D'Onofrio is without a doubt the most underrated character actor in Hollywood history. Period. He is absolutely amazing and pulls of one character after another one being completely different that the other. Brilliant! I bow to you Mr. D'Onofrio you are magical!
Yeah, like most of the time you won't know that he is in the film unless you read the credits page. Anton Yelchin was also a great character actor before he passed.
Whoa whoa whoa.. You never go full hoorah there Sylvia. I would say Dick Miller (gun store owner from Terminator), Gerald Strickland (Principal in Back to the Future), and even Christopher Lloyd all made better character actors in their careers. Vincent just played a solid and believable part.
I mean, he didn't really do that much. He's underrated because he lost so many potential roles turning himself in to fat Vincent for fat Stanley Kubrick. That monster ate people.
D’Onofrio: "But I don't have an agent." Kubrick: "That's easy, you call up an agency and tell them you've been cast in Kubrick movie and you'll get one." Can you imagine the reaction of the other person on the line after getting D’Onofrio's call and him saying this?
Not only having the demands of being on a Kubrick set, but having to maintain gained weight, which I imagine gets even more annoying than working out - he certainly earned his money. But it's also a fresh twist on the scrawny recruit cliche, which perhaps is why it's so memorable, or even iconic.
RuyLopezQB6 seek out the interview Vincent D’Onofrio did with Kevin Pollack (CinemaTyler included a clip in this video). D’Onofrio said that Kubrick took a liking to him, and that he seemed to just “get” what Kubrick was after. That doesn’t address the weight issue, but at least that part of the experience was a bit easier.
"Just tell an agency that you've been cast in a Kubrick movie and you're going to get one" That is such a power move. His name alone carried so much prestige that it was THAT easy. Amazing.
Full metal jacket is the most accurate depiction of Marine Corps boot camp I have ever seen. I watched it every night before bootcamp. It didn't help, lol. Semper Fidelis.
The part in the video where the actor was saying how everyone treated him differently after he gained weight is something I can relate to. I got skinny for a couple years in my 20's and that was a magical time. People were so nice to me, women wanted me, etc. After I regained 15lbs people started treating me badly again.
The same thing happened to me when I was 25. I lost about 40 pounds and a woman that I had asked out previously, who had shut me down, called me up and asked me if I wanted to go out. I told her to eff off and go screw herself, because I wasn't going to be the one doing it. Felt really good.
For me it is the other way around. I've always been very skinny as a teen, so I was always treated as some weak skeleton. Now I am approaching 30 and have a beer gut, but I feel really comfortable with myself and 18-20 year old girls seem to be really into me. No Idea why, maybe it's daddy issues. Anyway can't complain, I regularly exercise to stay fit and not get any fatter tho.
I remember this at the time. I was a projectionist and both movies were playing at the same time, and I had this moment where I'm watching Adventures and thinking, geez, that guy looks so much like the guy in Full Metal, and going into the other theater and yep, it was the same guy. 33 years later and I'm still absurdly proud of myself for spotting that.
Yep, it was that animation in the thumbnail that made me click on this! Shows what an impact he had in that movie too since him descending on that lift is probably the bit I remember most about it!
The fatty vs scrawny character discrepancy also makes more sense culturally. In 1987, western society audiences maligned being obese far more than being too skinny. Made way more sense for Pvt Pyle to be overweight.
When I was in the Navy I had to go Mess Cooking for 3 months. I hated it with a passion! I had to work in the scullery scraping off garbage of trays and cleaning greasy pots and pans. It was hot and steamy in the scullery. But one thing was good once you were done you could shower and go back to your rack and get in a few winks in. On a ship out at sea there are 3 regular meals and then there is mid rations. I did not have to stand watch in the middle of the night. I ate alot of deserts and went from 159 lbs to 216 lbs when I was done. What was worst I had to be seen by my co-workers. I was the only electrician who had to do it. In Bootcamp, I had to do it for a week only.
@@alainerookkitsunev5605 ….you’re half right. The other half are gym rats. That leaves the scrawnies and the “normals” in the freak category these days.
14:30 - I recently saw a video in which R. Lee Ermey talked about his actual experience as a drill instructor, and how the speedup imposed by the need to churn out infantry for Vietnam led to the kinds of abuse depicted in _Full Metal Jacket_ , none of which was ever supposed to happen according to the regulations, or well-understood best practices. That no doubt would include neglecting the needs of someone like Pvt. Lawrence.
