Joker vs Animal Mother: What Full Metal Jacket is Really About (Pt. 2) - Film Analysis
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- čas přidán 1. 05. 2021
- After the murder-suicide of Private Pyle, Kubrick most viewers expect Kubrick to keep the drama flowing - but Kubrick is Kubrick. Post-Pyle, the first image he shows us is a Vietnamese prostitute strutting down the streets of Da Nang with a 60s pop song to accompany her. It is just another example of Kubrick's constant coupling of sex and violence. The characters of Full Metal Jacket are almost universally animalistic in nature; the best example being Animal Mother. However, Kubrick doesn't strip the film of hope for overcoming our primal drives. Through the character of Joker, Kubrick explores what it means to transcend our most brutal desires and acknowledge the humanity of even your enemies.
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#fullmetaljacket #movies #stanleykubrick - Krátké a kreslené filmy
Love the ending scene there they sing the Mickey Mouse Club song as the world burns around them. The Marines are probably 18-19 years old. Ten years earlier they were sitting in front of their televisions watching Mickey. Loss of innocence.
You are right on. I watched Mickey Mouse club as kid and when that scene came on I could still remember every word.
Re: "Ten years earlier they were sitting in front of their televisions watching Mickey. Loss of innocence."
Yes, precisely.... and that scene serves as a metaphor for our loss of innocence as a nation during the Vietnam conflict.
@@GeorgiaBoy1961Yes, very well said.
I love that scene, even though it is the very last scene in the movie. The fact that the screen goes black and the opening sitar licks of "Paint it Black" start really drives this point home....goosebumps....
I know Im kinda randomly asking but do anyone know a good site to stream new series online ?
The actor that played the door gunner was Kubrick’s first choice to play GSGT Hartman until R. Lee Ermey lobbied for and won the part. The door gunner scene was the actor’s consolation prize.
I had 598 combat missions as a door gunner. They need a technical advisor because the actor had it all wrong.
@@bboomermike2126 I can imagine you’re hearing is good
@@big7491 I have significant hearing loss because of my year as a door gunner plus a constant ringing in my ears.
I am not familiar with the military - what is a door gunner? Could you point ot the Minute and Second where he is shown?
@@wodie5529 the guy shooting out of the chopper door
"Mother's heroic decision to try and save life was less moral than Joker's decision to take life, because Joker's decision transcends his animal instincts." Brilliant.
wrong. Mother put his life on the line. Joker was a choker. I like joker, but c'mon man.
Technically Joker committed a war crime. Animalmother was doing exactly what Marines are expected to do in a situation like that.
Yes. Excellent. In fact, I would say that this is what defines humans, the ability to make the choice to defy animal instincts, or in more scientific terms, to defy the selfish gene (as Richard Dawkins correctly identified). So Animal Mother's actions were simply animalistic, protecting his common gene pool, tribalism. Whereas Joker's decision was humane. To put a fine point on it though, it could either be humane or simply a form of reciprocal altruism, but either way the appearance of it is humane. And to end on a religious note, what separates humans from the rest of the animal kingdom and allows us to make choices to defy our animal nature, our selfish genes, isn't our big brains but our unique humane soul. This soul doesn't guarantee a humane being, but allows free choice, rather than being a slave to our selfish genes.
@@asianskye503 How could he be committing a war crime, when the VC sniper was dying anyway, and there was no way to transport the Sniper as a POW in time, Besides, they could not leave the sniper alive to threatnen them at the last minute. In one way too, it was mercy killing.
@@blank557 That may be true she was dying, but by most every litmus...
Article 16, first paragraph, of the 1949 Geneva Convention IV provides that the wounded and sick “shall be the object of particular protection and respect.”
Article 10 of the Additional Protocol I & of Protocol II) provides:
1. All the wounded, sick and shipwrecked, to whichever Party they belong, shall be respected and protected.
2. In all circumstances, they shall receive, to the fullest extent practicable and with the least possible delay, the medical care and attention required by their condition.
In paragraphs 1 and 2 of the Hague Statement “wounded and ill persons must be helped and protected in all circumstances”.
The US Field Manual (1956) provides that the “wounded and sick shall be cared for by the party to the conflict in whose power they may be” and that “they shall not wilfully be left without medical assistance and care, nor shall conditions exposing them to contagion or infection be created”.
The US Naval Handbook states:
Combatants who have been rendered incapable of combat (hors de combat) by wounds, sickness, shipwreck … are entitled to special protections including assistance and medical attention if necessary. Parties to the conflict must … take all possible measures to … protect them from harm and ensure their care.
Joker's gun didn't jam. It made the sound an M16 makes when you set it to fire and pull the trigger without first charging it, so that the firing pin hits nothing, because you aren't locked and loaded. An absolutely amateur mistake, the kind of thing Gny. Sgt, Hartman would have devoured his soul for doing. Normally, since an M16 is a closed-bolt weapon system, the first shot will fire. It's virtually a sure thing, if the weapon is being used at all properly. Second shot might jam, but that first one will fire.
Also, it might interest you to know that this film is an adaptation of a novel, and it is fairly faithful to the source material. The Parris Island section in particular is very little changed from the book. The book had two Vietnam sections, and these got mashed together, I assume to keep the length reasonable. The novel is much darker.
Yep I thought that as well, that it was sort of an intentional miss on Joker's part when the weapon malfunctioned, especially as he flung the rifle away from himself with both hands (like he was casting it into a lake) afterwards as if it were a hateful object. He didn't want to kill a teenage girl, but in the end he was forced to kill that teenage girl, because Animal Mother called his bluff. The Vietnamese teenage girl was Joker's one and only kill in the entire movie. It was also a callback to when he asked the helicopter guy, "How can you shoot women and children?" You see him giving up his own soul.
@@isabelmartin8427 thank you both of yall, i watched FMJ at least 10 times, im a lil bit knowledgeable about guns and movie messenges, and this 2 comments together with the video made me realize I DONT KNOW SHIT lol, freaking love the movie yet people still blows my mind about it. Gonna read the goddamm novel after this, already can feel the experience coming
Cowboy’s death in the book is haunting.
anyone know the song at the end?
How did the book described Cowboy's death?
