Context and Craft: Dr. Strangelove: Or How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb 1964
Country: United Kingdom/ United States
Production Company: Hawk Films (distributed by Columbia Pictures)
Year of Release: 1964
Director: Stanley Kubrick
Writer(s): Stanley Kubrick and Peter George
Lead Performers: Peter Sellers, George C. Scott, Sterling Hayden, Keenan Wynn, Slim Pickens, Tracy Reed
Production Company: Hawk Films (distributed by Columbia Pictures)
Year of Release: 1964
Director: Stanley Kubrick
Writer(s): Stanley Kubrick and Peter George
Lead Performers: Peter Sellers, George C. Scott, Sterling Hayden, Keenan Wynn, Slim Pickens, Tracy Reed
Synopsis
An insane General triggers a path to nuclear holocaust that a war room full of politicians and generals frantically try to stop.
The Film
The second half of the 20th century was dominated by the cold war, an ideological conflict between Capitalists (fronted by the United States) and Communists (lead by the Soviet Union). In the United States almost every single aspect of life was dominated by fear of nuclear war against the Soviets. This fear was represented in the films of the time, however, due to the fact that the US military wanted to keep a positive image on Nuclear weapons, these fear where not directly represented, but dealt with in horror and B-movie Science fiction. Dr.Strangelove is a remarkable for the time because it directly address the dangers of Nuclear weapons (Mintz, p.18).
The film was co-written by Stanley Kubrick and Peter George. The screenplay was based off Peter George’s book ‘Red Alert’ (Mintz, p, 67). The book had a very serious tone, but when adapting it to a screenplay, Kubrick and George found themselves simply laughing at the ridiculousness of the concept, and so decided to make the film a black comedy (Hill, p. 118). Once the script had been finished they managed to get financing for the film from Columbia Pictures, but the film would only be financed under one condition, that Peter Sellers would play at least four major roles (Hill, p. 118). Peter Sellers was chosen because he had recently had two major successes under his belt, The Mouse That Roared (1959) and Lolita (1962), and because he was renowned for being able to play a large variety of characters. Sellers was supposed to play the characters of Dr. Strangelove, Group Captain Lionel Mandrake, President Merkin Muffley and Major T.J Kong. However, partially due to Sellers inability to do a Texan accent, but mostly due to a sprained ankle sustained during filming, Sellers was replaced by veteran Western actor Slim Pickens (Hill, p.119). This would be Slim Pickens first time leaving the United States, as the entire film was shot at Shepperton Studios, near London.
The main reason for shooting at Shepperton Studios was because Sellers was unable to leave the UK due to being in the middle of a long divorce (Duncan, p.95). The film was all shot on multiple sets, and these sets where designed by Ken Adam, who famously was a production designer for many Bond films (before working on Dr. Strangelove he had given the first Bond film Dr.No its unique look). Adam’s almost managed to recreate an extremely accurate depiction of the interior of a B-52 bomber, much to the alarm of the US military (Hill, p.119).
An interesting point in the film is that George C Scott originally played the role of General Buck Turgidson a lot more seriously, but was convinced by Kubrick to do a joke take to let off some steam (Castle, p.359). However much to Scott’s displeasure, these where the takes that were used in the film, and he vowed never to work with Kubrick again (Castle, p.359).
The film was originally supposed to be released around Novemeber 22nd 1963, however due to assassination of President John F. Kennedy, the film was delayed (Sheward, p 105). When the film was finally released, it was met with mixed reviews upon its release. Many saw the film as a “sick joke”, not knowing quite how to react to the film (Kaplan, p.222). It was not till many years later that the film was seen as the classic it is viewed as now.
By Barnaby Falck
An insane General triggers a path to nuclear holocaust that a war room full of politicians and generals frantically try to stop.
