FMJ is a boot camp movie, not realistic at all to the Vietnam war.
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Archived from the IMDb Discussion Forums — Full Metal Jacket
Badlands1 — 9 years ago(January 03, 2017 02:19 PM)
FMJ is a boot camp movie, not realistic at all to the Vietnam war.
They never made it into the jungle, or even into Asia! It was shot in cold England, in a 6-7 story warehouse district, while Hue was a lush tropical 2-3 story city.
Kubrick never had a planned ending and it fails. He even asked the actors how to finish the movie, hence the dumb mickey mouse ending.
R Lee Ermey was so disappointment in Kubrick's direction he made his own Nam' flick Siege Of Firebase Gloria, much more realistic. -
stevekaczynski — 9 years ago(January 03, 2017 11:06 PM)
There was a fair amount of urban fighting at Tet that year, in Hue and also Saigon and elsewhere. In 1972 Quang Tri in the north of South Vietnam was also the scene of heavy fighting which I believe left it in ruins. Urban fighting was unusual in the Vietnam War but it did happen.
"Chicken soup - with a beep straw." -
stevekaczynski — 9 years ago(January 04, 2017 06:41 AM)
I know they were trying to pretend they were sweltering in the tropics and it was in fact London.
As to getting air support, Cowboy probably tried but perhaps there was none, and I don't know if they had Phantoms or even helicopters to spare for every sniper during Tet. There were tanks not far away but they can be vulnerable in built-up areas.
"Chicken soup - with a beep straw." -
stevekaczynski — 9 years ago(January 04, 2017 11:31 AM)
As far as Vietnam realism goes,
Platoon
nudges it. But I don't know - is the first half a realistic portrayal of Parris Island? Is
The Shining
a plausible Colorado hotel? This is Kubrick we're dealing with. He had a reputation for being a control freak and I have some trouble believing he did not know how to end this film.
"Chicken soup - with a beep straw." -
Badlands1 — 9 years ago(January 04, 2017 05:14 PM)
I agree Platoon is way more realistic and probably the best war film there is, it's one of the few films that shows the mud, and dirt of infantry life, fraggings, rape, drugs, racism etc.
Hamburger Hill, 84 Charlie Mopic, and A Rumor Of War, are also more realistic than FMJ
Oh for sure Kubrick didn't know how to end it, just watch the documentary on the film, the actors admit he came to them for advice on how to finish it, I can provide that link if you want. -
sparker21 — 9 years ago(January 05, 2017 12:13 PM)
I once read that Kubrick considered Paths of Glory his war film and FMJ his film about warriors. It's about the experience of becoming a soldier (marine in this case) and the experience of war. With that as its subject it could be set in any war at any time, at least any time since the mid 1600s.
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Badlands1 — 9 years ago(January 07, 2017 06:23 PM)
Weird you say it could set at any place any time, yet he makes the story take place in the Vietnam War. I think that is misleading, and dishonourable to the vets. Or let alone the younger generation that may be swayed into believing that's realistic.
A Korean War movie that takes place on Mars.. Why not? -
NutMustardx — 9 years ago(January 08, 2017 04:33 PM)
Who said it was the best Vietnam war movie? You lack intelligence, who gives a beep where the movie was shot? Oh geeApollo 13they weren't really in outter space..lol..oh gee..In jaws they weren't really in the Atlantic Ocean. Are u a tardo?
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Iwatchondrugs — 9 years ago(January 14, 2017 08:37 AM)
Apocalypse Now and Platoon weren't filmed in Vietnam either.
Apocalypse was filmed on the island of Luzon in the Philippines,.
Platoon was also shot on the Philippines,on 5 locations.
Saving Private Ryan was shot in England and Ireland,except two shots in the opening and ending,the military cemetary.
A far superior film than all these(in my opinion),The Thin Red Line(1998) was in part shot in Guadalcanal, Solomon Islands,where it took place.
But they also shot in Australia and California.