Search - Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned To Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb on DVD

MPAA Rating: PG Content Advisory: Adult Humor, War Violence Movie Release: 1964 DVD Release: 09/10/1997 Format: DVD - Black and White Audio Tracks: English, French, Spanish Subtitles: Spanish SwapaDVD Credits: 1 Number of Discs: 1 Run Time: 1 hrs 33 mins Studio: Columbia TriStar Members Wishing: 9 Genres: Comedy, Satire, Black Comedy, Military Comedy, Political Satire, Anti-War Film See Also: Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned To Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb [Special Edition], Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned To Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb, Dr. Strangelove [40th Anniversary Special Edition], Dr. Strangelove [45th Anniversary Edition] [Blu-ray]

In 1964, with the Cuban Missile Crisis fresh in viewers' minds, the Cold War at its frostiest, and the hydrogen bomb relatively new and frightening, Stanley Kubrick dared to make a film about what could happen if the wrong person pushed the wrong button -- and played the situation for laughs. Dr. Strangelove's jet-black satire (from a script by director Stanley Kubrick, Peter George, and Terry Southern) and a host of superb comic performances (including three from Peter Sellers) have kept the film fresh and entertaining, even as its issues have become (slightly) less timely. Loaded with thermonuclear weapons, a U.S. bomber piloted by Maj. T.J. "King" Kong (Slim Pickens) is on a routine flight pattern near the Soviet Union when they receive orders to commence Wing Attack Plan R, best summarized by Maj. Kong as "Nuclear combat! Toe to toe with the Russkies!" On the ground at Burpleson Air Force Base, Group Capt. Lionel Mandrake (Peter Sellers) notices nothing on the news about America being at war. Gen. Jack D. Ripper (Sterling Hayden) calmly informs him that he gave the command to attack the Soviet Union because it was high time someone did something about fluoridation, which is sapping Americans' bodily fluids (and apparently has something to do with Ripper's sexual dysfunction). Meanwhile, President Merkin Muffley (Sellers again) meets with his top Pentagon advisors, including super-hawk Gen. Buck Turgidson (George C. Scott), who sees this as an opportunity to do something about Communism in general and Russians in particular. However, the ante is upped considerably when Soviet ambassador de Sadesky (Peter Bull) informs Muffley and his staff of the latest innovation in Soviet weapons technology: a "Doomsday Machine" that will destroy the entire world if the Russians are attacked. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide

Peter Sellers - Dr. Strangelove
Peter Sellers - Group Capt. Lionel Mandrake
Peter Sellers - President Merkin Muffley
George C. Scott - Gen. Buck Turgidson
Sterling Hayden - Gen. Jack D. Ripper
Keenan Wynn - Col. Bat Guano
Slim Pickens - Maj. T.J. "King" Kong
James Earl Jones - Lt. Lothar Zogg

Stanley Kubrick's madcap political satire comes to DVD in an attractive presentation from Columbia TriStar. The black-and-white transfer is crystal clear, taken from a print with little or no degradation. Also, while billed as a "widescreen" presentation, the picture often takes up the full screen. This is because Kubrick shot the film using a variety of cameras for different scenes. Occasionally, the telltale black bars creep into the frame to reassure viewers that they are indeed seeing the film as it was intended. Sound is in Dolby Digital 1.0, although it's effective for a film such as this. As for extras, aside from a pair of alternate language tracks, there are none. Still, this DVD is worth owning for the quality of the picture alone, though serious Strangelove enthusiasts might want to hold out for the special edition. ~ Jeremy Brown, All Movie Guide