They certainly do make life worth living.....until your Dick Falls Off from the Dozen or so Contagious Diseases you're going to be exposed to!

They were never that talented.....but they knew how to get attention!

On their 1989 album, As Nasty As They Wanna Be, they recorded a single called — Me So Horny!

The entire single is nothing but a lot of stupid lyrics with the Da Nang Hooker's Famous Quotes looped over and over again!

This album got the Group in trouble with this Annoying Public Decency Watchdog Group called The American Family Association.

As Nasty As They Wanna Be went Double Platinum (2 Million Albums Sold) because The American Family Association gave them more attention than they deserved.

As I said before, the Most Famous Character in the movie is Gunnery Sergeant Hartman, played by R. Lee Ermey.

In fact, when you watch Full Metal Jacket you'll have to admit that.....

"R. Lee Ermey Owns This Movie"

Everyone who sees this movie agrees.....R. Lee Ermey OWNS the first half of Full Metal Jacket!

Of course, back in 1987, his performance went totally ignored by all of the so-called Movie Experts.....people who claim to know everything about movies and try to tell all of us which movies are great and which are not.

R. Lee Ermey became a recognizable movie star because of the Fans admiration of his performance.....he's had roles in over SIXTY MOVIES because of his performance in Full Metal Jacket!

Danny has seen many, many Great Movies that were ignored by Movie Critics.....but went on to become Movie Cult Classics because of Movie Fans!

The Fans are usually a lot smarter than Movie Critics give them credit for. Not Always though.....how else can you account for Pauly Shore's (new window) success in the 90's?

R. Lee Ermey totally improvised his entire script.....which NEVER happens in a Stanley Kubrick movie!

Stanley Kubrick was known as a bit of a Perfectionist and Control Freak .....he expected his actors to read their lines EXACTLY as written.

But in the case of R. Lee Ermey.....his improvised lines were so much better than what was scripted, Kubrick allowed Ermey to say whatever he wanted to say.

R. Lee Ermey was so good in this role because he is a trained Marine Corp Drill Sergeant!

Kubrick hired him as Technical Adviser on Full Metal Jacket.....but later gave the role of Gunnery Drill Sergeant Hartman to Ermey!

Stanley Kubrick was a lot smarter than the average Movie Critic! He recognized a Great Performance when he saw one!

R. Lee Ermey gives one of the best performances EVER!

A hundred years after R. Lee Ermey is Dead, people will still remember Gunnery Sergeant Hartman!

He'll be remembered the same way that:


• Marlon Brando and Al Pacine will be remembered for The Godfather


• Harrison Ford will be remembered for Raiders of the Lost Ark
and Star Wars


• Kirk Douglas will be remembered for Spartacus


• Robert DeNiro will be remembered for Raging Bull and Taxi Driver

"The Pathetic Private Pyle"

Private Gomer Pyle!

I Swear to God!

Full Metal Jacket doesn't tell the back story of Private Pyle.....but Danny feels like he knows him intimately!

When I watch Private Pyle, I recognize some of Myself and other people I've known in my life.

What I'm about to write is Pure Speculation as to the Possible Back Story of Private Pyle.

Danny believes that Leonard Lawrence (AKA: Private Pyle) grew up in a upper-middle class family.

His parents had money.....but not enough money to prevent their son from being Drafted into the Marine Corps!

Private Pyle was probably picked on a lot growing up. He's a big guy.....but he's also kinda "Slow in the Head" and he doesn't have confidence in his own strengths and abilities.

So when the other kids saw that they could "Kick Sand" (new window) in Private Pyle's face and get away with it.....that's Exactly what they did!

Private Pyle desperately wants to have friends. So he'll bend over backwards to get other people to like him.

Private Pyle probably didn't have any real friends growing up.....how can you be friends with someone who kisses your ass?!?

Private Pyle never went out for Sports cause he was scared of embarrassing himself and drawing negative attention to himself. But his lack of Physical Activity caused him to become overweight.....so this caused him to be picked on even more anyway!

While Private Pyle is in Boot Camp, the Marines attempt to Break him down in order to Rebuild him again as a Lean, Mean Fighting Machine!