There is another element to Animal Mother's charge at the end, and I will say this as a Marine combat veteran. More than anything else, people in war will fight for their friends. Forget the "For King and Country" crap. The friendships born of strife and suffering are often bonds of steel. Those bonds don't break; they must be shattered from some traumatic event, maybe as traumatic as those that forged the bond. This was not the act of a parent fighting for a child, but the act of a man fighting for a friend in an environment where true friends all too often end up dead.
the point either way is its driven by basic instinct.
Exactly, very well said. In the middle of a firefight you are not thinking about Mom, apple pie or the flag. It is about your buddy, shipmate, friend or what every you call them. There is no yesterday or tomorrow, it is all the here and now.
Well put. In many soldier-diaries of many conflicts - 1st WW - 2nd WW - Korea - ...WHATEVER&WHEREVER! - you often find the description of strange behaviours, such as the situation when new recruits come to a unit and nobody wants to befriend them, because they are rookies and - veterans especially - do not want anything to do with them, just because they know that if they bond, with an unexperienced soldier they might lose him before he even catches up in basic "survival experience" (& lose another friend) which - paradoxically - leaves the rookies not only in a state of almost "forced solitude", but brings them to death even closer - they just run out of time too fast. This is where experienced NCO's should "step in" and fill that "void" - bring them closer, train their basic survival instincts... but they have often their hands full with other duties (or sometimes don't care). In the first WW it was sometimes as simple as "ducking in certain parts of the trench-system notoriously exposed to enemy sniper fire". A simple gesture that should've been almost a muscle-reflex if you wanted to survive was - many times too often - forgotten or neglected by new recruits or simply ignored (even when signs where nailed to the trench wall). Nobody wants to appear cowardly - especially if they're "fresh", so they preferred to stand straight up... and die.
Being an Afghan combat veteran I can vouch for this comment
@@OG-Ghost33 Welcome home brother, happy you made it home.
Your analysis plays into that scene with the colonel, when he dresses down Joker for wearing a peace pin:
"You write 'Born to Kil'" on your helmet and you wear a peace button. What's that supposed to be, some kind of sick joke?"
"No sir... I think I was trying to suggest something about the duality of man, sir."
"The what?!?"
"The duality of man. The Jungian thing, sir."
For sure! At that point, it was just an idea to Joker. Eventually, he had to confront it.
Respectfully, while I agree with most of this, I also took issue with the part about characterizing Joker's actions at the end. While I don't recall the exact circumstances, the doctrinal position when coming upon a wounded enemy combatant would be to tend to that person's wounds as best as the situation would allow, and MEDEVAC the combatant to the rear area, where the combatant could receive further medical treatment, be held as a POW, and - most importantly, in terms of warfighting - be searched and interrogated for useful intel.
Animal Mother's response to "leave her to the rats" - while it might have been ultimately less humane - would only have been so _incidentally._ It seems to me that his duality was shown in that he was the most ready to kill (like an animal), until he came upon the child who disarmed him (by way of his parental instinct). When Joker pulls the trigger, he responds that it's "hardcore" - something he might not have been able to bring himself to do (under those circumstances).
Joker, on the other hand, shows his duality in becoming the "Pyle" of the second half. What I mean is that the climax of the first half is the oddball Pyle defying - but also attempting to impress - the "standard-bearer," Joker, by shooting the group's nemesis, GySgt Hartman; whereas the climax of the second half is the oddball _Joker_ defying - but also attempting to impress - the "standard bearer," Animal Mother, by shooting the group's nemesis, the sniper. The roles of Joker and Pyle/Animal Lover have been swapped.
Typing this out, I'm reminded of being ADT to Ft. Benning for jump school. There was an article in the post newspaper about Robert de Niro visiting 3rd Ranger Bat (apparently a family friend was serving as one of the company commanders). He talked throughout the article admiringly about the Rangers, and his wish that he could essentially join in. In another part of the paper was a poll they had taken of soldiers on base of their "dream job." The #1 answer, coincidentally was "actor." Duality, indeed!
In any event, thanks for the upload :)
@@MarcillaSmith Thanks! Appreciate the comment. You make your case well.
@@MarcillaSmith im not sure they were in any position, strategically to medivac her.
And thats the War on Terror in a nut shell
The irony of the movie shows how privates are forced to act like disciplined adults when training yet they are free to act like spoiled children when they are on tour. I think Animal Mother parallels Seargent Hartman. Animal Mother wants to make killers into 'his' children as Hartman wants to make children be 'his' killers.
What I find interesting about Joker is that he always had the drive to be a killer and child-like. He knew it since the beginning but by the end, he and the other men are used to it. Joker hesitates to kill the Vietcong girl the same way he hesitates beating Pyle. Both Pyle and the girl were forced into the military as well. Joker figuratively kills Pyle and his innocence as he literally kills the Vietcong girl and her innocence. In addition, Pyle was a child who died being a killer, as the Vietcong girl is a killer who died being a child.
We can be peaceful children and warmongering killers- hence "the duality of man".
🍺👍
Damn bro that hit harder than the weed
Wow bro. That is an excellent observation!
barf............delusional barf
You have zero proof that she was forced, you knucklehead. Viet cong were partisan fighters not conscripts like the NVA. Being history and facts support my argument, yours is nonsensical bullshit.
When Joker first shoots the sniper, I thought he was being merciful. But when another Marine called it “hard core,” it makes me think Joker shot her in the face in anger because: A) she just killed one of his best friends, and B) he had to see her humanity and wanted to return her to being a “faceless” enemy.
He did it in part to keep his humanity and revenge.
It's not simple and clear. That's the whole point.
I mean, the others calling him hardcore doesn't really change what he thought. Sure, there was anger involved, but his decision stemmed from the belief that they couldn't just leave the girl there, and so he invoked mercy on her.
@@errwhattheflip I think that the other marines that call it "hardcore" are just interpreting joker's actions as affirmation of their own beliefs
I think the "Hardcore" comment comes from an incredibly stressful situation and soldiers nortoriously bmack humour. I am guessing soldier leading upto a war are just rammed into them to KILL, KILL, KILL and with death all around them talking about death is common.
