First Time Watching *FULL METAL JACKET (1987)* Movie Reaction 

I was in country as a Marine 50 + years ago. The movie is very realistic as a snapshot of the period and the conflict, with some Corps urban legends thrown in. Shoot the drill instructor is a Marine Corps meme, although it is usually set at the rifle range. In my day the DI's didn't even come to the range with the platoon. we had a PMI (marksmanship instructor) who the DI's turned us over to at the beginning of the training day. We also had a "coach" who might or might know much about marksmanship with each individual shooter. On the West Coast, firing pins were not in the rifles while at MCRD (Edison range, where we shot, was on MCB Camp Pendleton). At any rate, the rifles were turned in at the Armory by the last night, in fact I think they were turned in one or two days before the graduation parade (notice in the scene, nobody was carrying a rifle). The music was contemporary 60's music. It had a vague match-up with what was happening on screen. Example: Peter Griffin's "Surfing Bird" plays then the next shot is a helicopter landing (helicopters were called birds in Vietnam. Nancy Sinatra's "These Boots Are Made for Walking" playing while a Danang hooker is making her pitch. "Boots" is a song about infidelity. The movie is based on Gustave Hasford's "The Short Timers." He wrote two sequels to "Short Timers" that were never made into films.

the drill instructor was an actual Marine Corps drill instructor during the Vietnam war.

The reason some people didn't have to qualify with a PT test back then is because they were drafted and forced into the Military. They didn't just sign up like they do today.

The most important thing is that Kubrick movies have to be seen more than just once. You need to watch them multiple times to truly grasp what is being conveyed.

R. Lee Ermey playing the drill instructor during the first half of the movie was an actual drill instructor, brought on only as an adviser. Dude crushed it so hard they made him the ACTUAL drill instructor in the movie and he improvised most of his lines. The heli door gunner at around15:30? He was originally supposed to play the drill instructor.

You have to understand that it was 1968 so they grew up with the Mickey Mouse Club in the 50's. Makes perfect sense that they would sing something that reminded them of their lost innocence.

Welcome to the Marine Corp of the 60's & 70's Vietnam era. Usually the boot camp was pretty much what you saw in the movie except the barracks might have two or three DI's running you down like that. Their job was to break you down and build you up to what the Marines wanted. 58,000 Americans died in Vietnam. My cousin was a Marine and survived and won the Navy Cross (2nd highest medal a soldier can win) and seven purple hearts, one for each time he was wounded there. I missed it as the draft ended less then a month before my 18th birthday. My neighbor was a medic in the army and it took him quite awhile to be able to sleep at night. Good reaction. You should be shocked by what you saw from a movie of a very unpopular war in the US. Sadly the Vietnam vets are only now getting the congrats for what they had to do and put up with there.

Joker hides his feelings behind a thick shield of detached irony. I wouldn’t take his anti-social remarks at face value.

Yes, ann margaret was a famous actress. Very physically attractive. I personally like her in "magic" (1978). To my surprise, she is still alive.

Joker's desire to be the first on his block to get a confirmed kill was SARCASM. His first words "Is that you John Wayne"? are mocking the drill instructor. HE'S JOKING. he's a decent guy commenting on the insanity around him. Hence the duality of man statement.

Ann-Margaret was a big star in the 1960s. She was multi-talented… a singer, a dancer and a dramatic actress. She was also a sex symbol.

3:24 the reason for the “singing” or cadence as it’s called is to keep in step starting with the left foot. When running it also helps increase lung capacity

Fun Trivia: the voice of "Murphy" on the radio was performed by Stanley Kubrick himself 😎👍

I think of the upbeat songs as the music that they grew up listening to and what the culture was back home . It just shows them in a different light. That’s what I got from it.😊

Darkest line in the whole movie: ya just don’t lead em so much!

Ann Margaret is indeed a famous actress. She visited the troops often and has always shown remarkable kindness to Vietnam vets, who she terms "her gentlemen".

