30 Facts You Didn't Know About Full Metal Jacket 

I was always struck by what a fine figure of a man R. Lee Ermey was. Good posture, trim waist, smooth confident stride. The perfect model for a military uniform catalog. R.I.P. R. Lee.

R Lee Ermy was not a drill sergeant, he was a drill instructor.

Ermy was a real man and loved our armed forces. Rest in Peace Legend

Kubrick having to ask the definition of "reach around" is hilarious. I would have loved to witness that conversation.

R. Lee Ermey's and Vincent D'Onofrio acting in this movie is perfect. Total respect for both

After being drafted, I went through Army basic training at Fort Campbell, Kentucky in early 1969. All my DIs were former 101st paratroopers and Vietnam combat veterans, who were the clone of THE Gunny. Remember ,there was a serious shooting war going on and these DIs were required to get you ready for being deployed to Southeast Asia. That was a monumental task given the attitude of the recruits and the resentment of the war. I survived and met my DI 4 years later in Fort Bragg, he was my platoon Sergeant, as I was a 2nd Lieutenant. I will always be grateful to him for his service.

Ermey was actually a really humble, approachable guy. A friend of mine happened to have a boat in the same marina and Ermey would always invite him to hang out on the boat.

I had always heard that Ermey got the job as the DI after Kubrick watched his audition tape and commented that he'd never heard someone curse for 15 minutes and never repeat himself. Ermey was a real piece of work and I've enjoyed every character I've seen him play throughout his acting career. RIP, Gunny

FMJ, an absolute masterpiece. After all these years i still watch it and love it.

Having been there, Paris Island, in May of '69, I can tell you that this is the most realistic representation of Marine boot camp & DI's I've Ever seen.

My 1965 boot camp experience was pretty much like this movie, and our DI could swear like Hartman too. I’m no worse the wear for it and many of those boot camp lessons have guided me throughout my 75 + years.

Man D'Nofrio is beyond amazing as an actor. His wide range is unbelievable. I have mad respect for him and his portfolio.

D'Onofrio in FMJ is amazingly different and almost not recognizable as the character in Law & Order. It's a testament not only to his body transformation, but his scary facial expressions. Fantastic video. Even more awesome movie.

I always loved how R Lee Ermey was nothing more than Kubricks Technical Adviser in the beginning and he ended up portraying one of the most iconic characters ever created. Whereas Tim Colceri went on to play a small but also significant role as the door gunner

As a young soldier I was stationed for a while where the boot camp chapter of the movie was filmed. I've run down the very same roads that the squad does in the movie. If you look carefully you will see the road markings are for right hand drive traffic as it is in the UK. It was a former air force base near Cambridge called Bassingbourn. This was the air base that the B17 bomber Memphis Belle flew out of during WW2.

The most amazing thing is R Lee Ermey never blinks when hes reaming the trainees out

Lee didn't steal the role...he earned it

I too was drafted in 71 and flew from LA to Ft Leonard Wood for basic. We had a lead drill Sgt who was very cool and one other who was a clone of Sam Elliott in both appearance and voice. Thanks for your guidance. The population of the USA back then was around 207 million yet only a very small percentage (8 M) actually served in the Vietnam theater of operations. I always wonder what fate befell those of you that endured. I salute you.

As a former Marine, the first half of Full Metal Jacket was as accurate depiction of my Marine Parris Island experience as I have ever seen. RIP R Lee

my wife never believed when when I often told her about' This is my rifle this is my gun, this is for fighting , this is for fun. When we were at the movie and that scene happened she leaned over and said " I believe you now."

This is one of those movie with a superb script and screenplay. Also the actors played their roles as well as anyone could ask for. Truly a masterpiece of war movies.

Nobody could play D.I. Hartman better than Ermey. His experience in life shows true. He reminds me of a couple D.S's I had in my company during BCT.

Thank the Lord Ermey was persistent because without him, the basic training doesn't work

I love how r Lee ermy starts as a consultant and basically ends up the most memorable member of the cast.

