History YMMV / DrStrangelove

* StrawmanHasAPoint: General Turgidson, the trigger-happy military advisor. As the film reveals, the Soviets [[NoMereWindmill really do have a doomsday bomb]] that can depopulate the entire world, which they may use at any time, and the Soviet Premier sounds like an unstable fellow at best in what we [[NewhartPhonecall hear]] of his talks with the President on the hot line. Under those conditions, a preemptive nuclear strike to take out as much of the Soviet nuclear infrastructure as possible before they can launch a doomsday attack makes a certain kind of grim sense, [[EvilVersusOblivion even if the consequences of even a partial nuclear war will still be horrifying.]] Basically, the dilemma is the same as in the real life Cold War, but with the important additions that 1) the Soviet leaders ''really are'' irresponsible madmen who cannot be trusted, and 2) their capacity for destruction is infinitely greater than in the real 1964 (when their nuclear arsenal would still have killed untold millions if used, but not destroyed all mankind). In this extreme situation, many strategist would agree that Turgidson is actually making a better argument than the President, who for his part is desperately trying to de-escalate the situation.

* StrawmanHasAPoint: General Turgidson, the trigger-happy military advisor. As the film reveals, the Soviets [[NoMereWindmill really do have a doomsday bomb]] that can depopulate the entire world, which they may use at any time, and the Soviet Premier sounds like an unstable fellow at best in what we [[NewhartPhonecall hear]] of his talks with the President on the hot line. Under those conditions, a preemptive nuclear strike to take out as much of the Soviet nuclear infrastructure as possible before they can launch a doomsday attack makes a certain kind of grim sense, [[EvilVersusOblivion even if the consequences of even a partial nuclear war will still be horrifying.]] Basically, the dilemma is the same as in the real life Cold War, but with the important additions that 1) the Soviet leaders ''really are'' irresponsible madmen who cannot be trusted, and 2) their capacity for destruction is infinitely greater than in the real 1964 (when their nuclear arsenal would still have killed untold millions if used, but not destroyed all mankind). In this extreme situation, many strategist would agree that Turgidson is making a better argument than the President, who for his part is desperately trying to de-escalate the situation.

* StrawmanHasAPoint: General Turgidson, the trigger-happy military advisor. As the film reveals, the Soviets [[NoMereWindmill really do have a doomsday bomb]] that can depopulate the entire world, which they may use at any time, and the Soviet Premier sounds like an unstable fellow at best in what we [[NewhartPhonecall hear]] of his talks with the President on the hot line. Under those conditions, a preemptive nuclear strike to take out as much of the Soviet nuclear infrastructure as possible before they can launch a doomsday attack makes a certain kind of grim sense, [[EvilVersusOblivion even if the consequences of even a partial nuclear war will still be horrifying.]] Basically, the dilemma is the same as in the real life Cold War, but with the important additions that 1) the Soviet leaders ''really are'' irresponsible madmen who cannot be trusted, and 2) their capacity for destruction is infinitely greater than in the real 1964 (when their nuclear arsenal would still have killed untold millions if used, but not destroyed all mankind). In this extreme situation, many strategist would agree that Turgidson is making a better argument than the President, who desperately tries to de-escalate the situation.

** While the paranoid fantasies about fluoride poisoning our "precious bodily fluids" parodied actual UsefulNotes/ConspiracyTheories about water fluoridation (theories which persist to this day), GeneralRipper's combined anxiety about his masculine vitality became especially amusing in TheNewTens after radio host [[ConspiracyTheorist Alex Jones]] launched on an infamous tirade about tap water as "a gay bomb" laced with substances that even "turn the frickin' frogs gay!" It's also reminiscent of the right-wing expression "soy boy" used to insult left-wing men's masculinity, based on the {{urban legend|s}} that soy reduces testosterone.
** The Soviet ambassador, while explaining his government's development of the DoomsdayDevice as a pre-emptive move against the U.S. advanced weapons division (specifically, Strangelove) investigating such a device themselves, cites The New York Times (at the time heralded for its investigative journalism) as an ironclad source. In the 2010s, this has become unintentionally hilarious after the entire "fake news" meme and continuing debate on mainstream media neutrality.

** While the paranoid fantasies about fluoride poisoning our "precious bodily fluids" parodied actual UsefulNotes/ConspiracyTheories about water fluoridation (theories which persist to this day), GeneralRipper's combined anxiety about his masculine vitality became especially amusing in TheNewTens after radio host Alex Jones launched on an infamous tirade about tap water as "a gay bomb" laced with substances that even "turn the frickin' frogs gay!" It's also reminiscent of the right-wing expression "soy boy" used to insult left-wing men's masculinity, based on the {{urban legend|s}} that soy reduces testosterone.

