(Dr. Strangelove, Or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb, 1964, Stanley Kubrick)
So... my last post lied. I said in the Very Brief Update that I would resume with a belated Halloween post, but on November 25th it feels a little too belated, so I'll just move on with the comedy. There will actually be a few comedies coming up probably, partly because the next Flashback Feature is a comedy I'm particularly fond of, and partly because I just feel like some comedy. So... get ready for that. And now, on with Dr. Strangelove.
I actually watched Dr. Strangelove while I was still in the midst of studying for my GRE. For those of you who don't know, the GRE is the Graduate Record Examination, and is essentially the SAT for college graduates. The long and short of it is that I needed a certain score to even be considered for the graduate program I'm applying to, and I got above that certain score, so I'm happy. However, I achieved that score by going through lots and lots of flashcards (so many flashcards...) and taking lots and lots of practice tests (so many practice tests...), and after trying to cram 1,000 obscure adjectives into my brain it was nice to take a break and watch a nice movie. Fortunately, Dr. Strangelove had shown up in my mailbox, ready to provide me with just the respite from studying that I needed (respite=GRE vocabulary word).
Dr. Strangelove had a few things going for it from the start. First of all, it was directed by Stanley Kubrick, who is quickly moving up my list of favorite directors. Kubrick was not generally known for his comedy (see: The Shining), but Dr. Strangelove ends up working really well. That leads me to the second thing it had going for it: satire. Satire is one of my favorite comedic tools because, unlike a lot of other types of comedy, it assumes that the audience is somewhat intelligent. I appreciate when my movies assume that I'm intelligent, especially when I'm taking practice tests that are repeatedly telling me that I'm not. Finally, Dr. Strangelove has Peter Sellers, who is without a doubt a comic genius. He plays three roles in the film (originally he was contracted to play four, but he hurt himself, so one was cut), including Dr. Strangelove himself. The only word for his performance (performances?) is brilliant.
So my deck was pretty much stacked in favor of Dr. Strangelove from the get go. I knew there was pretty much no way I couldn't love a black comedy directed by Stanley Kubrick that satirizes war and stars Peter Sellers. There was just no chance. And I did love it. The movie is hilarious, and it even managed to surprise me a little bit. For one thing, I wasn't expecting George C. Scott to be as funny as he was. Scott is known primarily for his portrayal of General George S. Patton in Patton, a role which is decidedly unfunny. However, unbeknownst to me, George C. Scott actually has excellent timing and physical comedy skills. Also a surprise: Peter Sellers' characters that weren't Dr. Strangelove. Sellers as the American president was absolutely hysterical. In fact, the entire portrayal of the American political system is uproariously funny. The way it's satirized almost makes it feel like the film wasn't made in the 1960's, but rather in today's political environment. Particularly amusing was the way that the American president spoke to the Russian premier over the phone. They spoke not as world leaders, but as if they were in a precarious relationship and were each struggling not to tread on the other's toes. It's funny and witty, and still surprisingly relevant 46 years later.
I just... loved this film. Once again I've been reminded why I chose to do this project. I have no idea how long it would have taken me to see Dr. Strangelove if it hadn't been for this undertaking. Unlike Cranes are Flying, I'm sure I sure I would have seen this one eventually, but it definitely would have taken me longer. I'm really glad The List goaded me into watching it now because it was a really enjoyable, humorous film that provided an excellent break from incessant vocabulary practice. It also made me feel smart during a week in which I generally felt like an idiot for not knowing what words like "pulchritude" and "malediction" meant. And, since today is Thanksgiving, I will say that for that reason I am thankful for Dr. Strangelove. I am thankful for any movie that doesn't make me feel like a flaming ignoramus.
I actually watched Dr. Strangelove while I was still in the midst of studying for my GRE. For those of you who don't know, the GRE is the Graduate Record Examination, and is essentially the SAT for college graduates. The long and short of it is that I needed a certain score to even be considered for the graduate program I'm applying to, and I got above that certain score, so I'm happy. However, I achieved that score by going through lots and lots of flashcards (so many flashcards...) and taking lots and lots of practice tests (so many practice tests...), and after trying to cram 1,000 obscure adjectives into my brain it was nice to take a break and watch a nice movie. Fortunately, Dr. Strangelove had shown up in my mailbox, ready to provide me with just the respite from studying that I needed (respite=GRE vocabulary word).
Dr. Strangelove had a few things going for it from the start. First of all, it was directed by Stanley Kubrick, who is quickly moving up my list of favorite directors. Kubrick was not generally known for his comedy (see: The Shining), but Dr. Strangelove ends up working really well. That leads me to the second thing it had going for it: satire. Satire is one of my favorite comedic tools because, unlike a lot of other types of comedy, it assumes that the audience is somewhat intelligent. I appreciate when my movies assume that I'm intelligent, especially when I'm taking practice tests that are repeatedly telling me that I'm not. Finally, Dr. Strangelove has Peter Sellers, who is without a doubt a comic genius. He plays three roles in the film (originally he was contracted to play four, but he hurt himself, so one was cut), including Dr. Strangelove himself. The only word for his performance (performances?) is brilliant.
So my deck was pretty much stacked in favor of Dr. Strangelove from the get go. I knew there was pretty much no way I couldn't love a black comedy directed by Stanley Kubrick that satirizes war and stars Peter Sellers. There was just no chance. And I did love it. The movie is hilarious, and it even managed to surprise me a little bit. For one thing, I wasn't expecting George C. Scott to be as funny as he was. Scott is known primarily for his portrayal of General George S. Patton in Patton, a role which is decidedly unfunny. However, unbeknownst to me, George C. Scott actually has excellent timing and physical comedy skills. Also a surprise: Peter Sellers' characters that weren't Dr. Strangelove. Sellers as the American president was absolutely hysterical. In fact, the entire portrayal of the American political system is uproariously funny. The way it's satirized almost makes it feel like the film wasn't made in the 1960's, but rather in today's political environment. Particularly amusing was the way that the American president spoke to the Russian premier over the phone. They spoke not as world leaders, but as if they were in a precarious relationship and were each struggling not to tread on the other's toes. It's funny and witty, and still surprisingly relevant 46 years later.
I just... loved this film. Once again I've been reminded why I chose to do this project. I have no idea how long it would have taken me to see Dr. Strangelove if it hadn't been for this undertaking. Unlike Cranes are Flying, I'm sure I sure I would have seen this one eventually, but it definitely would have taken me longer. I'm really glad The List goaded me into watching it now because it was a really enjoyable, humorous film that provided an excellent break from incessant vocabulary practice. It also made me feel smart during a week in which I generally felt like an idiot for not knowing what words like "pulchritude" and "malediction" meant. And, since today is Thanksgiving, I will say that for that reason I am thankful for Dr. Strangelove. I am thankful for any movie that doesn't make me feel like a flaming ignoramus.
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