The movie left a key question hanging. Did anyone ever eat the peanuts out of Joker’s shit?
Worthy of part 3 by my estimation.
Me.
anyone know the song at the end?
@@LifeIsAStory Will you adress the issue of eating boogers from a corpse and ask for seconds? :-D
@@abaddonanon7573 I've thought about it a lot, but I've decided my audience isn't ready for the wisdom of my answer.
Animal is driven by Principle. He is part of the team. He lives and survives because of his section and platoon. This is his family. You don't leave a family member behind. The Principle allows the override of emotion and fear. He is not using his heart into his head, he is using his head into his heart.
Which replies yes, go save them, they are your family.
Exactly right!
Too much may be being read into the work Mother here. If I recall the source material correctly, Animal Mother is short for Animal Mother Fucker... Meaning that he was a total bad ass. Nothing maternal about it. He's the biggest, toughest mother fucker in the platoon.
The sniper scene actually elevated the females in the film, from playthings to a credible threat.
Animal as per is name is an unsophisticated man, his behavior is primal and rudimentary. It might be fair to call it principled, but not thoughtful or complex, more of a simple rationalization, as he runs mostly on adrenalin.
That's right. I mean it is shocking how he treats his friends and comrades when they're not in danger, being racist, provocative and selfish. But it's the kind of dangerous situation with the sniper vs. Doc Jay and Eightball when all of the brutal banter and verbal conflicts don't matter anymore. Like Eightball said, when shit hits the fan Animal Mother can be your best friend, especially that particular scene when Pvt Cowboy shows incompetency. I think Kubrick made Mother a bit more humane as a person than in the book though, I remember there being stuff about him assaulting Vietnamese women.
When this movie came out, I was in the Army and stationed in Germany. A buddy and I were traveling and decided to go to the theater on a rainy night in Milan, Italy. The film was in English, subtitled in Italian. It was weird because my friend and I were laughing when the Italians weren't, and they turned around and stared at us. I learned a few Italian swear words thanks to Full Metal Jacket. Great film.
As a marine, animal mother isn’t doing anything “animalistic” when going to save doc jay and 8-ball. Those are marines, his brothers, you don’t let your brothers lay out there and die like that. Go back and listen to the gunnys graduation speech, “every marine you meet from now on is your brother”. Doc might be a corps man, but he’s green side. Any marine worth his salt does everything he can do to leave no marine behind
yet to protect your kin is the most animalistic one can get, an example being mothers harnessing inhuman strength to save their children
@@TheOwlMan8850 I'd like to point at just about every other animal in existence, if it isn't their child, it's an enemy.
totally wrong,like sending 40 more folks in to try to save a downed pilot and lose all of them,waste of MORE lives,just your time,, better YOU than me
Interesting take, a couple of thoughts:
1) Joker's gun doesn't jam. He is a bad soldier.
2) Animal Mother is the ideal solider; he takes the initiative, makes the correct decision, his devotion to his comrades is not just instinct. Our politicians and high minded journalists tell us Animal Mother is "bad," but war is F**** up so people like that are necessary to fight it successfully.
3) I think Joker loses his humanity you mentioned before. He finally gets the "thousand yard stare" after killing the girl. Him saying, "I'm in a World of Shit, Yes, But I Am Alive" references what Pyle said at Paris Island and that reaction after taking a life isn't far off from Animal's "Better him than me."
4) Thus Joker at the movie's end is changed by war (specifically a combat situation) to become more what he had resisted the entire movie and thus loses his individuality (one might read into the Mickey Mouse closing here)
5) Kubrick thus brilliantly actually shows why war is bad, rather than just giving us a moralizing script.
The early release m-16s did frequently jam.
I must have seen this movie a million times, but I have never noticed the lyrics of 'These Boots': - You've been messing where you shouldn't have been messing - is the opening statement of the Vietnam section.
T5....I think that had registered subliminally. It's seems simple but it is the very funky truth.
@@funkyalfonso ,I agree. I believe that is a big appeal of Stanley Kubrick's films, he treats the audience like intelligent folk.
Wow. Good call.
Sleeping with rifles in training is for a reason. When you're in the field, you always need your rifle within reach. Even when sleeping. You never know when you get attacked while asleep.
Grizzly country too. A rifle leaning against a tree 10 feet away is a mile away.
You missed what Animal Mother also says during the prostitute scene, he says to 8 ball "all ******* must ******* hang". Kubrick was pointing out that the characters aren't actually racist, in a time when racism was more normal. Because even though he uses a racial slur, he sees 8 ball as a person and a brother; who he wanted to save.
At the time, I think Kubrick assumed that’s how people would take it.
I thought he said "all n****** must wait"?
I have to disagree. Racial differences are simply set aside or diverted when facing a common enemy. Its likely 8ball and Animal share the same hostile sentiment for each other but are willing to put that on the backburner to maintain troop moral and cohesion. The prostitute scene illustrates their true relationship considering this is a non combatant scenario and there for the pecking order is reestablished. Animal was reminding 8-Ball [alpha of the black troops] of his place when rank or uniform is not involved. Note no one challenged Animal as he strolled away with the prostitute.
@@azathothe Except that in the first scene together, you see both of them are shown to be friends... It's even talked about in this video.
@@vcrbetamax Still a matter of maintaining troop cohesion while in the warzone. Note Cowboy, while sitting grabbed 8Ball by the arm just before Animal slaps his other arm away. BTW during this day and age saying what Animal said would not have been said lightly or received as anything less than a threat. Animal did not smile, look for approval or wait for a response. I should add that this is not to say Animal is a definitive racist so much that he knows no boundaries when it comes to getting what he wants and knows what buttons to push to get it.
You could draw parallels between 2001 and FMJ. Both discuss the internal, primary human instinct to reproduce and survive.
Absolutely. Great shout.
@Stellvia Hoenheim I'm aware of what animals can do to their offspring. Some will leave them, some will defend them. They don't universally bail on their offspring when a threat arrives, and they don't universally defend them of course.
I get very much the same thing. in some ways, they are very much the same trip through two very different topics.
"a combat zone and beyond the infinite"...
