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Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb

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Regarding the review cited as the "most helpful critical review," in which the main criticism is that the aspect-ratio of this DVD is 1.66 throughout instead of "variable" (some shots 1.33, some 1.66), I'd like to put to rest the unfortunate idea that Kubrick ever intended this film to be seen with a "variable aspect ratio."
Yes, the film was photographed that way; but no, it was not meant to be seen that way. Let me explain:
"Variable aspect-ratio" seems to be a term invented to market an early DVD release of "Dr. Strangelove." The term has no meaning in the film industry because no film has ever been released that way (except for that misguided "Strangelove" DVD -- a mistake which has now been corrected).
Much of "Dr. Stangelove" was photographed with no matte in the camera, thus exposing the entire 1.33 film frame. Many shots, however, were filmed with a 1.66 matte in the camera, reflecting Kubrick's intention to release the film to theaters in 1.66. Therefore, if you transfer this movie to tape using an unmatted film element, and you take the whole 1.33 frame for every shot, the aspect ratio will vary from 1.33 (shots filmed with no matte in the camera) to 1.66 (shots filmed with a 1.66 matte). But this is obviously not the way any movie was ever intended to be seen, with the shape of the frame randomly bouncing around from shot to shot for no reason.
So why shoot it that way? Because Kubrick (and his cameraman) knew that the theatrical printing negative, and therefore every release print sent to theaters, would have the 1.66 matte printed-in from start to finish, making the entire film 1.66 for theatrical presentation.
Is it possible Kubrick shot it "variable" so that the eventual 1.33 DVD release could have a meandering frame-line? I know Kubrick was smart, but it's unlikely he was thinking of the DVD release in 1964.
In those days, movies were made for theaters; televised movies were mainly 16mm prints, edited for time and sold in syndication. The TV market as it existed in 1964 did not influence any film director's compositions. The theatrical release was all that mattered; and the theatrical release of "Dr. Strangelove" was 1.66. All of it.
Therefore, if one wants to see this film the way Kubrick meant it to be seen (and a new, matted 35mm print is not available), the film-to-tape transfer must recreate the matted 1.66 theatrical aspect-ratio throughout -- which is what the "40th Anniversary" DVD and of course the BluRay do (thank you, Sony Home Video).
I oversaw film restorations for a major Hollywood film studio for more than a decade, so I know the subject of aspect ratios pretty well. Hope this info is helpful.

...Kubrik masterminded Dr. Strangelove, loosely basing the movie upon the book "Red Alert" (the book is a completely serious Cold War nuclear war scenario, but Strangelove is a complete and total farce). "Strangelove" came out a year or two after the Cuban October missile crisis, a year after US President John Kennedy was assassinated as well as 2 other contemporaneous films, the brilliant and paranoid "The Manchurian Candidate" and the serious treatment of the same book, "Fail Safe."

Kubrik originally set out to do a serious treatment of the book. But Kubrik found as he tried to develop the screenplay that he kept running into scenes that he ended up writing as satire. Recognizing the challenge, Kubrik enlisted the talents of one of the best comedic screenwriters in Hollywood, Terry Southern, to do the screenplay.

Casting the film was part genius and part hit-and-miss happy accident. ... Somehow Slim Pickens' name came up and Pickens accepted the role of the B-52 bomber pilot. Even more ironic yet, Slim Pickens was more conservative than Dan Blocker, but Pickens never caught on during the film's production that Dr. Strangelove was a comedy, much less a satire and a farce unsympathetic to the official propaganda of the cold war.

In of itself, it was a comic master stroke telling Pickens play the role seriously. Pickens was apparently no great wit, so Kubrik was able to keep Pickens completely unaware that Pickens was actually playing in a comedy, not a serious war movie (one can only assume that the humor of the situation was not lost on the other cast members, including James Earl Jones who played Capt. Kong's bombardier.. "Don't tell Slim this is all a big joke, we have to let him think this is a real war movie." ).

