FULL METAL JACKET

US, 1987, 116 minutes, Colour.
Matthew Modine, R.Lee Ermey, Vincent D'Onofrio, Dorian Harewood, Adam Baldwin, Arliss Howard.
Directed by Stanley Kubrick.

Full Metal Jacket is another master work from Stanley Kubrick. There were seven years between his film The Shining and the release of Full Metal Jacket.

The film is based on the writings of war correspondent Gustav Hasford, with contributions from Michael Herr, co-writer of Apocalypse Now. The film is in three acts: the first 45 minutes in the boot camp with the training of the recruits. It is a relentless bashing of the audience with the techniques of training, the verbal abuse and discipline, the relentlessness - justified by the trainers so that the soldiers would be ready to obey orders at split-second notice in action and not cause the loss of life.

The second act is quieter - with the hero in Vietnam itself, his work as a correspondent in Vietnam and the situation of 1968. The third act is in Hue and occurs during the siege, especially a long episode as the platoon is pinned down by a sniper and the tactics used to destroy the sniper.

The film presents the ugliness of war. Perhaps it argues the necessity of some of the rigorous and brutal training for the waging of war. However, it raises many questions about war and its futility, especially in the context of Vietnam. Perhaps this is best summarised by the hero, Joker, wearing a helmet with `Born to Kill' and yet wearing a peace badge. The two aspects of the human response to war are dramatised.

Matthew Modine (Birdy, Mrs Soffel) is effective as Joker. Vincent Paul D'Onofrio is very good as Gomer Pyle. Lee Ermey, actually a trainee sergeant during the Vietnam years) recreates his profession in a searing, Oscar-nominated role. (Ermey was to go on to a strong career in character acting.)

Full Metal Jacket needs to be put alongside Kubrick's other visions of war: Paths of Glory, Spartacus, Dr Strangelove, Barry Lyndon.

1.The work of Stanley Kubrick: his care about his craft, his choice of subjects, treatment, creating a cinematic experience?

2.The films about Vietnam: those of the '70s and their perspective, those of the '80s, the perspective and retrospect? The view of 1968? Kubrick and his American perspective (living outside the country)? For an American audience, the world audiences? A perspective on war, on 20th century wars?

3.The British production, locations, recreating Vietnam in England? The authentic atmosphere of the South Carolina camp, of Vietnam itself, of Da Nang and Hua? The quality of the re-creation, the staging of the war and battles, special effects?

4.The importance of editing, pace and style? The musical score, the range of songs (including `Animal Mother,' `These Boots Were Made For Walking,' `Get Me To The Chapel,' etc.)?

5.The structure of the film in three acts: the training, Vietnam, Hua? Audience involvement? The three acts as a triptych: each a picture in itself, each commenting on the other? The effect of the end of each episode?

6.The end of the film and joker surviving? The men marching away, his comment? Learning about war? Surviving, glad to be alive, alone? His smile? An endorsement or a criticism?

7.The opening with the collage of haircuts, the effect of the cutting, symbolism? Recruits all alike? Black and white? Our knowing nothing about them? How we see them, where from? Background? Motives for enlisting, conscription, beliefs? The training and its effect? The audience sharing the training?

8.The sergeant and his appearance, dress, bearing, manner of speaking, language: verbal abuse, physical abuse, the use of sexuality to humiliate and discipline? Nicknames and abuse? Picking on Gomer Pyle? The long tracking shots of his marching around the barracks, the single takes of his delivery? His articulate flow? The drill training, the obstacle course, the dormitory, the rifles and sleeping with them, the march, the lyrics of `Sound Off'? His claims to be Christian and stressing Christian beliefs? His anti-communism? The picture of a U.S. marine? The formation of the men, as brothers, with loyalty? Feelings when killing? The value of their own life? Interactions, his prejudice? The appointments? The finale - trying to persuade Pyle? His death? The audiences feeling the experience of the training, thinking about it? Its meaning?

9.The platoon and its types, working together, relating? The spotlight on Pyle? The sergeant's victim? Pyle and his being hit with the soap by the whole group, including Joker? Being held down? The group hatred? Ultimate success, their graduation? What happened to them during their training?

10.Pyle and his fatness, size, smile? The subject of abuse? Being hit? Awkward and failing, being mocked, doughnuts, the Joker told to help him, showing how to do things and learning, his being held down and hit by the group at night? The change, succeed, being perfect? The perfect trained killer? The mad look at Joker, the threats, with the sergeant, the brutal killing, his own death? Portrait of a victim? Symbol of the training?

11.Joker as hero, his voice-over comments, his place in the group, the John Wayne comments, belief in the Virgin Mary? His success, jokes, with the sergeant? Designated to help Pyle? Turning on him and hitting him? His friendship with Cowboy? The effect of the drill? His training? Response to the sergeant? The drama of Pyle's death?

12.The individual singled out in a group, Cowboy, friendship, training, what he represented? Snowball and the black members of the group?

13.The effect of Pyle's death, their readiness to go to Vietnam? The second act in Vietnam? Walking the streets, the girl available for sex and the men lining up? The group, money? Life in occupied Vietnam? Attitude of Americans, the Vietnamese? Da Nang and the setting, atmosphere, the soldiers, the press and their discussions, the conferences and morale-boosting articles? The Tet celebrations?

14.The picture of American attitudes: prejudice, their presence, dislike of the Gooks, killing, the attitudes expressed at the conference, superiority, war, training? The killings from the helicopter? The Viet Cong running and standing still?

15.Act 3 in Hua: the destruction, the effect, the journalist and the photographer, being forced to fight, the tense situation, their mission?

16.The platoon in action in Hua? The introduction to Animal Mother and his attitudes? Eight-ball and Cowboy's presence there? The attitudes, their talking with one another, comradeship? The interview technique and the photographer getting the variety of views of war? The photographs? A collage of attitudes towards the war?

17.Joker, his work, his skill? The interrogation about his helmet with `Born to Kill,' his wearing the peace badge? His quoting Jung about the human dichotomy?

18.The city itself, the fire, the sniper, the deaths?

19.The final mission: the waiting, the talking, Cowboy and his leadership, Animal Mother and his reactions, Eight-ball and the wounding? The sniper and the deaths? Techniques to outwit the sniper? Confusion, order, decisions?

20.The finding of the sniper, the irony that it was a girl, her being shot, praying to die? The attitudes of the men, Joker and his humanitarianism in killing her?

21.The effect of the war on Joker, his participation, killing, the finale and his walking away?

22.A perspective on a 20th century war, a confusing and puzzling war, prejudices, the role of the military, experiences of human behaviour?