.  With is in mind, General Rippers feels that this distrust would be able to buy his bombers enough time to strike their targets.  Though insane, it cannot be said of General Ripper that he is stupid.

One of the most telling scenes in the film is the final where instead of finding ways to survive, they are more preoccupied with finding ways to keep the Russians from taking over after the imminent nuclear holocaust. Also, at the same time this is happening, the Russian ambassador is taking pictures of the United States war room.  It is amazing how even in the face of death that neither side can come to work together even for the sake of survival. 

American Government is Always to Blame According to Dr. Strangelove

            Dr. Strangelove is an interesting movie consisting of many misunderstandings that lead to a nuclear war between the United State of America and Russia and ultimately lead to the destruction of the world.  The first major misunderstanding is when the entire air force believes that they are under nuclear attack by the Russians.  The men follow orders and put their lives on the line for a man, General Jack Ripper, who they trust; a misconception that his decision is reliable and sane.  However, General Ripper believes in a conspiracy theory that the Russians are attacking the United States by putting fluoride in the water, which is in fact put in the water to strengthen our teeth.  Major T. J. “King” Kong and his crew are also under the impression that the order they are to follow was made and is completely reliable.  They believe that by bombing Russia they are saving the United States of America, their families, and also the world, when, in fact, they trigger the Doomsday machine, a machine that is programmed to destroy every living thing on planet earth and cannot be programmed to do otherwise.  General Buck Turgidson and many others in the nation mistrust the Russians and believe that they despise the United State of America simply because, as stated in the movie, they are communists and atheists. 

            I find it interesting that the movie is named after the character, Dr. Strangelove because he is only seen in two or three scenes.  He almost has nothing to do with the plot because, first, he is neither Russian nor American.  He is expected to be a genius, but the only idea he has to get them out of the mess is one where chosen people, people that are healthy and attractive, live under the ground and reproduce until it is safe to come to the surface of the earth, an idea that is similar to Hitler’s in creating a superior race.  This makes a lot of sense considering that Dr. Strangelove is German and was a Nazi, as we can tell from his arm spasms.

            There is only one woman in the entire film, the secretary of General Turginson.  We see her in a bathing suit and reading a book in General Turginson’s room.  This idea of the sexy secretary has been seen before in some of the movies we have previously seen in this class, such as in Will Success Spoil Rock Hunter. 

            The relationship between the President of the United States and the dictator of Russia is both hilarious and impractical.  It gives us, as the audience, the impression that the President has nothing better to do with his time than to make social calls to his buddies.  This movie also attacks the air force and the United State’s military as well.  The fact that one person can order the entire air force to bomb a country and he is also the only one who can recall them is absurd.  I believe that this movie was made to make fun of the United States and her methods and strategies.

Holy Doomsday Device Batman!!!

            Not another black and white movie!  When I saw the cover of this movie and that it was black and white, I really wasn’t looking forward to watching it.  I found this film funny in very few instances.  There were instances that I could tell were meant to be funny, however, they just simply did not trigger my funny bone.  Things such as the phones having all been shot and not working or the other attempts at slapstick that simply did not seem to work for me. 

            However, I did notice many things that I believe could be seen as humors such as the “mineshaft gap” and other satirical shots at certain cold war attitudes.  The mineshaft gap referencing the missile-gap always debated and worried about during the Cold War.  The film also poked fun at many issues such as nuclear policy and authority in command for the safety of Americans. 

            I wasn’t exactly sure what the whole deal with the actual character Dr. Strangelove was.  I understand he used to be a German authority or brilliant mind that was also crazy however, his whole involvement in the film hardly added to the film itself.    One attempt at satire was the explaining of the doomsday device and explaining that the idea of imposing one as a safeguard is almost as obscured as having to use it in the long run.  The movie explained how ridiculous the idea is because it would only cause the demise of everyone and in the end, what the hell is the point.  This was also explained as dumb when surrounded by secrecy and how that would become a problem in cases such as the Cold War in which everything was so secretive.  Another character development I found un-needed however, quite interesting was the woman secretary.  She was of course the only female in the entire film and was only in one scene.  I found it rather amusing that it was a similar role as the secretaries in Will Success Spoil Rock Hunter.  The secretary is simply a squeeze on the side.  Used for her sexual appeal. By opening the scene with her in underwear under a rudimentary tanning light while General Buck is in the bathroom, and then coming out and discussing staying up together the relationship being more than just work is confirmed.  Other than that, women are only in the film in conversation, for instance the end of the film when the generals were talking about having to go to the mineshafts for 100 years and needing a 10 to 1 ration of women to men.  The men of course are all infatuated with the idea of having 10 women all of which were then determined to all need to possess certain physical traits to be sufficiently “stimulating”. 

            The one part I found even slightly amusing was the mention of having to answer to the Coca-Cola Company for shooting the lock when compared to having to answer to the president.  The threat of the president is portrayed as insignificant when compared to Coca-Cola.  For some reason this actually made me smirk, probably because I found it humorous that at the time the film was made, the feeling that the government wasn’t always doing the brightest investment for the country and could seem insignificant where as the influence of big companies could seem superimposed on the nation a true authority

            Overall there were many attempts as satirizing the Cold War, but it simply was not one I found to have done an effective job at doing so.