Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb, directed by Stanley Kubrick, is a classic film depicting, with much humor and irony, the strain and tension that the cold war wrought on America and the world. There are many aspects that make this film the work of art that it is, and, perhaps most importantly, they come together brilliantly to create something truly memorable. All of the facets of any good film are exemplary here and these include not only the characterization and underlying themes, but also the camera angles used throughout as well as the music and the different moods it sets in each scene. Without these components being as expertly crafted as they were, the film would have been a shadow of what it is today. The characters are crafted perfectly and contrast each other very nicely.
General Jack Ripper, portrayed by Sterling Hayden, is the epitome of paranoia and fear. During the Cold War, many Americans feared infiltration of the country by communist Russians. Ripper takes this xenophobia to an extreme by thinking the Russians are out to put toxins into the water and consequently make everyone’s bodily fluids “impure.” His foil in this line of action is Lionel Mandrake, an RAF Colonel under Ripper’s command who is played expertly by Peter Sellers. For all of Ripper’s insanity, Mandrake is very calm and rational. He thinks things through and does all he can to stop a nuclear war from taking place.
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The Vietnam War was on everyone’s mind in 1960s and 1970s in our country. It was the center of much of America’s troubles during this time, but only the soldier’s who fought in that war knew the true madness that was Vietnam. Oliver Stone began writing Platoon because the Vietnam War was “a pocket of our history nobody understands.” (Schuer t24) Platoon is a movie ...
The next line of action, taking place in the presidential war room, sees General Buck Turgidson, played by George C. Scott, conflicting with another Sellers’ character President Merk in Muffley. Turgidson represents the stereotypical American male. He is a womanizer, thinks of everything in terms of sports, and is prone to violence. Buck is also not very intelligent. He has a strong desire to go to war with Russia and thinks it would be in America’s best interest.
Muffley, on the other hand, is very childish and weak-kneed. When dealing with the president of Russia, he argues the way a five year-old would, whining until he convinces the other man to do what he says to do. He does not want violence and tries to avoid war as much as possible. In the third line of action, taking place on board a B-52 bomber, Slim Pickens plays Major T.
J. “King” Kong, a cowboy. When he discovers he must drop a nuclear bomb he throws his helmet aside and puts on his cowboy hat. He even rides a bomb to his death in the same manner that a cowboy rides a bull. The idea behind having such a wide range of characters is to show how different types of people deal with similar problems, give the audience a variety of characters to choose from that they can relate to, and to provide comic relief.
Contrasting, stereotypical characters give a write an excuse to throw jokes in, even when dealing with a subject as frightening as nuclear war. Kubrick institutes a wide range of camera angles to give the viewer all sorts of different feelings. For the most part, the camera is stationary and remains removed from the characters. Since the viewer quickly becomes accustomed to this wide angle, whenever there is a zoom shot, it is very startling. Sometimes it is a zoom of a character’s face. This invades the personal space of the character and puts the viewer into his head, forcing him to think along with the character.
Other times it can be done on an object in order to convey a sense of that object’s importance to a situation, or to emphasize urgency. For example, when the soldiers in the B-52 are inputting codes, the camera zooms in on each of the machines they use in order to show their immediate importance. Another camera technique that Kubrick utilizes to draw the viewer into the film can be seen when the B-52 is hit with the Russian missile. As equipment malfunctions and electronics catch on fire, the crew struggles to get everything in order. Within this enclosed space, chaos ensues. The camera at this point is tilted at an angle.
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It is not immediately noticeable, but it does affect the viewer subconsciously. Music, just as it does in all films, plays a very important role in Strangelove, conveying a wide variety of emotions and messages to the viewer. During the opening credits, for instance, the music is very graceful and pleasant. This serves as a great contrast to what the viewer knows will happen imminently; that is, the dropping of nuclear bombs. The film concludes with another ironic choice of music. As the “doomsday machine” destroys the world party music from the 1920’s is heard, bringing forth ideas of happiness from the viewer’s head.
Both of these pieces serve as bookends to the film and balance out all the moments of tension and fear in the core of the storyline. Later, as the B-52 bomber, piloted by Major Kong, makes its way toward the intended target in Russia, “Johnny Comes Marching Home,” a song from the Civil War era, plays in the background. This gives the viewer a sense on marching into battle, which is precisely what the bomber is doing. Each song played is designed to conjure up images in the viewer’s head that relate directly to what is going on in the film itself.
By doing this, Kubrick is able to draw the viewer into the action even more effectively than simple images and dialogue could ever do. The culmination of all these amazing intricacies is found in the message Kubrick conveys to the viewer. The obvious point he is trying to make deals with the absurdity of the cold war and the paranoia it fostered as well as the simple, childish ways in which elected officials can sometimes deal with life-threatening events. Kubrick, by using stereotypes as major characters, is able to bring across his own sense of America’s political and emotional ways. These are not necessarily ideas that Kubrick believes; they are more of observations about the country in general. Politicians, as seen in Muffly’s character, are whining, childish men.
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... unorthodox, keeping the viewer upright and attentive within their seat for the entire film. Kubrick is constantly ... ““ Vietnam can kill me, but it can't make me care! “(Poster slogans from Full Metal Jacket ... Kubrick began to give audiences what they weren't usually allowed to have, feel, or hear of.His next piece ‘ Dr Strangelove ... "A film is - or should be - more like music than like fiction. It ...
On the outside they might appear to be strong willed and knowledgeable, but when a situation becomes serious they deal with it the way young children might: by begging and pleading with the one, or ones, in power. Men, as we see in Turgidson’s character, are violent warmongers. Everything is viewed as a contest and they refuse to give the opposition even the slightest bit of ground on important matters. Violence makes them feel alive and, in turn, makes them feel powerful. Women are simply objects for men to use for pleasure. The only woman in Strangelove is Turgidson’s secretary.
She appears in one scene and is seen wearing a small bathing suit in bed. Paranoia, manifested in General Ripper, is ridiculous. When faced with a dire situation, paranoia may seem normal, even warranted. When viewed from the outside, as the viewer does with General Ripper, paranoia and xenophobia are irrational emotions and can only cloud one’s eyes to the real situation.
The aforementioned sexual innuendo also alludes to the American male’s infatuation with sexual pleasure and the objectification of women. Not only was Dr. Strangelove a landmark film for it’s time, it has held up through the years and has only become more influential. Everything, from the great performances given by the actors to the intricate lighting in each scene to the witty, incisive dialogue gives this film a longevity others could only hope for. Kubrick was a landmark filmmaker, and Dr. Strangelove is typical of the brilliance that he put forth, continuing with Clockwork Orange, 2001: A Space Odyssey and The Shining.
Each film Kubrick created started out as a vision in his head that came to fruition through much hard work. He is truly an admirable filmmaker in terms of both technical skills and crafting a new world with which to educate and enlighten the viewer.
