Stanley Kubbrick's Use Of Satire In Dr Strangelove

In Stanley Kubrick’s Dr. Strangelove, the hysteria of the Cold War is turned into an overblown and dark satirical piece that spurs many different reactions and opinions. In the wake of the terrifyingly tense Cuban Missile Crisis in 1962 that saw the world at its closest point to nuclear war, Dr. Strangelove is a very unwelcome form of comic relief for many movie-goers. 2 years later, the tension between our country and the USSR remains high, and the release of this kind of movie feels unwarranted and insensitive to the public’s current distress. Director Stanley Kubrick did not simply create this film for shock value and controversy, though. Despite his hyperbolic vision of nuclear chaos, Kubrick’s underlying criticism of cold war politics and ideologies proves to be brilliant for those who can take his dark humor in stride. Underneath all of the absurdity and melodrama, Kubrick is prompting viewers to seriously ask themselves what would happen if any

His insightful use of satire is the redeeming quality of the movie for me, which in turn allows me to appreciate the dark humor that encapsulates the film. I fear much of the American public will denounce the presentation as untimely and callous to the fears that are so widespread. I hope we can all take away something meaningful from this film and realize the shortcomings of certain ideologies like technological competition that we have clung to during the war. If nothing else people should leave the theatre after seeing this movie and realize that Kubrick actually takes the idea of nuclear war very seriously, and he challenges the audience to question the politics and ideologies that have dominated the country throughout the