My cousin Kenneth Keller died Feb. 11th 1969 during his 2nd tour in Vietnam, just 3 days before his 20th birthday. I was not yet 4 years old at the time, so I don't remember the man, but I'll damn sure never forget him. 101st Airborne Artillery FSB Rifle The Day it was Raining Dead

Stanley Kubrick: “You can’t go to the hospital to help your wife give birth! We have a movie to make!” Also Stanley Kubrick: “I’m too scared to fly, so let’s turn England into Vietnam.”

We had a recruit in our platoon that was a Pyle. It pissed me off every time I saw him limping on light duty. They should have kicked him out but for some reason he not only was kept in but graduated on time. He did absolutely nothing the entire time. To make matters worse he had a picture of a good looking "girlfriend" on the Hog Board, as it was called. At one point everyone had to vote who had the best looking girlfriend/wife and whoever won got a free phone call. His girlfriend wasn't the best looking but so far out of his league that he got the most votes. Afterwards we found out it was his sister. He probably wound up a General.

Kubrick was such a perfectionist, he had the palm trees numbered, and would actually ask for a specific tree to be placed exactly correctly before shooting a scene.

I really liked this movie. I was in country with the Marines 1967/68 radio operator Echo Co. 2/3. The thing that kind of bugs me about most Nam movies is most of the actors are in their mid 20's or 30's. It would seem more accurate if they were 18 or 19 as most of us were. Semper Fi to all who made it back, I think every day of the one's who didn't.

It's actually for the best that Arnie wasn't cast as Animal Mother. FMJ was supposed to be as realistic a depiction of the Vietnam war as possible, so a hulk with a strong German accent may have made it look a bit...off.

I still remember the first night I hit the rack in boot camp. I distinctly remember thinking WTF did I get myself into.

The battle scenes were filmed in what is now London City Airport about a mile from where I was born and the boot camp scenes filmed at Bassingbourn barracks in Cambridgeshire where I did basic training. In fact I was there just before they arrived and there were rumours of a film crew due in. Unfortunately I was posted away before filming started. However many of the facilities used in the film are familiar to me to this day. You know, people go on about Spielberg being brilliant just remember: Spartacus Full Metal Jacket Dr Strangelove 2001 Clockwork Orange Paths Of Glory The Shining Eyes Wide Shut Kubrick was magnificent 👌

Shelley Duvall was driven into a breakdown from Kubrick’s unrelenting drive for perfection. In The Shining’s infamous baseball bat staircase scene he made her reenact it a total of 127 times.

"Full Metal Jacket" refers to the "projectile", of a bullet, not the casing. F.M.J means a soft core (often lead) encased in an outer shell ("jacket") of harder metal, such as gilding metal, cupronickel, or, less commonly, a steel alloy.

"Always remember this, Marines die, that's what we're here for. But the Marine Corps lives forever. And that means you live forever.” Happy birthday USMC and semper fi brothers.

I would like to send a shout out to my Sgt. in Basic. It was early 1969 and we all knew where we were going to end up. So did the Army. His name was McDaniels, and in 9 weeks I never saw anything close to a smile on his face. He was professional and knew what he had to do. He knew where he was going and what we were getting into, we didn't. On the last night, we were cleaning our rifles for turn in. Mt parents showed up and were apparently lost. I ask McDainels if I could go to the car and guide them to the visitors barracks. Unsuprisingly he said no. He said there was still one day of basic left and we were not being trained to be visitor guides. I was a squad leader in basic and thought I did pretty good. As you can imagine, it was never good enough. He rode us relentlessly and never missed even the slightest mistake. Well, almost all of us ended up in the infantry and Vietnam. After a month out there my impression of Sgt. McDaniels changed a lot. You see, all that pressure, intimidation, training, and lessons were to prepare us for this. One of his tips actually saved my life. And so, I admit I was wrong and he of course was correct. I thank McDaniels and am sure many other of our troops owe him a debt of gratitude and maybe their life. I have a picture of our graduation day, the entire platoon. McDaniels is in the picture wearing the same scowl we came so used to. I wonder how may lives that scowl saved?

