Generation War on Netflix is really good

English title for Unsere Mütter, unsere Väter

Update January 2021 no longer on Netflix and not available on Prime Video.

Well I thought it was good...

 ~Currently~ on Netflix there is a subtitled German war drama series called Generation War and it's really good. It focuses on the lives of 5 German friends in World War 2 and their different paths through the war from 1941 until the end. I don't really want to dissect every aspect nor give away the whole plot, this is just meant as a recommendation of a series that I think is really worth watching.

The 5 friends; Charlotte (Miriam Stein), Friedhelm Winter (Tom Schilling), Greta Müller (Katharina Schüttler), Viktor Goldstein (Ludwig Trepte) and Wilhelm Winter (Volker Bruch), all take different paths in the conflict. The Wilhelm brothers go to the Eastern Front and fight in the battle of Kursk, Charlotte becomes a nurse in a military field hospital, Greta becomes a renowned singer and entertainer and her boyfriend Viktor (who is Jewish) is taken away presumably to the concentration camps.

Titled: "Unsere Mütter, unsere Väter" in the original German meaning "Our Mothers, our Fathers" the miniseries is a deeply personal look at the conflict and it's effects. This is a war production about people, the events of the war so integral to the story telling, are still somehow in the back ground the focus is upon the 5. In this sense it is fascinating to revel in how individuals acted in these situations. This is also a very controversial part of Generation War, there is criticism that the attitudes contained were ahistorical and that patriotism, antisemitism and Nazism would have been more evident. I don't really know what to make of that debate, was everyone in wartime Germany a Nazi, fully aware of the horrors perpetrated? If you think the answer is yes I suspect, you might this film troubling. If you think the answer is no then you might find comfort in the idea of the innocence of the 5. Personally I'm on the fence, I don't think the question is that simple and I just enjoyed it for what it is, fiction...

Germans 'going over the top' at the battle of Kursk scene

In terms of combat scenes, they are hugely compelling. The action on the Eastern Front centres around the Wilhelm brothers and their experiences in the Wehrmacht. It tends to be smaller squad based warfare, rather than huge epic battle scenes. This serves to make the experience more tangible and real, as you see the German soldiers fighting field by field, street by street and house by house against the soldiers and tanks of the determined Red Army. The cinematography of the action scenes is superb and it's easy to get a very real feel of quite how terrifying combat was in the war against the Soviet Union. Of course combat is the only thing that happens but like I wrote above I don't want to give the plot away and this is a war film blog. But the other parts are just as good.

What do you think? let me know below, for me it's good to see a war series on Netflix although this is only 3 parts. It's very refreshing to see the focus be on individuals rather than the mission or the war itself. German productions on World War Two are so rare and even if some might criticise the story line for being revisionist in it's portrayal, it's still a great drama and excellent tv.

Platoon comes to Netflix! All war films available to stream on Netflix UK, on 1 handy list (October 2018)

Platoon comes to Netflix! Oliver Stone's classic Vietnam war movie is now available to stream in the

When Charlie Sheen was serious? 

UK.

Below is a list of all of the 45 war movies currently available to stream on Netflix in the UK. I've added a short description on each entry just to clarify what the film is i.e. year and running time. I've written some reviews and ranked some of the films available already on previous posts, check those out if you wish. But for here it's just some basic information and a list of war films on Netflix in alphabetical order, enjoy.

6 Days

Story about the Iranian Embassy siege of 1980 and the SAS raid to free the hostages. Starring: Jamie Bell, Abbie Cornish and Mark Strong. Director: Toa Fraser. 2017, 15, 1h 34 m.

13 Hours: The Secret Soldiers of Benghazi 

Deleted from Netflix as of Nov 2018

Elite private military contractors in Libya, try to save the besieged US Consulate. Starring: John Krasinski, James Badge Dale and Max Martini. Director: Michael Bay. 2016, 15, 2h 25m.

A Soldier's Story

Nigerian war film, an injured soldier is rescued by a woman and taken in, although he suffers from amnesia. Starring: Tope Tedela, Linda Ejiofor, Daniel K Daniel and Adesua Etomi. Director: Frankie Ogar. 2015, 1h 49m.

Act of Valor

Navy SEALs are tasked with rescuing an imprisoned CIA agent in the Philippines. Starring: Roselyn Sánchez, Nestor Serrano, Emilio Rivera and Rorke Denver. Directors: Mike McCoy and Scott Waugh. 2012, 15, 1h 49m.

Beasts of No Nation

The brutal stories of civil war in Africa and child soldiers. Starring: Idris Elba, Abraham Attah, Kurt Egyiawan and Jude Akuwudike. Director: Cary Joji Fukunaga. 2015, 15, 2h 17m.

Behind Enemy Lines

2 US Marines are tasked with acquiring nuclear devices from a Vietnamese general. Ending up with one of them in prison and the other coming to rescue him. Starring: Thomas Ian Griffith, Chris Mulkey, Mark Carlton and Mushond Lee. Director: Mark Griffiths. 1997, Mature, 1h 26m.

(not to be confused with the 2001 film starring Owen Wilson and Gene Hackman).

Modern conflict in Somalia

Black Hawk Down

Following a US Special Forces led raid on a rebel leader in Mogadishu Somalia, things go awry when a US helicopter is shot down. Starring: Josh Hartnett, Ewan McGregor, Tom Sizemore and Eric Bana. Director: Ridley Scott. 2001, 15, 2h 24m.

Casualties of War

Covering some of the horrific treatment of civilians in war time, this Vietnam war film covers the brutal rape of a Vietnamese civilian and the subsequent investigation. Starring: Michael J. Fox, Sean Penn, Don Patrick Harvey and John C. Reilly. Director: Brian De Palma. 1989, 18, 1h 53m.

Check Point

A former down on his luck US Marine, learns of plans for an enemy invasion of the US. Starring:  Kenny Johnson, William Forsythe, Bill Goldberg and Michelle Lee. Director: Thomas J Churchill. 2017, 15, 1h 37m.

Das Boot

Classic German war film, following the exploits of a U-Boat in World War 2 fighting in the Battle of the Atlantic. Starring: Jürgen Prochnow, Herbert Grönemeyer and Klaus Wennemann. Director: Wolfgang Petersen. 1981, 12, 2h 29m.

Downfall

The story from the bunker, the last days of Adolf Hitler and indeed World War Two in Europe pieced together from contemporary accounts. Starring: Bruno Ganza, Alexandra Maria Lara, Corinna Harfouch and Ulrich Matthes. Director: Oliver Hirschbiegel. 2004, 15, 2h 35m.

Dr Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb

Undoubtedly the quirkest of films on this list, featuring the same Director as Full Metal Jacket; Stanley Kubrick. It is a dark satirical comedy set during the Cold War, a rogue US officer orders a nuclear strike on the Soviet Union and everyone else battles to stop the inevitable armageddon. Starring: Peter Sellers, George C. Scott, Sterling Hayden and Keenan Wynn. Director: Stanley Kubrick. 1964, PG, 1h 34m. 

The Expendables 1

A group of mercenaries are deployed to a South American island to overthrow the dictator. Starring: Sylvester Stallone, Jason Statham, Jet Li and Dolph Lundgren. Director: Sylvester Stallone. 2010, 18, 2h 10m.

The Expendables 2

Following a plane crash in Albania the mercenaries must retrieve a computer that contains information on the location of tonnes of Plutonium. Starring: Sylvester Stallone, Jean-Claude Van Damme, Bruce Willis and Arnold Schwarzenegger. Director: Simon West. 2012, 15, 1h 43m.

The Expendables 3

The elite team wage war with an arms dealer. Starring: Jason Statham, Antonio Banderas, Jet Li, Wesley Snipes. Director: Patrick Hughes. 2014, 12, 2h 6m.

The Fighting Seabees

Wartime movie about US construction battalions, known as Seabees. Despite their civilian status the workers soon find themselves armed and facing the Japanese enemy. Starring: John Wayne, Susan Hayward, Dennis O'Keefe as Lt. Cmdr. Robert Yarrow and William Frawley. Director: Edward Ludwig. 1944, U, 1h 39m.

Forbidden Ground

Australian film about three British soldiers who 'go over the top' during the Great War only to be left stranded and alone in no man's land. Starring: Johan Earl, Tim Pocock and Martin Copping. Director:  Johan Earl and Adrian Powers. 2013, 15, 1h 34m.

Full Metal Jacket

Stanley Kubrick's powerful take on not only the Vietnam war but the bootcamp that young US Marines faced before deployment. One of the greatest war films ever made. Starring: Matthew Modine, Adam Baldwin, Vincent D'Onofrio and R.Lee Ermey. Director: Stanley Kubrick. 1987, 18, 1h 54m. 

Fury

Follows the exploits of an American tank crew and their M4 Sherman named Fury in the last year of World War Two. Starring: David Ayer, Brad Pitt, Logan Lerman and Shia LaBeouf. Director: David Ayer. 2014, 15, 2h 14m.

War hero and pacifist Desmond Doss

Hacksaw Ridge 

A US medic and pacifist is the unlikely hero, patching up his comrades to win the Medal of Honor in the battle of Okinawa. Starring: Andrew Garfield, Sam Worthington, Luke Bracey and Teresa Palmer. Director: Mel Gibson. 2016, 15, 2h 19m.

Inglourious Basterds

Tarantino's take on WW2, a group of Jewish American soldiers are tasked with taking out Nazi Germany's leadership. Starring: Brad Pitt, Christoph Waltz, Michael Fassbender and Eli Roth. Director: Quentin Tarantino. 2009, 18, 2h 33m.

Invasion 1897

Set during the 1897 invasion of the Kingdom of Benin by the British Empire. The colonialists come for the rubber trees and take on the powerful kingdom. Starring: Paul Obazele, Segun Arinze, Chucky Venn, Rudolph Walker. Director: Lancelot Oduwa Imasuen. 2014, 2h 1m.

Jarhead

Named after the nickname for US Marines the story follows Swofford through basic training, sniper school. The Marines are then deployed to the Gulf after Iraq invades Kuwait. Starring: Jake Gyllenhaal, Peter Sarsgaard, Chris Cooper and Jamie Foxx. Director: Sam Mendes. 2005, 15, 2h 3m. 

Lone Survivor

The film follows a small US Navy SEAL team in Afghanistan tasked with the assassination of a high value Taliban leader. However the mission goes pear shaped when the SEALs are discovered by goat herders. Starring: Mark Wahlberg, Taylor Kitsch, Emile Hirsch and Ben Foster. Director: Peter Berg. 2013, 15, 2h 1m.

Madras Cafe

An Indian film, set during the Sri Lankan civil war a Indian Army officer is tasked with disrupting the rebels. Starring: John Abraham, Nargis Fakhri, Rashi Khanna and Siddharth Basu. Director: Shoojit Sircar. 2013, 15, 2h 8m.

Missing in Action 2: The Beginning

Captured in Vietnam and tortured, US POWs are forced to grow opium, until they are pushed too far and escape. Starring: Chuck Norris, Soon-Tek Oh, Steven Williams and Bennett Ohta. Director: Lance Hool. 1985, 18, 1h 35m.

Operation Mekong

Chinese film based around real events, Chinese vessels are intercepted by drug cartels. Starring: Eddie Peng, Zhang Hanyu, Wenjuan Feng and Carl Ng. Director: Dante Lam. 2016, 15, 2h 3m.

The Patriot

A rare modern war movie set during the times of the American War of Independence, a former soldier is dragged into the conflict by brutal British actions. Starring: Mel Gibson, Heath Ledger, Joely Richardson and Jason Isaacs. Director: Roland Emmerich. 2000, 15, 2h 34m.

Pimpernel Smith

Posing as an Archaeologist, the protagonist secretly gets people out of wartime Nazi Germany. Starring: Leslie Howard, Francis L. Sullivan and Mary Morris. Director Leslie Howard.  1941, U, 2h 1m.

Platoon

Based on Oliver Stone's combat experience in Vietnam, this modern classic was film follows a new recruit on his first tour of duty. Starring: Tom Berenger, Willem Dafoe, Charlie Sheen and Johnny Depp. Director: Oliver Stone. 1986, 15,  2h 0m.

Railroad Tigers

Chinese action comedy set during the Japanese occupation of World War Two. Railway workers join together to resist against the occupiers.. Starring: Jackie Chan, Huang Zi, Tao Jaycee Chan and Wang Kai. Director: Ding Sheng 2016, 2h 4m. 

Rangoon

Female daredevil entertainer, goes from entertaining troops to involved in the action in this Indian production. Starring: Saif Ali Khan, Shahid Kapoor and Kangana Ranaut. Director: Vishal Bhardwaj. 2017, Guidance, 2h 32m.

Sand Castle

Sand Castle US Troops in Iraq

US army soldiers following the 2003 invasion of Iraq are tasked with ensuring a water supply to a remote village in the face of enemy action. Starring: Nicholas Hoult, Logan Marshall-Green, Henry Cavill and Glen Powell. Director: Fernando Coimbra. 2017, 15, 1h 53m.

Schindler's List

German businessman sets up business operations in Nazi-occupied Poland and employs a Jewish workforce. He later goes on to save Jews from the concentration camps. Starring; Liam Neeson, Ben Kingsley, Ralph Fiennes and Caroline Goodall. Director: Steven Spielberg. 1993, 15, 3h 15m. 

The Siege of Firebase Gloria

Australian made Vietnam war film, at the start of the Tet Offensive a US Marine patrol arrives at the remote base Gloria and become besieged. Starring: Wings Hauser, R. Lee Ermey, Robert Arevalo and Mark Neely. Director: Brian Trenchard-Smith. 1989, 18, 1h 39m.

The Siege of Jadotville

A small Irish Army detachment on a UN mission in the Congo are besieged by thousands of Katangese troops. Starring: Jamie Dornan, Mark Strong, Mikael Persbrandt and Jason O'Mara. Director: Richie Smyth. 2016, 15, 1h 48m.

Soldiers of Fortune

A retired special forces operative leads a group of tourist billionaires to fight a war. Starring: Christian Slater, Dominic Monaghan, Sean Bean and James Cromwell. Director: Maksim Korostyshevsky. 2012, 15, 1h 33m.

Stalingrad

During the epic World War 2 battle for Stalingrad a group of Red Army soldiers holes up in a house.   Starring: Pyotr Fyodorov, Dmitriy Lysenkov, Alexey Barabash and Andrey Smolyakov. Director: Fedor Bondarchuk. 2013, 15, 2h 10m.

(not to be confused with the 1993 film of the same name.)

Steel Rain

South Korean movie, a member of the South Korean security services joins up with a counterpart from North Korea to stop the pennisula descending into nuclear war. Starring: Jung Woo-sung,Kwak Do-won, Kim Kap-soo and Kim Eui-sung. Director: Yang Woo-suk. 2017, 15, 2h, 19m.

Stratton

A British Special Boat Service operative hunts down terrorist intent on using bio-chemical weapons. Starring: Dominic Cooper, Gemma Chan, Austin Stowell and Tyler Hoechlin. Director: Simon West. 2017, 15, 1h 34m.

Tears of the Sun

During a civil war in Nigeria a US Navy Seal Team is sent to rescue a US citizen Dr. Lena Hendricks, but end up rescuing hundreds of refugees too. Starring: Bruce Willis, Monica Bellucci, Cole Hauser and Eamonn Walker. Director: Antoine Fuqua. 2003, 15, 2h.

Tomorrow When the War Began

Australian film, a group of teenagers go away to the woods only to return and see their native land invaded by a foreign army, they soon form their own resistance. Starring: Caitlin Stasey, Rachel Hurd-Wood, Lincoln Lewis and Deniz Akdeniz . Director: Stuart Beattie. 2010, 12, 1h 43m.

Universal Soldier: Regeneration

Another instalment in the Universal Soldier franchise. With a nuclear war imminent it falls upon our hero to save the day. Starring: Jean-Claude Van Damme, Dolph Lundgren, Andrei "The Pit Bull" Arlovski and Mike Pyle. Director: John Hyams. 2009, 18, 1h 37m.

Universal Soldier: Day of Reckoning

Part of the Universal Soldier series of films. A story of revenge for a family brutally murdered. Starring: Jean-Claude Van Damme, Dolph Lundgren, Scott Adkins and Andrei Arlovski. Director: John Hyams. 2012, 18, 1h 54m.

War Machine

Satirical comedy towards the end of US military action in Afghanistan. Starring: Brad Pitt, Emory Cohen, RJ Cyler and Topher Grace. Director: David Michôd. 2017, 15, 2h 2m.

Whiskey Tango Foxtrot

US comedy/ biography following the exploits of a female war reporter sent to Afghanistan to cover the conflict. Starring: Tina Fey, Margot Robbie, Martin Freeman and Alfred Molina. Directors: Glenn Ficarra and John Requa. 2016, 15, 1h 52m.

Windtalkers

Following Navajo soldiers recruited into the US forces in WW2 to use their language as a secret code for radio transmissions on the frontline in the Pacific theater. Starring: Nicolas Cage, Adam Beach, Peter Stormare and Noah Emmerich. Director: John Woo. 2002, 15, 2h 15m.

Wolf Warrior

Chinese production, People's Liberation Army special forces and a special detachment called Wolf Warriors do battle with druglords. Starring: Wu Jing, Scott Adkins, Yu Nan and Kevin Lee. Director: Wu Jing. 2015, 15, 1h 30m.

Wolf Warrior 2

Sequel to Wolf Warrior follows the story of the elite Chinese troops and their battle with a land developer intent on destroying homes and lives. Starring: Wu Jing, Celina Jade, Frank Grillo, Hans Zhang. Director: Wu Jing. 2017, 15, 2h 3m.

Zero Dark Thirty

A dramatic reenactment of the hunt for Osama Bin Laden and his capture and killing in Pakistan. Starring: Jessica Chastain, Jason Clarke, Joel Edgerton and Jennifer Ehle. Director: Kathryn Bigelow. 2012, 15, 2h 37m. 

Ten things you need to know about Full Metal Jacket

FMJ film cover

"If you ladies leave my island, if you survive recruit training, you will be a weapon. You will be a minister of death praying for war. But until that day, you are pukes. You are the lowest form of life on Earth. You are not even human fucking beings. You are nothing but unorganized grab-asstic pieces of amphibian shit! Because I am hard, you will not like me. But the more you hate me, the more you will learn. I am hard but I am fair. There is no racial bigotry here. I do not look down on niggers, kikes, wops or greasers. Here you are all equally worthless. And my orders are to weed out all non-hackers who do not pack the gear to serve in my beloved Corps. Do you maggots understand that?"

Now if you just read that in the voice of R.Lee Ermey, welcome, you've come to the right place, I hope you learn something about this great movie, and if you know anything you feel should've been mentioned, please let me know. If you didn't read the quote in Ermey's voice, then go and watch it, if you like war movies chances are you will love it, it's on Netflix and Amazon Prime or you can pay £2.49 to watch it on YouTube or buy the dvd on Amazon for £4.98, or even the 25th anniversary edition on blu-ray for £121! 

1. Full Metal Jacket the greatest British war film ever made?

*Spits out tea* Yep well sort of, although the film is quintessentially about the US war in Vietnam and nothing whatsoever to do with the UK, it was filmed here. The Marine bootcamp (Parris Island) scenes were filmed at Bassingbourn Barracks in Cambridgeshire, then a British Army base and many of the extras in the film were serving UK squaddies. In London a few hundred yards from the Thames, an old gasworks was utilised to mimic the city of Hue, the scene as the tanks approach the city through to the final scenes with the Viet Cong sniper, all filmed in England complete with imported palm trees. The more eager eyed viewer may have spotted the British road markings in some of the training scenes. 

2. The film is not anti war.

FMJ was not the first war movie to be made by Stanley Kubrick, decades before he had his debut with the movie Fear and Desire he later completed one of the universally acclaimed best war films Paths of Glory. They are both bona fide anti-war films. But Full Metal Jacket isn't really, at first glance it can be difficult to tell what it's about, the politics and motivations behind the Vietnam war don't really feature nor does the wider Cold War. Unlike many other 'Nam films what the actual soldiers think is not a part of the plot. What are the soldiers motivations? What do they think of the war? Are they fighting a just war? All questions without answers, according to co-screenwriter Michael Herr Kubrick "wanted to show what war is like". 


via GIPHY

3. The film is about the internal conflict of the mind.

Rather than being anti-war or even pro-war, Full Metal Jacket is about people, it's a study of character and how people can be morally split. The obvious example of this is when Joker is confronted by the poge Colonel at the site of the mass grave. The officer picks him up on the fact he wears a peace badge and has born to kill written on his helmet and calls him up on it. Joker explains that it's the "Jungian thing", a reference to the psychologist Carl Jung who proposed a theory that humans are split between their own beliefs and that of the wider community. In Joker's case he is born to kill, the events in society have led to the Vietnam war and despite his own personal beliefs, that's who society needs him to be. This was based on an actual experience the author had in Vietnam with a Major, there's a great account of it on the Gustav Hasford blog here, it's well worth a read.

4. The cast is almost entirely male, but women play some of the best parts. 

Viet Cong sniper

Perhaps not that surprising for a war film, but it really is notable. There are no depictions of mothers, wives or girlfriends at home, which I suppose is tied to the dehumanising theme of the film; there is never an attempt to portray normal home-life. In training everything is subsumed and co-opted into war, the recruits are told their rifles are their girlfriends and they should give them names. Actual female characters are few (4) but very notable, the famous prostitute scene ("me so horny, me love you long time") and of course the sniper towards the end. The sniper pins down the USMC unit until she is rooted out and eventually killed, somewhat reluctantly, by Joker. Importantly she's one of the few enemy combatants, that features in any meaningful way. In an earlier cut of the film she plays even more of a part after Animal Mother chops off her head and parades it around, this was cut as being too violent. 

5. Full Metal Jacket has a great soundtrack but a terrible theme song. 

There's a handful of songs that are synonymous (at least for war film/ FMJ fans) with the film; These Boots are Made for Walking by Nancy Sinatra, Surfin' Bird by the Trashmen, Paint it Black by the Rolling Stones. Obviously music plays a massive part of the movie setting the scene for the action and dialogue but also it is an integral part of the plot with the singing particularly by the Marine recruits in the training scenes. The film would not be the same without the chants of: "This is my rifle, this is my gun, this is for fighting, this is for fun." One piece of movie music that doesn't seem to have stood the test of time is the theme song, that was produced to promote the film. Called Full Metal Jacket (I Wanna Be Your Drill Instructor) it did reach number 2 in the UK charts and is a great reminder of the fact that the movie came out in the eighties, with the erm stunning, electro-synth sound. If you fancy it, here's a link to the video.

Gustav Hasford pictured in Vietnam

6. The name of the film was picked at random from a gun catalogue. 

Full Metal Jacket is based upon a book written by a former US Marine called Gustav Hasford, titled Short Timers it is a semi autobiographical novel about Hasford's experiences in the USMC. The film stays largely true to the book especially the training camp scenes, although Hasford worked on the production with Stanley Kubrick and Michael Herr, the relationship was not good. At one point Hasford even threatened to sue the production over writing credits. Later when the film was nominated for an Oscar at the Academy Awards for it's screenplay adaption. Gustav Hasford did not attend despite the fact he was named as nominee and author of the book. Kubrick worried that the title Short Timers would confuse the audience and believe it was about part timers so opted for the name Full Metal Jacket instead, referring to the outer casing of ammunition, after he read it in a gun catalogue. The name of the book refers to American soldiers lingo during Vietnam, short timers are those coming to the end of their tour of duty.





 7. Vincent D'Onofrio put on a record breaking 5 stone to play the part of Pvt.  Pyle.

R. Lee Ermey later expressed that Private Pyle was the best part in the whole film and it's hard to knock that opinion. Pyle is a character that in the start is jolly, if a bit dim, by the end he is completely broken and famously takes Hartman's life followed by his own. Private Leonard is given the nickname Gomer Pyle by Hartman after a US tv comedy character who is a clumsy hapless loser. The part was played by Vincent D'Onofrio, which completely changed the actors career, the story goes that Matthew Modine bumped into Vincent who was working as a doorman and suggested he send audition tapes to Kubrick. Thus the star was born, well not quite, there was the small question of getting into character, Vincent put on a total of 32KG (70lbs) for the part, still the most weight ever gained by an actor. It took him from 15 stone 6 pounds (98KG) to 20 stone 6 pounds (130KG). Which is a huge amount of weight, so much so that Vincent hurt himself during one of the assault course scenes and had to have reconstructive surgery on his knee, that's commitment to a part!


via GIPHY



8. F**king hell the film includes a lot of swearing! 

During the 1 hour 56 minutes of the production there are a grand total of 170 swears, cusses and racist remarks that's one every 41 seconds! Which is a mind boggling amount of foul language, some kind soul has put all of the swearing into 1 YouTube compilation. It's clear from the first half of the video that a lot of it was everyone's favourite drill instructor, the late great R. Lee Ermey. Ermey himself a USMC veteran of the Vietnam war, was brought onto the set of the film as a consultant, to advise and to ensure realism. He was so impressive that he ended up with the role of Gunnery Sergeant Hartman and a movie legend was born. It seems a funny thing to write but the man was very eloquent, at swearing and shouting and the vast majority of his lines in the film were improvised by himself. Which is feat in and of itself, improvisation is not normally associated with films, let alone Stanley Kubrick productions as he was known for taking charge of every aspect.





9. Filming was a car crash or two.

Now this doesn't refer to the length of the filming or the various problems they encountered on the way but actual vehicular accidents. The first was by Stanley Kubrick, driving his wife's suv, scoping out filming locations. Apparently driving albeit slowly, he was explaining how the soldiers could come over this hill and the like, and just drove into a 6 foot ditch, the suv fell on it's side, without taking a breath Kubrick undid his seatbelt clambered out and carried on explaining the scene. The other car crash was involving Ermey and was much more serious, the actor broke all of his ribs down one side. He was lucky to survive the ordeal and it set back filming for four and a half months.



10. Private Joker's real name is a tribute to a US soldier killed in 'Nam.

Earlier on I made the point about the dehumanising nature of the film and the lack of any kind of normalcy. Names are a great example of this, most of the monikers are given by the Drill Instructor. Even in the credits only Gunnery Sergeant Hartman is given a name, everyone else is solely a nickname: Cowboy, Animal Mother, Rafterman, or a description Da Nang Hooker, Door Gunner etc. However in the early scenes Joker is wearing a shirt that has the words Davis J, this was also featured in Short Timers. This refers to the first battlefield fatality in the Vietnam War, SP4 James T. Davis (1/6/1936 – 22/12/1961). A communications specialist, his unit were tasked with direction finding communist guerrillas radio signals. En route to a mission their convoy was ambushed near Saigon and he became one of the first US casualties in war in Indochina. 


I don't feel like I've really done this justice. There's loads more trivia to know, I didn't even mention that Val Kilmer wanted the role of Joker, that Arnold Schwarzenegger turned down the role of Animal Mother, that Bruce Willis turned down a role and that Denzel Washington was interested in a part. I could've written a lot on the setting, the part of the Vietnam war itself, the crucial Tet Offensive. Or perhaps a paragraph or two on Hasford's view of the John Wayne Vietnam film The Green Berets and how in some part his book (and Vietnam experience) is a counterpoint to that piece of pro war propaganda. There's also Matthew Modine's www.fullmetaljacketdiary.com based on his writings and photography from the set. AND probably tonnes more I've not realised, anyway I hope you enjoyed it 😊

If you want to know more about the film there's a few links at the bottom. The last link is a documentary which is really good, it's all interviews with the actors and there's loads of great insights. For me the best part of it, is R.Lee Ermey talking in a section about Stanley Kubrick, explaining about the driving into the ditch incident, he's a great storyteller, link to that part here. 
 
Additional reading and viewing:

Matthew Modine's Diary from filming
http://www.fullmetaljacketdiary.com/

Playlist of music from the film 

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLWUzm0bIZVTi7kzX06DfYJ2p8GQ6IGHa-

Full Metal Jacket documentary The Duality of Man 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jsvzkOvWAKQ

IMDB trivia page on FMJ
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0093058/trivia

16 Hardcore Facts about Full Metal Jacket
http://mentalfloss.com/article/65427/16-hardcore-facts-about-full-metal-jacket

The Making of "Full Metal Jacket" documentary 
https://youtu.be/XRkyKYz5SYM