@Stellvia Hoenheim
The stork and baby myth is a global phenomenon that's origins started back in ancient Greece not with the Baby Boomers. In order to understand why this was even a thing you have to start with a storks physical attributes. Their feathers are white and nests are extremely large. This is a sign of purity, success, and believe it or not good parenting skills. It also helps that storks nests are often close to where humans live giving them a sense of belonging to the community. I know, it sounds nuts but these people believed in all kinds of nonsensical nonsense. Here is a small breakdown of one of the origin stories of the stork and childbirth...
The story begins with a vengeful goddess named Hera who basically takes issue with another woman's beauty (Queen Gerana). This woman's beauty was said to be the best in the land and it drove Hera into a jealous rage. She winds up turning Gerana into a stork and too add insult to injury steals her child as well...not cool Hera. Gerana basically fultons (US air to surface recovery) the kid up and gets the Hell out of dodge with her child in tow. I don't remember if she is ever turned back into a human but I guess that's not really relevant.
The Greeks used to paint this as a stork carrying a child in a white blanket and the myth was born. The stork and baby mythos has existed for a really long time. Although some historians believe it started 600 years ago in Europe with the Pagans...but this is getting a bit long and honestly you probably care about this as much as I do (not much). Unfortunately, I was forced to learn all about this in a humanities class while attending college. I tried to spruce it up and greatly cut it down for your sanity (and mine). Sorry for the lengthy post.
Just like Santa Claus this is a way for parents to teach children about complex concepts that they may not be able to grasp or have no business learning as they're far too young. Teaching children about Easter Bunnies, four leaf clovers, the tooth fairy, ect...are all fun ways to foster a child's imagination.
Animal Mother is what Pyle would have been if he didn’t snap
Nice but I think he would have become the chopper gunner and he wouldn't laugh or enjoy anything about it
Pyle would have made a great Marine! RIP, Pyle! :(
What if i told you that Pyle IS Animal mother. After all dignity and humanity is beaten out of him, Pyles training is complete. Pyle the civilian is dead and is reborn as Animal mother the soldier.
Pyle is Animal Mother, he recognized him in country...you don’t just talk shit to a guy in another unit like that without knowing them. Pyles suicide was a metaphor.
@@kallegulla "Animal mother the soldier." Actually, it is Animal mother THE MARINE. Soldiers are Army. No, I am not a Marine. Just saying.
Marines, not "soldiers". The boot camp portion of the movie is the most accurate portrayal of Marine Corps boot camp I've ever seen in a movie. The war portion of this movie perfectly portrays the "personalities" Marines adopt when in combat. The dark humor, the emotional "numbness", the shock new guys experience as they see real combat for the first time (Joker), the diversity in opinions regarding "why are we here" and "everyone here is the enemy". Very accurate. I know a lot of people look at this movie as an artistic depiction of philosophical dilemmas. To Marines who have seen combat, this is more like a documentary.
-a Marine Combat Veteran
This is not just a marine thing it is an infantry combat thing
I was really happy when Joker put the sniper out of her misery even though she had killed Cowboy and tortured 8-Ball to draw his friends into the line of fire. I was hoping he would be merciful and save his own soul. Leaving her to die slowly would have been an evil decision. That door gunner was seduced by the pure joy of killing. He wasn't human anymore. Joker didn't go that way - he stayed human.
Also, to add, Animal Mother's racism and then his outrage at his Black compatriot's injury is Kubrick's statement on the duality of America: 'He may be a N, but he's a fellow American, damnit!'
I could tell you stories.
Racial jokes aren't always racism. In fact they often stem from the opposite, and are shared between bonded individuals regardless of race. Ever been on a football team or anything where people get hurt acting in a common role? LOL so many people are just so ready to burn white souls for saying a word or two out of order, and brand it "racism" when that stupid fucking word has been used as a tool for castigation and suppression of thought by talking heads for decades now. FOH, clown.
@@gregorymabrey7508 Tell ‘em, old boy.
That's kinda like the black guy in Blood Meridian, everyone is racist as hell but the black dude from their bunch is treated equally
When Joker killed the girl, it was an act of mercy, but I think there was also hatred in his face. He felt morally compelled to do this, but the act horrified him so much -- like he was throwing away his soul for this girl who'd been killing his friends -- that, while he still did it, having to do it made him hate her. Which then throws the act into a whole other morally complex snarl.
Thanks for this video. I'm a combat medic in an infantry unit and while watching this film I identified with Joker a lot. I've met Mother plenty of times in my career, and I NEVER get along with that guy. It's no wonder I hated the character. But this analysis pulled me out of my ego and reminded me that we all have a place in the story.
Keep doing what you're doing.
Trying to sound moral ?
@@TheInfantry98 sorry what,
@@TheInfantry98 no, he's just saying he's run into archetypes in the military similar to Animal Mother, and that he didn't care for them. I've run into the type too, and they're always a bit abrasive. There's no moral statement there, by just saying you dislike a certain type in the military.
I was blue side, submarines, so there was no way I'd ever actually end up in a firefight, but had I, I'd want all the guys to be more Animal Mother, less Joker. That's how you all make it our alive and worry about dealing with the trauma after.
When Animal Mother is introduced they mention he's a nut, but he's solid in a firefight. Paraphrased, but I feel like it gives you an unspoken backstory to the platoon. AM has certainly been in intense combat, either pulled some brave and heroic moves or was impressively efficient in the fighting.
The team elevates him to a higher esteem and give him extra leeway with his behavior because they know how valuable he is when it comes to staying alive.
He feels like a hero and builds up a more intense persona to maintain an image in return. Part of his motivation to get the sniper is determination to not let anyone else win.
At least that's one way I've looked at it so far.
You are absolutely correct, I think. He had a subtle respect that nobody else gets and that gets him leeway. He’s a true warrior and they need him. Appreciate the comment, I think you’re spot on.
I viewed it as AM not wanting to let his men down. He also wanted to live up to his bad ass reputation.
He straight up says it in his TV interview, he's in it to win. He doesn't care if he's being shot at or if they're throwing hand grenades at him, he's charging at the enemy and giving it to them. But don't get fooled into thinking he's a mindless war machine - his reaction to Doc J getting shot right in front of him is as dismayed as anyone else's would be. Even his name is dual. Is he an animal mother, a caring, nurturing creature, or animal motherfucker, a raw, raging creature acting on his basest instincts? He's both. Fascinating character.
