I was a Somerset House to watch Dr. Strangelove last night. It's a film that attracts universal adulation ("Strangelove is among the greats; the funniest, most frightening take on mutually assured destruction ever seared onto celluloid.") Even the United States Library of Congress deemed the film "culturally significant" and selected it for preservation in the National Film Registry.
With all Kubrick films, you need to go away and think about them. Anyone who's seen 2001 A Space Odyssey will know Kubrick has an unbelievable imagination and likes to leave viewers with more questions than his films answer.
Dr. Strangelove is a good film: it portrays egotistical Generals salivating at the thought of destroying the pesky Russians. The phallic symbolism throughout reconfirms the Army's affair with the bomb. But I just don't think I'm clever enough to understand what Kubrick is doing. Peter Sellers is good in his three roles, though I don't appreciate his humour and find it hard to believe stories of cast members cracking up with laughter on set. His portrayal of Dr. Strangelove himself is particularly good.
I'm glad I've seen the film, but need to understand more about it. Somerset House is a great venue to turn into an outdoor cinema. I must go back, though I got into a woog when I was told to join the back of the 20 minute queue to have bags searched when I didn't have any bag to search! Total incompetence by the staff.