Back in the 1950s and 60s all military training was like what you see in the movie. Training under high stress at all times teaches the recruit to make good decisions in highly stressful environments - probably the most important thing to learn in training, and if you learn nothing else, learn that. Ann Margaret was a very pretty actress and singer back in the 1960s. She did USO shows to entertain the troops. When Joker said that he wanted to be the first on his block to get a confirmed kill, that was a line used in TV commercials for new toys. The announcer would say, "Be the first kid on your block to have a _____." Joker was parodying the commercials.

Movies made by Kubrick will tend to shock you, or twist your mind and make you think...or both. I have never seen it specifically stated by Kubrick anywhere, but Private Pyle is a clear representation of a real program that the Defense Department ran in the 1960s. It was called "Project 100,000" and it was a test to see whether the mental and physical parameters for serving in the US military could be widened to make the pool of potential service people larger. Between escalation in Vietnam and all the other military commitments of the Cold War in those days, the military was concerned about a shortage of people to serve. So they started testing whether recruits who were normally just a bit below the normal standard for IQ, or emotional stability, or physical fitness could be turned into effective military personnel. The same program probably would have led to Forrest Gump being recruited and serving in Vietnam.

The drill instructor had the weight of the world on his shoulders. He’s trying to prepare conscripted (not volunteer) kids barely old enough (in most cases) to vote how to survive in actual warfare, and how to be useful under unthinkable pressure. Think about that level of responsibility. He was hard on Pyle because he gave a damn - about Pyle and about the men he would be fighting alongside. And he was using the only tools he had - those he himself was taught. He wasn’t being cruel, at least not in his mind. Cruelty world have been sending a helpless kid into a jungle full of other men with guns trying to kill him.

That was before feelings were more important then fact!

Ok let put some historical context in here. This movie is set in late 1967, early 1968. Where this is the start of where most of the recruits in the military are drafted. And most of these recruits are going to end up in Vietnam. Now in our modern view of the world. We might view what senior drill instructor Hartman. As cruel or unjust, but you have to remember that those drill instructors. Most of them are already veterans of Vietnam. They have to get recuits ready for the harsh realities of combat in the jungles of Vietnam. If that is not hard enough, the U.S. Government made basic training eight weeks. Doesn't matter if you are Army, Navy, Marines, or Air Force. Currently the Marines basic is 13 weeks, Army basic is 12 weeks. So the U.S. Government at the time this movie is set. Dropped 4 week of basic training to increase the amount of men in the military. Because the U.S. is losing people in Vietnam. Killed, injured, and captured. This also means the U.S. Government lowered the mental and physical standards for its military. To increase the amount of men available for the draft. So someone like Pvt Gomer Pyle would not be allowed to join/drafted into the military during peace time. But their is a war going on.( By the way, during the height of War on Terror. The U.S. was involved in both Iraq and Afghanistan. Standards to volunteer for the U.S. Military were lowered to get more bodies into the military.) U.S. Military needs bodies. Someone like Pvt Pyle will stop a bullet, just as well as anyone else. By 1968 the U.S. Military will have roughly 500,000 service personnel in Vietnam. That year will be the height of U.S. involvement in Vietnam. Every year after 1968 there will be less and less U.S. Military personnel in Vietnam. Now my dad is a veteran of Vietnam. His personal views of Vietnam war movies. Is that Hamburger Hill is the closest to his experiences in Vietnam. He thinks Platoon is stupid. In my Dad's words "If you are in combat, you need everyone in your unit to work together to complete the mission. You do not have to like everyone in your unit, but you need to everyone in your unit."

All the things that are done to recruits... shaving their heads, taking away their civilian clothes, giving them nicknames and thus removing their real names, abuse, being isolated from all outside contact during Boot Camp... are designed not only to toughen them up but to rebuild them into a coherent unit. Hating the drill instructors is also a bonding technique. During Vietnam, physical abuse was permitted, either officially or tacitly. Due to manpower needs, Boot Camp was shortened from 11 or 12 weeks down to 8 weeks. And Sec. of Defense McNamara temporarily lowered the physical and mental standards, in order to be able to draft an additional 100,000 men per year. AND the Marines, who prided themselves on being elite, were given some Draftees. No doubt that's what Private Pyle was. Vincent D'Onofrio (The Thirteenth Floor, Impostor, L&O Criminal Intent, Daredevil) put on about 70 pounds to play Pyle, and that role was his big break.