Other than Peter Sellers' roles, George C. Scott (later in "Patton") and Sterling Hayden delivered memorable performances. Both were obviously instructed to play their roles "over the top." Kubrik instructed Scott to overact the role of the cigar-smoking, gut-slapping, martini-drinking & womanizing General Buck Turgidson (get it? Turgid-son?). In the scene in the war room where Turgidson exuberantly proclaims the spectacle of a B-52 bomber evading radar by hedge-hopping, Kubrik instructed George C. Scott to deliberately overact the part. Kubrik had Scott re-take the scene several times, asking Scott to make it even more over-the-top than before. On the last take of that scene, Scott practically performed it as a burlesque parody, which was of course, the final take that Kubrik actually used.

Sterling Hayden delivered a brilliant performance as the psychotic Brigadier General Jack D. Ripper, the Air Force general who unilaterally orders the nuclear strike against the USSR. The confusion of Cold War paranoia, paranoid psychosis and false sexual power in Hayden's scenes is the blackest of black satire. Totally over the top, ludicrous and frightenlingly possible (what if one of your top military brass really went insane and over-rode all the safe-guards against nuclear war?). The insane babblings of General Ripper set the film's direction and act as its centerpiece, delivering both Kubrik's satire of anti-communist propaganda and the air of impossible odds for the rest of the film's characters to overcome that they might somehow avert doomsday.

Peter Seller's performances as the President, the British officer and Dr. Strangelove (a left-over Nazi scientist) are memorable, Sellers delivers the title role as the deranged wheelchair-bound Nazi scientist who suffers from involuntary palsied "Seig Hiels!" in his right arm. Again sex is the real underlying motive to yet another character and the opportunities for a sexually prodigious post-apocalyptic eugenic world brings the deranged Strangelove to a frenzied outburst of libidinal energy: "Mein Fuhrer! I can vwalk!" But as much as I enjoy Sellers' roles, they seem overshadowed by the rest of the film's characters. P>It comes probably of no surprise that the U.S. Air Force refused to assist Kubrik in shooting the movie. Having to choice, Kubrik had to resort to mocking up the B-52 flying scenes and bomber interior cabin scenes as best he could (the bomber interior was apparently such a good replica of the real thing that the FBI launched an investigation into who gave Kubrik such a detailed layout of a B-52's flight deck). Appropriately, the exterior B-52 flying scenes hold a comic flaw if you look closely enough: In one scene, as the damaged bomber hedge-hops across the Siberian taiga (northern boreal forest), you can see that the underlying shadow of the plane is actually that of a four-engine propellor aircraft and doesn't match the profile of the overlaid B-52 model.

Suffice it to say, when the movie came out, it was not universally received or even widely understood. It was drummed by political commentators and movie reviewers who found it to be tasteless and sophomoric. The studio was very concerned about the potential a negative backlash from its release (consider that in the same year, the Manchurian Candidate was withdrawn from theaters after Kennedy was assassinated). An internal memo described Dr. Strangelove as "a huge, sick malefic joke" and questioned the wisdom of even releasing the movie at all. After all, the movie starts off with B-52's and tanker planes copulating during mid-flight refuelings, displays Air Force "Peace is Our Profession" billboards in the midst of a fire fight between the US Army and Air Force security, depicts two Air Force generals as complete sex-obsessed baffoons, one a psychotic and the other a braying ass, delivers a deranged Nazi scientist and finally a cowboy pilot bucking the biggest phallic bronco of his career (never mind blowing up the world).

I can think of few other films whose film makers so defied convention and created a story that really turned conventional wisdom on its head. Dr. Strangelove keeps coming at you as one outrageous scene after another, interspersed with segments of complete straight-faced dead-pan, piling them all on until the fateful end. When Pickins died in 1983, CBS news anchor Dan Rather delivered the obituary replete with the out take of Pickins riding the bomb (Perhaps DeForest Kelley topped that and made good on his threat to have "He's dead, Jim" engraved on his tombstone....).

