Thread: Boot Camp

So does anybody actually watch the movie for the Vietnam part?

The actors name is R Lee Ermey. The reason he's so authentic in the part is that he is a retired Marine. And a former drill instructor at that. He was actually hired on as a military consultant for Full Metal Jacket. He made a demonstration video of drill instruction. In it, he went on for several minutes haranguing and insulting extras without pausing or repeating himself. And he didn't miss a beat when crew started throwing oranges and tennis balls at him. This impressed Stanley Kubrick to the point that he put him in the role instead of just using him as an advisor.
Something you need to understand about Stanley Kubrick is that he was a notorious perfectionist. He would shoot takes dozens of times to get them just right. On occasion, he would shoot hundreds of takes of one scene. With that in mind, he said that Ermey only needed 2 or 3 takes for a scene. Kubrick also hated, hated when actors would go off script. With that in mind, he allowed Ermey to improvise many of his scenes.
When Ermey said the line about "not even hav(ing) the goddamn common courtesy to give him a reach-around", Kubrick stopped the take because he didn't know what a reach-around was. After what had to have been a hilarious conversation where it was explained to him, Kubrick told him to "keep doing that". I'm assuming he meant the dialogue and not reach arounds.

Originally Posted by Macduff

The actors name is R Lee Ermey. The reason he's so authentic in the part is that he is a retired Marine. And a former drill instructor at that. He was actually hired on as a military consultant for Full Metal Jacket. He made a demonstration video of drill instruction. In it, he went on for several minutes haranguing and insulting extras without pausing or repeating himself. And he didn't miss a beat when crew started throwing oranges and tennis balls at him. This impressed Stanley Kubrick to the point that he put him in the role instead of just using him as an advisor.
Something you need to understand about Stanley Kubrick is that he was a notorious perfectionist. He would shoot takes dozens of times to get them just right. On occasion, he would shoot hundreds of takes of one scene. With that in mind, he said that Ermey only needed 2 or 3 takes for a scene. Kubrick also hated, hated when actors would go off script. With that in mind, he allowed Ermey to improvise many of his scenes.
When Ermey said the line about "not even hav(ing) the goddamn common courtesy to give him a reach-around", Kubrick stopped the take because he didn't know what a reach-around was. After what had to have been a hilarious conversation where it was explained to him, Kubrick told him to "keep doing that". I'm assuming he meant the dialogue and not reach arounds.

Yup. R Lee Ermey was the kind of D.I. I had at Parris Island in 1978. I had flashbacks...

Originally Posted by Macduff

The actors name is R Lee Ermey. The reason he's so authentic in the part is that he is a retired Marine. And a former drill instructor at that. He was actually hired on as a military consultant for Full Metal Jacket. He made a demonstration video of drill instruction. In it, he went on for several minutes haranguing and insulting extras without pausing or repeating himself. And he didn't miss a beat when crew started throwing oranges and tennis balls at him. This impressed Stanley Kubrick to the point that he put him in the role instead of just using him as an advisor.
Something you need to understand about Stanley Kubrick is that he was a notorious perfectionist. He would shoot takes dozens of times to get them just right. On occasion, he would shoot hundreds of takes of one scene. With that in mind, he said that Ermey only needed 2 or 3 takes for a scene. Kubrick also hated, hated when actors would go off script. With that in mind, he allowed Ermey to improvise many of his scenes.
When Ermey said the line about "not even hav(ing) the goddamn common courtesy to give him a reach-around", Kubrick stopped the take because he didn't know what a reach-around was. After what had to have been a hilarious conversation where it was explained to him, Kubrick told him to "keep doing that". I'm assuming he meant the dialogue and not reach arounds.

Everything you say is true Mac!
BTW....Ermey had a small bit part in Apocalypse Now as a Huey pilot during the famous air assault scene..... done to the score of Wagner's Ride Of The Valkyries !

Originally Posted by Spock

I love the Gunny! He gets to have more fun than humans should be allowed. I about died when I first saw his Geico commercial.

I love that. Especially his little move with the box of tissues at the end.

Originally Posted by Devil505

Everything you say is true Mac!
BTW....Ermey had a small bit part in Apocalypse Now as a Huey pilot during the famous air assault scene..... done to the score of Wagner's Ride Of The Valkyries !

I wouldn't necessarily call him a great actor. But he's great at what he does which is basically play himself, a tough old bastard.