I am/was a US Marine. This movie is a hard pill to swallow. I've seen it at least 30 times. It's beautiful and R. Lee Ermey is almost a God to Marines.
As a former Marine I have a strange love for this movie. I went through boot camp in San Diego but had a chance to visit Parris Island. It was eerie to see where many scenes were filmed.
You're articulate & intelligent. That said, you talked over the entire film. "In terms of a story , I don' t see one". The character development occurs inside the writing. You seemed so impressed with the visuals & camera work, it went right past you. Please consider adjusting...& self editing. I'll give you another shot.
This is a classic. Great acting all around. I was in the army, so I can't comment on the Marine Corps, but it was very unusual to have only one drill instructor in the barracks. Speaking of getting your hair cut, I'm native and had very long hair. I caught a lot of heat for that. I do remember that every so often you would have a sit down and evaluation to see how you were dealing. That was so long ago it's weird to think about.
This movie is set in 1967 and 1968...the Tet Offensive that we see depicted happened in January of 1968, so their training was most likely in 1967. 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. ✌💯 Also, as others have noted, it is better for you to pause the movie to make most of your comments, that way you do not miss any dialog or important details.💯💯
This movie is really all about the lost of innocence. From Pile being childlike, and Joker's best friend dying, sniper child at the end. Like most wars, these soldiers are just young kids. That is clear at the end when the soldiers are singing the Mickey Mouse Club song
The end as they're moving out and singing a Disney song, Mickey Mouse, I always found that to be profoundly astute, haunting and diabolically clever by Kubrick.
My favorite Kubrick film is "Lolita." The atmosphere he creates where every character is... I'll let you decide. (Not criminal) Also Vincent D'Onofrio (Pyle) is a brilliant actor. He took the mundane material of "Law and Order: Criminal Intent" to a sublime level.
Sorry to bomb your forum here - but just remembered, if you wish to watch maybe the "Best Vietnam" (though i think full metal is the best Nam - this other one is equal to it IMO) movie, but one with FULL character devolopment, and less battle action, I HIGHY recommend "The Deer Hunter" - a top 10 of all time movie IMO.
I can understand your initial dislike of the pacing and lack of story, though I don't feel that myself. I actually like the absence of a clear protagonist and story. Like you I am also in awe of the cinematography, the lighting, framing, long takes and the sets. Yes, everything was practical. No CGI. Stanley Kubrick did not like to fly, and his house in the UK was not far from a gas factory that was planned for demolition. That is the location for the second half of the movie. The film-crew got permission to destroy the place as they saw fit. Kubrick had ordered palmtrees, knew each one and corrected the crew when a specific tree was not placed where he intended. While the actors had to pretend to be sweating in hot Vietnam they were actually shivering in the cold UK weather. There's an interview with the drill sergeant that is very interesting. Other making-of videos can be found. Also an interesting backstory about problems between the actors playing Joker and Pyle. They were friends, but each had studied a different acting style. That started to clash on set. Meanwhile Stanley told them to figure out themselves how to play the scenes together and what to say. They later made up and are fiends again.
Your are right about this movie not having character development - but none of Kudrick's films do - he was a philosophical/social statement type of movie maker (and one that knew how to do excellent cinamatigraphy(sp) too). I mentioned Barry Lyndon below - that was his worst film, in fact I'd recommend not bothering to see it - its very pretty of course, as all Kubrick films are - but other than that is a 5 - ave. the MUCH better version of Barry Lyndon was made 2 years later (78?) - by Ridley Scott (his first? movie) - it looks as pretty AND has excellent story and excellent character development - the movie is "The Duelists", Ridley Scott's 2nd best film, just under Alien = maybe equal to Alien. I really like it and bought the Bluray of it - the cenematopraghy is so good - as is the simple but effective story. Theme is "what is the nature of honor?" - and how it's understanding-implimentation differs between an honorable man and a thug/bully.
R. Lee Ermey is also in the movie "Seven" (excellent movie BTW), and he was in the TV series "Space Above and Beyond", when FOX offered good sleepers (1990's) as the underdog network. that TV series has a small cult following, but generally seems to have been utterly forgotten Firefly anyone? of course Firefly was also a FOX show - leave it to FOX of the 90's to kill off good stuff before they have a chance. ;-/ fking suits/beancounters.
Check out The Boys in Company C. It's a much better movie. This one gets a lot of hype, but I honestly thought that it was mediocre. Most people remember this movie due to R. Lee Ermey's character. But, R. Lee Ermey is in Boys in Company C as well. So definitely give that a go.