There are some things you just can't live down: Being the face that gets a great closing falling scene that leads to the end of all life on Earth happens to be one of those things. Poor Slim, he's probably suffering in a purgatory of a Liberal Methodist heaven.

In closing, I have to agree with that long-forgotten studio executive who wrote in the memo: Dr. Strangelove *IS* a huge, sick malefic joke. But it is one of the finest huge, sick malefic jokes ever created, and stands as a film masterpiece. Those who extoll the virtues of this fil

Could a sane man initiate global mass-destruction? Can any political system that would destroy all life on earth as it valediction claim the moral high ground, now that we've entered a murder-suicide pact so absolute it even involves all future generations of life on earth? Liberalism, conservatism, capitalism, communism- they all become moot in the face of extinction.

So we have "Dr. Strangelove," the movie that dares point out how our drive to destroy ourselves just might be some sort of twisted outgrowth of our libido. Hardly a moment goes by in this film without sexual text or context. Even the two bombs in the B-52 (named by its crew, "Leper Colony") are scribbled with what were then considered come-on lines. Deranged Gen. Jack D. Ripper (Sterling Hayden) has sent his air wing into the Soviet Union because he felt a "loss of essence" during the "physical act of love," and is certain this is caused by flouridated water.

Peter Sellars plays three roles, wimpy President Muffley, RAF Group Captain Lionel Mandrake and the title character, the bizarre, wheelchair-bound not-so-former Nazi advisor to the President. The awesome George C. Scott turns in a marvelous performance as Gen. Buck Turgidson, who has difficulty hiding his enthusiasm for Ripper's plan.

But the revelation here is Hayden (veteran of many a manly role), playing a character so concerned with losing his virility, he sets the world on course for an explosive and very final climax. Hayden's performance is a masterpiece of subtle derangement- no drooling or chewing the scenary. Watch for Sellar's reaction when he realizes Hayden's burly, muscular symbol of American power, in his medal-bejeweled Air Force uniform, is completely, irretrievably round the bend. It's a moment of pure, comic horror.

Sellars' characterization of Dr. Strangelove is the epitome of the post-nuclear man as monster. He's completely comfortable, almost gleeful, when talking about mass-murder as an abstraction and a political expediency.

Beautifully filmed in black and white (which gives it a certain Cold War veracity) and featuring some impressive sets and effective, documentary-style combat footage, "Dr. Strangelove" is one of Stanley Kubrick's finest films, uncompromising as it condemns hubris and macho posturing on all sides. And it does it with a weapon hopefully more effective in the long run than A-bombs and H-bombs. Humor.

Watch for Slim Pickens as twangy-voiced Maj. "King" Kong: his final scene has become iconic, and will remain in your mind for days. This movie also features James Earl Jones' movie debut, and yes, even then he had that impressive voice.

I would have loved to been a fly on the wall when the producers of "Dr. Strangelove" tried to sell it to the studio.

"Well, you see, guys, this film is about worldwide Armageddon. This Air Force general goes nuts because he thinks the Russians are sapping his semen with flouride, and he sends his B-52s to attack them. Problem is, if his forces succeed, the Russians will set off a doomsday machine that will kill all life on Earth. The president tries to consult with the Russian premier on the hotline, but the premier is too drunk to understand what's going on. So, the wrap up is that one American plane succeeds in getting through, and the pilot has to ride the H-bomb down to its target, like a bucking bronco. The world ends. Oh, and it's a comedy."

Thank God for Hollywood of yore...could you imagine today's studios saying, "Sure, we'll pony up about $50 million for this one"? Not a chance.

That's what makes "Dr. Strangelove" such a treasure: no movie like this will ever be made again. It is horrific and viciously comedic at the same time. It is also masterfully crafted, as you'd expect from a Stanley Kubrick film, and aside from some cheesy visual effects of a B-52, it doesn't feel the least bit dated.

