Full Metal Jacket (1987)

Director:

Stanley Kubrick

Writers:

Gustav Hasford (novel)
Stanley Kubrick (screenplay) ...

Release Date:

26 June 1987 (USA)

Genre:

Action | Drama | Thriller | War

Tagline:

An Epic Story of the Vietnam War [Australia Theatrical]

Plot:

A pragmatic U.S. Marine observes the dehumanizing effects the Vietnam War has on his fellow Marine recruits from their brutal basic training to the bloody street fighting set in 1968 Hue, Vietnam.

Plot Keywords:

The Black Guy Dies | 1960s | Booby Trap | Obstacle Course | Vulgar Language

Awards:

Nominated for Oscar. Another 5 wins & 5 nominations

Cast

Matthew Modine	...	Pvt. Joker
Adam Baldwin	...	Animal Mother
Vincent D'Onofrio	...	Pvt. Pyle
R. Lee Ermey	...	Gny. Sgt. Hartman (as Lee Ermey)
Dorian Harewood	...	Eightball
Kevyn Major Howard	...	Rafterman
Arliss Howard	...	Pvt. Cowboy
Ed O'Ross	...	Lt. Touchdown
John Terry	...	Lt. Lockhart
Kieron Jecchinis	...	Crazy Earl
Kirk Taylor	...	Payback
Tim Colceri	...	Doorgunner
Jon Stafford	...	Doc Jay (as John Stafford)
Bruce Boa	...	Poge Colonel
Ian Tyler	...	Lt. Cleves

Also Known As:

Stanley Kubrick's Full Metal Jacket (USA) (poster title)

Runtime:

116 min

Country:

UK | USA

Language:

English | Vietnamese

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Hungary:18 | Brazil:18 | Canada:R (Nova Scotia/Ontario) | Australia:MA (TV rating) | Malaysia:U | Italy:VM18 (original rating) | Canada:PA (Manitoba) | Iceland:16 | Italy:VM14 (re-rating on appeal) | Ireland:15 (2007 Re-rating) | Canada:18A (DVD rating) | Portugal:M/16 | UK:15 (2007 Re-rating) | Argentina:18 | Australia:R | Canada:13+ (Quebec) | Finland:K-16 | France:-12 (original rating) | France:U (re-rating) | Hong Kong:III | Ireland:18 | Israel:16 | Japan:R-15 | Netherlands:16 | New Zealand:R16 | Norway:18 | Singapore:M18 | South Korea:18 | Spain:18 | Sweden:15 | UK:18 | USA:R | Vietnam:(Banned) | West Germany:16

Filming Locations:

Bassingbourn Barracks, Bassingbourn, Cambridgeshire, England, UK

Company:

Natant

Trivia:

Mike Allred tried out for the lead role in this film, but was turned down.

Goofs:

Continuity: When Hartman shuts off the lights for the first time in the barracks, he uses the four switches beside him. But when he enters to awaken the privates using the garbage can, he uses the single light switch outside the barracks room.

Quotes:

[first lines]
Gunnery Sergeant Hartman: I am Gunnery Sergeant Hartman, your senior drill instructor. From now on you will speak only when spoken to, and the first and last words out of your filthy sewers will be sir. Do you maggots understand that?
Recruits: Sir, yes sir!
Gunnery Sergeant Hartman: Bullshit I can't hear you. Sound off like you got a pair.
Recruits: SIR, YES SIR!

Movie Connections:

References The Girl Hunters (1963)

Soundtrack:

Wooly Bully

Like all Kubrick films it requires multiple viewings

I always thought of Kubrick as the poet amongst the proza's in Hollywood. Kubrick always tries to tell a bigger picture than he's putting on the screen. I had to see this film a second time to fully grasp what Kubrick was trying to show me.

This is also the case with FMJ. The film is divided in two parts: basic training at Parris Island and combat in Vietnam. Both are equally difficult to watch. Kubrick shows us young boys being stripped from every possible individuality, only to be sent into a war that will only damage them and the warn-torn country even more.

The film has eery kind of absurdness to it. Kubrick lets R. Lee Ermey have his way the young recruits and gives him all the best "wrong lines". For example: Ermey glorifies the fact that Oswald killed Kennedy from 250 feet at a moving target. Oswald learned his skills IN THE MARINES.

Kubrick's Vietnam lies in ruins. The American involvement seems to have only negative results. It's native people are being slaugthered by either the VC or the Americans. Youngs girls prostitute them self to GI's. Once a beautiful country with a rich culture and historic buildings, it's not much to look at with tanks and marines roaming the streets. Especially the scenes where the platoon is being cut to pieces by a sniper are very powerful. Those scenes which makes a bigger statement, they define the conflict: With all it's firepower, tactics and technology, the platoon lost three soldiers to one girl with an AK.

Though and sometimes difficult to watch, this film is not anti-war for pacifists, but anti war for humanists. A film that warns us.