The 1980s was a strong decade for war movies, particularlymovies exploring the Vietnam War, which ended for the Americans in 1975. After titles likeThe Deer Hunter(1978) andApocalypse Now(1979)several key movies in the ‘80 leaned into the less flashy aspects of the Vietnam War, questioning the morality of the conflict and exploring its psychological consequences for the soldiers on the ground.
Oliver Stone’sPlatoon(1986) remains one of the most important movies about the Vietnam War, featuring harrowing depictions of combat and what life was like for the average American grunt.Hamburger Hill(1987) is another notable title from the decade, as isBorn on the Fourth of July(1989), which takes a different approach to the war by following one of its Veterans as he becomes disillusioned by the conflict. Another 1987 film, however, remains a Vietnam War classic, offering up some truly chilling scenes.
Vincent D’Onofrio’s Private Pyle Scene Speaks To One Key Military Issue
The following contains discussion of suicide.
A former U.S. Army drill sergeant breaks down a scene fromFull Metal Jacket, praising the movie for several key elements.Directed by Stanley Kubrick, the acclaimed Vietnam War movie follows Matthew Modine’s Private Joker from boot camp to the streets of Hue as he sees firsthand just how dehumanizing war can be.Full Metal Jacket, which was nominated for Best Adapted Screenplay, features a number of harrowing scenes, but perhapsthe most iconic is a scene in which Vincent D’Onofrio’s Private Pyle cracks after being repeatedly humiliated at boot camp, shooting his drill instructor and then himself.
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In a recent video forInsider, former drill instructor Lamont Christian analyzes the Private Pyle scene fromFull Metal Jacket, using the disturbing encounter to speak about the military’s relationship to mental wellness and how this has evolved over time. Though Christian reveals that the military has become better equipped to deal with psychological issues and the effects of post-traumatic stress, his comments suggest that there’s still a ways to go.
Christian ultimately awardsFull Metal Jacketan impressive accuracy grade for its depiction of how Lee Ermey’s drill instructor character escalates the situation by unsympathetically responding to Pyle’s breakdown, which he says would have been accurate for the era. Check out his analysis and score for the film out of 10 below:
Yeah, you know as unfortunate as this scene is, for that period of time, and even now, there’s still some uncomfortableness when dealing with mental health and mental wellness. So obviously here, [Lee] Ermey’s character, he wasn’t necessarily equipped with understanding perhaps what should be done, but we’ve learned over time that there’s certain ways that we can de-escalate situations[…]
Yeah, unfortunately this happens as well. you’re able to see where all of that stress and post-traumatic stress on this guy’s life, it brought him to this point right here, and it’s something that the military has been trying to really work hard to […] eliminate.
I would say easy a nine [out of 10] for that time period during the Vietnam War.
Full Metal Jackethas a 90% score onRotten Tomatoesand marks Stanley Kubrick’s second war movie afterPaths of Glory(1957).
Our Take On Full Metal Jacket’s Realism
The Stanley Kubrick Movie Holds Up
The Private Pyle scene inFull Metal Jacketremains perhaps the most iconic moment from the film, andD’Onofrio’s performance makes the scene truly chilling to watch. It’s notable, too, that Pyle doesn’t break during combat, but during training, and this speaks to the psychological components of boot camp as trainees are taught how to kill. Though there are likely aspects ofFull Metal Jacketthat are not accurate, the movie’s commentary on the Vietnam War, and war more generally, remains powerful to this day.
Full Metal Jacket
Cast
Full Metal Jacket, directed by Stanley Kubrick, follows U.S. Marine recruits through rigorous boot camp training and onto the battlefields of Vietnam, highlighting the war’s impact on soldiers’ psyches. Released in 1987, the film stars Matthew Modine, Vincent D’Onofrio, and R. Lee Ermey.
