Full metal jacket is a 1987 war film by stanley kubrick, based on the novel the shorttimers by gustav hasford. The book is amazing and is in some ways better than the movie. We were soldiers and young it is based on the book, and about a real event, the battle of ia trang valley in november 1965 which was the first major encounter between the us military 7th cavalry of the army and the peoples army of vietnam pavn. Ever wondered where full metal jacket got its name from. Full metal jacket is a 1987 antiwar film directed, coproduced, and cowritten by stanley kubrick. June 26, 1987 kubricks full metal jacket, on vietnam by vincent canby. The shorttimers is a semiautobiographical novel by former u. This is the grit, blood, terror, violence, destruction, and madness of war in all its many facets.
Stanley kubricks vietnam movie, full metal jacket has become a stable in pop culture with its depictions of. During the making of full metal jacket, actor matthew modine kept a diary and took numerous photos on set. In 1990, hasford published the sequel the phantom blooper. Per the movies opening credits, it is based on a novel called the short timers written by gustav hasford, himself a former marine and vietnam veteran, like private joker from both the book and film, hasford was a military journalist, so the novel is somewhat autobiographical and based on hasfords personal experiences in both boot camp and vietnam. His semiautobiographical novel the shorttimers 1979 was the basis of the film full metal jacket 1987. Hasford was a marine who had also served as a combat correspondent during the vietnam war. Watch behindthescenes footage of stanley kubricks full. Until recently, i had no idea the film full metal jacket, which debuted in june 1987, was based on a novel written by alabama native gustav hasford. The name of the movie comes from the fullmetal jacketed bullets used in the military. What is so good about the film full metal jacket that it is.
Full metal jacket is a 1987 britishamerican war drama movie directed by stanley kubrick. Sep 24, 2017 per the movies opening credits, it is based on a novel called the short timers written by gustav hasford, himself a former marine and vietnam veteran, like private joker from both the book and film, hasford was a military journalist, so the novel. Originally, the movie was going to be called the shorttimers, in reference to the book it was based on. As a marine, i felt like it was one of those movies i was supposed to have seen by this point. Matthew modine is now offering a free download of the complete first chapter of his awardwinning appumentary. While the latter is a truly 1960s film, both wideeyed and wary, about the intertwining of progress and isolation ending in our redemption, finally, by death, full metal jacket is a cynical, reaganera view of the 1960s hunger for experience and consciousness that fulfilled. Instead, we found beckton gasworks, which was constructed by the same company of architects that built in the city of hue, vietnam. Hasford was a marine who had also served as a combat. A little more than seven years later, he presented full metal jacket to the world.
Based on gustav hasfords novel the shorttimers, the 1987 moviecowritten. How we made stanley kubricks full metal jacket film the. Kubrick also collaborated with michael herr, author of the famous vietnam memoir dispatches, in adapting the screenplay. Along with michael herr and stanley kubrick, hasford later adapted the novel for the film full metal jacket. Directors influence on full metal jacket gradesaver. Full metal jacket was based on gustav hasfords 1979 novel the shorttimers. Michael herr, dispatches author and full metal jacket. Full metal jacket paperback november 12, 1987 by stanley kubrick author.
In a way, full metal jacket is the wholly grim counterpart of 2001. Kubrick often sought inspiration from literature, and full metal jacket, based on gustav hasfords book the shorttimers, was no exception. However, stanley kubrick decided he wanted to change the title to full metal jacket, after a bullet which was commonly used by marines in the vietnam war. Based on gustav hasford s novel the shorttimers, the 1987 moviecowritten by kubrick, hasford, and michael.
But this realism is not achieved by showing events as they happened. The screenplay by kubrick, michael herr, and gustav hasford was based on hasfords novel the shorttimers 1979. As for the movie full metal jacket, the director, stanley kubrick, wanted to have a combination of comedy as well as a sense of realization when it comes to a soldier becoming a marine and what it takes to be one. Modine has since developed the diary into an innovative appor appumentaryfor the ipad available from itunes. Hasford, gustav boxid ia1673201 camera sony alphaa6300 control. This story turned out to be very unconventional and unusual, because it follows the mental development of the soldiers and their emotions rather than concentrating on the war itself. Nov 04, 2016 unlike any of the films that kubrick had come up till now, full metal jacket happens to be, by far, one of the best war movies ever made. Vivian kubrick, daughter of the late, great filmmaker, shot a behindthescenes movie about the making of the shining 1980 at the tender age of 17. Michael herr wrote the great vietnam book, one of its best films full metal jacket and had a nervous breakdown in between. Michael herr, kubrick and full metal jacket books the. Over the past quartercentury, the movie has become beloved by many disparate groups of fans. Full metal jacket is based on the book, the short timers, a semiautobiographical novel by gustav hasford, and was based on his time as a marine corps combat correspondent during the vietnam war. Jerry gustave hasford november 28, 1947 january 29, 1993, also known under his pen name gustav hasford was an american novelist, journalist and poet.
