About once a year there is one movie I like to sit back with a bowl of popcorn and enjoy for its comic brilliance. This movie is, Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb.
Much has been written about this Stanley Kubrick movie based on the Peter George novel, Red Alert. I don't intend to add too much to it here. Far more perceptive individuals than me have dissected this movie to great length and insight. If you've never seen the movie -until about a week ago my wife hadn't, so it was a perfect occasion- I suggest you set aside about 90 minutes sometime soon and rent it from your neighborhood dvd rental store.
While you're at it, get the movie Fail-Safe as well. I happened to watch this movie about two years ago on the Turner Classics movie channel and it was one of the most suspenseful and powerfully acted films made during, and about, the Cold War era. If Dr. Strangelove is the comedic winner for Cold War movies, Fail-Safe is the victor for the most terrifying endings in a war genre.
If you watch both movies back to back, try not to
be alarmed when the colour returns to your t.v. set.
3 comments:
"No fighting in the war room!"
George C. Scott's character was based on a real guy. Pretty scary. During the Cuban missile crisis, this guy, (General LeMay I think his name was,) really, really wanted to drop the bomb on them.
Amazing documentary called 'The Fog of War' - its on googlevideo for free - check it out with all that spare time I'm sure you must have Greg.
"I smell a big fat Commie rat"
by far my favourite movie of my favourite period in world history, the cold war.... YES :)
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