Dr. Strangelove
Dr. Strangelove, Or: How I Learned To Stop Worrying And Love The Bomb opens with a slow tracking shot of a B-52 nuclear bomber refueling over an ocean. This process, by which another plane tethers itself to the top of the bomber, is very sexual in nature, showing two planes in mid air seemingly involved in sexual foreplay. Immediately following is a shot of the phallic-like nose of the refueling plane. This theme of sexuality and the power associated with it is one that runs from beginning to end and is essential when depicting the traditional male dominated arena of war. The first and most obvious example of these sexual ideas is introduced when we meet Commander Jack D. Ripper, named after an English sexual psychopathic killer, which, we will discover later is quite fitting. In his office, Commander Ripper is usually shot in high contrast lighting. This lighting effect is largely used for tragedies and melodramas and shows fear, evil, and the unknown, all of which Commander Ripper embodies. Ripper's office, where all of his action takes place, is a wealth of interesting sexual connotations and figures. First, Ripper's cigar, a constant prop throughout the film whenever we see him, is obviously a sexual device used to
show the power of this man and how he alone holds the fate of the world in his hands. During these "cigar" shots Ripper is filmed from a very low angle, again to show his importance and to make us, the viewer, feel insecure and dominated. "I first became aware of it, Mandrake, during the physical act of love...Yes, a profound sense of fatigue, a feeling of emptiness followed. Luckily I-I was able to interpret these feelings correctly. Loss of essence. I can assure you it has not recurred, Mandrake. Women, er, women sense my power, and they seek the life essence. I do not avoid women, Mandrake...but I do deny them my essence." The most important symbolic aspect of the Doctor, I believe, is his robotic right hand. This seems to represent some sort of uncontrollable need he has to see the world end and his own uncontrollable nature, especially when he begins to strangle himself with it. In addition, his hand also, periodically rises up quickly in a Nazi salute. With a lot of high contrast lighting and low angle shots, undoubtedly the man is a psychotic, and the way in which he is filmed reinforces this.
Some common words found in the essay are:
Commander Ripper, Overall Ripper, Buck Turgidson, Mandrake English, Mein Fuehrer, Nazi Germany, Love Bomb, War Nazi, President Premier, He'll Board, low angle, ripper's office, leader russia, dr strangelove, doomsday machine, contrast lighting, black comedy, filmed low angle, commander ripper, buck turgidson, filmed low,
Approximate Word count = 1827
Approximate Pages = 7 (250 words per page double spaced)
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