hofbauer@utcsrgv.UUCP (John Hofbauer) (07/18/84)
Speaking of Dr. Strangelove, Peter Sellers was to originally also play Major Kong, but an injury forced him to give it up. Thank goodness, because it allowed Slim Pickens to essay one of the great supporting performances in the history of cinema. Kubrick first wanted to write a drama but no matter what he tried it kept coming out funny so he went with his instincts and turned it into a black comedy. Originally the film was to end with a food fight in the war room (Remember the buffet on the side?) but Kubrick wisely substituted the symphony of mushroom clouds with Vera Lynn singing "We'll Meet Again". This more subtle and ironic ending unquestionably made it a far more effective piece of satire. It must be remembered that Vera Lynn was a symbol of hope for the British people during the darkest days of WWII and many of her songs alluded to the happy times which would return once the current conflict was over. The lyric of "We'll Meet Again" is perhaps the strongest example of this and juxtaposing it against the nuclear annihilation makes for a most powerful ending. The beginning of the film is almost equally effective in its simplicity. The disclaimer which announces that the incidents in the film couldn't possibly occur in real life was almost definitely forced on Kubrick by the government but its effect is quite the opposite and immediately sets the tone far better than anything else imaginable. An observation: The film is so finely crafted that even 20 years after its initial release it is still as timely as ever. In the film the Russian ambassador accuses the U.S.A. of building a doomsday machine and not making it public. When the President hotly denies this the ambassador indignantly replies that his source was the N.Y. Times. During last year's Korean Airliner incident a Soviet spokesman appearing on ABC TV's Nightline program accused the U.S.A. of using civilian airliners for spying. He cited the San Francisco Chronicle as his source. Life imitates art... Last word: Having seen Dr. Strangelove I can never again take the leaders of this world seriously. I am convinced that the film is not satire but a documentary.