User reviews

This is the first of four documentaries included on the bonus DVD for "Dr. Strangelove". Included are lots of clips from the film, various interviews (including, surprisingly, Robert McNamara), production stills and never before seen footage.

The documentary begins with a discussion of the context for the film. A discussion with McNamara in particular explaining the Berlin Crisis, Mutually Assured Destruction and the like occurs--which is excellent for younger viewers in order to put the feature in context. Then, others join in the discussion as clips for the film are interspersed. While it is a 'making of' film, it's much more of a film about the stupidity of nuclear war than anything else. During the documentary, various views are given ranging from Bob Woodward's sentiments that none of the White House staff he's known would actively pursue nuclear war versus Spike Lee's view that the Bush administration is about that irresponsible. It's a very interesting discussion that, unfortunately, represents only those on the left or center--making it a bit one-sided and incomplete. Still, it is compelling and very interesting.

By the way, it's sad watching Roger Ebert in this film as you can see and hear that he's already showing some of the early effects of his chemotherapy to his salivary glands. As he continues to recover, we can only wish him the best.

It would be a mistake to see Kubrick's black and white 1964 classic as outdated and irrelevant. I just watched this following the Russian invasion of Ukraine and the release of a telephone conversation between Trump and John Daly in which Trump brags about telling his "friend" Putin that if he invaded Ukraine "we're hitting Moscow".

With that in mind, it makes this fascinating documentary as timely now as when the movie and documentary came out. It's a balanced mix of movie clips, interviews, old animation, and frightening video of actual atomic bomb explosions.

Trivia not covered by the documentary: Kubrick tricked George C. Scott into doing some over the top "practice" scenes for comic effect. Scott agreed, but didn't want that approach in the film and refused to do it that way during the actual filming. But Kubrick secretly recorded Scott's practice scenes and included them in the movie.

Scott was furious and vowed that he would never work with Kubrick again.

See the movie and see the documentary. It doesn't matter in which order (although I recommend seeing the movie first).