If anything, the film's sarcastic, irreverent tone fits the cynical 21st century far better than the 1960's, a time when the president was a national hero. Am I the only one who can see Bill Clinton's face lighting with happiness at the prospect of being locked in a mineshaft for a hundred years with ten "highly stimulating" women?

But in the idealistic world of 1964, such thoughts were absolutely radical, which makes "Dr. Strangelove" more than a great moviegoing experience; it was a cultural watershed, ushering in the cynical late 1960's with a distinct "bang."

Of course, no review of this film would be complete without some of its absolutely amazing moments: General Ripper's speech about his "precious bodily fluids"; George C. Scott's megalomaniacal, hyperactive General Buck Turgidson, who argues for an all-out attack on Russia because the worst they can do is "muss our hair"; Slim Pickens' Major Kong, who, upon inspection of a survival kit (complete with nylons and a miniature Bible/Russian phrase book), declares that "a guy could have a pretty good weekend in Vegas with all this stuff"; and, of course, Peter Sellers' brilliant triple role as the befuddled U.S. president (who declares, "no fighting in the War Room!"), the properly British but quite persistent Captain Mandrake, and the self-asphyxiating ex-Nazi Dr. Strangelove.

The film is also a feast for the eyes; Ken Adam's "war room" set is absolutely smashing (in fact, Ronald Reagan, upon touring the real War Room in the Pentagon, complained that it didn't look nearly as impressive as it did in this film), and the footage of the "battle" for General Ripper's air base is amazingly realistic. The interior set of Major Kong's B-52 was painstakingly constructed from pictures of a real B-52 (as you'd expect, the Defense Department refused to cooperate in the making of this film), and is absolutely convincing.

Kubrick's direction is flawless, and manages to combine his well-known knack for ice-cold intellect with warm and very human performances.

In all, "Dr. Strangelove" is a treasure, and belongs in any collector's cabinet.

I doubt that you could imagine how much it would pain me to give a single-star rating to an edition of the film I consider to be the singular greatest contribution to the motion picture. However, the new "40th Anniversary" edition of Stanley Kubrick's Dr. Strangelove, Or: How I Learned To Stop Worrying And Love The Bomb is, unquestionably, requiring of such a rating. Why?, you ask.

Because about fifteen to twenty percent of the screen image has been removed!!!

If you take a look, you will see that this new "Special" edition of Dr. Strangelove is presented in anamorphic widescreen, with a 1.66:1 aspect ratio. This, as you can find from examining older editions of the film, is the first time the film has ever been presented in such a manner. The reason why (and you may cross-check this with the Internet Movie Database [IMDb] or any book on Stanley Kubrick worth its salt) is because Dr. Strangelove was NOT FILMED in 1.66:1. It was technically filmed with a varying aspect ratio (the reasons for which are still not fully explicated, as far as I've seen), but, in general, it was filmed in about 1.33:1.

So, you ask, how does a film shot in 1.33:1 get presented in 1.66:1? Did someone return to the original negative and uncover material previously hidden from sight, lost on every print and VHS, Beta, laserdisc and DVD copy heretofore released?

NO!

They simply cut off the top and bottom of the screen!!!

Such things are not unprecedented. An extremely similar case is the so-called "panoramic" Gone With The Wind. The film, made in 1939 (before there was anything BUT 1.33:1, the "Academy" aspect ratio), when released in the Panavision/Technorama age of the mid-1960's was similar chopped and changed to magically become 2.35:1. This edition was released on video and DVD a few times before, finally, it was restored to its original 1.33:1 glory.

Stanley Kubrick was absolutely notorious for his perfectionism and auteur status in the film industry, and I cannot believe that a company proposing to release a definitive "Special" edition of his greatest masterpiece would be so heartless as to unnecessarily delete a good portion of the screen.

Please avoid this new, bastardized Dr. Strangelove, Or: How I Learned To Stop Worrying And Love The Bomb. While the few new extras thereon are of interest, they can easily be seen via rental from the local video store, as suplemental to the last "Special Edition" of the DVD (which, incidentally, clearly states on the back that it is "Presented in the original aspect ratio of approximately 1.33:1".