'Is that you John Wayne?'.........'WHO SAID THAT?'

At least the door gunner position was probably the 2nd most memorable part of the movie

For a few years in my twenties I had the 1st half of this movie on one side of a cassette tape in my car. I used to get requests to play it.

I truly think that every platoon has a Pvt. Pyle. I only wish they had shown what they really did to handle these Pyles in boot. The "blanket party" was a true event / last ditch effort to "Straighten up" the recruit. ( soap in the sock beat down) Yes it really did happen and much, much more . One motto was to break you down and then build you back up. This was one time in my life I will never ever forget. You learn a great deal of life's lessons in those 3 months of ass kicking to carry you through until your dirt again. Semper Fi ! 75-79 P Island

Gunny: The man, the myth, the legend. Rest in peace, good sir.

Lee Ermy was awesome. RIP

I remember going with my dad when I was young to watch this movie at the theater and I loved it so much even as a kid ...and it still is and always will be one of my favorite movies ever!!

Was lucky enough to have met R Lee Ermy got my picture taken with him and autographed too was a real gentleman and a marine Semper Fi one of my most prized possessions

i trained a lot of trainees at Fort Dix NJ in 1963 after 4 years overseas and I never laid a hand on one except when one pointed an old M1 Garand at me on the firing range trying to unjam it I kicked him as hard as I could to save my life we lost a Sgt E6 on the grenade range from a trainee panicking and dropping a live grenade in the grenade pit you had to be careful with training young trainees They can be as dangerous as the enemy You had to be on your toes at all times. US ARMY Infantry 1958-1964

I saw this movie shortly after it was release, seventeen years after my experience in Basic Training. While I was not impressed with the Vietnam portion of the movie, the basic training part was practically a documentary.

It is (or was) pretty common to have a platoon "Gomer Pyle". Usually a simple or easy going individual from the south or midwest.

Still one of my favorite movies. Have a copy on DVD. I knew some of these facts but, not all. Informative. Thanks!!

Not to be picky, but at 17:13, 'full metal jacket' does not refer to the "brass shell", or cartridge casing, but rather to the copper cladding of the bullet itself. Loved this video FMJ stands as one of the best war movies of all time.

I used to only watch the first half when I was younger, the second half made me uncomfortable. That’s why it’s more acceptable to watch the first half, because even though it goes crazy at the end, you can kind of see it coming. The second half truly shows war, and all it’s hellish brutality. It is truly a masterpiece.

Kubrick was notoriously difficult to work with. He traumatized Shelley Duvall for life in The Shining. He got the perfect shot though.

Great movie. Reminds me so much of " boot camp" or "General Service Training" I did in the Australian RAAF as a 16 year old recruit - and the four superiors in charge of us were all hard core Vietnam Vets.

Went through PI about the same time period of the movie. This is absolutely the closest portrayal of Marine Boot Camp back then that I've seen. Other than not showing interactions with the Assistant DI's who rotated duty with the Senior, it could have been taken right from my time aboard PI. R. Lee Ermey was the man.

Keep it up. I always look forward to these fact videos.

This is 100% a true story. I joined the Navy 30 years ago, just a few years after the movie came out and I probably had seen the movie a half dozen times or so & it never really crossed my mind when I was signing up or in the Delayed Entry Program. Well that Sunday before I was to ship out I was in the hotel flipping through the channels & landed on HBO while they were in between movies so I let it sit there to see what was coming on next. From the opening music I knew it was Full Metal Jacket but like an idiot I decided to watch. I was already nervous about going to basic but unlike before it my nervous lever went from a 2 to 10 and I had to keep telling myself it’s just a movie & that was the Marines. Well while we were in the airport waiting to catch our plane I found out I wasn’t the only idiot to watch this movie which is absolutely the worse movie to watch right before you go to basic. The funny thing is that opening speech we got on the first day was about 75% exactly like what is seen in the movie and the CC (same as a Drill Instructor/Sergeant in the Marines/Army) told us that at the time we were lower than whale 💩

Just so you know, he's not a Drill Sergeant, but Drill Instructor. DSs are Army, and DIs are Marines, and as a son of a female DI, at Parris Island, they take it extremely seriously!

