Full Metal Jacket (1987)

User Rating:

8.4/10   

Director:

Stanley Kubrick

Writers:

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

Release Date:

26 June 1987 (USA)

Genre:

Action | Drama | 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:

Vietnam | Recruit | Tet Offensive | Sergeant | Basic Training

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)
Full Metal Jacket (Austria) (West Germany) [de]
Acéllövedék (Hungary) [hu]
Cara de guerra (Mexico) [es]
Full Metal Jacket (Finland) [fi]
Full Metal Jacket (Canada: French title) [fr]
Full Metal Jacket (Turkey: Turkish title) [tr]
La chaqueta metálica (Spain) [es]
Metal jacket (Greece) [el]
Nacido para matar (Argentina) [es]
Nascido Para Matar (Portugal) (original subtitled version) [pt]
Pelny magazynek (Poland) [pl]

Runtime:

116 min

Country:

UK | USA

Language:

English | Vietnamese

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono | Dolby Digital

Certification:

Canada:PA (Manitoba) | Canada:R (Nova Scotia/Ontario) | Iceland:16 | Italy:VM14 (re-rating on appeal) | Italy:VM18 (original rating) | Portugal:M/16 | UK:15 (2007 Re-rating) | Canada:18A (DVD rating) | Hungary:18 | Brazil:16 | Ireland:15 (2007 Re-rating) | Malaysia:U | UK:15 (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:

Gustav Hasford began working on "The Short Timers" (the book on which this film is based) while serving in Vietnam, and based many of the characters (and names) on soldiers he served with.

Goofs:

Anachronisms: The flak jackets worn by the characters were M1969 Fragmentation Vest, while USMC in Vietnam wore M1955 Jacket, with a rope ridge on right shoulder and plates of ballistic nylon visible in lower torso.

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:

Spoofed in "The Simpsons: GI (Annoyed Grunt) (#18.5)" (2006)

Soundtrack:

The Marines Hymn

Kubrick's version of Vietnam

Stanley Kubrick always managed to bring something new to his palate whenever he made a film. He brought dark comedy to the screen with Dr. Stranglove, an epic story with Spartacus, and a film more important for its efforts than box office potential in the film Paths of Glory. This is what makes Full Metal Jacket so entertaining.

Humor, horror and political commentary are the themes which shape Full Metal Jacket. From the overbearing drill sergeant to the war loving soldiers. It all seems to make sense within this film, never overstepping its bounds or being to subtle. Kubrick may have alienated some his hardcore fans with such a mainstream-type story, but then again, he helped mainstream movies take a bold step. What doesn't the current cinema owe Kubrick?