Thank you,
Marc-David Jacobs


P.S. For those of you interested in seeing the terrible editing job for yourselves, feel free to go out and rent the new edition and the previous edition and go to seven minutes and forty-eight seconds, which is the extreme tight shot of the B-52's CRM-114 decoder book. As you will see, an entire line of text on the top, and about one-and-a-half on the bottom are not completely missing.

This is a great move, a classic. However, this version is not recommended. Instead get the earlier "Special Edition" release, also available from Amazon. I make this recommendation for three reasons.

First, it's less expensive and you still get a good print with most of the extra features.

Second, Dr. Strangelove was not filmed at a 1.66:1 aspect ratio. While "Letterboxing" or a Widescreen presentation will give you more of the image than the TV screen shaped 1.33:1 ratio, it will do so only if the movie was originally filmed at a wider ratio. If it was filmed at the 1.33 ratio and you present it in a wider ratio, the only way to do that withou having the image seem distorted is to cut off part of the top and bottom of the picture. That's what was done for this release, a major mistake.

Third, one of the things you're paying for is an interview with Robert McNamara. For those of you who are too young to know, he was about the worst Secretary of Defense the country ever had. He kept making wrong calls after wrong calls, misreading the Soviet Union, creating tension when it was unecessary, building weapns that weren't needed and blocking ones that worked if they didn't suit him and was the architect of the disasterous strategy of how we fought the Vietnam War that needlessly prolonged the conflict and was responsible for tens of thoushands of deaths on both sides (ie don't be concerned about military necessity or sensiblity, just keep track of the "body count" to determine effectiveness; Don't attack enemy missile sites while they're under construction, wait until they have been finished and are firing and blowing planes out of the sky). This was a man who had no concern about people or what was happening, but simply looked at the War as a way to feed his ego. In the last 10 years he has been trying to rehabilitate himself by pretending that he was really against the war at the same time as he was micromanaging it.

What relevance does this have to this review? Simply that Robert McNamara is not qualified to comment on what was going on in the Cold War at the time because he was is more concerned with his "legacy" than telling it like it was. So, why waste your money paying for a commentary by him? Get the previous "Special Edition of this superb movie. You lose nothing and save some money.

I have seen "Dr. Strangelove" over 100 times which proves either I need to get a life or I have very good taste. I hope it's the latter.

This is, quite simply, the most complete and the most brilliant film ever made. There is not one boring, poorly acted or superfluous scene in the entire movie. The performances are simply outstanding. Peter Sellers in his three roles is, as always, superlative. But George C. Scott, not generally noted for comedy, proves he is a comedic actor of the highest order.

Slim Pickens gives an absolutely hilarious performance as Major Kong. Watch how he takes his cowboy hat out of the safe, and his accent when he delivers the classic line, "A fella could have a pretty good weekend in Vegas with all that stuff!"

Keenan Weenan delivers an absolutely dead-on performance as Bat Guano ("if that really is your name...") and Kubrick somehow managed to drag a riveting performance out of Sterling Hayden, not normally known as any great shakes in the acting department.

This film is gorgeously directed, paced and is literally perfect. Watch particularly the lengthy scenes in the war room, with Sellers as President Muffley delivering his lines in a flat midwestern American accent to Dimitri, the fun-loving Russian premiere.

If you have never seen "Dr. Strangelove," you're in for a cinematic experience you'll never forget. You can watch it dozens of times and still laugh, still appreciate the outstanding performances and marvel at this perfect motion picture.

Some films have a timeless quality intrinsically inherent with the story, allowing for them to maintain a certain amount of relevance, despite the subject matter, or when they were made. This aspect holds true for many of Stanley Kubrick's films, in my opinion, and is true with this film, Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb.