In the book you learn that Animal Mother was a convicted pedophillie before becoming a soldier. Hence, he is even more animalistic than the other men.
Speaking as a man whose been in this position, there is nothing more comforting in battle than to know for a fact that the men in your truck will pull the fucking trigger when it’s time.
Almost nothing else matters.
The Marine Corps itself will violate your expectations. I firmly believe the reason there were no scenes in boot camp following Pile's shooting is because that's how the Corps works. People get injured, people do things wrong, they disappear completely. Especially in boot camp, people disappear. It's part of the training. Kubrick nailed it in that the Marine Corps doesn't slow down to grieve losses. It's business as usual and it's largely for morale.
0:55 I am glad to see that Day9 got recognized for his analytical view of Starcraft battles, and it landed him a spot on a war council.
yeah!! wtf hahahahahaha
Loooooool
Has anyone whoever was a big fan of this film read the novel it's based on, "The Short Timers" ?
The author did write a sequel in 1990 called "The Phantom Blooper". Joker is at Khe Sanh, demoted to Private (for reasons in the first novel and not the film). He is very short on his time left on his tour. He want's to do one thing, kill the Phantom Blooper. The Phantom Blooper is actually a former Marine who was captured by the VC and now fights WITH them on his own free will. But in the process Joker is captured and is held at a VC controlled village just north of the DMZ. What happens to him? Read it.
I am not a fan of this film in the slightest. I am a fan of the author of "the short timers."
yeah i read that online awhile back.
@@OldSchool82 Got to say this about Hasford on "Blooper", he really gave you the viewpoint of the war from the Vietnamese side, and why they won.
I own both books and it's a travesty that the books are out of print
@@truthseeker1871 Odd, given that you called yourself truth seeker.
Serioously, every platoon as an "Animal Mother". I love those guys dearly. Best ones to have near you.
Damn straight!
I'm an animal mother. Never been in the military, it's just who I am.
@@b.a.k5367 Lookout! We got a badass over here
@@UnprofessionalProfessor lookout! We got a smartass here!
@@b.a.k5367 Well I don't see him classifying theories here, only straight facts lol
I love this movie and I love the fact that it's so relevant that people are still talking about it. Thanks for sharing Sir.
My pleasure, glad you enjoyed!
Loved the analysis, only one thing you got slightly off in my opinion was your analysis of Animal and Joker's humanity because you forget Kubrick's blatant signaling of mankind's dualistic nature. Animal is not pure instinct, he is a human being shaved down to just above his namesake, he is purely tribal, he is willing to extend human altruism only for those in his tribe and is completely unwilling to view "the other", the outsider who are his enemy as a fellow human being worthy of mercy. Animal's moment of heroism is the "proof" that he is still human, capable of love and compassion for his tribe, even if he will not extend that compassion outside of his immediate surrogate family in his squad (like with the other dead Marines). Joker, in taking pity on his enemy and extending his altruism external to the tribe (their squad) is representative of the "higher self" in human nature capable of reconciliation and higher concepts necessary for civilization. War is mankind at its most basic, primal level, yet it is an almost entirely "human" activity which is explained in Jokers scene with the bodies when he explains his "born to kill" and peace button decorations to his uniform as representing the duality of man. Joker takes the steps needed for an end to war, yet within him, he is still a killer. Joker, an educated, by all accounts moral individual we are supposed to identify with is still in his heart, capable of being a willing participant in the violence around him as a warrior for his tribe. This is similarly portrayed in Animal's willingness to extend himself for his squad mates. The message is that we all have the capacity to commit or condone acts of depravity, evil and extreme violence but it is our "choice" to forgive, extend mercy and to reconcile which will eventually allow the state of war to end and for civilization to return. Animal and Joker dwell within all of us, our inner duality, we choose which side of this duality to express. Pile, in contrast, was incapable of holding onto his humanity when faced with the apparent contradiction in his own nature.
wow, very well said. Totally agree.
As a former Marine and a continuing human I have ti say you nailed it.
Superb analysis. I concur with your assessment 100%. Brilliantly put- BRAVO! :)
@@devin6201 you totally misread my entire commentary.
@@jetyler3400 as a former Marine and continuing human myself, thank you brother!
I went to Paris Island in 1970 about the time line this movie represents. It is as close to reality as a Hollywood movie can get. The point of the exercise is that you come in as a rag tag group of recruits, with various backgrounds and personalities...you are a maggot in the eyes of the DI. You leave as a disciplined platoon of marines. Its a miraculous change, and while it may seem cruel and inexplicable to those on the outside, it serves a purpose. At that time there were 3 phases of boot camp. I think we started with about 100 recruits and those that couldn't hack it were eliminated from the platoon and sent back to start over at the beginning of the phase they failed. I have had many accomplishments in my life, but for me this was one of the most difficult, and to this day, I am proud to be a United Sates Marine.
The whole film is a masterpiece about the conflicting feelings of war. Having fought in Afghanistan myself this film does a brilliant job in conveying what is so incredibly hard to put into words. The instinct, the love the hate and all the other things meshed together in an often disjointed and absurd manner.
One of my favorite movies of all time. My only criticism is your breakdown of Animal Mother, there is a huge part of being a Marine that I feel like you are missing. Animal Mother's instincts weren't a moral decision, it is what Marines do. You simply don't leave a fellow Marine or Marines in the line of fire. Joker was the outlier of all the Marines he was around. He was an observer, and always ready with a quick joke, thus the name. Joker even in Boot Camp was narrating almost like a third person. as if he was watching himself with a bit of disbelief in both Boot Camp and Viet Nam. There is a big difference between a solider and a Marine and something you should take into account.
At no point did this video say Animal Mother acted in any moral capacity: it was all just instinct.
And that's what they drill into Marines: the purpose of training is to eliminate things like morality and increase things like instinctual reaction.
Joker being the outlier was purposeful - it's clear his training didn't totally "take," which is why Kubrick juxtaposed how Pyle took it a little too heavy.
Even that trauma doesn't really alter Joker's humanity and, if anything, reinforces it.
