Dr. Strangelove

I enjoyed this movie much more than Holly did. It's defiantly a black comedy, that will either make you chuckle or feeling lost. Dr. Strangelove is ranked 39 out of the 100 Greatest movies, and it's one of the few comedies on the list. It was directed by Stanley Kubrick, one of Hollywood's authentic auteurs, in his first post-studio system film, which was made entirely in his new home of England. 

As Holly said, this is apparently ranked number 3 on Hollywood's 100 Laughs, which I'm not sure I would even put it there. The film's strongest and weakest points both rest on how timely the movie is; it was made during the height of the Cuban missile crisis and tackled many of the prevailing fears of Communism and nuclear war that held sway at the time in the publics imagination. Nowadays, unless you are well versed in Cold War politics and general cultural hysteria, many of the jokes in this movie will fall flat. The movie is quite funny, but is oh so dated. All of the jokes about German scientists working with the government, water fluoridation, and even just the threat of a Communist Russia are so obsolete now. 

That being said...Having read a lot on Twentieth century politics and culture, I find many of the jokes funny. Equally, I think Peter Sellers is brilliant in his three roles. However, to explain this movie to anyone ( even to write about it) causes the jokes effectiveness to gradually wear off. At the end of the day, this film is on the list because it affirms Liberal ideas about Communist paranoia (Republicans like Berry Goldwater and Ronald Reagan would be accused of being Dr. Strangelove) and because of one good quote- "Gentleman, you cant fight here- this is the War Room!'. 

Watch this movie if you are looking for a relic of Mid-Twentieth century political satire; but, for the most part, if you want someone to make you laugh on a Saturday night, I would go for Anchors Away.