Alexander Culverwell- Dr Srangelove
I thought the film Dr Strangelove was a very good film that made a joke of the military being incapable to defend the United States effectively and a very serious event of dropping the first nuclear bombs on the world. I also believe that the film shows how effective technology is used in the military.
The best example of the film making a joke out of the military is in the telephone conversation between the President of the U.S. and the Russian President, Demitry. The importance of the call is essential to the well-being of an entire nation, however in the film it is portrayed as friendly conversation between friends who would rather talk about who is sorrier than talk about the situation in hand. Also Demitry being drunk at that moment in time makes it even more comical, as one of the world’s most important decisions is going to be made by a drunken man. Other aspects that make the military look like a joke is when one of the men is talking on the phone with his girl rather than trying to save world war three from starting.
Technology is used as a vital part of the film. The use of technology, especially technology of communication is used in making extremely important decisions for the world’s safety. Maland makes this point in “Nightmare comedy and the ideology of liberal consensus when he states that Kubrick, the director of the film, “develops his attitude toward technology in Dr. Strangelove by making use of …machines of communication” (pp. 711). The technology in the film is not as reliable as it is in today’s world. This is shown by the plane that dropped the bomb managed to escape the radar of both the Russian and the U.S. militaries. Another example would be when the military man was unable to contact the President because he did not have any money for the pay phone.
In conclusion, the film makes very good points about the military and the technology that they use communication technology in particular. Maland make these points in his article, especially the point about technology and how it is so important.