But the Marines are a little Too Effective in their goal of turning Private Pyle into a Killer.

Which leads me to my Next Point.....

Danny's Insane Thoughts
And Observations —

"We Are All Naturally Violent!"

Stanley Kubrick makes no Political Statement about War.....although the extreme violence in Full Metal Jacket can be misunderstood as an Anti-war Statement.

Full Metal Jacket just shows Cause (Warfare) and Effect (Destruction) .....nothing more!

War is a Chaotic Event. War can lead to madness.

The Moral Uncertainty of the world is on Full Display during a War.....and that truth is difficult for People to Accept.

The Truth being that Human Beings are Naturally Violent.

Even warfare manuals like The Art of War by Sun Tzu (new window) explains that Warfare is bloody, messy, costly and should be used as the last option.

But no where in The Art of War does it say that War should be avoided at all costs. Sometimes War cannot be avoided.

As I said before, many Leaders did everything they could to Appease Adolf Hitler to prevent War.

But War couldn't be avoided because Adolf Hitler was a Maniac who wanted War!

The fact that so many European Leaders tried to Negotiate with Hitler was only seen as a sign of weakness by Hitler.

Today, Islamic Extremists are intent on making War on the United States and other countries.

Our government knew of this potential threat throughout the 1990's.....but did nothing to stop it. This was seen as a Sign of Weakness.

When 9/11 occurred, War became unavoidable.....History has a Tendency to Repeat itself if the Mistakes of the Past are Forgotten or Ignored.

No one likes War.....but not liking something doesn't mean that it's not Necessary.

You wouldn't want to Exercise and Train for Seven Hours a Day, Seven Days a Week, Fifty Weeks a Year!

But if you expect to Win a Gold Medal at the Olympics, that's exactly what you have to do.....whether you like it or not!

Most Anti-war movies are Completely Juvenile and Unrealistically Idealistic .....no effort is put into giving a Fair and Accurate depiction of War.

The Only Point-of-View presented is the Anti-War Point-of-View!

Danny doesn't like that kind of Biased Film Making!

People who make Anti-War Movies are either Naοve or they're just making a war movie that they think the public wants to see.

Hollywood took a lot of heat in the 40's and 50's because their War Movies appeared to Glorify Warfare.....if these movies appeared to be Pro-War it was only to give moral support to soldiers and their families during times of war.

Instead, Hollywood War Movies now give off the impression that War must be "Avoided At All Costs".....which is a Very Ignorant statement to make.

One Extreme Message (Pro-War) was simply substituted for another Extreme Message (Anti-War)!

Only Arrogant and Naοve People can pretend to think they know so much about the world.....when they really don't.

And it just so happens that Pampered Hollywood Types and Wealthy Elitists are exactly the Arrogant, Naοve people who push these Bullshit Anti-War Sentiments.

Most anti-war movies preach to their audiences and pretend that Peace is the natural order of things.....which is a Total Lie!

War is the Natural Order of Things.....sorry, but it's True!

It is Peace that is Unnatural.....especially for Men!

A human being has to be Taught to act civilized because it's not something that a human being Instinctively knows how to do.

If a human being were NOT taught by other human beings the skills of acting civilized, his natural Baser Instincts would take over.....he would act like a Violent Savage!

Exactly like the Darwinian "Monkey-Men" in another Stanley Kubrick Classic: 2001: A Space Odyssey!

Our Natural Instincts is to be Violent.....until we are Tamed & "Feminized" into being Non-Violent.

I like to think of myself as an Observant Person.....and I'm just writing down Reality as I see it.

Coming to terms with the Dark Side of the World allows me to Understand it and to Confront it.....simply Ignoring Evil or Avoiding Evil will only leave you Unprepared to Fight Evil when Evil comes looking for you!

A few years ago, I read somewhere about The Google Corporation's Motto!

The Google Motto is simply "Don't Be Evil."

Well, first you have to understand what Evil is.....before you can learn to avoid doing it!

Danny is the most Decent and Upstanding Dude that you will EVER Meet!

And the reason why "I'm So Cool Like That" is because I've learned to Not Be Evil.

In fact, let Danny impart some Words of Wisdom to you on the subject of Good and Evil.....