EXACTLY! Hartman had a job to do. He could have ignored Pyle and let him slide, but he was determined to motivate him because he wanted to save his life. If he would have sent Pyle as is to Vietnam he'd be dead in a few days. By turning him into a killer, toughening him up, he gave him a chance. Can you imagine how awful it would be for goofy Pyle to be in a combat platoon with Animal Mother?
@@rpc717 but that didn't exactly work out, did it? Pyle should have been washed out - should never have been there in the first place. Ermey himself said, as I explained, that those methods were _not good_ and in fact _very bad_ .
I blame the blanket party. He took all of the crap Hartman could dish out with a silly grin, but when his peers turned on him he broke. Hartman did what he had to do. He did say a the beginning that it was "his job to weed out all non hackers," but I doubt if in reality he'd have been allowed to wash Pyle out. This was the Marines, and they were so hard up that they were drafting people.
@@rpc717 You know what was worse, when you get to Vietnam none of the men there will help you, you're new, expected to die, they tell you nothing other than remove your underwear and throw it away to avoid jungle rot.
@@rpc717 A friend joined the Navy in 1990, I knew him close enough to know he had issues and was not military material but he wanted out of his parents house, would do anything, well he wound up in the hospital, near miss of a towel party in his favor, even tho his experience was a terrible one, he said it was the best thing to happen to him, because he finally got the medical attention he needed and was diagnosed as being bipolar, earlier on he'd have slid through the cracks, you know many did.
His performance in that movie was absolutely stand out as well. Its amazing how overlooked he was for the bulk of his career. And then you get your Keeanu Reevses and the like who literally cant act their way out of a wet paper bag but end up in everything.
@@CinemaTyler I saw this movie alone at first... then I came back with my Old Man who was a technical sergeant in WWII and he turned to me and said... "boy in the Army we would have quietly shot that Drill Sergeant (Army)"; Senior Drill Instructor (Marines). He was not kidding either.
I always found it fascinating how the Pyle character was actually starting to make progress as a soldier right before he lost his mind and shot up the joint. He showed skill as a marksman and was even beginning to earn the respect of Sgt. Hartman.
@@GlennDavey Well considering that prior to "Full Metal Jacket" D'Onofrio did not have an acting agent, and was appearing in university theater productions and working as a bouncer, he's had quite a good career. He's an actor with a certain name recognition, and has worked steadily in fairly big productions - including a leaading role on a popular TV show, which pays very well - through all these decades since the 80s. It's a career any actor just starting out, would be more than happy to have. Unlike D'Onofrio, Matthew Modine was already well established as a film actor when he was cast in FMJ. He'd previously starred in "Birdy", a major film production directed by established director Alan Parker and co-starring fellow up-and-coming star Nicholas Cage. Modine was coming off some excellent reviews for that film, and in the same year that "Birdy" was released, Modine had appeared in a film ("Hotel New Hampshire") directed by the famed Tony Richardson with a cast of then-hot actors like Rob Lowe, Jodie Foster and Nastassja Kinski, as well as "Mrs.Soffel" starring Diane Keaton and Mel Gibson directed by leading Australian director Gillian Armstrong. And before that, Modine had worked with acclaimed directors John Sayles and Robert Altman. D'Onofrio's performance in FMJ was the launchpad for a career that's endured decades. Sure, he didn't become a star of the level of say, Val Kilmer (who wanted a role in FMJ) at his height, but then again neither did Modine - despite his rather impressive resume up until FMJ, and the promise of "Birdy" and FMJ (although I suspect that was partly due to the choices that Modine made, such as turning down the lead role taken by Tom Cruise in "Top Gun"). Also, D'Onofrio became a bigger star than other FMJ castmates - aside from Modine - such as Adam Baldwin.
Vincent D’onofrio and R Lee Ermey - Just brilliant in Full Metal Jacket and D’onofrio put on some serious weight. Vincent D’onofrio will always be Robert Goren back when Law and Order was good. Forgot he was In Adventures in Babysitting but remember him in Mystic Pizza around the same time.
One of my favorite, completely out-there Vincent D'Onofrio roles is as "Pooh Bear" - a noseless and insane crank manufacturer/dealer - in the not-good movie, _The Salton Sea._ He doesn't appear until near the end, in only a few scenes - you might be able to find them all as clips. Completely bonkers, it's great.
Yeah ... I remember when I first realized that "Thor" from _Adventures in Babysitting_ was played by the same actor who played "Pyle" in _Full Metal Jacket_ (which I saw the same year) how impressed I was with Vincent. .
