Director: Stanley Kubrick
Screenplay: Stanley Kubrick, Michael Herr and Gustav Hasford, based on the novel The Short-Timers by Gustav Hasford
Starring: Matthew Modine, Adam Baldwin, Vincent D'Onofrio, R. Lee Ermey, Dorian Harewood, Arliss Howard, Kevyn Major Howard
Running Time: 116 minutes
Genre: War drama
During the Vietnam War, US Marine Private Davis (Modine), nicknamed "Joker" due to his wisecracking, endures the brutal basic training under tough drill instructor, Gunnery Sergeant Hartman (Ermey), with a platoon of recruits including dim-witted, unfit Leonard Lawrence (D'Onofrio), nicknamed "Gomer Pyle". Following basic training, Davis is assigned as a military journalist, and finds himself plunged into the horrors of combat in Vietnam.
Based on the 1979 novel The Short-Timers by Gustav Hasford, and co-scripted by Michael Herr, author of acclaimed Vietnam memoir Dispatches (1977), this is among the most acclaimed films about the Vietnam War. One of Stanley Kubrick's recurring themes is dehumanisation and control: in 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968) the human characters are reduced to automatons and the most engaging and "human" character is the singing, killing computer; in A Clockwork Orange (1971) the lead character is "cured" of his violent ways by brainwashing at the cost of losing his humanity; in Barry Lyndon (1975) the characters are straightjacketed by the strict mores and manners of 17th Century society; in The Shining (1980) the main character is the tool of supernatural forces; and this interest in control is seen in Kubrick's films about the military, including Paths of Glory (1957) and Full Metal Jacket, where we see the recruits being turned into soldiers. The film's first 45 minutes is devoted to the Marine's basic training where they are subjected to non-stop verbal and physical abuse by the monstrous Hartman. Actor R. Lee Ermey was a Marine drill instructor during the Vietnam war and was originally brought on as an advisor, but impressed Kubrick so much that he fired the original actor and cast Ermey instead. Ermey made such an impression in the film that he became something of a star, subsequently appearing in about 60 films, usually as tough authority figures. Vincent D'Onofrio plays the pathetic Private Pyle, Hartman's favourite victim, and to be honest, it's hard to understand how a recruit like Pyle even got through the doors of the training camp, when he is obviously not up to it right from the start. The bullying he endures begins with Hartman and then expands, with Hartman's encouragement, to the rest of the platoon. D'Onofrio gives Pyle a real sense of humanity and tragedy, right from the moment he appears on screen you know that it will not end well for him. The training passage of the film plays like a very dark comedy, mostly thanks to Ermey's endlessly inventive, foulmouthed insults and invective all delivered at maximum volume ("You're so ugly you could be a modern art masterpiece!" is one of his more repeatable lines). Matthew Modine plays the nominal lead and point of view character, Private Joker, although throughout most of the film he is more of an observer, however he is the only one who seems to have any real compassion for Pyle, although he does join in with the others bullying of Pyle, during a brutal "blanket party" scene, where Pyle is held down in his bunk, while the rest of the recruits take it in turns to beat him with bars of soap wrapped in towels.
The scene then switches to Vietnam and the horrors of war, with Joker and rookie combat photographer Rafterman (Kevyn Major Howard) plunged into the thick of battle. The focus of the film is more on the effects of war on the soldiers, few if any of whom seem to understand why they are there, or even to particularly care. Military slang and terminology is used frequently which, similar to the "nadsat" slang in A Clockwork Orange, creates something of a distancing effect. The Vietnam segment of the film, while good, doesn't have the power of the training aspect, but it still leaves an indelible impression, and the question remains of what is to become of Joker and friends when they "rotate back to the world" (return to civilian life)?
The scene then switches to Vietnam and the horrors of war, with Joker and rookie combat photographer Rafterman (Kevyn Major Howard) plunged into the thick of battle. The focus of the film is more on the effects of war on the soldiers, few if any of whom seem to understand why they are there, or even to particularly care. Military slang and terminology is used frequently which, similar to the "nadsat" slang in A Clockwork Orange, creates something of a distancing effect. The Vietnam segment of the film, while good, doesn't have the power of the training aspect, but it still leaves an indelible impression, and the question remains of what is to become of Joker and friends when they "rotate back to the world" (return to civilian life)?
"What is your major malfunction?" Private Pyle (Vincent D'Onofrio) is berated by Gunnery Sergeant Hartman (R. Lee Ermey) in Full Metal Jacket
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