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FULL
METAL
JACKET
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Plot
Outline
Cast
Homework
Casualties
Vietnam Timeline
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You can't get any more into Marine Boot Camp at Parris
Island (without signing up) than you do in the first half of FULL METAL JACKET.
R. Lee Ermey, who plays Senior Drill Instructor Gunnery Sgt. Hartman,
was originally the Technical Advisor for the film. Since he had really been a Marine DI, Stanley Kubrick asked him to give an example of how an SDI would talk to a
new platoon of recruits. After some minutes of non-stop invectives without repeating
himself, Kubrick was so impressed
that he hired Ermey on the spot to play the role on screen. And, the sample dialogue was
incorporated into the script. |
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The reality of Recruit Training and, in the second half, the Tet Offensive in Vietnam
is enhanced in this film by the relationships that develop -- Hartman with the recruits
and the recruits with each other. This is great stuff!
I have to admit a bias here. I served in the Marines for twenty years. I was a
Company Commander at Parris Island in 1969 - 70. The year before I was CO of E Company,
2nd Battalion, 5th Marines (2/5) just after the battalion came out of Hue City. 2/5 led
the American counterattack into Hue.
After a tragic end to training, the film switches to Vietnam on the eve of the Tet
Offensive. 'Joker' is a Military Journalist (in the Rear with the Gear, working out of
DaNang). When Tet begins, he is sent to Hue and finds his old Parris Island buddy 'Cowboy'
with 'Hotel' Company, 2/5.
FULL METAL JACKET is one of three films on
this site that cover the Vietnam War. The others are Platoon and Hamburger Hill. They are part of the larger History in Film web site that supports teaching history
using popular films. It includes films from Rome up to the war in Vietnam.
I'd enjoy hearing your comments on this site. Please sign the Guestbook.
I hope you enjoy your visit.
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Film Stats
Historical drama, Vietnam War |
| Stars |
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Matthew Modine, Arliss Howard,
Vincent D'Onofrio, R. Lee Ermey |
| Director |
Stanley Kubrick |
| Producer |
Jan Harlan (executive) Michael Herr (associate)
Philip Hobbs (II) (co-producer) Stanley Kubrick |
| Year |
1987 |
| Released by |
Warner Brothers |
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Based on the novel "The
Short Timers" by Gustav Hasford. |
Buy the Book Fire in the Streets : The Battle for Hue, Tet 1968 |
Buy the Movie
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If you're a teacher who is interested in using this film and you would like these pages
to edit and print as your own, they are all available here as Rich Text Format files in one relatively
small WinZip package. Alternatively, if you only want a few of the files, each page has a
download link for that RTF WinZip file alone (usually 3 or 4 K). If you would like the
short answer essay test that accompanies this film, please E-mail me at the mail box
below. I'd be glad to send it back to you.
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