If anyone is interested the Vietnam scenes particularly the battle scenes were filmed in Beckton East London between the A13 and the River Thames . The old concrete warehousing and industrial buildings near the gasworks were being demolished to make way for the new sewage treatment plant . Later the whole area was redeveloped to provide housing shops etc and practically the whole area in which Vietnam was recreated is now under tarmac and buildings .

Ermey’s performance was worthy of an Oscar nomination.

Brings back so many memories of my PI days. Not of the senior but asst.

Scottish actor Ian Wilson while filming Clockwork orange, was forced to repeat his lines 80 times . After filming Ian phoned his agent saying I will never work for that director Stanley Kubrick. The film Spartacus Stanley asked a Spanish extra can he speak English he said yes after 250 takes the Spanish extra walked up to him and punched him in face for mental torture alot of Hollywood actors avoided him for that practice.

This movie wouldn't be as good if Ermy didn't play Hartman

Great content, your channel has given me a great rabbit hole to go down.

I was an Active Duty Marine when we saw this movie on a ship after it came out. And most guys laughed at the scenes of Vietnam. And a few guys even knew the Drill Instructor from having him in boot camp.

Gus Hasford’s ‘Short Timers’ and follow-up ‘Phantom Blooper’ are MUST READs for any FMJ fan.

You forgot to mention that R Lee Ermy also appeared as a Drill instructor in the TV Show Space Above and Beyond. 😎

One of the most memorable movies ever when watching in a theater! Of course bought DVD. Great movie!

One if the best movies of the century

The movie really does put you back on Parris Island in very convincing fashion, other than the fact you can't smell it(and nothing smells like all that new deuce[782] gear). I can't speak to what Viet Nam felt like.

Interesting details! I served and remember boot camp all to well! We didnt have a Drill Instructor like Emery, but as a 17 y.o. I was already scared, mostly of failing and not earning my stripes. I did, even made Honor Recruit of my barracks. Love this movie even more now!

I don't thing Ed Harris or the other prospect could have played Hartman with the combination of brutality and sheer hilariousness that Emery brought to the role.

Being in Parris Island 1st Bn A Co. In 1985. We still held the "blanket party" tradition. Not only soap, but boot polish tins and brushes...we actually had one guy die because of it, but it wasnt our platoon. Reee's will always hate and say your beating a teamate.. no... we are building a "teammate and brother for life".. a team is 32 guys acting as one...if one isnt a team player, he will be, or he will be released from our "Corps". Adapt and overcome, or you will never be a US MARINE.. period .

Imagine having the kind of pull that they are ok with not flying in one person for a movie, and allow over 100 thousand items to make the movie. Kubrick was fricken awesome

I can quote gunny word for word. As a kid growing up his show Mail Call was my absolute favorite (next to mythbusters) and when I finally became old enough, I was handed a VHS of FMJ by my dad and was SO EXCITED to see a younger gunny giving em hell lol

Good job! Actual stuff I didn't know! I like to think that I know a lot of trivia about movies I like and expected this to be mostly well known trivia with the normal click bait tittle, but yeah, I didn't know most of this (I like that little bit about saving unshot rounds)

Every time I watch this movie, I get goosebumps when I see the barracks. They look exactly the same as when I was in Parris Island in '95. I don't know if they still do it but they made us watch this movie in boot camp, yeah, ya know the outcome after he shot the drill sergeant. We all screamed with joy and straight to the pit it was, lol. The memories!!!

One of my favorite films. R. Lee Ermy rest in peace

Nice mini-doc. Full Metal Jacket had a significant impact on me as a teenager. Along with Don McCullen a real combat photographer, Matthew Modine's character wants to share the real story of war while the higher up's in the US advisors want the positive narrative of a win without any news story.

Never heard of or noticed the 7 diamonds being in those movies. Another interesting Kubrick fact, thanks!

One of my favorite movies as a kid.