Now Danny's Getting Really Preachy —

"The Truth About Good And Evil"

There is Violence Everywhere....especially in Nature. The Weather is Violent, the Oceans are Violent and Wild Animals are Violent!

We have violence going on RIGHT NOW under the Earth's Crust that we're not even aware of.....but occasionally that Violence gives all of us a Good Hard Smack in the Face in the form of Earthquakes and Volcanic Eruptions!

Even the Cold Vacuum of Outer Space is Violent!

The only spots that are Not Violent are isolated spots controlled by Wealthy People.....Yes, there are People who are Wealthy Enough to Shield themselves from the Violence of the World.

Even the famous Yin/Yang Symbol (new window), frequently seen in Karate Dojos, actually represents The Duality of Mankind.

True balance comes from understanding that we are all Both Good and Evil .....that one goes hand-in-hand with the other.

If evil didn't exist, there would be No Purpose for good to exist.....and vice versa. One cannot live without the other.

Over the years I've learned to understand this Fundamental Principle of the Human Race.

Of course, that doesn't stop Danny from trying to do more good and less evil.

That's why he writes "Born to Kill" on his helmet.....and also wears a Hippie Peace Symbol.

Even Peace-Loving, Tree-Humping Hippies consider themselves to be at War with Conservatives and others who do not share their Hippie Point-of-View.

I guess you could say that Warfare is the expression of The Duality of Mankind.

When you try to avoid war and look for other ways to resolve your differences, chances are war will be avoided.

But sometimes War cannot be avoided.

So you must Always be Prepared For War.....even during Peacetime!


This is a Classic Paradox.....

People can debate the morality of that till they are Blue in the Face.....but this is the situation as presented in Full Metal Jacket:


• Whether these boys like it or not, they will be put into Combat against an enemy that wants to kill them.

Whoever the Politicians were who initiated the conflict in the first place is irrelevant to these boys and their situation.


• So the question becomes: What will happen to these American boys if they are NOT trained to be Killers?

Answer: They will be Killed themselves.


• If you find yourself in a situation where you will have to Kill to Survive.....wouldn't you prefer to survive?

And isn't your best chances for survival going to be through Preparation and Training before entering Combat?

This movie is just one more reason why I respect Stanley Kubrick so much.

Not to mention the fact that.....

"Stanley Kubrick Does NOT
Preach Down To His Audience"

It was called Paths of Glory (starring Kirk Douglas).....Kubrick was about 30 years old when he directed it.

Fast Forward Thirty Years to 1987.....and Stanley Kubrick is an older and wiser man.

He's had much more real life experience at 60 years old in comparison to when he was 30 years old.

Kubrick now understands that he does NOT have all of the answers.

Kubrick now understands that the world is a Naturally Violent and Complicated Place....with No Easy Answers.

Easy Answers only exist and work in the Imaginations of People who have No Real World Experience.....and they exist in the Twisted Minds of Politicians looking to Exploit the Innocence (or is it Ignorance?) of their own Voters.

The world is Violent, Fluid, Uncertain.....and Constantly Changing.

So rather than make a movie with a Political Statement (with easy answers) attached.....Kubrick presents a setting (The Vietnam War) with people reacting like real people would to the Chaos going on around them.

Kubrick doesn't tell the audience how to think, feel or react.....he doesn't try to force his opinion or Political Agenda on the viewer.

His ego is not dependent on having his audience react in the way that he wants them to.

In Full Metal Jacket, Stanley Kubrick is more like a War Photojournalist ....taking photos of the war and it's aftermath. He doesn't try to soften the impact at all.

All Stanley Kubrick is doing is showing things as they are.....and usually the Truth is Pretty Ugly.

Really Stupid!

Even most Political Leaders don't buy that Garbage.....but they pretend that they do because their voters will not vote for them otherwise.

If people don't like Full Metal Jacket, it's because they don't know Stanley Kubrick's feelings about the Vietnam War.

Kubrick deliberately kept his own personal views out of the movie.

Unlike Oliver Stone, who makes his views about the Vietnam War perfectly clear in Platoon.

They miss the point that Full Metal Jacket was never intended to be about Stanley Kubrick or his Personal Beliefs!