The Monolith in 2001 turns Moonwatcher--and the rest of the race of Man in its dawning--into a carnivorous murderer, in order to 'save' them, to make them fit enough to survive rather than go extinct. The Marine Corps playbook seems to have taken a page out of that, since that was Gunnery Sergeant Hartman's motive for brutalizing Leonard--the make him into a killer who stood a better chance of surviving in Vietnam.
I would just say in the clip where Lee hit Vincent's hat off his head i was there off camera near Stanley and Lee did slap Vincent hard too....and not just once as well.....it was as real as Stanley could get. Stew fmj crew.
@@CinemaTyler I can't remember now..but thinking back..it could of just been the once too....it's 33 years ago now...the only person who would know is Vincent himself.stew fmj crew.
I respected this guy for doing this role but had no Idea man! I'm more impressed being a Marine vet of that era, its like reliving boot camp when I watch this movie. And it was sad to see the abuse of these over weight guys its so realistic, they did treat them like shit and they had to be in a special platoon to lose the weight first before starting actual boot camp. They were unrecognizable when they graduated.
@@balemonte727 Thanks for your service too.....and Lee having served knew how to portray "Hartman" actually about 50% of the lines was by Lee......approved by Stanley......and as for Vincent i saw him everyday....trying to cope with the weight gain. Stew fmj crew.
The NYC Hard Rock Cafe wasn’t in Times Square at the time of this movie. In the late 80s, it was located at 57th St (13 blocks North of Times Square). The Hard Rock Cafe didn’t move into Times Square until 2005.
Vincent is such a strong actor and when I was young he was my first lesson in never getting to know my tradesman. If my builder can build me a good, strong shed then that’s all I need to know. If an actor can provide a good, strong performance then that is all I need to know about them.
Too bad Birdie has been largely forgotten. Good actors, good soundtrack, outstanding camera work that ever since influenced so many movie's work from then on. If you ever watch it, remember what year it is from, so you can appreciate the brilliant camera work to the full in-....., uuh,... the full int-...., (dang! Can't think of the English word.....) " *extent* "??? No CGI, no drones....none of that.
Grinning in a stressfull situation is often times involuntary. I, myself, couldn’t stop smiling as a kid when I got in serious trouble, and at those times I really didn’t feel like smiling. But I couldn’t help it. So in a sense, yes, he was choked for his outward appearance.
@@andrejohnson6731 Drill instructors don't give a shit if you're smiling "because you're in a stressful situation". Wipe the grin off or they smoke you. They didn't give a fuck about the way he looks they only cared because they thought he was being a smart ass.
I was in Army Basic training in the summer of 1988... and one day we all in formation and marched a mile or 2 and into a movie theater! And we watched this movie! When he shoots the drill the entire theater exploded in cheers! I was sitting near 3 drills and they shared a bit of worried laugh.
I'll tell first hand, this is one of the most realistic boot camp movies ever! A whole generation of D.I's modeled themselves after Gunny R. Lee. I can't forget how many times my DI quoted or referenced this movie during my actual Boot Camp experience. It was surreal to say the least and hilarious at the same time, you learn to love the torture, its complicated.
I also liked just how clearly deranged Hartman was. He's confronted by a maniacal-looking Pyle holding a loaded weapon and the only thing he can think to do is scream abuse at him. Not the best idea, that one.
Looking back at my time in the military, the best thing that I did was spend 4 months getting into great shape before going off to basic training. Being a decent ex-distance runner didn't hurt. I was surprised by the number of people who showed up at basic completely out of shape. Those individuals were at a complete disadvantage with not only the initial physical training, but also the leadership opportunities that were provided throughout basic. One particular person was very much like Pvt Pyle. At the time, his struggles made me wonder why he thought the military was a good option in the first place. Everyone has their reasons. I was looking for a physical challenge and leadership experience. Others were likely looking to turn over a new a leaf and they viewed the military as the best avenue.
WOW I've seen this movie several times and I only just now realized that this character was played by Vincent D'Onofrio. Most people probably know him from Law and Order: Criminal Intent, but he's also pretty great in Godfather of Harlem (underrated crime TV show) where he plays a mobster that is equal parts violent yet loving towards his family, etc.
It's really sad that these days the ad revenue is so lame on RU-vid producers need to rake up money to keep afloat. I remember a time on this site pre 2014 when ad revenue was amazing and that created an environment for producers to generate great content without the need to ever impose on the audience to dish out. It's horrible how these days apart from making great content you have to beg for money from the loyal audience who never understand how income on this site has collapsed against core company that's producing all time record profits. The small amount of producers who caused the adpocalypse have done an incredible amount of damage. Google should have unplugged these rogue producers and let the rest of us breath without the suffocation of today's nil income RU-vid.
