Dr. Strangelove continues to receive raving reviews from movie-goers and critics. The film features unique elements of genre and cinematography, offering a lot of material to discuss. However, a few features stand out as most pertinent to this review and the moral implications of the film.
Many scenes take place in the War Room. This dark, seemingly endless or totally confined room houses the military commanders. The edges of the room are black and fade into nothingness, giving the set a sense of abstractness. We do not know exactly where the place is nor how these men arrive or leave. It focuses the attention on what happens inside rather than elsewhere. Also, it creates a sense of non-reality to these military personnel, perhaps communicating their lack of awareness of the common man or outside world.
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The Big Board looms above the desk in the War Room. It shows the various countries in the world and the military strategies of those in the War Room. This again appears less than real or somewhat abstract. It certainly confirms the purpose of the room, that is, for war. And it also makes for impersonal perceptions of the human race. People and enemies become dots or sections of a map rather than flesh and blood people under the threat of bombs.
The film as a whole associates with a particular genre. It is considered a satire. The humor appears most clearly in the nature of the characters. The military officials sometimes exhibit hyper versions of their personality traits, such as decisiveness or anger or dumb foundedness. The filmmakers seem to play off of stereotypes and public impressions of the heads of large intuitions. The setting of the film also contributes to the satire. The War Room and Big Board especially make fun at the whole war process by exaggerating these parts of the military process.
Dr. Strangelove himself is clothed in a way that fosters a particular cinematic aura. He wears dark, plain clothes and tinted glasses. This makes you focus more on the character rather than what he is wearing. It draws attention to his facial features instead of body image or costume. His swirling hair and curious grin communicate a sort of energy and sinister feel, as if he might do something wild and unexpected. These visual features complement his persona and voice. He speaks in a thick accent, almost always with a grin, and sounds a bit strange, no pun intended.
The most significant aspect of the film, from an analytical point of view regarding morality and violence, is its timing. Kubrick released the film in 1964, in the midst of global anxiety over bombs. The United States and the Soviet Union were leading the threats of war and both countries lived in tension in the political and public spheres. Most of all, the conflict was serious. People did not find the threat of bombs as a joke, nor did the Americans view the Soviets with levity.
However, Kubrick’s film landed in this context and satirized the entire situation. He had a laugh at the expense of both America and the Soviets. By doing so, he offers a questionable take on morality and violence. Does the humor in Dr. Strangelove belittle the seriousness of morality and warfare? Does it offer a needed alternative to overly serious discussions about conflict? The film provokes such questions and thus reveals itself as a great tool for debating and thinking about morality. While the film is a bit dated and the issues are not exactly parallel to today’s problems, we can learn much from Kubrick’s satire.