Behindthescenes facts about the movie full metal jacket. The movie is based on the short timers by gustav harford. Regarded as one of kubricks finest later films, most professional critics state that it is among the greatest and most accurate films of its genre. Its a very short, very beautifully and economically written book, which, like the film, leaves out all the mandatory scenes of character development. Full metal jacket is a 1987 war film directed, cowritten, and produced by stanley kubrick and starring matthew modine, r. The 1987 film by director stanley kubrick was based on hasfords partly autobiographical novel the shorttimers. Reviewed in the united states on november 29, 2015. A full metal jacket or fmj is a bullet encased in a copper alloy such as gilding metal, or cupronickel, or a steel alloy shell. Stanley kubricks full metal jacket could be called a very. Full metal jacket diary for ios free download and software. Full metal jacket short timers by gustav hasford book.
Full metal jacket stars matthew modine check out his amazing behind the scenes book full metal jacket diary, adam baldwin, dorian harewood, vincent donforio, r. The book which critic philip beidler called a work of indisputable. Stanley kubricks full metal jacket could be called a very realistic film. As with any kubrick film, though, it has more on its mind than typical war sentiments, as it is a vital addition to his body of work illustrating the. Matthew modine is now offering a free download of the complete first chapter of his awardwinning. Jul 16, 2000 michael herr wrote the great vietnam book, one of its best films full metal jacket and had a nervous breakdown in between. Full metal jacket it shows more of what people want you to believe about the war. Full metal jacket diary fmjd has been called an appumentary by entertainment weekly, something stanley kubrick would be proud of by wired magazine, and named ipad app of the week by gizmodo. Full metal jacket by kubrick, stanley and a great selection of related books, art and collectibles available now at. Full metal jacket is based on gustav hasfords book the shorttimers. The first time i watched full metal jacket, i was in a tent in kuwait on my computer, waiting for a plane to take me to iraq for the next seven months. Oct 17, 2012 full metal jacket it shows more of what people want you to believe about the war. Apparently, kubrick was so impressed with dispatches that he specifically sought out herr so he could talk to him about the book, and kubrick later hired him to cowrite full metal jacket alongside author gustav hasford who wrote the shorttimers, the book full metal jacket was based on.
Full metal jacket 1987 frequently asked questions imdb. Full metal jacket diary fmjd has been called an appumentary by entertainment weekly, something stanley kubrick would be proud of by wired magazine, and. The director stanley kubrick also made a war story and named it full metal jacket. Unlike any of the films that kubrick had come up till now, full metal jacket happens to be, by far, one of the best war movies ever made. For full metal jacket 1987 stanley kubricks next movie vivian not only composed the score under the pseudonym abigail mead but she also shot 18 hours of footage for another planned documentary. The name of the movie comes from the full metal jacketed bullets used in the military. Full metal jacket is based off of the the shorttimers by gustav hasford, who also had a screenplay credit along with kubrick and michael herr. This shell can extend around all of the bullet or often just the front and sides with the rear left as exposed lead. The book upon which kubrick based his classic vietnam opus full metal jacket, though the film stops at the books 23 mark. Full metal jacket by stanley kubrick matthew modine, adam. The movie follows soldiers who are drafted to fight in the vietnam war. In 2005 it was published as a book, full metal jacket diary, now out of print. Hasford reportedly did not contribute much to the script except for a few lines of dialogue. Full metal jacket simple english wikipedia, the free.
I highly recommend it as a companion to the movie, especially since it carries the story beyond the movie. Vietnam war reporter michael herr, who helped write. The book upon which kubrick based his classic vietnam opus full metal jacket, though the film stops at the book s 23 mark. It is based on the shorttimers, a 1979 semiautobiographical book by gustav hasford. Per the movies opening credits, it is based on a novel called the short timers written by gustav hasford, himself a former marine and vietnam veteran, like private joker from both the book and film, hasford was a military journalist, so the novel.
The title refers to the full metal jacket bullet type of ammunition used by infantry riflemen. Full metal jacket is many things, an epic movie about the vietnam war, a chilly stanley kubrick masterpiece, a starmaking opportunity for vincent donofrio, and a collection of the wit and wisdom of marine drill instructorturnedactor r. Fmj is based on the novel the short timers by the late gustav hasford, aka, the real joker. Stanley kubricks vietnam movie, full metal jacket has become a stable in pop culture with its depictions of basic training and. Is the background story in full metal jacket based on a true. Kubricks harrowing, beautiful and characteristically eccentric new film about vietnam, is going to puzzle, anger and i hope fascinate audiences as much as any film he.
Now hes written about his friend stanley kubrick and hes not. Marine gustav hasford about his experiences in the vietnam war. The film creates a very disturbing and real picture of the vietnam war not through historical accuracy or sensitive treatment of characters, but by presenting a compilation of situations that spanned an entire war as if they were the experiences of. How much do you remember about the intense war movie full. The movie full metal jacket was based on the book the short timers. Jun 26, 2019 full metal jacket was based on gustav hasfords 1979 novel the shorttimers. Full metal jacket is widely described as a twoact film, the first being a gripping look at marine basic training and madness, and the second covering more conventional battleground territory.
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