The second half of Full Metal Jacket...

[El Mudo]

Is one of the most under-appreciated, underrated, wonderful pieces of cinema there is.

Constantly, when people bring up the movie, all they want to talk about is the first half (the Gunnery Sgt. Hartman stuff), which is really only memorable because its so quotable (and really, is no different from any OTHER basic training sequence in any other war picture).

The second half of the movie has all the best scenes.

-the hooker who steals Joker's camera
-Joker's "does this mean Ann-Margret's not coming?" quip
-Animal Mother
-the maniac door gunner
-the Marine Colonel that jumps on Joker outside of Hue
-the other hooker scene with 8 Ball
-the "how do you get 5 black guys to stop raping a white chick" joke
-Mickey Mouse song

And that's just off the top of my head.


I mean, seriously, that stuff is a MILLION times better than anything in the basic training sequences. I'm not saying those scenes aren't great themselves, but you can't say the best part of the picture is R. Lee Ermey yelling at guys for an hour. Not stacked up against the scenes that follow it.

[King Hippos Bandaid]

I love both parts equally, but actually look forward to the craziness of the Vietnam War which was the 2nd Half

the sniper who does some damage, finding out it was a young chick (could be dude, they all look the same)

[Boogie in Va]

-the hooker who steals Joker's camera



I thought it was a guy who stole it while Joker was talking to and taking pictures of the hooker. Then he did his spoof karate moves.

[furie]

nope. basic training was the better half of the movie.

the second half of the movie should be called FMJ Part II: In country

[TheMojoPin]

Right on, Mudo.

[Crispy123]

How do you kill women and children?

You just dont lead them as much!

and


too boucoup


classic

[foodcourtdruide]

Is one of the most under-appreciated, underrated, wonderful pieces of cinema there is.

Constantly, when people bring up the movie, all they want to talk about is the first half (the Gunnery Sgt. Hartman stuff), which is really only memorable because its so quotable (and really, is no different from any OTHER basic training sequence in any other war picture).

The second half of the movie has all the best scenes.

-the hooker who steals Joker's camera
-Joker's "does this mean Ann-Margret's not coming?" quip
-Animal Mother
-the maniac door gunner
-the Marine Colonel that jumps on Joker outside of Hue
-the other hooker scene with 8 Ball
-the "how do you get 5 black guys to stop raping a white chick" joke
-Mickey Mouse song

And that's just off the top of my head.


I mean, seriously, that stuff is a MILLION times better than anything in the basic training sequences. I'm not saying those scenes aren't great themselves, but you can't say the best part of the picture is R. Lee Ermey yelling at guys for an hour. Not stacked up against the scenes that follow it.

I love the film, love the whole movie, but I must say that the best two scenes happen during basic training:

1. Soap beating.
2. End of basic training scene.

[El Mudo]

nope. basic training was the better half of the movie.

the second half of the movie should be called FMJ Part II: In country

I still can't understand. Why? I just don't see any substance there, at least compared to what follows it.

Is it fun to watch? Yeah, but its not what makes the movie great (and its not even as fun as what follows)

[foodcourtdruide]

I still can't understand. Why? I just don't see any substance there, at least compared to what follows it.

Is it fun to watch? Yeah, but its not what makes the movie great (and its not even as fun as what follows)

You wouldn't say D'Onofrio gives the best performance in the film?

[A.J.]

-the Marine Colonel that jumps on Joker outside of Hue

He gives some of the best lines in that movie.

[Crispy123]

You wouldn't say D'Onofrio gives the best performance in the film?

No way its Modines film. I like the movie as a whole if you divide by Vietnam/Bootcamp there are great parts about both and parts that can be argued as less than stellar.

[El Mudo]

You wouldn't say D'Onofrio gives the best performance in the film?


Actually, to briefly think on it, I would give it to Adam Baldwin, who played Private Pyle better than D'Onofrio did. He did sinister psychopath much better (even though D'Onofrio only had that one scene)

[foodcourtdruide]

No way its Modines film. I like the movie as a whole if you divide by Vietnam/Bootcamp there are great parts about both and parts that can be argued as less than stellar.

I agree with your second point, iffy on the first. I don't want to give a definitive answer, it's been so long since I've seen it.

[El Mudo]

He gives some of the best lines in that movie.

Exactly!!!! All of which are much, much better than anything done by the GS Hartman character

[foodcourtdruide]

Actually, to briefly think on it, I would give it to Adam Baldwin, who played Private Pyle better than D'Onofrio did. He did sinister psychopath much better (even though D'Onofrio only had that one scene)

You could probably even argue R. Lee Ermey. Really a fantastic film.

[furie]

I still can't understand. Why? I just don't see any substance there, at least compared to what follows it.

Is it fun to watch? Yeah, but its not what makes the movie great (and its not even as fun as what follows)

it's the end of innocence, the shock of their new reality.
there is some real character development there.

by the second part, the characters almost don't seem to care where they are and they are tough to identify with. The only characters that are worth a shit in the second part, come from boot camp.

[foodcourtdruide]

This should be a poll!

[El Mudo]

it's the end of innocence, the shock of their new reality.
there is some real character development there.

by the second part, the characters almost don't seem to care where they are and they are tough to identify with. The only characters that are worth a shit in the second part, come from boot camp.


But wouldn't you say that the fact that they "don't care where they are" is an example of character development? Its a process of them assimilating/adapting to the dreary, depressing Hell they've been dropped into and projecting themselves outside of it in order to maintain their sanity (like singing the Mickey Mouse song). Remember at the beginning when Joker's narrating and says "the Marines do not want Robots"? The second half is them becoming those robots because its the only way they can survive, and its fascinating to watch.

[Furtherman]

I've always seen the movie as a whole, whereas you can't watch one part without the other.

Kubrick actually filmed the second part first.

[furie]

But wouldn't you say that the fact that they "don't care where they are" is an example of character development? .

no, i wouldn't. i would say that the characters had developed and stayed that way.

[Crispy123]

You could probably even argue R. Lee Ermey. Really a fantastic film.

r lee ermey played r lee ermey, that wasnt "acting". D'onofrio was extremely good as Pyle.

[Death Metal Moe]

A buddy of mine didn't even know there was a 2nd half to the movie because every time he and his friend who owned the movie would watch it, his friend would turn the movie off as soon as Pyle blew his brains out.

I definitely like the 1st half way better but the whole movie is great.

[topless_mike]

dont know if this is one of those interwebz myths, but i recall reading (or hearing) somewhere that R Lee Ermy stormed into Kubrick's office in full DI gear and used the same tone as the earliest parts of the boot camp. correct if i'm wrong.

the film doesnt make much sense without both parts. at least thats how i always viewed it.
actually, if you think about it, the 2nd part of the movie is more important because GS Hartman transformed these people into robots. to not show them actually go to war would be like jerking off and then stopping just before you nut.

[A.J.]

dont know if this is one of those interwebz myths, but i recall reading (or hearing) somewhere that R Lee Ermy stormed into Kubrick's office in full DI gear and used the same tone as the earliest parts of the boot camp. correct if i'm wrong.

He was first a technical advisor as he was a former DI, but Kubrick liked him so much he was cast in the role and improvised most of his dialogue.

[Sarge]

One of my favorite scenes in the second half is when they are being interview by the camera crew, and Joker says something like " I wanted to see a beautiful country that is full of history, and meet exotic people...and kill them."
The Marine Colonel is the most underrated character in the film in my opinion.

[A.J.]

He gives some of the best lines in that movie.

The Marine Colonel is the most underrated character in the film in my opinion.

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