I remember watching this movie as a kid and looking at my father (who had been in the military since he was 16) shortly after the privates get there names and saying “ that’s where you got those insults from “

That’s so interesting, the door gunner is one of my favorite scenes

First time I saw that movie, was when I was a junior in H.S. with Marine ROTC, and we were on a bus to march in the Mardi Gras parade, we watched it on the bus :D

R Lee Ermie was the most perfect drill sergeant in any film ever made.

I worked with a guy who was a Marine in Nam in the 60's. I asked him what was the most realistic Vietnam War film and he laughed, saying the boot camp in FMJ. He never answered about whether the war scenes were accurate, but i sensed from hearing his stories that no film has ever really shown the horrors he saw. He told me they got pinned down in a rice paddy (no place to hide) and his good friend got shot in the head and killed right next to him. He was the smallest guy in his platoon so they gave him the automatic rifle, the thinking being he was the smallest target and most difficult to hit. i remember he said was stoned all the time with pot leaves on his helmut for camoflage. The last story i remember is that his leader told him to shoot a Vietnamese who was running away, but stipulated not to kill him, as they wanted to interrogate him. But he fired off a clip and the last round was a tracer and it hit the guy in the head and killed him and he told his officer, sorry. He was the most sane and undamaged Viet Vet i ever met. He said, they killed my friends and i killed them.

Very interesting little known information about an iconic movie. Thank you.

Thanks for sharing this. Love this movie.

Gustav Hasford was from my hometown of Russellville, Alabama

Closest thing I can find to a flaw in this movie, in the scene where Hartman invites Pvt. Joker to come over and have intercourse with his sister, he winds up and delivers a punch to Joker with his left hand, the scene cuts and shows Hartman ending the punch right-handed. I always wonder if Kubrick, the ultra-stickler for detail, ever noticed but just decided, for whatever reason, that this just looked right.

Thanks for the inside information. I and my WMF were stationed in MCAGCC 29 Palms, CA when movie was released. She and I attended movie and enjoyed it immensely. Sgt USMC ‘82-‘92

I went to boot camp ( basic training) we had one of those metal trash cans but could not put trash in it. Our company commander (drill instructor) would kick it around in the morning as the alarm clock. When I saw that in FMJ I laughed so hard that people around me thought I was going crazy.

I went through Parris Island in 1970 and this movie is as close to my experience that I've ever seen.

Full Metal Jacket is not a reference to the cartridge casing, it refers to the type of bullet.

Great job on the video. I first saw FMJ in 1987 when I was just 16 years old. Because of it and other films, I've served over 21 years now in the US military. Get Some!!

VERY COOL VIDEO AND VERY WELL EXPLAINED. REALLY GIVES THE AUDIENCE A LOOK AT THE MOVIE NOT REALLY SEEN BEFORE. GREAT FLICK TO COVER AND PROBABLY ONE OF THE BEST VIETNAM FILMS EVER DONE. THANKS FOR LETTING US SEE THE INNER WORKINGS OF THIS GEM OF A MOVIE. LOOKING FORWARD TO WHEN YOU COVER OTHER GREAT FLICKS!!!!!

very interesting info on a classic war film.

Finally - a "FACTS" sequence where I actually learned a few things I didn't know...

"get some"

I've watched the movie numerous times. Can remember almost every word. Being raised military it's a habit to watch movies and documentaries. I had a uncle who wouldn't. I had a great uncle who survived pearl harbor. I have his foot locker and medals. I met him when I was young, wrote a paper about him. Funny, him and my grandmother didn't get along, but he took care of her financially.

Kuberick referenced his films in his other films. When Alex goes into the music shop in Clockwork Orange, the score album for 2001 a space Odyssey sitting in the rack when he checks on mini tapes he ordered, of the glorious 9th by Beethoven. You’ve got to realize Kubrick fans have watched these movies forward and backwards, over and over again. I’ve never done that with any of the Director but he was that good.

Interesting fact Full Metal Jacket's war/action scenes were filmed in a decommissioned gas works in London near Blackwall tunnel.