Archive for D
50 Greatest Movies – Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb
“Mr. President, I’m not saying we wouldn’t get our hair mussed. But I do say no more than ten to twenty million killed, tops. Depending on the breaks.” George C. Scott as General Turgidson
Black Comedy: n. Comedy that uses black humor. [how appropriately absurd -RH]
Black Humor: n. The juxtaposition, as in writing or drama, of morbid or absurd elements with comical or farcical ones.
The American Heritage Dictionary, Third Edition.
Black Humor: n. The juxtaposition, as in writing or drama, of morbid or absurd elements with comical or farcical ones.
The American Heritage Dictionary, Third Edition.
Dr. Strangelove is one of the most hilarious, most outlandish, most frightening movies ever made. Almost every line is quotable. And it is perfectly cast: Slim Pickens as Major Kong, Keenan Wynn as Colonel ‘Bat’ Guano, George C. Scott as General Buck Turgidson, Sterling Hayden as General Jack D. Ripper, and of course Peter Sellers as Group Captain Lionel Mandrake, Peter Sellers as President Merkin Muffley, and Peter Sellers as Dr. Strangelove. Oddly enough, given the title of the film, it’s the character of Dr. Strangelove that almost sends the movie out too far into unreality. For a satire to work well, it must be firmly grounded in reality. Dr. Strangelove is not really believable as real person, though he is hilarious. Director Stanley Kubrick should have reigned him in a little.
The full title, Dr Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb, can be interpreted different ways. Some think of it as an ironic statement. Others, as I like to read it, understand that it would take such a ridiculous set of circumstances to bring about a nuclear holocaust that it will never happen. Of course that was only true when nuclear weapons were limited to a few countries that cared about their way of life.
The brilliant Coen Brothers pay tribute to Dr. Strangelove in Raising Arizona when we see P.O.E. and O.P.E. spraypainted on a bathroom door.
Sterling Hayden, who hadn’t been in a movie in six years, was convinced by Kubrick to come out of retirement for this picture. He’d been in Kubrick’s The Killing in 1956. As General Jack D. Ripper, puffing out his cheeks as he talks to emphasize words such as “precious,” smoking his cigar, he is supposed to be the most insane person in the film, but he plays it the straightest. Ripper has many of the best lines talking of “our precious essence” and “precious bodily fluids.” “Mandrake, have you ever seen a Commie drink a glass of water?”
Slim Pickens wasn’t supposed to play Major Kong. Peter Sellers was supposed to, but he broke his leg falling 15 feet from the bomb to the floor. It would have been interesting, but even someone as fabulous as Sellers wouldn’t have been as memorable. Slim Pickens owns the role. Most memorable to me is when the crew of the B-52 bomber are given the “go” code, pilot Major Kong pulls his cowboy hat out of the on-board safe and puts his flight helmet away.
George C. Scott is flat out fabulous as a possible co-conspirator with General Ripper. If not a co-conspirator, then at a least like-minded war-monger. His expressions, his mannerisms, his vocal inflections, all are perfect. He’s got a notebook labeled “World targets in Megadeths.”
What a freakin’ awesome movie! I had a very difficult time trying to narrow down my selection to just 50 greatest movies, but there was never a second’s doubt that Dr. Strangelove would be here. One of the best of all time. Check out my almost 100 screen caps below.
Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb. Directed by Stanley Kubrick. Written by Stanley Kubrick, Terry Southern, and Peter George based on the book Red Alert
by Peter George. Starring Peter Sellers, George C. Scott, Sterling Hayden. 1964. 95 minutes.
by Peter George. Starring Peter Sellers, George C. Scott, Sterling Hayden. 1964. 95 minutes.
You don’t own it? Buy it here. Right now!Dr. Strangelove, Or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb (Special Edition)
Dr. Strangelove [Blu-ray]
Stanley Kubrick Collection (2001: A Space Odyssey / Dr. Strangelove / A Clockwork Orange / The Shining / Lolita / Barry Lyndon / Full Metal Jacket / Eyes Wide Shut)
Dr. Strangelove [Blu-ray] Stanley Kubrick Collection (2001: A Space Odyssey / Dr. Strangelove / A Clockwork Orange / The Shining / Lolita / Barry Lyndon / Full Metal Jacket / Eyes Wide Shut)Desk Set Movie Review
Desk Set Movie Review with Hepburn and Tracy.
Dead Reckoning (1947) Movie Review
“I’m a man who likes getting his mail.” In Dead Reckoning, Humphrey Bogart plays Rip Murdock, an Army Captain paratrooper getting back from World War II. His buddy, Sergeant Johnny Drake is supposed to get the Medal of Honor from the President. When Drake finds out and realizes there will be pictures and newsreels, he scrams without getting the award. Murdock heads to Florida to find out why Drake is so nervous about getting his picture taken. When Murdock arrives he finds his friend was using an alias and is wanted for the murder of Mrs. Chandler’s (Lizbeth Scott) husband back in 1943. On top of that, he finds that Drake has been murdered almost immediately upon return home. Drake left a letter for Murdock, but someone intercepts the letter. Murdock obviously wants the letter hoping it will clear up everything. Murdock wants Drake to get the Medal of Honor that he deserves and attempts to discover what happened and clear his friend’s name.
Much of the story is told through flashback while Bogart talks to a priest (who was also a paratrooper) so there is a fair amount of voiceover. Voiceover is a very common device with the Film Noir or mystery/thriller genre.
While watching Dead Reckoning, one is reminded of several other Bogart movies. Lizbeth Scott is quite similar to Lauren Bacall: tall, thin, husky voice, some of the same expressions. Some of the plot is similar to The Maltese Falcon, even some of the dialog, especially toward the end. Bogart calls Lizbeth Scott “Mike” as he would in a Howard Hawks movie such as To Have and Have Not or The Big Sleep. However, even with these flashes of similarity, the mystery is different. While not in the first tier of Bogart films (which is quite a long list) Dead Reckoning is well worth a watch.
Dead Reckoning, directed by John Cromwell, written by Oliver H.P. Garrett and
Steve Fisher from a story by Gerald Adams and Sidney Biddell. Starring Humphrey Bogart, Lizabeth Scott, Morris Carnovsky. 100 minutes. 1947.
Steve Fisher from a story by Gerald Adams and Sidney Biddell. Starring Humphrey Bogart, Lizabeth Scott, Morris Carnovsky. 100 minutes. 1947.