Joker is not a great Marine, because he's constantly trying to be a good person, instead of a good Marine (e.g. his hesitation in disciplining Pyle both pre-suicide and the soap scene).
Animal Mother is the total opposite of that: he's a great Marine because he's not ever trying to be a good person - just a good Marine.
And, for Animal Mother, being a good Marine is just instinct, at this point: there's no "trying" and everything else is simply irrelevant.
The only one struggling is Joker.
After many viewings the final scene turned the movie around for me from depressing to hopeful with the line "I am alive, but I am not afraid."
For sure. The question then becomes: Afraid of death? Or afraid of what the war could turn him to? Could be both I suppose. Thanks for bringing up that line.
@@LifeIsAStory : I took it as more generalized, like not afraid of any of life's challenges.
@@craigbenz4835 That could be as well, for sure.
@@jakobinobles3263 : That's not what I took away from the movie.
One thing to remember about the ending is that the film is only the first part of a trilogy that was never finished (one film made, two books written). Those books are The Short Timers and the Phantom Blooper if anyone wants to find them.
I love how Animal Mother shows his teeth in combat like a (literal) Animal mother protecting her young. Like he’s somewhere between a fierce mountain lion, a strong and protective grizzly bear, and human being in war.
Joker did in fact win the Congressional Medal of Ugly that year. Semper Fi.
Seeing these films ‘Full Metal Jacket & Apocalypse Now’ made me grateful I never had to go war. I have the utmost respect for all those men.
Absolutely
I went to war and it sucked for different reasons then you think. I never even fired my weapon in anger. The country smelled, the only toilets were porta johns, the food sucked, and shit details. All things considered, I enjoyed my stint in the Army. That said, I’m happy to be out.
P.S.
If you ever get into a bar fight when you’re in the Army do these two things:
1. Win
2. Shout Semper Fi as you leave
@@wheelman1324 Thanks for your service!!🇺🇸🇺🇸 I'm not doubting you, but where did you go that the food sucked? All our food on deployments was great!! Especially 'midrats'!
@@williampierce4513 I was referring to MREs. Thank God for tobasco!
Very good analysis. And it's a truely haunting movie.
Someone else said when Animal Mother took the 2nd prostitute first, it was because he wanted to protect the other guys in case she was leading him into a trap. I don't know if that's the case or not, but it's an interesting thought.
Thanks, I appreciate it! I don’t think so with regards to Animal Mother. They didn’t seem to be weary with the pimp. They must have encountered many people of his like. Men that just wanted money. Interesting thought, but I don’t see evidence for it, personally.
This is one of my favorite movies. Your analysis of it is amazing. Really makes me appreciate not just how much thought and effort can go into making these kind of movies, but also how smart people who analyze phycology/human nature can be.
"You talk the talk, but do you walk the walk?"
“Oooooooooooooo!!!”
"This is my rifle this is my gun, this is for fighting, this is for fun." chant is a big sign that one of the points of the training is entwining the sexual instinct, which for most young men is strong and pleasurable, with killing, which for most, is not. But by entwining them, killing becomes pleasurable and therefore you're less hesitant to do it, and more likely to survive. Different characters in the second half of the movie show how this training pans out with the different personalities with Joker and Animal Mother at either end of the spectrum.
There’s aggression in sex they replace that with killing so they can be just as euphoric
This was a truly brilliant analysis of a timeless classic. You opened my eyes up to so much I wasn’t aware of and I’ve been a fan of this flick for years. I gotta watch it again now.
Thanks for doing this.
Ten months after watching both Part One and Two, this is even more satisfying to watch.
Thanks again for this great analysis.
When Joker and Animal Mother meet for the first time there is reference back to a scene in Kubrick's "2001" film.
The apes meet over the watering hole, confront each other and the two main adversaries square off and one bashes the other to d*ath with the bone.
In the Full Metal Jacket Scene Joker and Animal Mother confront one another both heavily armed however "Dark Humor" is used to diffuse the confrontation and the "new members of the tribe" are welcomed into the Platoon instead of a fight taking place and perhaps someone being hurt.
Possibly a message from Kubrick about how far we've come since apes but we are still making war on one-another, despite progress we are still killing strangers over a "watering hole" that we could just as easily share.
What do y'all think?
I like it. I need you on my payroll 😂
I think you can't share a watering hole with a blasted Communist.
@@castle3863 wdym? Communism's whole deal is about having a classless, stateless, society where everyone's equal. They're all about "sharing is caring". Besides, these arbitrary little boxes and groups we put ourselves in, serve no purpose and do very little, if anything, to benefit humanity as a whole.
Money, greed, powers that play with average Joe's and Janes.
As another reviewer pointed out, and I think it's a really important detail. When Joker is about to shoot the sniper you can see the peace symbol on his jacket slowly disappear from view until when it is finally fully hidden he pulls the trigger.
One of my favorite movies ever. I was able to meet R. Lee Ermey a year before he passed away. What an amazing man!
I also feel that Kub was showing that no matter how much training and equipment you have, someone fighting for their home with far less can beat you.
They didn't beat the US though.. especially in casualties.
@@randybobandy9828 too bad the whole thing wasn't TDM then. Saying the NVA didn't win is like saying the continental army didn't win
I’ve heard elsewhere that being good/moral/just (as much as one can be) during war isn’t for the enemy; it’s for yourself. To live with yourself when all is said and done.
Never been in a war, so I can’t really say. In my much watered down experiences with violence and force, that does hold up. YMMV.
I agree with you, imagine staring down the gun at a young girl with her short life behind her. Imagine the life she could have had, and Doc, Jay and 8-ball if they weren't ever there in the first place.
This is the second movie analysis of yours I've watched. These are really great. I will watch more. Thank you.
Absolutely amazing analysis. One of my favourite movies that somehow I never fully understood. Your conclusion blew me away and explained something I could only feel the edges of before. Well done 🙂
Animal Mother was supposed to be Pyle if he hadn't killed himself.
