Simply The Best Cold War Black Comedy, and Possibly The Best Black Comedy Period

Rating: 10/10 (4 September 2007)

This is another timeless movie that will never lose it's relevance. From the opening sequence of the titles superimposed on a film of a bomber and a tanker performing the unnatural act of midair refueling, (Ask any Air Force pilot how difficult, dangerous and frightening it actually is!), to the final sequence of atomic explosions, (both with totally appropriate music), this movie is a joy to watch over and over again. From the great character names with their sexual and scatological overtones, (for those who don't know these things, guano is the word for bird or bat droppings, and a merkin is a hairpiece for the pubic area), to the sets, the cinematography, the music, the lighting, and even the props, this is Kubrick at the top of his form. As far as the performances of the ENTIRE cast go, I'm not sure there're enough superlatives in the English language to do them justice. Peter Sellers playing three entirely different roles, (Group Captain Lionel Mandrake, President Merkin Muffley, and Dr. Strangelove), and making it look effortless takes center stage, of course, but the supporting cast is just as strong. George C. Scott (General Buck Turgidson) shows that he's one of the most versatile actors who ever hit Hollywood and almost steals the show in the process. Sterling Hayden (Brig. Gen. Jack D. Ripper) plays the scariest psycho ever put on film with impeccable deadpan timing. Keenan Wynn (Col. "Bat" Guano) is also superb, as is Slim Pickens (Maj. T.J. "King" Kong). Let's not forget Peter Bull, (Soviet Ambassador Alexei de Sadesky), who put just the right amount of wacky paranoia into his part. Even the bit players, Tracy Reed (Miss Scott, Gen. Turgidson's sexy, seductive secretary and mistress and the sole female), James Earl Jones (Bombadier Lieut. Lothar Zogg) in his first movie, and Shane Rimmer (Co-Pilot Capt. "Ace" Owens) add to the unique flavor of this masterpiece. So, for $1,800,000.00 plus Stanley Kubrick, the world got: Some of the funniest lines of dialog ever put in a movie, including words like "prevert" and phrases like "Precious bodily fluids", "Now you listen to me, Colonel Bat Guano, if that is your real name!", "If you try any preversions in there, I'll blow your head off.", "Gee, I wish we had one of them Doomsday Machines, Stainsey.", "Well, I've been to one world fair, a picnic, and a rodeo, and that's the stupidest thing I ever heard come over a set of earphones.", " Of course it isn't only physical. I deeply respect you as a human being. Someday I'm gonna make you Mrs. Buck Turgidson. Listen, you go back to sleep. Bucky'll be back there just as soon as he can. All right? Listen, sug', don't forget to say your prayers." and the immortal "Gentlemen, you can't fight in here! This is the War Room!". All of this and more? Priceless! Also images like Maj. Kong going over the contents of the survival kit and ending it by saying, "Shoot, a fella could have a pretty good weekend in Vegas with all that stuff!", Gen. Turgidson describing a B-52 flying at treetop level, with great body language, the Soviet Ambassador attempting to photograph the War Room with a spy camera, Col. "Bat" Guano shooting the Coca Cola vending machine and getting Coke sprayed in his face, and Dr Strangelove's "alien hand" alternately trying to strangle him and shooting up in a Nazi salute. All this and more? Again, priceless! And last but not least, Maj. Kong riding the H-bomb down like a bronco, waving his cowboy hat and shouting, "Aaaaaa hoooo! Waaaaa hooooo!". One more time, absolutely PRICELESS!! If you haven't seen this movie, or don't have it in your collection, go out and buy it RIGHT NOW! If you do own it, watch it again TONIGHT!