Dr. Strangelove is a 1964 political satire about the Cold War between the United States and the Soviet Union. It focuses primarily on the fear, at that time, of nuclear war. Within the story we witness a rebellious US Air Force general launch a nuclear first strike against the Soviet Union (bomb the Soviets to the point where they cannot recover). Consequently, for the remainder of the film, the President of the United States, his advisors, and a Royal Air Force officer try to recall the bombers in a last-ditch effort to prevent nuclear war. It was quite interesting to see how the sexual themes drive the plot and how the "absurdity" of the Cold War is explored. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original Essay Sexual themes as a whole proved to be a key part of the plot of Doctor Strangelove. We are introduced to the ripper general and his unfounded statement: “Well, I ah… I first realized this, Mandrake, during the physical act of lovemaking. Yes, a deep sense of tiredness, a feeling of emptiness followed. Luckily I was able to interpret these sensations correctly: loss of essence." General Ripper concludes that this loss of essence can be attributed to the fact that the Soviets are stealing Americans' bodily fluids with evil intentions, whatever that may seem. “Men are generally driven to war and think about settling things at the bargaining table second,” the film suggests. Therefore, Ripper's enemies, the President of the United States and his affiliates, are depicted as beings of a feminine nature (“weak” and passive). The names of these individuals further support this statement: Merkin Muffley (a wig to cover a woman's pubic hair) and Mandrake (castrate plant). Real men love explosions, not reason - that's what reassures the audience. Furthermore, the absurdity of the Cold War, as satirized by Doctor Strangelove, is memorable and notable. No one gets angry easily in this film and no one is truly afraid of the opposing side, despite the possibility of nuclear war with one small political misstep. For example, when Major Kong and his crew of pilots found out that they had to execute “Wing Attack Plan R” (nuclear combat with the Russians), his crew seemed quite jovial and carefree, despite knowing that it could be the last day of their mission. screw. They probably plan to deal with the situation using their ridiculous survival kits: lipstick, condoms and nylon pantyhose! One boy even continued to eat his sandwich as if nothing had happened. Likewise, President Muffley and Russian leader Dimitri argue over who is more sorry instead of accepting the fact that a nuclear attack is about to occur in the Russian homeland. The president even tells the Soviet leader to relax! “There's no point in getting hysterical about this!” The president for the rest of the film is relatively passive and even avoids bringing about a resolution of the conflict between these two superpowers in the war room. Judgment Day looms, and both Americans are less troubled by the threat of nuclear annihilation than the Soviets. Please note: this is just an example. Get a custom paper from our expert writers now. Get a Custom Essay In summary, Dr. Strangelove explores the Cold War through satirical yet critical means. Conflict is shown as the only solution to a problem, and that is it..