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

           Stanley Kubrick (1928-1999) was a masterful filmmaker who never quite received the praise that he rightfully deserved. During his lifetime, Kubrick was nominated for 13 academy awards yet only managed to walk away with one*. His filmography includes such classics as 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968), A Clockwork Orange (1971), The Shining (1980), and Full Metal Jacket (1987) amongst others. One of the most critically acclaimed features that Kubrick directed was Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb (1964). It was ranked on the American Film Institute’s “100 Years… 100 Movies,” a list of the 100 greatest American films of all time, at #39. The plot involves a flaw in the nuclear weapons program, which could cause a nuclear holocaust, and the attempt to avoid the crises. So what makes this movie so special and a prime example of the art of filmmaking?

            Kubrick was a notorious perfectionist who carefully edited his films and arranged each shot. In the Dr. Strangelove, Kubrick often uses facial close-ups to capture the expressive acting. Most of these cuts involve a single person in focus at a given time, so the whole movie feels fairly intimate. This is an example of the variable framing techniques of bracketing, in that we are meant to focus on the person in the frame, and scaling, which also acts to draw attention to the person.

                                                         "Ready for my Close-Up"

In order to keep the audience hooked, the film’s narrative builds suspense. The expected evil outcome of an oncoming nuclear holocaust is contrasted with the less likely hope that the code to cancel the order can be obtained in time. This is also the pervading macro-question that extends over the length of the film (according to the esoteric narrative model). Unfortunately, things do not go according to plan, and the missile is released. This is in-line with the films genre, as it is considered a dark comedy.

The film is visual eye candy under the direction of Kubrick. There are some fairly important cinematic moments, including one of the most iconic scenes in the movie. Without giving away too many spoilers towards the plot, the scene involves a cowboy riding a bomb off of a plane like a rodeo bull. This is about as cinematic as it gets, as this event causes even more bombs to go off in succession in a concluding montage. There are also images of ground combat interspersed that add to the overall effect of the film.

Kubrick has always been one of my favorite directors as I’ve always admired his attention to detail and the craft of filmmaking. This perfectionism has been often hazardous for his actors, but one cannot argue with the results. Dr. Strangelove is no exception and is one of his finest, in my opinion. The acting in the film is astounding, amplified by the camerawork and editing. I highly recommend the film: Two thumbs up.

Here is the scene with the cowboy riding the warhead: