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| Joker and Animal Mother. |
This movie is, without a doubt, one of the greatest Vietnam War movies ever made. Not because it glosses over the horrors of combat, or highlights the patriotism of the American G.I., but for quite the opposite. That it shows how hard life is in the military in times of war and in training, showcasing just some of the atrocities that took place in Vietnam during American occupation, the murders and rapes and A.W.O.L soldiers doing as they please. It’s hard hitting approach and gritty realism is what makes it such an incredible film. You don’t really watch this movie, you experience it.
This was the film that brought a lot of actors into the limelight. Adam Baldwin - the only Baldwin I ever loved - got his first big break as Animal Mother, Vincent D’Onofrio of Criminal Intent fame started out his pathetic acting career here too alongside Matthew Modine, and while it wasn’t R. Lee Ermey’s first role, it is definitely his best known. The film was based on the novel ‘The Short-Timers’ by Gustav Hasford, a novel with the motto “Forget all the myths about honour and glory...this is the real war.” Stanley Kubrick, a man who is no stranger to controversy or wiping away the veneer of society to reveal the rot that takes place underneath, stepped up to write and direct this cinematic masterpiece, and I don’t think they could have found anyone better suited for the job. The man was a genius, though a little ahead of his time I think.
What is it with Adam Baldwin that he can take effeminate names like Jane, Casey and Mother and make them the manliest, most grizzled names in the world? The guy has a face chiselled from granite by Apollo himself.
The film revolves around Private Joker, a new recruit in the United States Marine Corps, and how he sees and experiences the trials of training and the conflict in Vietnam. The name of the film comes from 7.62 millimetre full metal jacket, the type of bullet used in the M14 rifles that the marines are issued. The first half of the film is set on ‘the Island’, a real USMC training facility located on Parris Island, South Carolina. Here we see how hard the world of the Marine Corps really is - the hazing, the physical training and the physical and emotional punishment. It’s really a ‘make or break’ environment. The relationships formed here, the brotherhood as they call it, is heavily played on later in the film, so it has its place.
The second half is set in Vietnam, where Pvt. Joker is now working as a military journalist for ‘Stars and Stripes’, an American propaganda magazine. Stationed in Da Nang, we see a city rife with prostitution, exploitation and thieves. The reporters sit around the barracks at night telling stories or lying about when they were in combat, or ‘in the shit’ as they call it, talking of how it fucks with your head giving you ‘the thousand yard stare’. Shortly after this the NVA, affectionately known as Charlie, break the Tet Holiday cease-fire and attack U.S military bases across Vietnam. Joker, along with Rafterman, are sent into the field to meet up with Hotel 2-5 company and assist in securing a village south of the Perfume river. Here Joker finds Cowboy, a friend from the island, and Animal Mother, a blood thirsty, gung-ho marine. The group are pinned down by an enemy sniper in an industrial zone and are stuck without tank support.
I won’t give away anymore, but it’s all essential to the story. Joker makes an ironic statement by wearing a peace pin on his body armour while having ‘Born to kill’ written on his helmet. He claims that it represents the duality of man, the yin-yang concept. This is a concept that is demonstrated in many ways throughout the film, both obviously and subtly, making it a poignant topic.
People will have their own opinions of this film and its messages, but no one will argue that it is a deeply affecting film, strong in both message and imagery, and one of the greatest war films ever made. If you haven’t seen this movie yet, I’d strongly recommend doing so.
It’s a classic.
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