Release date: June 16th, 2009
MSRP: $38.96
Theatrical release date: Jan 29. 1964
Director: Stanley Kubrick
Writers: Stanley Kubrick, Terry Southern and Peter George (Screenplay), Peter George (book: Red Alert)
Stars: Peter Sellers, George C. Scott, Sterling Hayden, Keenan Wynn, Slim Pickens
Dr. Strangelove or How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb, Stanley Kubrick’s deep black comedy is classic satire with some of the best charecters ever commited to film (Peter Sellers is three of them). along with Sterling Hayden’s loopy General Jack D Ripper, and Slim Pickens T.J. “KIng” Kong. Hayden, a well regarded actor for decades had never to my knowledge done comedy before and he must have relished it because he tore it up. This movie has got Hydrogen bombs, transplanted Nazis, fluoridation sapping a mans vital essences (?)according to General Jack, and nut jobs with their fingers on some serious buttons indeed. Oh yeah, and a Doomsday machine. Come on. How can you go wrong?
This was the early sixties and nuclear war with Russia w! as hardly a laughing matter under most circumstances. Kubrick, Peter George, and Terry Southern, crafters of this cult masterpiece,tempered that a bit at least. In some ways I think it is was so scary you HAD to laugh and we did. In a nutshell World War III is started by a General who needed Viagra way before it was invented and the machine just falls in line to devastation on a scale we couldn’t and can’t imagine.
Video:
The picture is solid. There is some noticeable scratches and flaws here and there, but nothing that ruins the overall viewing, just enough to be annoying. On the plus side, they don’t appear to have gone in and messed with things. I did not see any signs of DNR, which can drive me crazy.
The film still has that grainy look to it, but the details are sharp. Things like the War Room really stand up, with all of the lights and machinery. The contrast looks great.
Audio:
Dolby TrueHD 5.1 track is predent, as well as the original mono track.
Extras:
Most of the extras come from the anniversary edition, they include:
No Fighting in the War Room or: Dr. Strangelove and the Nuclear Threat
Inside: Dr. Strangelove Or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb
The Art of Stanley Kubrick: From Short Films to Strangelove
Best Sellers Or: Peter Sellers and Dr. Strangelove Remembered
An Interview with Former Secretary of Defense Robert McNamara
Interviews with Peter Sellers and George C. Scott
New is The Cold War, a picture-in-picture track that offers up info throughout the film. It is not a constant, as some scenes have no info. Remember the Doomsday device in the film? Apparently it was in development and was almost greenlighted. There are some really interesting factoids here. It is well worth watching if only for educational purposes.
This is a great movie, a funny movie, but not a feel good movie. It won’t make you puff up your chest and think ‘I’m proud to be a human being.’ More likely you’ll slink off to the Pizza joint and stuff your face while you can before some damn fool does us all in.
Order the Blu-ray of DR. STRANGELOVE.
Lee Crawford
Video, Audio and Extra details provided by Jeremy Lynch
For more reviews from Lee, and the rest of the Crimespree crew, check out the index of reviews.