When I was younger in English class, I hated dissecting movies and books and thought they were pointless exercises. Your explanation and interpretation of this movie makes me wish I could go back and take it more seriously. Nice job man
Thank you very much, that means a lot. Admittedly it can be tough at times. I’m not sure about you but I had to dissect a lot of poetry and sometimes it’d be rewarding but a lot of the times it’d feel pointless, like the authors were just shooting the breeze without purpose. I’ve always liked looking at films most of all because you get the entertainment along side and there are so many things to consider (acting, score, cinematography).
Great videos both part 1 and 2. Much respect sir!! Well done 🙋🏻♂️👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻
Damn shame only half the number returned for part 2 here.
Brilliant. Lots of great perspective here I hadn't considered before. Thanks a ton.
one of the significant aspects of FMJ was the various personalities of each American soldier in this unit...from the different decor on their helmets to the points of view or attitudes on the war/people they were fighting, especially the ongoing animosity between Joker and Animal Mother, yet the significance of remaining united as a squad with the common goal of finding the sniper, especially after Cowboy (the group leader) gets picked off...and later on after killing the sniper in a collective way (in which Joker's decision to 'waste' the wounded sniper as clear point in how being the "born to kill" on his helmet overriding the peace symbol pin he wears.. this is followed by the 'Mickey Mouse" song that was sung in unity at the conclusion of the incident. One of the all time best war movies.
One thing that caught me off-guard greatly when I learned about it was that final battle scene was filmed in Beckton Gas Works in London of all places.
Shows how much ambiguity, "This is Vietnam War drama" and few palm trees can do.
man you just got me as a subscriber forever. this analysis was brilliant, thank you.
just got back from seeing this in the theater. what a gorgeous masterpiece. thanx for the commentary!
"The dead know only one thing....it is better to be alive."
Actually, one of the worst lines in the movie, really....
Pretty shallow and grim, but I think that's the attention.
@@LifeIsAStory It goes with his ending narration. "I am so happy to be alive - and I am not afraid." I think you nailed it when you asked "Is it better to be alive and turn into the helicopter gunner?"
Underrated content, friend! Keep on like this
Appreciate it!
Rewatching this months later. Still a great video. Thank you
That was a really great perspective, I have watched this movie a few times, but I never thought of it that way
A very enjoable gem.
Thank you.
Thanks 🙏 Glad you enjoyed!
Animal Mother's line to Raptorman during the eulugy scene is just perfect. Thank's for breaking it down in two parts, it really deserved it! Great video thanks for sharing!
My pleasure! It would have been really difficult to do everything in one video, so I’m glad the two part structure worked pretty well.
It's rafter-man buddy. Took reading the book for me to realize it haha. He apparently jumped into the rafters during a firefight or something along those lines
@@la-li-lu-le-lo9444 you the man! Thanks for the knowledge!!!
@@thizzmoe31 any time brother I think all non-book peeps had the same experience there lol
@@thizzmoe31 any time brother I think all non-book peeps had the same experience there lol. Check it out some time it's called The Short Timers by Gustav Hasford
Beautiful work my friend.
I thought you illustrated Kubrick's wondrous work of paradoxical wisdom in this film.
Thank you very much.
I am immensely happy to have watched these videos. Good job my man.
Kubrick puts up a mirror to your soul. he asks, what would you do?
Fun Fact: The actor who plays the helicopter gunner, Tim Colceri, was originally cast for the role of GySgt.Hartman, but Kubrick replaced him with R.Lee Ermey, who was originally only working as a technical advisor on the movie.
Wow, never knew that. Good decision.
@@LifeIsAStory It's really cool story, Ermey was hired as technical advisor, because he worked in that capacity often in Hollywood.(Among other movies, he worked in Coppola's ''Apocalypse Now''), then they shot the first scenes with Colceri as drill instructor & Ermey told Kubrick: ''He's not vicious & agressive enough, for a Marines drill instructor.''
Kubrick replied: ''What do you mean exactly?''
Then Ermey started yelling:''GET UP RECRUIT WHEN I'M TALKING TO YOU!!''
Kubrick jumped out of his director's chair said: ''Ohhhh.. O.K. I get it.'' and then offered Ermey the role, with the condition that he had to do a strict rehearsal program with his assistant and pass a proper audition for the role.
The rest is history...
@@doublep1980 RIP Lee Ermey, an eternal legend. His scenes and put downs stole the entire movie.
@@doublep1980 How about that lol. Really cool.
@@doublep1980 It was certainly not a "really cool story" for Tim Colceri. He actually already had the role and was thrilled at his good fortune.But Kubrick didn't even have the balls to tell him in person, man to man. He instead sent Tim a letter, telling him he was fired. What a bitch-ass move...
It's been bugging me all day that I didn't watch part 2.. great stuff
Amazing analysis. Very much appreciated: thank you so much!
Thank you! very insightful!
Your final take on Joker's decision is not one I had considered, and I'm not convinced that is what is happening, but I can see why you may think it is why Joker shot the sniper. I think the answer is revealed in the final monologue, and the Mickey Mouse Club song: Joker had crossed-over, and now he was part of the machine.
Wow, your analysis is simply the best. I saw this movie 2x and only now, I realized how much more I missed...the depth...thank you.👍
Another really good film theory breakdown... nice!
The beauty of Kubrick’s ‘methods of madness’ is that it generally takes decades for other humans to actually figure them all out.
My take on the movie is there are no lesson to be learned ,no meaning, it's just war the good the bad parts of war that's my take. I watched it when I was a kid and I really shouldn't have because I was like seven and I watched it with my parents and even as a kid I knew right from wrong I just take it as a war film . I still watch it today. War is hell and that's what it shows and Pyle should have been kicked out week one.
there is an interpretation that says pyle is animal mother. this is based on the theory that scenes backlit in blue is psychological and not happening in reality. 2 scenes come to mind: the bunk beating and head shooting. the bunk beating symbolized how everyone hated pyle for his screwups. the final line reminds pyle and us that this is all a bad dream. the shooting in the head is also bluelit. it shows the death of pyle, the ending of who he was all along. he is a new creature. when they reunite, they share a back and forth that seems hostile-ish. i don't think it is. they're not strangers to each other
Easily THE best analysis of Full Metal Jacket I've ever seen, and I watched a bunch of these. Very informative! Definitely gonna watch more and consider subscribing
those videos were amazing dude, thank you for the entertainment.
