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

A scathing black comedy, “Dr. Strangelove” is rightly considered one of the absolute pinnacles of political satire to ever hit the big screen.

Loosely based on a (serious) thriller written by Peter George, the inspired Kubrick — demonstrating that he’s light years ahead of so many of his colleagues still mired in propagandistic Cold War logic — makes a clear-eyed, irreverent black comedy which manages to condemn both the military-industrial complex as well as its inherent, ridiculous red tape that renders it obtuse and impotent. Against this background, the director sharply and skillfully highlights the elephantine weight of human stupidity and folly, presenting a wide range of bizarre and ludicrous characters who, between ineptitude and fanaticism, represent the very hallmark of self-destruction.

Extraordinary performances all around, but Peter Sellers particularly stands out in an extraordinary three separate roles, earning a well-deserved Academy Award nomination for Best Actor (George C. Scott and Sterling Hayden are excellent as well).

Among the memorable dialogue scenes, one that comes to mind is the unhinged General Ripper attempting to indict the Soviets by bringing up the fact that “commies” only drink vodka, and never water, the source of all life.