@@Malum09 Yeah Val KIlmer and Kubrick in the same movie would have resulted in a supernova in the whole galaxy. Kubrick wasn't easy to work with either.
I was in the army with a guy that looked just like Private Pyle and he was literally one of the most in shape people I’d ever served with. He just couldn’t ever lose the weight for some reason even though he was a PT stud. Great soldier this guy was.
Love your Videos!!! From 1:48-1:52 When speaking about Matthew Modine, the picture referenced is an actor named Johnny Whitworth, from the 1995 film "Bye Bye Love" also staring Matthew Modine. Sorry for "well actually-ing" a year old video.
amazing video! looking forward to the next one I really love Pyle's character and seeing clips of it is what really made me get into watching the movie.
It's amazing he was Priv. Pyle in FMJ, Goren on Law & Order and played the bug Edgar in Men In Black. Blows people's minds when you tell them. Lots of range
watching your videos seems that movies were for Kubrick just an excuse to express his sadistic impulses... I think you're right! super intelligent people are often cruel
He made other people work for him. He basically sat around doing nothing and indulged his own every whim. A megalomaniacal rich man who I don't think was actually all that disciplined and certainly no "genius". He was just good enough and also amateurish enough to make interesting work. But everything of his is like applauding a finger painting by a child. It's remarkable that his films manage to look like films, while also being incompetent curiosities.
Your statement alone is proof that true intelligence can't be measured... not by I.Q., not by anything. Was Hitler intelligent? He got an entire country to believe his bullsh*t only to end a total failure, destroying millions of lives including his own, putting a bullet in his brain. Success? I think not. Truly intelligent people achieve or nearly achieve self actualization, which is the closest thing to true love for all things, and, by definition, the furthest thing to cruelty one can fathom. That is true intelligence. That is success. We must always be careful how we define "intelligent".
An older guy here who doesn't keep up with the times, but I'm subscribing because out of the cinema-based channels, you were the most calm and humble of them all. By far. You're informative without sounding like you're on cocain. Others seem to be hyper-articulate for no apparent reason, complimenting the most obvious but lasting film-making problems; mistaking films that simply have more of everything and successful at the box office as "good" films. Of course this films make money... they allow everyone to keep chewing food with their mouths open, ratting the bag for every piece of popcorn or candy, answering their phone, getting up to go do something, or bringing their 3 year old to an R rated film and still know what's going on in the story because.... there's explosions. Anyway, bravo and keep up the good work. I'll try to look through what you've covered before I start any requests.
From IMDB's Trivia: "Mickey Mouse is referred to at the end of both segments. At the end of the boot camp segment, Gunny Hartman yells "What is this Mickey Mouse s*it." At the end of the Vietnam segment, the Marines are singing the theme song to The Mickey Mouse Club as they march away from the burning city of Hue. Also a Freeze-Frame Bonus: look toward the background of Lt. Lockhart's office, figurines of Mickey and Minnie Mouse can be seen."
I am new to these comments a little while back I commented on the Mickey Mouse on Jameson travels Full Metal Jacket fact or fiction I'm going to have to go back and see what I said Kubrick seems to put little things and all of his movies
i have such a deep love for Donofrio. The amount of hours I spent watch him being the wacky detective Goren is borderline unhealthy. So talented. BEst Kingpin ever.
I've never seen him as Kingpin but I can just imagine him as Kingpin. He's got the size and intensity. In the comics Kingpin was big and fat but also really powerful.
I can't believe that is Vincent D in 'Adventures in Babysitting'! I never recognised him. I have watched FMJ several times but i have to admit i watched the first half more often. The film wouldn't be the same without Vincent D and RL Emery. Phenomenal acting.
I knew Vince when he was a bouncer. I myself was a Bartender there. The photo of the HRC that they show is not the one we actually worked at. We worked at the original site on W. 57 Street east of 6th Avenue. So happy for his success. When was this made for them not to mention his long run on Law and Order or the remake of the NYC subway highjack movie?
I don't know about any of you but that scene when Gomer Pile snapped scared the shit out of me when I first saw it. The tone, the music and the performance were super effective.
I can tell you from experience, nothing like that has ever happened in boot camp. Every rifle or pistol round is accounted for. You will not get off the shooting range until after every round is accounted for.
