Stanley Kubrick's Dr. Strangelove or How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb is a satirical look at Cold War hysterics. Though originally planned as a drama, Kubrick realized the absurdity of the situation and went the comedic route, thus cementing his spot as one of Hollywood's top directors.
Brigadier General Jack D. Ripper (Sterling Hayden) convinces himself that the Communists are polluting US citizens by dumping fluoride in the nation's water supply. In retaliation, he executes Plan R and orders a group of B-52 bombers, led by Major T.J. Kong (Slim Pickens), to drop nuclear bombs on the Soviet Union.
Meanwhile, Central Command at Burpleson Air Force Base attempts to get a handle on the situation. Group Captain Lionel Mandrake (Peter Sellers) does everything he can to get Ripper to stop the attack while President Merkin Muffley (Sellers, again) assembles a sort of "think tank" with General Buck Turgidson (George C. Scott) and Dr. Strangelove (Sellers, yet again), an ex-Nazi scientist, to try and figure out a way to keep the Soviets from retaliating. Turgidson suggests a full-on nuclear assault on Russia, while Strangelove formulates a plan for human survival following the inevitable nuclear holocaust.
Enough has been written about Dr. Strangelove in the last 45 years that I don't feel the need to expound on its virtues. It's a film that works on every level and has managed to age incredibly well. A big reason for this is Kubrick's ability to paint in broad strokes. Though firmly rooted in Cold War hysteria, the war room antics could just as easily relate to any modern war. It's a madhouse where all logic is lost in the name of blind patriotism, ego and being locked in a small, confined area with other people for days on end. Additionally, the film manages to relay these messages without resorting to heavy-handed tactics to make sure you get the point. It's dark, biting satire that manages to entertain and subtly nudge its point across.
The Blu-ray release is a great example of how to re-release a classic. Though the transfer isn't as sharp as Casablanca, Dr. Strangelove still looks great, particularly for a black and white movie. There's a noticeable amount of grain (which is sort of intentional), but the shades of grey are distinct while the blacks and whites are clean. The transfer from a mono soundtrack mix to full-blown Dolby TrueHD 5.1 is surprisingly good. Nothing is muddled; instead the re-mix is primarily to help separate voices, effects and music. The effort pays off in the end.
Except for one, all of the extras have appeared on previous DVD releases. Now you just get them all in one place.
Three extras involve the real Cold War and are great background material for viewers (like myself) who may not fully understand the Cold War era at its height. One is an interview with Robert McNamara, the U.S. Secretary of Defense from 1961 - 1968. "No Fighting in the War Room" discusses the Cold War in relation to the film and how it almost became a Hot War. Finally there's the Blu-ray exclusive "The Cold War," a picture-in-picture trivia/ bonus track that covers everything from Cold War personalities to real military parallels with the movie.
The rest of the extras deal specifically with the film. There's the requisite "Making of..." feature along with "Better Sellers," where a bunch of actors gush over Peter Sellers (and, based on his performance, rightly so). The film-specific extras are rounded out with a look at Kubrick's life.
Even if you don't consider yourself a film buff, Dr. Strangelove is a must-see movie. If you haven't seen it already, this is the way to go. The transfer is great and you get a number of interesting extras. If you own it already, make this is a repurchase.
