Stanley Kubrick's FULL METAL JACKET

**Johann** · 11-27-2003, 02:35 PM

from the Full Metal Jacket script by Hasford, Herr & Kubrick:

high ranking military officer: "Marine! What is that on your body armour?"

Joker: "A peace button, Sir!"

high ranking military officer: "Is that supposed to be some kind of sick joke?"

Joker: "I think I was trying to suggest the duality of man, Sir."

high ranking military officer: "What?"

Joker: "The duality of man, sir- the Jungian thing, sir."

high ranking military officer: "Whose side are you on, son?"

Joker: "Our side, sir"

high ranking military officer: "Don't you love your country?"

Joker: "Yes sir".

high ranking military officer: "Well why don't you come on in for the big win? We are here in Vietnam to help the Vietnamese because inside every gook is an AMERICAN, trying to get out. We must keep our heads together until this peace shit blows over".

Joker: "Yes sir".

**Johann** · 12-09-2003, 01:15 PM

Full Metal Jacket has a soundtrack that is one of the best in film history.

In an interview to promote the movie Kubrick was asked why he didn't use more "identifiable" music, i.e. The Doors, Jimi Hendrix, Jefferson Airplane, etc..

Kubrick said: "I listened to every recording that was popular in Billboard magazine's charts during the Tet offensive. The music I chose is exactly from the times. Don't you like "These Boots Are Made For Walking"?". I loved reading that.

These boots opens the "second half" of the film. (That seems ridiculous to me- I only see one whole film). He's got "Chapel of Love" by The Dixie Cups, "Surfin' Bird" by The Trashmen- great use of that song, one of the best scenes in the film- and The Rolling Stones "Paint It Black" over the credits. It adds mountains of emotion to the overall impression.

"I am alive, and I am not afraid"

**Chris Knipp** · 12-09-2003, 05:28 PM

Kubrick's use of pre-existing music is a mark of his genius--think of Singing in the Rain and the Gazza Ladra overture in Clockwork Orange; the waltz and Thus Spake Zarathustra in 2001. I didn't realize that the choice of musical background could be so brilliant until Kubrick entered my awareness. I thought it was just schlocky soaring strings a la Douglas Sirk or Nicholas Ray, heavy-handed "heightening" a la Bernard Hermann, or the arty disassociation in French Nouvelle Vague flicks of baroque sewing maching music or a Brahms Sextet in "The Lovers" (wonderful, but not the power and irony of Kubrick's choices).

**Johann** · 12-10-2003, 12:24 PM

I love watching "The Making of the Shining". In it you see Kubrick drop the needle on "Midnight, The Stars, and You" (vinyl) when he's shooting the ballroom scene in the Overlook Hotel. How many other directors work like that?

None. At least Tarantino and Scorsese are still making films...

Chris Isaac is a guy who cranks out great music. When I first saw the trailer for Eyes Wide Shut I let out a yelp. "Baby Did a Bad Bad Thing" was/is one of my favorite songs, and realizing Kubrick used it blew me away. I was actually disappointed that he didn't segue into something other than the "bedroom argument" scene. Tom & Nicole groping in the mirror could have led up to a brilliant scene. I can't say exactly what I was expecting, but it was other than the bedroom scene we were given.

Kubrick apparently has a record collection to die for. He collected all of the original Deutsch Gramophon albums (classical music), and he loved the Beatles- you can see their Magical Mystery Tour album in Clockwork Orange. (It's during the scene in the Chelsea Drugstore when Alex asks if the records he ordered have come in yet. Above the counter- look hard)

Does anybody know that Kubrick gave The Beatles the extra footage from Dr. Strangelove (the arial footage of Greenland used for the "Attack Plan R" scenes) to use in Magical Mystery Tour? It is used when Jolly Jimmy says "If you look to your left, ladies and gentlemen, the view is not very inspiring. AHHHH, but if you look to your right....." the instrumental track Flying begins, and we take a psychedelic trip via Strangelove...

**Chris Knipp** · 12-10-2003, 12:45 PM

Those are interesting anecdotes, Johann, but I don't think they particularly illustrate the genius of Kubrick's use of music in his films. The fact that he has a complete set of Deutsche Grammophon classical albums, or that he plugged the Beatles, or used a cool Chris Isaak song that you particularly liked, hardly illustrate the cinematic brilliance and orignality of his use of music in his movies. What I was talking about was a uniquely original coordination of sound and image; Kubrick's ability to find a perfect piece of music to back up (1) the dawn of tool-making, (2) the smooth flight of a space ship, (3) the antics of young hooligans in a way that is startling, but seems perfectly right once you see it; that makes the sequence unforgettable, not so much for the music itself, but for the juxtaposition of that music with those images. To some extent Tarantino has that ability too, though his penchant for 70's and 80's pop/soul nostalgia limits him in a way that Kubrick wasn't.

**Johann** · 12-10-2003, 01:18 PM

Oh, you want "unforgettable"?

-The seduction of Lady Lyndon. How perfect is that scene? The music is Schubert: "Piano Trio in E Flat", and the camera tracks Redmond slowly until he meets his lady on the edge of the balcony. Scorsese says this is his favorite scene in the film, and he used it in his "Journey Through American Movies" series to illustrate Kubrick as an iconoclast.