* RetroactiveRecognition: Creator/JamesEarlJones makes his film debut.

* ValuesResonance: Like many Cold War films, especially ones with such nuclear heavy themes, it was hard for young audiences who grew up after the fall of the Soviet Union to appreciate it. After the Ukrainian crisis many will find this film just as relevant today as it was then.

* AwesomeMusic:

** While the paranoid fantasies about fluoride poisoning our "precious bodily fluids" parodied actual UsefulNotes/ConspiracyTheories about water fluoridation (theories which persist to this day), GeneralRipper's combined anxiety about his masculine vitality became especially amusing in TheNewTens after radio host Alex Jones launched on an infamous tirade about tap water as "a gay bomb" laced with substances that even "turn the frickin' frogs gay!"

* FunnyAneurysmMoment: When discussing the contents of the survival kit, Major Kong's original line was "shoot, a fella could have a pretty good weekend in [Dallas] with this". President Kennedy was assassinated in Dallas 2 months before the film premiered, so the line was dubbed over to say "Vegas" in post-production.

* HilariousInHindsight: The drunken Soviet premier now seems like a parody of UsefulNotes/BorisYeltsin, whose presidency came almost thirty years after the film's release.

** Is Strangelove a literal MadScientist, or is he a MagnificentBastard who's using ObfuscatingInsanity to essentially TakeOverTheWorld?

* NoCelebritiesWereHarmed: Dr. Strangelove has been widely rumored to have been based on Werner Von Braun or Henry Kissinger although WordOfGod denies this.

* NoCelebritiesWereHamed: Dr. Strangelove has been widely rumored to have been based on Werner Von Braun or Henry Kissinger although WordOfGod denies this.

* MisaimedFandom: On YouTube there are quite a few people who take General Ripper's speeches at face value, especially concerning conspiracies around water fluoridation.

* OneSceneWonder: Dr. Strangelove only shows up in two scenes.

* CrossesTheLineTwice: A very dark comedy with plenty of examples, but Turgidson joyful, infantile attitude on the brink of annihilation is particularly funny. Also works on a meta level on the part of Kubrick, as he chose to take RefugeInAudacity when he realized that the whole nuclear fracas was too absurd to be taken seriously and changed the tone of the movie from drama to satire.

* AlternateCharacterInterpretation:

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** FunnyAneurysmMoment: When discussing the contents of the survival kit, Major Kong's original line was "shoot, a fella could have a pretty good weekend in [Dallas] with this". President Kennedy was assassinated in Dallas 2 months before the film premiered, so the line was dubbed over to say "Vegas" in post-production.
** President UsefulNotes/DonaldTrump's first pick for National Security Adviser, Michael Flynn, seemed to echo General Ripper's paranoia, but about Muslims instead of communists. Flynn was also considered a loose cannon, sharing articles about the Comet Ping-Ping conspiracy theory on Twitter. Barely a month into Trump's administration, allegations over inappropriate calls to Russia forced him to resign the post.
** Trump also announced a desire to expand the nuclear capability of the U.S., citing similar logic to General Turgidson about not leaving a missile gap.

** President UsefulNotes/DonaldTrump's first pack for National Security Adviser, Michael Flynn, seemed to echo General Ripper's paranoia, but about Muslims instead of communists. Flynn was also considered a loose cannon, sharing articles about the Comet Ping-Ping conspiracy theory on Twitter. Barely a month into Trump's administration, allegations over inappropriate calls to Russia forced him to resign the post.

** President DonaldTrump's first pack for National Security Adviser, Michael Flynn, seemed to echo General Ripper's paranoia, but about Muslims instead of communists. Flynn was also considered a loose cannon, sharing articles about the Comet Ping-Ping conspiracy theory on Twitter. Barely a month into Trump's administration, allegations over inappropriate calls to Russia forced him to resign the post.

* FunnyAneurysmMoment: When discussing the contents of the survival kit, Major Kong's original line was "shoot, a fella could have a pretty good weekend in [Dallas] with this". President Kennedy was assassinated in Dallas 2 months before the film premiered, so the line was dubbed over to say "Vegas" in post-production.

* FreudWasRight: TheMovie. Seriously, everything in the film is a sexual metaphor. '''Everything'''.