Full Metal Jacket trailer

[jfko6]

Full Metal Jacket [Blu-ray] and DVD

Full Metal Jacket is a 1987 war film produced, directed and co-written by Stanley Kubrick. It is an adaptation of Gustav Hasford's 1979 novel The Short-Timers and stars Matthew Modine, Vincent D'Onofrio, ... Wikipedia

[wstrnsky]

I remember when they showed us this movie in basic training. I always thought it probably wasn't a good idea to show a movie where a recruit shoots a Drill Instructor.

[jfko6]

That is curious that you were given FMJ during Basic.

Your comment got me into my library to see if that was on the Dept. of Leadership Developments at West Point
recommended movies to watch. It was not on the list; however,
here are some similar though, on the other hand, quit different War Movies.

On list (Partial):

Platoon - 20th Anniversary Collector's Edition (Widescreen)
Hamburger Hill (20th Anniversary Edition)
The Longest Day (Two-Disc Collector's Edition)

All Quiet on the Western Front
Out of these I recommend all of you get a copy of the movie I highlighted.
All Quiet on the Western Front (Universal Cinema Classics)

More Full Metal Jacket

[Treesuit]

Wstrnsky,

Funny thing I saw FMJ when I was in basic long ago, mostly towards the end. I thought it was a pretty lame attempt by the DI's to pump us up before we raduated. Luckily I saw the movie before I went in so I didn't think to much of it. I was surprised by JFK06's comment that it didn't make the prefered reading list of material to read at West Point. But then again Hamburger Hill and Platoon also made it in some way. I guess the brass at West Point didn't like the acting or Stanley Kubrik's method of directing.

For those of you who might be interested FMJ was based on a short story by Gustav Hasford(sp?). It came out in the late 60's or early 70's and the movie follows the book fairly well except for some excepts. I remember reading the book after the seeing the movie and was really surprised on how Kubrik sort tweaked it here and there to give us FMJ in a really stunning portrayal. Later on Gustav Hasford did a follow up to "The Short Timers" called the "Phantom Blooper" it came out in 1990/1 and it is very good. It kind of follows the lives of the main characters after the first book where most of them wind up at Khe Sanh in 1968 and then after. Very wild to say the least.

[jfko6]

Treesuit:

I think you hit the nail on the head when you said Kubrick was the reason for not making the list.

Kubrick took a lot of license when making this film.

JFK

[jfko6]

[kman]

Wow - you weren't kidding on that sound volume!

It's funny that Hamburger Hill is on that list. I seem to recall it came out after Platoon and I was really looking forward to it seeing as Platoon was so good...but I was pretty disappointed in the movie at the time. Maybe I'll have to dig up a copy and watch it again. It might actually be available on NetFlix streaming video (to my xbox!) so I'll give it a try.

[jfko6]

For the period the top three:

1. Platoon - 20th Anniversary Collector's Edition (Widescreen)
2. Full Metal Jacket
3. Hamburger Hill (20th Anniversary Edition)

There were others around that time and some were good to OK but not as well known.
Hamburger Hill was a good movie. The only downside (maybe the reason for your dissatisfaction)
was the delay between sequences. The realistic ending takes the movie over [the edge] and keeps it.
Hamburger Hill (20th Anniversary Edition) is now shown on the Turner Classic Movies.

[jfko6]

[Dekard]

I had the pleasure of working with Gunny Sgt. Ermy years ago and can attest to the fact that he is one squared away marine.

It was interesting to hear him tell how he got the role in FMJ. Ermy was first hired as the military advisor and was to coach
the actor hired for the DI role. After countless takes for the opening "Paris Island" sequence, Kubrick fired the actor and
hired Ermy to take his place.

The rest is cinema history.

Semper Fi!