I appreciate your honest opinions. I agree that there are parts in this film where you get disinterested and bored and you're not sure where the film is going. Then the finally part gets you really interested again. Overall it's a good film but I prefer "Platoon" as you don't get bored and you feel immersed in the film throughout. I think a good storyteller should leave out the boring bits (filler) and only leave in the interesting bits that capture you and draw you in.
This is an anti-war movie. You should see John Wayne in The Green Berets about the same war, made during the war. Speaking of war movies made during the war, you need to see Casablanca.
ok - from what you said at intro - 2001 is his best, Full Metal Jacket is his 2nd, The Shining 4th best. eyes wide, Barry Lindon - not so great, average. along with The killers also ave. recommend: Dr Stranglove......how i learned to..blah blah blah is his 3rd best Paths of Glory I'd rank as His 5th best (an 8) BTW there was a another movie that came out 6 months after Dr Stranglove called Failsafe, which was as excellent - same story WW3 - but a serious movie, not a comedy. and another movie about WW3 almost as good as the above 2 and came out a year before both - called "7 Days in May" - about an attempt to over-through the US goverment from within.
Nah, nah… I can’t agree with your criticisms…. You need to see the film about 2-3 more times, as well as understanding the impact of the Tet Offensive on the War as well as American public opinion…. This is a film about the duality of man, and the cost to humanity for developing soldiers built for war… Like all Kubrick films, the real story is in the subplot and details.
I am/was a US Marine. This movie is a hard pill to swallow. I've seen it at least 30 times. It's beautiful and R. Lee Ermey is almost a God to Marines.
As a former Marine I have a strange love for this movie. I went through boot camp in San Diego but had a chance to visit Parris Island. It was eerie to see where many scenes were filmed.
I liked your critiques, but you should pause when you have a lot to say. Talked over a lot of great dialogue.
that made me so upset. multiple times, and he cut out so much and so many scenes i actually wanted to see him react to
And amazing because the entire film was filmed just outside of London, Kubrick had the Palm trees brought in from Spain.
You're articulate & intelligent. That said, you talked over the entire film. "In terms of a story , I don' t see one". The character development occurs inside the writing. You seemed so impressed with the visuals & camera work, it went right past you.
Please consider adjusting...& self editing.
I'll give you another shot.
Thank you so much for the constructive criticism!
Joker finally got his confirmed kill. Got that thousand yard stare, too.
This is a classic. Great acting all around. I was in the army, so I can't comment on the Marine Corps, but it was very unusual to have only one drill instructor in the barracks. Speaking of getting your hair cut, I'm native and had very long hair. I caught a lot of heat for that. I do remember that every so often you would have a sit down and evaluation to see how you were dealing. That was so long ago it's weird to think about.
This movie is set in 1967 and 1968...the Tet Offensive that we see depicted happened in January of 1968, so their training was most likely in 1967. 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. ✌💯
Also, as others have noted, it is better for you to pause the movie to make most of your comments, that way you do not miss any dialog or important details.💯💯
This movie is really all about the lost of innocence. From Pile being childlike, and Joker's best friend dying, sniper child at the end. Like most wars, these soldiers are just young kids. That is clear at the end when the soldiers are singing the Mickey Mouse Club song
Bad choice of actors then: most of them are in their late 20s while the typical recruit is 18.
R Lee Ermey was a Vietnam era Marine Drill Instructor. His performance is accurate to a T. Marine Corps Boot camp is intense.
Sgt. USMC '86-'92
Paths of Glory
The end as they're moving out and singing a Disney song, Mickey Mouse, I always found that to be profoundly astute, haunting and diabolically clever by Kubrick.
Film making at an extremely high level, bordering on incomprehensible.
My favorite Kubrick film is "Lolita." The atmosphere he creates where every character is... I'll let you decide. (Not criminal)
Also Vincent D'Onofrio (Pyle) is a brilliant actor. He took the mundane material of "Law and Order: Criminal Intent" to a sublime level.
Get some, get some, get some, get some, yeah get some baby!!!
Sorry to bomb your forum here - but just remembered, if you wish to watch maybe the "Best Vietnam" (though i think full metal is the best Nam - this other one is equal to it IMO) movie, but one with FULL character devolopment, and less battle action, I HIGHY recommend "The Deer Hunter" - a top 10 of all time movie IMO.
I can understand your initial dislike of the pacing and lack of story, though I don't feel that myself. I actually like the absence of a clear protagonist and story. Like you I am also in awe of the cinematography, the lighting, framing, long takes and the sets.
Yes, everything was practical. No CGI. Stanley Kubrick did not like to fly, and his house in the UK was not far from a gas factory that was planned for demolition. That is the location for the second half of the movie. The film-crew got permission to destroy the place as they saw fit. Kubrick had ordered palmtrees, knew each one and corrected the crew when a specific tree was not placed where he intended. While the actors had to pretend to be sweating in hot Vietnam they were actually shivering in the cold UK weather.