Movie making is really an Artform.

And Art is supposed to be about Truth.....not Propaganda!

No Phony Sentimentality or Phony Sympathy.

This is why Stanley Kubrick movies are Timeless!

Full Metal Jacket is not the conventional Hollywood War Movie that you've seen hundreds of times before.....that's what makes it Unique and Special.

The fact that Kubrick got fed up with the Hollywood System of making movies and moved to England in 1962 should tell you that Kubrick was the best because he DIDN'T follow the Hollywood Mainstream.

Stanley Kubrick did his own Thing.

Stanley Kubrick was his own Man.

This is why Danny has the Highest Level of Respect for Stanley Kubrick!

You see.....you don't need to Suck Up to anyone in Hollywood to become a Great Artist or Director!

Your Greatness is determined by the Service you provide to the People..... Stanley Kubrick's service was making Great Movies for Movie Fans to enjoy!

The People will Always judge your Greatness based on the Quality of your Work and the Quality of your Service.....this applies to Any Field of Work you are involved in!

Now allow Danny to wrap up this Brilliantly Conceived Movie Review with a Few Last Words about.....

"The Music And Writing That Made
This War Movie A Classic"

Lots of Great 60's Music can be found in Full Metal Jacket.....from Nancy Sinatra to The Rolling Stones!

If you've disagreed with everything else that Danny has written about this movie.....I'm sure we can all agree that the Full Metal Jacket Soundtrack Kicks Ass!

Shortly before he died in 1993, Gustav Hasford wrote a sequel to The Short-Timers called The Phantom Blooper.

I've never read either of these books because they've been Out of Print for many years.

But while preparing to write this Full Metal Jacket movie review, Danny found out that you can read both of these novels online at Gustavhasford.com! (new window)

"CAST

OF

FULL METAL JACKET"

Private Gomer Pyle: Seven-six-two millimeter. Full. Metal. Jacket.

Private Payback: Fuck you, Stork.

Private Stork: Throw 'em a basketball!

Private Joker: I'm a combat correspondent.

Animal Mother: Well, you seen much combat?

Private Joker: I've seen a little on TV.

Animal Mother: You're a real comedian.

Private Joker: Well they call me the Joker.

Animal Mother: Well I got a joke for you. I'm gonna tear you a new asshole.

Private Joker: [Joker does his John Wayne impersonation] Well, pilgrim, only after you eat the peanuts out of my shit.

Animal Mother: You talk the talk. Do you walk the walk?

Private Joker: A peace symbol, sir.

Pogue Colonel: Where'd you get it?

Private Joker: I don't remember, sir.

Pogue Colonel: What is that you've got written on your helmet?

Private Joker: "Born to Kill", sir.

Pogue Colonel: You write "Born to Kill" on your helmet and you wear a peace button. What's that supposed to be, some kind of sick joke?

Private Joker: No, sir.

Pogue Colonel: You'd better get your head and your ass wired together, or I will take a giant shit on you.

Private Joker: Yes, sir.

Pogue Colonel: Now answer my question or you'll be standing tall before the man.

Private Joker: I think I was trying to suggest something about the duality of man, sir.

Pogue Colonel: The what?

Private Joker: The duality of man. The Jungian thing, sir.

Pogue Colonel: Whose side are you on, son?

Private Joker: Our side, sir.

Pogue Colonel: Don't you love your country?

Private Joker: Yes, sir.

Pogue Colonel: Then how about getting with the program? Why don't you jump on the team and come on in for the big win?

Private Joker: Yes, sir.

Pogue Colonel: Son, all I've ever asked of my marines is that they obey my orders as they would the word of God. We are here to help the Vietnamese, because inside every gook there is an American trying to get out. It's a hardball world, son. We've gotta keep our heads until this peace craze blows over.

Private Joker: Aye-aye, sir.

Private Joker: What was the matter with him?

Private Cowboy: He was jerkin' off ten times a day.

Private Eightball: No shit. At least ten times a day.

Private Cowboy: Last week he was sent down to Da Nang to see the Navy head shrinker, and the crazy fucker starts jerking off in the waiting room. Instant Section Eight. He was just waiting for his papers to clear division.

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