Directed by Kubrick, written by Kubrick and Terry Southern (Easy Rider), based on the serious novel Red Alert aka Two Hours to Doom by Peter George, and starring Peter Sellers, George C. Scott, and Sterling Hayden, Dr. Strangelove deals in a highly farcical and satirical manner the subject of nuclear proliferation, and proposed responses devised by men of power to perceived threats, whether they be based on reality, or founded from paranoia.

The film starts off with Brigadier General Jack D. Ripper (Hayden), commander of Burpelson Air Force Base, initiating Attack Plan R to his group, a plan created to allow someone other than the president to launch a nuclear counterattack in the event the enemy has managed to disrupt the normal chain of command, thereby preserving our response abilities despite significant loss of leadership. Only problem is, there has been no offensive put forth by enemies of America, and it turns out this issuance was completely unprovoked and the result of one who has basically lost his mind. Group Captain Lionel Mandrake (Seller, in one of three roles), a British officer participating in a officer exchange program, and, subsequently Rippers 2nd in command, realizes this, and must act before the B-52 bombers reach their destinations within the Soviet Union and deliver their atomic payloads, in turn setting off a new doomsday device conceived by the Soviets due to the fact that they were unable to keep up the United States in terms of arms proliferation, which, if activated, would cover the planet in a radioactive cloud for 100 years, destroying all life on Earth. Pretty heavy stuff, huh? One wouldn't think there'd be much humor to be found in a situation like this, but then one would be wrong...

The humor comes in the form of the absolute ludicrosity (it's not a word, as I just made it up) of the situation grown from the intense level of paranoia developed between democratic and communist powers after WWII and how, once things are set into motion, how safeguards meant to protect us basically work against that goal. It's really pretty funny to see what a mutated beast has been born of these fears, both perceived and real. Hayden Sterling is wonderful as the psychotic general with visions of communists infiltrating the very core of our democratic being, with his thoughts on 'precious bodily fluids', and conspiracies by the red menace to undermine and sap our strength. Peter Sellers is perhaps the standout in the film, playing three separate parts with such ability that I often unable to distinguish the actor from the characters within the film, seeing not an actor playing three separate parts, but only seeing three distinct characters in the British officer Mandrake, President Merkin Muffley "Gentlemen, you can't fight in here! This is the War Room", and finally ex-German scientist Dr. Strangelove "Of course, the whole point of a Doomsday Machine is lost if you keep it a secret! Why didn't you tell the world?", advisor to the President. One thing each of the characters does have in common is the Seller's comedic genius. His most memorable roles were those involving the bumbling Inspector Clouseau in the Pink Panther movies, but his skills shine through in his portrayal of three completely separate personalities, one straight-laced (Mandrake), another sort of bewildered but trying to maintain a sense of control (President Muffley), and a third hilariously over the top (Dr. Strangelove). Finally, there's George C. Scott's performance as the scheming, opportunistic, plotting and conniving, but all in the name of patriotism, General 'Buck' Turdigson "Mr. President, I'm not saying we wouldn't get our hair mussed. But I do say no more than ten to twenty million killed, tops. Uh, depending on the breaks". He completely reminds me of his lead role from the film Patton (1970), but in a very perverted, devolved manner. Great support roles include Slim Pickens Major T.J. 'King' Kong as the pilot of one of the B-52's, James Earl Jones as one of his crewmembers, and Colonel 'Bat' Guano as the leader of the force assigned to take control of Burpelson Air Force Base, and recover the recall codes from base commander General Ripper.

All in all, Kubrick has just an amazing style for relating a story to the audience. From his use of different formats of film to evoke a particular mood or convey a sense of feeling, i.e. the documentary style use for the actual fighting footage at the air force base, to the choice of music to enhance the tone set in the various scenes. It all works perfectly to create mock realism in spite of the comedic nature, presenting the essence of a black comedy.