The Film
The second half of the 20th century was dominated by the cold war, an ideological conflict between Capitalists (fronted by the United States) and Communists (lead by the Soviet Union). In the United States almost every single aspect of life was dominated by fear of nuclear war against the Soviets. This fear was represented in the films of the time, however, due to the fact that the US military wanted to keep a positive image on Nuclear weapons, these fear where not directly represented, but dealt with in horror and B-movie Science fiction. Dr.Strangelove is a remarkable for the time because it directly address the dangers of Nuclear weapons (Mintz, p.18).
The film was co-written by Stanley Kubrick and Peter George. The screenplay was based off Peter George’s book ‘Red Alert’ (Mintz, p, 67). The book had a very serious tone, but when adapting it to a screenplay, Kubrick and George found themselves simply laughing at the ridiculousness of the concept, and so decided to make the film a black comedy (Hill, p. 118). Once the script had been finished they managed to get financing for the film from Columbia Pictures, but the film would only be financed under one condition, that Peter Sellers would play at least four major roles (Hill, p. 118). Peter Sellers was chosen because he had recently had two major successes under his belt, The Mouse That Roared (1959) and Lolita (1962), and because he was renowned for being able to play a large variety of characters. Sellers was supposed to play the characters of Dr. Strangelove, Group Captain Lionel Mandrake, President Merkin Muffley and Major T.J Kong. However, partially due to Sellers inability to do a Texan accent, but mostly due to a sprained ankle sustained during filming, Sellers was replaced by veteran Western actor Slim Pickens (Hill, p.119). This would be Slim Pickens first time leaving the United States, as the entire film was shot at Shepperton Studios, near London.
The main reason for shooting at Shepperton Studios was because Sellers was unable to leave the UK due to being in the middle of a long divorce (Duncan, p.95). The film was all shot on multiple sets, and these sets where designed by Ken Adam, who famously was a production designer for many Bond films (before working on Dr. Strangelove he had given the first Bond film Dr.No its unique look). Adam’s almost managed to recreate an extremely accurate depiction of the interior of a B-52 bomber, much to the alarm of the US military (Hill, p.119).
An interesting point in the film is that George C Scott originally played the role of General Buck Turgidson a lot more seriously, but was convinced by Kubrick to do a joke take to let off some steam (Castle, p.359). However much to Scott’s displeasure, these where the takes that were used in the film, and he vowed never to work with Kubrick again (Castle, p.359).
The film was originally supposed to be released around Novemeber 22nd 1963, however due to assassination of President John F. Kennedy, the film was delayed (Sheward, p 105). When the film was finally released, it was met with mixed reviews upon its release. Many saw the film as a “sick joke”, not knowing quite how to react to the film (Kaplan, p.222). It was not till many years later that the film was seen as the classic it is viewed as now.
By Barnaby Falck
Further Reading
Duncan, Paul. Stanley Kubrick: Visual Poet 1928-1999. (Köln: Taschen, 2011.)
Hill, Lee. A Grand Guy: The Art and Life of Terry Southern. (New York: HarperCollins, 2001.)
Kaplan, Fred M. The Wizards of Armageddon. (New York: Simon and Schuster, 1983.)
Kubrick, Stanley, Alison Castle, Jan Harlan, and Christiane Kubrick. The Stanley Kubrick Archives. (Köln: Taschen, 2005.)
Mintz, Steven, and Randy Roberts. Hollywood's America: United States History through Its Films. (St. James, NY: Brandywine, 1993.)
Sheward, David. Rage and Glory: The Volatile Life and Career of George C. Scott. (New York: Applause Theatre & Cinema, 2008.)
Hill, Lee. A Grand Guy: The Art and Life of Terry Southern. (New York: HarperCollins, 2001.)
Kaplan, Fred M. The Wizards of Armageddon. (New York: Simon and Schuster, 1983.)
Kubrick, Stanley, Alison Castle, Jan Harlan, and Christiane Kubrick. The Stanley Kubrick Archives. (Köln: Taschen, 2005.)
Mintz, Steven, and Randy Roberts. Hollywood's America: United States History through Its Films. (St. James, NY: Brandywine, 1993.)
Sheward, David. Rage and Glory: The Volatile Life and Career of George C. Scott. (New York: Applause Theatre & Cinema, 2008.)