FILMFACTS
PRODUCTION
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One rifle, one gun. One for killing, one for fun.
Production
Go behind the scenes on the 1987 Drama movie starring Matthew Modine, Vincent D'Onofrio, Adam Baldwin, R. Lee Ermey
Dorian Harewood, Bruce Boa, Tim Colceri, Arliss Howard, Kevyn Major Howard, Kieron Jecchinis, Sal Lopez, Gary Landon Mills, Ed O'Ross, Papillon Soo, Jon Stafford, Kirk Taylor, John Terry, Ian Tyler, Peter Edmund Update Cast
We believe the following info is all legit. If it's bogus or you have additional info, please update us.
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In some scenes, you can see that R. Lee Ermey does not move one of his arms. That's because he got in a car accident that broke several of his ribs. Being the strong person that he was, he forced himself to not pass out and wait for help to arrive.Rewind Archive
Former US Marines Drill Instructor, R. Lee Ermey, was hired as a consultant on how to drill USMC style. He performed a demonstration on videotape in which he yelled obscene insults and abuse for fifteen minutes without stopping, repeating himself, or even flinching - despite being continuously pelted with tennis balls and oranges. Director Stanley Kubrick was so impressed that he cast Ermey as Gunnery Sergeant Hartmann.Rewind Archive
Vincent D'Onofrio gained 70 pounds for his role as Pvt. Lawrence, breaking Robert De Niro's movie weight-gain record (60 pounds) for "Raging Bull" (1980).Rewind Archive
Michael Herr, a very close and life-long friend of Kubrick, helped write much of the screenplay, particularly the part set in Vietnam. His contributions to the script are based largely on his own experiences as a reporter covering the war. Like Joker & Rafterman, he was essentially freelance and allowed to travel anywhere in the country. Additionally, the scene where Joker & Rafterman watch the crazed gunner in the chopper shoot civilians is taken directly from "Dispatches," Herr's memoir of his experiences.Rewind Archive
Toward the end of the movie, when "Cowboy" uses the radio to request tank support, the voice of Murphy, to whom he is speaking, is none other than Stanley Kubrick.Rewind Archive
Gustav Hasford began working on "The Shortimers" (the book which Full Metal Jacket is based upon) while serving in Vietnam, and based many of the characters (and names) on those he served with.Thanks to Walt B
Gustav Hasford, who wrote the novel on which the film is based, wrote a sequel called "The Phantom Blooper" and in it Joker switches sides and fights for the VC! He also had a third one planned where Joker becomes a reporter for the LA Times, but he died before he could start it.Rewind Archive
According to director John Boorman, Stanley Kubrick wanted to cast Bill McKinney in the role of Gunnery Sergeant Hartman. However Kubrick was so unsettled after viewing McKinney's performance in Deliverance (1972) that he declined to meet with him, saying he was simply to frightened at the idea of being in his presence.Rewind Archive
To make Gunnery Sergeant Hartman's performance and the recruits' reactions as convincing as possible, Modine, D'Onofrio and the other actors playing recruits never met Ermey prior to filming. Kubrick also saw to it that Ermey didn't fraternize with the actors between takes.Thanks to Greg Hoelk
Stanley Kubrick's first choice to play Gunnery Sargeant Hartman was actor Tim Colceri. Kubrick finally settled on R. Lee Ermey, but gave Colceri a minor part in the movie as the machine gunner on the Marine Helicoper flying Joker (Matthew Modine) to his assignment post in Vietnam. Colceri served in Vietman from l969 - l972 as a Marine and that impressed Kubrick. Colceri has gone on to land several other bit roles in movies, most notable the movie 'Eraser' as a security guard. He thought of bringing a civil suit against Kubrick for breach of contract when he thought he had the lead role of Sargeant Hartman, but decided against it.Rewind Archive
Anthony Michael Hall ("The Breakfast Club") was Kubrick's original choice for Joker (which is sheer brilliance because it would show how young most of the soldiers were since we all grew up with Anthony) but Hall lost the part due to scheduling conflicts... Kubrick was all set to go when some delay came up and Hall was frustrated and decided to become the youngest member ever to be a part of the Saturday Night Live cast. He was off the show after one season... but he was never actually on the set of Full Metal Jacket, I'm not even sure if he met with Kubrick face to face.Thanks to Damien Green
All of Stanley Kubrik's films are filmed in the United Kingdom. Vietnam, in Full Metal Jacket, is in England, its an old oil refinery with some chinese folk and palm trees added.Thanks to Scott Baer
R. Lee Emery was a real life GI. Although it is sometimes said that it was after this film that he quit the military and went into acting full time, the reality is that Mr Emery had actually been out of the Corps well before Full Metal Jacket.Years prior to FMJ he played the D.I. in "The boys in company c" (good film) He was also Col. Bill Kilgore's spotter pilot in "Apocalypse Now"
Next Section: Deleted Scenes
Deleted Scenes
There are often scenes cut from the final version of a movie. Sometimes these will have been seen by preview audiences, or be included in Blu-ray or DVD extras etc.
The following missing scenes from Full Metal Jacket are believed legit. If you disagree or have additional info, please update us.Thanks to Joe Kash
After Joker finally gets his confirmed kill, the original version had Adam Baldwins Animal Mother hack off the dead snipers head with the machete he'd been carrying around throughout the movie. This was cut and in the movie it skips straight to the Mickey Mouse sequence.Next Section: Alternate Versions
Alternate Versions
Sometimes, there will be several versions of a movie floating about on cable, tv or video etc. Other times, a Director may release a special cut of the movie on Blu-ray or DVD.
Aw, man.. We don't know of any alternate versions of "Full Metal Jacket". If you know better, please add one for others to enjoy. It's quick & easy
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1987 Warner Bros.
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