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Laughing off the end of the world

February 27, 2005

Instead of watching the Oscars (boring speeches) I went to the Historic Normal Theater and watched Kubrik’s classic, Dr. Strangelove, or How I Learned To Stop Worrying And Love The Bomb, starring Peter Sellers, George C. Scott, Sterling Hayden, Keenan Wynn, Slim Pickens, James Earl Jones, et. al.

What a roar that movie is.  And full of Kubrik’s trademark detail and perfection.  You can’t help but admire the competence and sheer heroism of the bomber crew, and you root for them even though you know that if they reach their target, the whole world will be destroyed. 

Sellers, Hayden, Scott and Pickens are absolute genius.  How can I recommend this movie enough?  OK, it isn’t as cheerful as My Fair Lady and Mary Poppins which both came out the same year, but I like dark humor.

Note to self: rent The Mouse That Roared from 1959.  I barely remember it but I do recall that it was very funny and starred Peter Sellers.  A small country declares war on the US hoping to surrender and then reap a Marshall Plan-style rebuilding.  (Except… one of their scientists spoils their plan by inventing a superweapon, hilariously named the “Q-bomb” and shaped like a football…)

Categories: Reviews
  1. February 28, 2005 at 08:07 | #1

    I recall the book of TMtR (Wibberley, I think) being a lot better than the movie.

  2. February 28, 2005 at 09:05 | #2

    I love Dr Strangelove. One of the best all time movies imho.

  3. March 2, 2005 at 10:00 | #3

    Dr. Strangelove is one of the two movies that I really want to see the other one being “Citizen Kane”. It’s sad that the titles are not even available in rent video shops here in our place. Have you seen Citizen Kane? Maybe you could describe it in one of your future entries.

  4. March 2, 2005 at 10:30 | #4

    I have not seen CK but would like to.  I am lucky to have a movie rental place (right across the street from the historic Normal Theater) that specializes in unusual and hard-to-find movies :-)   If you can find a place like that they deserve all your support!

  5. November 2, 2006 at 05:39 | #5

    Great post, I see racial self-segregation all the time, and I want to investigate the issue more thoroughly.
    I always find something new and interesting every time I come around here – thanks. :)

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