The picture looks wonderful in this full screen format, and you will see that change from time to time as Kubrick used various aspect ratios in the film. As far as special features, there are quite a few of them, including a theatrical trailer, a featurette titled 'The Art of Stanley Kubrick: From Short Films to Strangelove', a documentary titled 'The Making of Dr. Strangelove', original split screen interviews with actors Scott and Sellers (this was done by having the actors answer pre-determined questions, and then local interviewers could be added in later asking said questions, making it look like they were interviewing the actors), promotional advertising gallery, and talent files. Some have called this 'The Greatest Black Comedy of All Time', and I would have little difficulty in arguing that...

Cookieman108

Following the obligatory, too-sober-to-be-true "this can never really happen" disclaimer, we are treated to approximately 90 minutes of sheer (though greatly understated) insanity. From General Jack D. Ripper (Sterling Hayden) ordering a nuclear attack on the Soviet Union for very personal reasons, to the concluding montage of atomic explosions accompanied by Vera Lynn singing "We'll Meet Again," we enter a world where the fate of humanity rests with ineffectual leaders, the sexually preoccupied, egomaniacs, and madmen (Not much different from reality, actually.). This is black comedy at its very finest, set in an atmosphere that is (Dare I say it, in light of Stanley Kubrick's last movie?) vaguely Nabokovian.

Peter Sellers is magnificent in three roles: British Captain Lionel Mandrake, who almost saves the world from nuclear destruction; Adlai Stevenson-like Merkin Muffley, the decent but ineffectual U.S. President who can't control the insanity surrounding him; and Strangelove himself, the German genius who can't quite hide his naughty past, and who has his own plans for the post-nuclear world. As General "Buck" Turgidson, George C. Scott portrays a man more concerned with glory (A possible precursor to "Patton?") than with finding a sound solution to the real problem. And, of course, one cannot forget Slim Pickens as bomber pilot Kong, whooping and hollering as he waves his cowboy hat, suggestively straddling an atomic bomb in the ultimate Freudian Liebestod.

From sexual obsessions and the eroticization of death (as in the opening sequence of a fighter plane refueling in midair), to the immature behavior of people deciding the world's fate (especially the antics of General Turgidson), to the telling lack of female characters (with the exception of Turgidson's scantily-clad secretary, who appears briefly and whom Turgidson urges to, "Say your prayers."), "Dr. Strangelove" packs more interest into ninety minutes than many over-extended films with lots of pyrotechnics and explosions.

Of course, we cannot forget Kubrick's direction. He uses all the tricks: intricate detailing, the play of chiaroscuoro, bizarre camera angles, the use of music, etc., etc. And I cannot imagine it in anything but black and white (So hands off, Ted!). Although the American Film Insititute ranked it Number 26, I would at least place it somewhere in the Top 10, over some of the other films that ranked higher for what (I believe) may be sentimental reasons. This is a film where one of our greatest directors found his voice. And what a voice (or eye) it was!

Dr. Strangelove is one of those rare films that seems to get better with age. The screenplay is one of the best, most streamlined vehicles ever -- every snatch of dialogue, every scene is vital, whether developing characterization or pushing the story forward, or performing both functions simultaneously.

Hollywood simply does not make movies like this, with a bare minimum of music and beautiful women, and NO sentimentality whatsoever. Compare Kubrick's Hollywood epic, Spartacus, with Dr. Strangelove and 2001: A Space Odyssey (another masterwork without a superfluous scene). Compare Dr. Strangelove with just about any Hollywood war movie, including Saving Private Ryan. It's easy to see why Kubrick chose to shoot his films in England, albeit with American funding.

Peter Sellers, Sterling Hayden and George C. Scott together turn in no fewer than 5 unforgettable performances in Dr. Strangelove. (I'd seen this film at least a half dozen times before I realized that the American President is Peter Sellers with a bald-wig.)

Kubrick's visual style is unforgettable and witty. The decision to shoot the film in black and white, and the generic style of certain combat sequences, give Dr. Strangelove the realistic "authority" of a documentary war movie. But this is the war movie to end all war movies -- and Dr. Strangelove, a certified box-office success in America, definitely helped to sever the 1950s from the 1960s.