Hardly "clever" - Hardly Dr Strangelove!

Rating: 3/10 (6 April 2003)

I can't believe people here are comparing M*A*S*H with Dr Strangelove. Brilliant satire? Hardly! Apart from the fact that some of its "darkest humour" is patently offensive today - "Hot Lips"' complete humiliation as she's taking a shower, the dentist who thinks he's gay and so has to kill himself (and his decision not to kill himself is only because he finds out he's not gay), etc - the rest of it is really rather obvious and, well, stupid. Ha ha ha, Trapper John has a go at the head nurse in Japan and uses the word "tits!" How terribly risque. (yawn).
And of course, as even those who like the movie have pointed out, it doesn't have a plot. It's a series of rather tedious little vignettes that don't amount to very much before it just suddenly ends. The football game has nothing to do with anything. And what the hell is with Hot Lips' sudden huge character change? She's humiliated by the whole camp when they pull her shower down, obviously distraught she breaks down in front of the CO, who then proceeds to agree with the General to just ignore her complaint - and then suddenly she's a brainless bimbo cheerleader supporting the boys and thinking that the referee's gun has just shot someone. Hello? What the hell?
If you want a brilliant movie that satirises the futility and stupidity of war and the military establishment, watch Dr Strangelove. Kubrick knew what he was doing. "Gentlemen! You can't fight in here, this is the war room!" Now that's irony.