@@angelomanos1502 ''if you're going to analyze everything in terms of plausibility and credibility, then no fiction film can stand up to that approach, and you wind up with a documentary.'' -Alfred Hitchcock
One thing I never got about the Pyle character, is that at first he's terrible at soldiering, causing him to be hazed and bullied by everyone around him, which at that time draws him towards madness, but then later begins to improve and do much better, and it seems like he's going to be ok, but then out of nowhere, he suddenly becomes the monster in the latrine. Never been sure what triggers him, when he seemed to be doing well. I guess that is supposed to depict the nature of Insanity.
Well think about this people snap sometimes for literally no reasons a lot of times. And the trigger can be anything from time passing by to Gomer Pyles case. Once a person gets to a certain point mentally it's just a matter of when
I think he summed it up when he said I live in a world of s*** he had no idea what the world was like until he was sent off to war and war is the world of s*** . his reward was going to war that was the reality of teenage boys during the Vietnam era... going through all that he went through and boot camp a lot of it he did deserve a lot of it he didn't! For graduation they won being sent off to actual War. That's why most people say that Lee Army'z character wasn't the enemy he was really trying to get these people ready to defend our country successfully in his mind and methods of 1960s!?! ? Joker snowball all the rest of them were devastated when they're DI was no more and they were sent off immediately. this type of s*** did happen.
@@josephclemmons5234 The army breaks people down and builds them up, he wasnt built back up right, he lost his childish innocence in there when he was broken by the DI, and he didnt know how to adapt to his own new reality, it happens to some in the military, especially when theres NO support from his peers (other than joker, but even he at the end betrayed him) making him spiral down to madness
When people constantly treat you with disrespect, you lose your ability to respect anyone. Every person in my life who has ever gotten an attitude with me over something I did, I always end up snapping at them 10xs harder than they ever did to me.
I went thru Parris Island from Jan 1969 to March 1969.There were no jelly donuts. What You folks see in F M J,. was nothing like it really was. Parris Island is 100 times worse than what is depicted. Blanket party happened in my platoon. I was the Fire Watch and the Squad Leaders, Right Guide, House Mouse's, and Scribe told me they were doing it during my watch. I told them NO WAY ON MY WATCH! They told the DI that I was not going to cooperate. During my watch, the DI called me into his hut. I thought he was going to kick my ass again but I went in. He was real nice to me and asked me about my family etc. 45 minutes later, I went back out to the squad bay to find out that they beat the Hell out of 6 Recruits while I was in the DI hut. I was beyond enraged. During Infantry Training Regiment, I caught 3 of those involved in the showers. I stalked them. They were naked, I wasn't and had combat boots on. I beat Hell out of them. My only regret is I could not get even w/the rest who were involved.
@Bill McKay There were no fights between Recruits in Boot Camp. One of the 6 beaten in my platoon had been recycled back from a graduating platoon. He had an IQ of maybe 40, I had to help dress him in the morning. He once again made it to the final week when our DIs' called him into their hut to inform him he was being discharged. Another Recruit, who I would say was better qualified to join our ranks than me, had an acne problem and was recycled back to the 6th week for that. He was crying when I came back from the DI's hut. Why he was beaten was a mystery to me. Our DI had made a list was my only guess. This DI would come in and say "The Black Glove Will Strike Tonight". That meant that someone would get strangled while sleeping. I was strangled twice in the middle of the night. Believe me, While I was in Boot Camp, I wished I had enlisted in any other military outfit. Parris Island was a NIGHTMARE for me!
@Bill McKay That is correct, Bill. Pvt Connors, whom I remember very well, was a better Recruit than me. Why was he beaten? I was beaten almost every day by my DIs. No one else in my platoon even came close. I was sent to 3 day motivation platoon. I don't know how I survived that. Recruits sent to 7 day motivation platoon were never heard from again. I understand that there is one day motivation platoon, now. That 3 day and 7 day motivation platoon were deemed too harsh. By the by, I was promoted to SGT in under 20 months which is very rare in the Corps.
Being overweight isn't really a negative in military training. It'll actually help in muscle building, since you already have the bulk to fuel the muscle growth. Don't get me wrong, the first couple weeks suck, but it sucks for everyone. But if you're too skinny... You won't even be able to function (no reserves), and if they push you too hard, it could kill you. Don't know if Kubrick realized, but Pyle was a good example of one of McNamara's Morons; Project 100,000. And those guys died at the very highest rates, cause McNamara was a dick who didn't ever make official their usage (which he said he would do to the politicians and family members of these special needs guys), and those special needs guys didn't do craptastic jobs in the rear to free up men, instead many got sent to the front... And they died, a lot, and worse yet, they got the guys around them killed as well.