You seem to be right on the mark with this.
Good video. You missed one thing however (it may have been mentioned in a previous comment). Joker specifically states that he wanted 'the first kid on my block to get a confirmed kill'. The irony is his confirmed kill was a mercy killing, face to face, as you pointed out. Hence he gets his squad's respect because he did the most difficult job (head shot execution) as opposed to just spraying bullets (animal mother). You could also being Rafterman into this as he's the novice rookie...
Pretty lofty couple of videos there man. But, I completely enjoyed them. Well done dude.
FANTASTIC analysis!!!
Another interesting thing about the last segment of the movie is how for most of the movie women are objects of sexual lust to the men, but the sniper woman symbolizes the women getting payback against them. She kills three of the them and basically ties down the entire unit singlehandedly.
There is also at the end a shift in the power dynamic between Joker and Rafterman. Throughout the second half of the movie, Joker is almost like an overly protective parent to Rafterman, trying to keep him away from the action. But after Rafterman saves Joker from the sniper, he is empowered by his kill while Joker looks meek and ineffective by comparison.
Yes! I want to make a point about Rafterman, but it didn’t make it in there. He’s the one guy who seems to be bought into the war’s cause, but when he kills the girl, he sort of falls into the philosophy of the other men, or at least, I’m sure he stills believes the war is just but his focus shifts to something more tribal.
@@LifeIsAStory there's a moment when they are standing over the sniper and the camera briefly focuses on Rafterman and he is quite sinister looking.
@@Tommykey07 Yeah, he was definitely drifting away haha...
The woman doesn't symbolize that at all. The sniper is a 15-16 year old girl. Kubrick is taking this exactly from the novel and staying true to the source material. The movie is based on a book which is a semi-autiobiographical account of a Marines experiences in Vietnam.
@@leeenfield703 very well then. Maybe I overstated a bit, but in the context of the movie the Marines are tough talking men who are trained to kill, and yet find themselves in a situation where a teenage girl kills three of them and keeps them bogged down for quite a while.
The Monolith from 2001 is burning when Joker dies
Excellent analysis, both parts. Thank you!
Excellent commentary.
You made a lot of good points.
Making me think.
The Disney march at the end always affected me hugely.
Killers marching to a saturday morning Kids TV show theme.
Seems like another innocence lost or maybe clung onto vibe.
Great video. Thanks.
Luv and Peace.
A lot of people think that private pile is animal mother and the shooting was a dream sequence. If you watch the scene where animal mother meets joker it seems tense but if you think about it that way they seem like old friends kidding around. He even has the same expressions and talks the same and they seem to recognize each other
Nice film theory . But the only reference between Pyle and Mother is believe it or not is Puss. In basic The DI told Pyle I bet if it was some puss, you'll climb up there. In Nam Mother said The only thing worth dying for is Poontang
@@veterannavy304 Well it's more than his mannerisms and the way he talks. He also seems to recognize joker and joker seems to recognize him without saying it out right. It's not really a big deal it's probably not a thing but if you watch that scene where they meet from that perspective you can kind of see it. Animal mother even looks like him if you imagined pile losing a ton of weight and getting some muscle.
@@veterannavy304 Animal Mother lowers his chin to look like Leonard at the end
Crazy Earl sounds like Bunny from Platoon. They both liked being in Vietnam.
Bunny's philosophy on war was great. "I like it here. You can do what you want, nobody f*cks with you, and the only thing you gotta worry abouts dying man, and when that happens you don't know it anyways." So true.
I really enjoyed this video as well as your prior video on Full Metal Jacket. 👍🏻
i love that you did this, man
An interesting analysis of a movie, and therefore a story. Don't for a moment think that anybody other than combat veterans know what it's like to wrestle with the intense experience of modern combat.
I like how Kubrick embeds survival and reproduction themes, that being the meaning of life for 10 million or so species (fail either, go extinct).
Listening to the better angels in the cerebrum instead of the amygdala gives Joker more empathy instead of just relying on maternal/ingroup social instincts like Animal, who's more monkey-brain than computer.
Thx so much for the 1 part, now im enjoying the 2 part !! Never have I've seen the movie btw ! But I'm enjoying your perspective!
Amazing analysis! Thank you for the video!
I was a USMC helicopter gunner in Vietnam and never saw anyone machine gun civilians. Pure bullshit and it pisses me off.
I flew 598 combat missions as a door gunner. I agree completely. Besides you never lead a target.
It was taken out of Michael Herr's book called Dispatches. Seems far fetched but its not the craziest thing from the book. Vietnam seemed wild.
I agree. Doc Holder 1stBN 12th Inf
@@bboomermike2126 Not unless you are in a duck blind.
@@Snaproll47518 What has duck blind have to do with anything
You’re absolutely right to pair Full Metal Jacket with Dr. Strangelove, but you could go even further. Femininity is an enemy and a threat in both movies. Consider the fact that there are a smashing total of four women in those two movies whose faces we get to see: two prostitutes, an assassin/sniper, and a centerfold/mistress. That’s it. The feminine has to be thoroughly suppressed in order to make war possible, whether in its hot-blooded berserker guise (FMJ) or in its bloodless, hyper-rational guise (DS).
Ripper essentially goes insane as a result of intimacy with a woman, resulting in a logic that equates women with vampire Commies & saboteurs seeking his fluids. It’s probably over-reading to see the men in the war room seated around that gigantic table as sperm trying to attach to an egg, but it’s Kubrick, so who knows. Hard to avoid seeing Major Kong as riding a large thermonuclear dick on the way the biggest of big Os at the end. I can’t remember, but I think his missile is labeled Dear John, evoking the betrayal of the feminine.
Try keeping count of the sheer number of references to & representations/evocations of women and ‘the feminine’ in FMJ. The Virgin Mary, her namesake Mary Jane Rottencrotch, Eskimo pussy, a mother’s asscrack, rifles as pussy, Mama-san’s bad bush, etc. etc. etc. It’s stunning once you start keeping count.
Nice perspective, very very interesting. Cool video 👏
OOOF that's a LOT of thought, my friend! hehe But very well thought out. Very interesting and intriguing observations here.
Kudos to you & your powers of observation!