-The trailer for The Shining. Just one static shot of the elevator. An incredibly eerie bit of music plays until the credits scroll upwards! Then you see the gallons of blood pour out of the elevator. Hoo-ha! what a killer trailer.

-Jocelyn Pook. Her score for the orgy scenes in EWS is unmatched. Scorsese took note- he commissioned her to do a piece for Gangs of New York. (A deadly piece, btw) I am in another world during those indescribable scenes. I am just in awe as Cruise's character...Leon Vitali (Kubrick's asssistant) was the Red Cloak who told Tom to "remove your mask".

-"We'll meet again, don't know where, don't know when".

-La La La La La La (Lolita theme)

-Again, Surfin' Bird in Full Metal Jacket! Awesome use of the song. Hell, even Wooly Bully is used incredibly...

and I'm with you 1000% on Clockwork and 2001. 2001 is the ultimate example of music use in film. The starchild scene? Forget about it! You feel magnificent watching that fucking scene!

**Chris Knipp** · 12-10-2003, 01:31 PM

You've got lots of good examples. I just mention the few that strike me the most; that struck me tremendously at the time. Probably "Ludwig von" in Clockwork Orange, too, though that was a choice dictated by Burgess' book.

The music is gorgeous in Barry Lyndon. As are the images. Let's not forget the development of special camera technology to shoot by candlelight, a great wedding of period and tech.

...he commissioned her to do a piece for Gangs of New York. (A deadly piece, btw)

Deadly in what sense?

THE SHINING TRAILOR OF THE ELEVATOR AND THE BLOOD: As you may know, PT Anderson watched a lot of trailors when preparing to design his for Magnolia (and any good director is a fool, I'd think, not to design his own--they're so bad nowadays, so offputting) and in interviews he especiallyl noted the Kubrick one for The Shining as an example of what a trailor should be--a teaser, and a powerful one. This thing of telling us the whole story, blowing all the important scenes, has just got to go.

**Johann** · 12-10-2003, 01:42 PM

"deadly" in the sense that it is incredible music. Ambiance from a nether world...

Wow. Thanks for the info on PT Anderson. The guy has got it goin' on...

Yes, the Beethoven in clockwork. The glorious "ninth". Heaven. Praise the heavens that Kubrick even existed. what would my world be without him? Pretty damn boring.
"The Thieving Magpie" is the music during the fight at the opera house with Billy Boy and his 4 droogs. Buy the soundtrack! It's only $8 in canada! That means it should be what, $5 in the US?

**Chris Knipp** · 12-10-2003, 05:26 PM

Got you -- like killer.

Thieving Magpie--yeah, I mentioned that a few lines back-- "the Gazza Ladra overture in Clockwork Orange". I love Rossini; the only trouble is that his stuff all sounds a little bit alike, and for good reason: he plagiarized himself frequently. But Kubrick's use of music, especially classical, is very subversive sometimes, the best kind of "thieving magpie" activity -- and for that we owe him a great deabt. What's unique is that we NOTICE the music, but that it seems absolutely right, so it doesn't distract from the scene; it only enhances it, to the nth degree at his best moments -- some of which we've mentioned in this thread. Is anybody listening? I kind of hope so, and I'll bet you've inspired a lot of people to go out and watch the movies you love.

**Johann** · 08-11-2009, 03:35 PM

Just wanted to post that members here might want to check out the 4-part documentary on FMJ called "BETWEEN GOOD AND EVIL". I learned a lot from it and it reaffirmed why Kubrick is my favorite filmmaker and always will be.

It was his answer to Rambo.
That doc has interviews with key players in the movies' making, with wonderful illuminations on Kubrick's working methods.
Essential viewing.
You can see it in 4 parts on youtube.

**Chris Knipp** · 08-11-2009, 08:49 PM

Gary Leva: Full Metal Jacket: Between Good and Evil (2007) (V) (31 minutes). On IMDb . How did you see it? On TV? Is it on DVD? Sounds interesting. Brad Pitt's performance in INGLOURIOUS BASTERDS made me think of the training sergeant in FULL METAL JACKET so I have been thinking of the latter and maybe it's time to watch it again. Everything Kubrick did is classic.

I see the answer to my question on IMDb:

"Trivia:
This making-of documentary is featured on the Warner Bros. 2007 Stanley Kubrick boxed set DVD release for Full Metal Jacket (1987), as well as the HD-DVD and Blu-Ray discs released that year. more ."

**Johann** · 08-12-2009, 06:26 AM

I saw it yesterday on youtube. Never saw it or heard of it before.
I was searching for Kubrick stuff and there were links to it.
It is an awesome little documentary. You can watch it free in 4 parts. I'll post links tomorrow- goin' to the beach today! yee-ha!
Why Matthew Modine isn't in it is a mystery.

It's got great clips and great interviews.
Must-see if you love Kubrick's work.
I've never seen it on a DVD release.

**Johann** · 08-12-2009, 06:29 AM

And 18 hours of Vivian Kubrick's "making-of" footage has been located and might be released sometime in the future.
The Kubrick estate has begun the process of allowing distinguished universities to archive all of Stanley's boxes and boxes of massive material related to his life's work.
I'll comment more tomorrow.
Film Comment's latest Jarmusch issue had an article on the art installation that was done for his "Aryan Papers".
Fascinating stuff for sure..