I went to the showing of Dr. Strangelove completely unaware of the movie’s plot or style. All I knew was that it was widely regarded as one of the best comedies/ general movies of all time. Maybe these characterizations raised my expectations too high, but even had I gone into the movie expecting nothing, I think I still would have been disappointed.

I found the actual viewing experience tiresome and any comedic relief meager at best. While I really enjoyed the message of the film, I just couldn’t stand the way in which it was presented. It’s possible that I just didn’t prepare myself properly for a “comedy” from the 1960’s, or maybe I just don’t find the idea of nuclear war funny. But I do think that at the time the movie was made, it would have provided some much-needed levity to the incredibly tense atmosphere surrounding the Cold War.

Putting aside the actual movie,  I found the idea that one mad general could destroy the world intriguing, if not a bit scary. In the movie, the different bureaucratic levels of the military caused myriad problems, and I don’t think that things have become much simpler now. Our entire system falls apart when someone just decides not to follow orders, and it’s frightening to think that so much trust is placed in faulty human beings who could decide to rebel at any time. All in all, I’m glad I went to the movie because it presented interesting topics, even if I disliked the way in which they were presented.