MovieChat Forums > Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb (1964) Discussion > Where was the funny again?

Where was the funny again?

posted 8 years ago by WoodCheese
41 replies | jump to latest

I just watched Dr Strangerlove for the 3rd time. It often bothers me when I don't like movies that are highly regarded, but this must be one of the most overrated comedies, if not THE most overrated.

There were a few bits to chuckle at: phone conversations, the survival kit, etc. They're not hilarious jokes, just "huh, that's funny" type of thing you think to yourself, and maybe smile.

How is this one of the best comedies of all time? Please, someone, give me actual moments from the movie that you thought were hilarious, and why.

All I can see on these boards from people defending this movie are vague responses: "this is satire, you don't understand, this is dark humor about politics and war." Okay then; if you find this movie so hilarious, it must be easy for you to give me at least three scenes and explain why they're are GENIUS. I have yet to see someone come up with this...

I don't hate the movie, I like it and I'd give it a solid 7/10. I thought Kubrick did an awesome job, and Sellers and C. Scott as well as a few other actors were amazing to watch. However, none of that was 'haha funny' and given the premise and plot, the comedy is the only thing this movie had going for it. I just don't see any funny in it; mostly just entertaining.

[–] pinworm45-871-854639 8 years ago

Looking for "jokes" for the funny is missing the point of the movie. The 'funny' is the absurdity of war. It's not a ha ha funny joke and it's not meant to be.

[–] Pbaumannjr-775-71695 8 years ago

I saw the movie at the theater when it first came out and didn't think it was funny at all. My buddy sitting next to me was laughing his head off. At the time I was too worried about the prospect of a nuclear war to see anything to joke about. Since then I have wondered about all the praise it has gotten because, though I am no longer plagued with worry about a war, I still don't find the movie funny. My theory is the more people see war as never justified, and the concept of mutually assured mass destruction absurd, and the people who wage it as fools the more they see the humor.

[–] zachbobbob 8 years ago

I'm 23. Just watched it for the first time and I have a basic understanding of the Cold War. I thought this thing was great. I didn't laugh out loud belly loud that often but I was amused throughout and got the satire. Sellers was amazing in this. I appreciated it for what it was. But I a pretty absurd dry sense of humour. I've seen step brothers twice for example and I think that film is painfully unfully and juvenile as hell.

[–] Line-of-Flight 8 years ago

There not just the 'regular' jokes and comedic situations that makes this movie hilarious, it's also the absurdity of the overall situation and the Cold War taken to extremes that hangs over the entire movie. If you don't find that funny that's okay offcourse.

[–] robby_ross 8 years ago

I don't know exactly why people so often insist on viewing this as a "comedy" film. It's certainly not a traditional comedy, and I wouldn't even classify it in the comedy genre.

The film is clearly satire, and Kubrick is conveying a very serious and important message about human civilization and our very real foibles as a society. Jonathan Swift accomplished something similar in "Gulliver's Travels", another work of satire that is often misconstrued as light storytelling. Sure, 'Dr. Strangelove' has a heavy dose of black humor, but this underscores the absurdity intrinsic to the movie's atmosphere rather than just providing cheap laughs.

All that said, the movie *is* somewhat a product of 1960s filmmaking, although the writing elevates it to something quite more. I can see how less patient viewers would see it as boring, dated, or even miss the broad message and mistake it as unfunny "comedy".

To this day, we as humans are very capable of our own destruction. During the Cold War, it was nuclear weapons, but today it's just as possible in other ways. Here as in his other films, Kubrick is certainly a misanthrope, and this movie gives us a bleak picture of people in power and how the human condition is ultimately at risk to the hands of a few greedy maniacs. Nothing funny at all about that.

[–] znapper 8 years ago

just watched Dr Strangerlove for the 3rd time. It often bothers me when I don't like movies that are highly regarded, but this must be one of the most overrated comedies, if not THE most overrated.

It's an overrated flick with a cult-stamp all over it's forehead.

Peter Sellers....how he can be called a comedian is beyond me, he has never been funny in a single film he has been in.

Dr. Strangelove is a simple film for simpletons, people believe it's intelligent, since they get the humor and political satire....

I think the target-audience these days are millenials and 20-somethings, who, for some reason, find Peter Sellers entertaining, people tend to grow tired of him after the age of 14, but there you go.

Also it's a Kurbrick-flick, so then it must be a stroke of genius, right?

[–] toshguy 8 years ago

That's a rather rude way of putting it, but I basically agree - the movie is far from subtle in its humor, satire and meaning. It's actually rather accessible and not that difficult to "get", yet is made by an acclaimed filmmaker and has the pretence of being deep and intelligently funny, which makes it perfect for people who want to boast what discerning and smart viewers they are.

I'm here, Mr. Man, I cannot tell no lie and I'll be right here till the day I die

[–] MoviemanCin 8 years ago

The entire movies was funny in a dark way.

Schrodinger's cat walks into a bar and doesn't.

[–] kmags84 8 years ago

I've never looked at this as an "Laugh Out Loud" Comedy. It's certainly humorous but I agree. It's not one of the best "Comedies", it's THEE Best "SATIRE" I've ever watched. I used to watch this as a kid, my Folks cracking up with my Uncles, Aunts etc... Truth be told, it terrified me as a Child lol. Nuclear War still frightens me but at 8yrs Old, it was horrifying. Definitely a product of its era. However, I still love this film. To think, Stanley Kubrick of all people made a film like this. It's oddly comforting in ways. Maybe just because of the realization that as comical as this may be, it's not that far off. Especially with the personalities, the subtext to each and the inevitable outcome.