It’s not may favorite Kubrick film but it really shows how impactful writing/directing/cinematography, he was a master. He uses the music to throw you off. It’s the same with the shining where you can have some cheery music during a scary or stressful seen. If you haven’t you should check out the series Fargo, it’s an anthology of the movie with each season being a different story. Noah Hawley is the writer director ect and is the closest thing to Stanley Kubrick. Season two shows how the vitamin war effected the mid west. Season one has one of the best villains in cinema/tv. Noah Hawley also created the amazing series “LEGION” which is based on a marvel character but is nothing like any MCU production you’ve ever seen before. It’s really mind blowing

They used soap in a towel, because it would not leave much of a Bruce.. The beating was called a blanket party..

At this time Army Airborne Infantry and Marines were all Volunteers no draftees were in the units..We had Doctors tell us at the VA what happens to your brain after you go through these things .This part basic/boot camp is changing you to be able to even do this job. They stress you very little sleep everybody the same part of the process of changing you

There's basically three movies that define the Vietnam War: There's Platoon, Full Metal Jacket, and Apocalypse Now. Platoon explains morality. Full metal jacket is pure chaos. And Apocalypse Now is the absolute madness. The last is the best. You cannot imagine.

The line "The more you'll hate me, the more you'll learn" pretty much sums up why he is the way he is.

You say..."all this for one sniper".If you don't neutralize that sniper that sniper is going to neutralize all of the soldiers that go through there.

Ann-Margaret was a movie actress -- troop entertainment.

It was a draft for the Vietnam war, either you joined or you ran away.

It’s hard to understand why none of you reaction people understand that “I wanted to be the first one on my block to get a confirmed kill “ was sarcasm

The music was from that era, so you obviously have never been military, boot camp was exactly like that, break down civilian mind and build up a military mind, I went through similar in 82 in my bootcamp in my country. Singing in formation keeps you in step and motivates you to keep going. Oh yes the rifle and the gun, lots of people make the mistake of calling a rifle a gun. In the military your gun is in you pants, the rifle is in your hands.

Section 8 colloquially means psycho, messed up in the head, etc.

what's a section 8? you should watch mash

Pub. Joker is being mocking, and making fun of steotypes when he makes those statements, it's his way of protesting. I knows he has to serve, but he's mocking the system and the situation. Humor, especially as dark a humor as possible, is a pretty common way to handle extreme stress. I think you take things literally here, and Joker is purposely being both sarcastic, and making fun of the sterotypes.

It was the music of the times, and yes, Ann Margret was a good looking actress.

Wolverines 2023 National Championship 🏆 🏈 Congratulations 👏

16:03 I'm well familiar with this movie and like it a lot. But I never really understood what that guy says there. Is the caption correct? And if so, what does he mean by that? The only thing I can really think of is that he shoots their way but doesn't aim at them as well as he could. 'Cause he kind of looks to me to be loosely spraying at them. So, if he hurts or kills them it's sort of by accident? I don't know. I'd appreciate someone making sense of it for me. Thanks.

Drill Instructor is breaking them down one by one, then building them back up. The platoon has to become one, one mistake by one could kill the others. Being soft will not only get you killed, but your brothers as well.

Great reaction to a cult classic Hard to watch in parts

Man, you really had a beta male reaction to Gunnery Sgt. in the beginning. You should do yourself a favor and join a branch so you can experience boot camp (which is not as bad as this movie). Toughen up man! Represent Gen Z or whichever gen you're from :D

Maybe you could make a video about the movie "Come and see"

Your good Yung man

I’d offer you a nice pillow for the next movie you watch , but you’re already too soft

Draft

The first part of the movie shows the dehumanizing process; the second part shows the mixed results (yes, they’ve become effective soldiers, but at what cost?)