There's an interview with the drill sergeant that is very interesting. Other making-of videos can be found. Also an interesting backstory about problems between the actors playing Joker and Pyle. They were friends, but each had studied a different acting style. That started to clash on set. Meanwhile Stanley told them to figure out themselves how to play the scenes together and what to say. They later made up and are fiends again.
Thanks for all of this!
Damn you, I love The Bird Is A Word Song. It's my favorite part of the movie.
Sorry but you talked over some great dialogue.
Your are right about this movie not having character development - but none of Kudrick's films do - he was a philosophical/social statement type of movie maker (and one that knew how to do excellent cinamatigraphy(sp) too).
I mentioned Barry Lyndon below - that was his worst film, in fact I'd recommend not bothering to see it - its very pretty of course, as all Kubrick films are - but other than that is a 5 - ave.
the MUCH better version of Barry Lyndon was made 2 years later (78?) - by Ridley Scott (his first? movie) - it looks as pretty AND has excellent story and excellent character development - the movie is "The Duelists", Ridley Scott's 2nd best film, just under Alien = maybe equal to Alien.
I really like it and bought the Bluray of it - the cenematopraghy is so good - as is the simple but effective story.
Theme is "what is the nature of honor?" - and how it's understanding-implimentation differs between an honorable man and a thug/bully.
Yes I was also disappointed by the shining because I read the book first. 😂😂😂Hadi not done so, I would have probably liked the movie
R. Lee Ermey is also in the movie "Seven" (excellent movie BTW), and he was in the TV series "Space Above and Beyond", when FOX offered good sleepers (1990's) as the underdog network.
that TV series has a small cult following, but generally seems to have been utterly forgotten
Firefly anyone? of course Firefly was also a FOX show - leave it to FOX of the 90's to kill off good stuff before they have a chance. ;-/ fking suits/beancounters.
7:04 Roll Credits!
Check out The Boys in Company C. It's a much better movie. This one gets a lot of hype, but I honestly thought that it was mediocre. Most people remember this movie due to R. Lee Ermey's character. But, R. Lee Ermey is in Boys in Company C as well. So definitely give that a go.
I appreciate your honest opinions. I agree that there are parts in this film where you get disinterested and bored and you're not sure where the film is going. Then the finally part gets you really interested again. Overall it's a good film but I prefer "Platoon" as you don't get bored and you feel immersed in the film throughout. I think a good storyteller should leave out the boring bits (filler) and only leave in the interesting bits that capture you and draw you in.
Totally agreed!
Have you seen Oliver Stone’s Platoon?
I have now!
ruclips.net/video/IGq9TTt-_VQ/видео.html
React to ghost movie 1990 it's really good and really funny trust me u HAVE! TO! Watch it.
Battle scenes filmed in London....yes London
This is an anti-war movie. You should see John Wayne in The Green Berets about the same war, made during the war. Speaking of war movies made during the war, you need to see Casablanca.
ok - from what you said at intro - 2001 is his best, Full Metal Jacket is his 2nd, The Shining 4th best.
eyes wide, Barry Lindon - not so great, average. along with The killers also ave.
recommend:
Dr Stranglove......how i learned to..blah blah blah is his 3rd best
Paths of Glory I'd rank as His 5th best (an 8)
BTW there was a another movie that came out 6 months after Dr Stranglove called Failsafe, which was as excellent - same story WW3 - but a serious movie, not a comedy.
and another movie about WW3 almost as good as the above 2 and came out a year before both - called "7 Days in May" - about an attempt to over-through the US goverment from within.
Thanks, I'll might get to to one of those!
You have talked over almost all of the dialog at two minutes in. I gave up. I will continue to check out your reactions. I have enjoyed several.
Hi joker. 😳😳😳scary stuff.
That's why I have a hard time watching movies after reading the books.
He's showing the video and you can't hear nothing being said because he keeps talking and talking and talking . . .
It's a great film but happy it's not 🤠
It sure isn't.
Nah, nah… I can’t agree with your criticisms…. You need to see the film about 2-3 more times, as well as understanding the impact of the Tet Offensive on the War as well as American public opinion….
This is a film about the duality of man, and the cost to humanity for developing soldiers built for war…
Like all Kubrick films, the real story is in the subplot and details.
Thank you, for an honest critique.
Stop talking and pay more close attention- unless you have already watched it?
Btw.. no military in the world would want anybody that freaks out about their hair like a woman. Listening to you say that was very hard and cringing.
Bored during one of the greatest segments of cinematic history. Clown show.
Stop talking! You ruined it.
Shandor reacts to his clap! See a doctor!