This is a true story only toned down for civilians. There is no choice you never go back, but forward. You will never understand war until your brother dies in your arms. They killed PISSANT, in boot camp, he did not have the stuff too make it in the Marine Cotps. Please don’t judge us……

love watching the softest generation of so called men watching older war movies. This is why no country will every fear US power again over seas. At least theres enough real men left here that none would ever try an invasion

Respectfully, you're very, very soft,. But it's not just you, it's generational.

WHOS ANN MARGARET? THATS IT, IAM DONE, GAME OVER, TURN THE LIGHTS OUT.

A section 8 is military jargon for when a recruit or soldier/Marine is mentally ill, which means you aren’t fit for military service. But you pretty much really have to have serious mental illness or are otherwise judged to be unfit for military service. When things got rough for the good guys, they would lower their standards for bodies to throw at the enemy. Pyle had a low IQ and had no business being in the military and in vietnam, they were called Johnsons idiots or some such moniker for these people who were “slow” or just had low IQ. Shameful act on president johnsons administration ( among many).

Dude you need to grow up

I can only speak from post-Vietnam US Navy. 1. There are always more than one CC in boot camp (at least in the Navy) where partially recruits can't be abused. Verbal abuse is one thing but physical was a NO GO. 2. Vincent D'Onofrio played the Bug in MIB and had to put on 50lbs for this role 3. Hardman was out of control. Others outside his recruits would have noticed and he would have been held accountable. 4. "I don't know, but I've been told. Eskimo pussy is mighty cold." was used in my Navy recruit company in 1981. 5. In the US Navy real live ammo was always accounted for, and Pyle wouldn't have had it on his person in the head. 6. The lights in the head are always lit. (lighting I suspect). 7. "Blanket parties" were a real deal. We didn't have one because we didn't have a Gomer Pyle. 8. The hooker in Saigon is just distracting them so the motorcycle guys can steal the camera. I saw that happen in the Philippines. 9. "I wouldn't shit you, you're my favorite turd" I've used that before. 10. Even by Hollywood standards, Kubrick went overboard with excessive bloodletting

He uses the racial epithets **in order to make the point** that everyone is equally worthless. Without his use of the unpleasant terms, the bigger point is not made. I recommend watching movies not by wishing the characters would speak in an inoffensive way, but rather by keying in on what's happening dramatically on the screen, and not trying to correlate it with an ideal situation in real life.

Drill sergeants were not allowed to hit trainees, it was against the law, and racial slurs were especially forbidden, this was the civil rights era when inner cities were burning across America. Sgt. Hartman was a humorous sadist who drove an unfit trainee to psychosis, murder, and suicide. As a Vietnam veteran, this movie just doesn't make it for me, lame dialogue, mostly unserious, uninteresting characters, and what seems like two halves of two different films. Most realistic Vietnam film is "The Anderson Platoon", Marc Levy vid.

Why are you so sensitive

I think u too soft for dis shi lil bro

Great! It is very interesting to see your detailed reaction to the film Robocop 1987. This is a cool movie 👍🔥🦾

Noticed you’ve wore a few Michigan shirts and hoodies.. you from? I’m in Oakland County… Royal Oak! 👍

🥸

It’s not may favorite Kubrick film but it really shows how impactful writing/directing/cinematography, he was a master. He uses the music to throw you off. It’s the same with the shining where you can have some cheery music during a scary or stressful seen. If you haven’t you should check out the series Fargo, it’s an anthology of the movie with each season being a different story. Noah Hawley is the writer director ect and is the closest thing to Stanley Kubrick. Season two shows how the vitamin war effected the mid west. Season one has one of the best villains in cinema/tv. Noah Hawley also created the amazing series “LEGION” which is based on a marvel character but is nothing like any MCU production you’ve ever seen before. It’s really mind blowing