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Full Metal Jacket - a subliminal interpretation

Posted by kdawg68 • 6/26/08 • Subscribe to this Discussion [RSS] • Report This Topic
Topics: film interpretations, full metal jacket, movies, stan kubrick, vietnam

I'm quite fond of the subliminal analysis of Stan Kubrick films that a gentleman named Rob Ager posts on youtube from time to time.

In previous discussions I've shared his analysis of the sublminial messages contained within Kubrick works such as 2001, A Clockwork Orange, and The Shining.

Well, Rob's back at it again with his interpretation of the film Full Metal Jacket - Kubrick's Vietnam odyssey, if you will.

It's a 5 part analysis that starts out rather basic but gets better and better as it progresses. Some of the gems to look for include the hidden monolith appearing in Full Metal Jacket (you've got to see it to believe it) and the references to Carl Jung - whom many of you know I'm equally fond of from a dream interpretation perspective.

Needless to say, this is a violent war film being discussed, so please understand it is NSFW (not safe for work) and also not safe for children to hear - there are adult themes and strong language, not to mention violence.

Part 1:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=PdfCTAqO9pw

Part 2:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=06nwKEY9SJs

Part 3:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=2l3BDDlIl98

Part 4:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=xAmg27HPYRI

Part 5:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=MEK36c_vfXk

Would love to know what you think.

Also, sorry if this somehow double posts as I tried to start this before and my discussion disappeared instantly.

User Comments

6/26/08

clioandme

WIll have to get back on this. Sounds interesting. (Am showing a Kubrick film to one of my classes next week, Barry Lyndon.) So when is you movie blog premiering?

[reply]
1. 6/26/08
  
  kdawg68
  
  LOL - perhaps someday. Sulz keeps telling me to start a non horse racing blog and I do have a lot of stuff to discuss. All in good time, I suppose.
  
  Would love to know your thoughts after you get a chance to digest. The really good stuff is in parts 3, 4, and 5.
2. 6/26/08
  
  Theresa111
  
  Don't you get summer vacation?
6/26/08

DrowseyMonkey

I've always wanted to watch this movie ... cause of my crush on Vincent D'Onofrio ... but I just can't bring myself to watch it. I tried once, too violent for moi.

[reply]
1. 6/26/08
  
  kdawg68
  
  There's an interesting bit about his character in the interpretation (and I thought of you as they were discussing him as I know you're fond of him). It's theorized that another more violent character known as "animal mother" in the Vietnam "half" of the movie is his mirror image - "born again hard" (in the words of the Drill Sgt.) - despite the fact that we see Vincent kill himself in the barracks.
  
  It's fascinating stuff. Their facial expressions do appear strikingly similar.
2. 6/26/08
  
  Anok
  
  OMG, wait, Vincent D'onfonio is Gomer Pile? (Or however you spell it).
  
  Holy crap!
3. 6/26/08
  
  kdawg68
  
  You mean:
  
  "Gomer F'n Pyle!!!!" in Full Metal Jacket, don't you?
  
  I met R.Lee Ermey in the old smoking lounge in the United terminal at LAX. The guy is all character all the time. Funny thing was no one else recognized him - despite his USMC hat. I walked over and asked if he was who I thought he was. He saw my haircut and snapped back "What unit are you with, Marine?" Then, like the gambler in the Kenny Rogers song of the same name, he bummed a cigarrette and asked for a light.
  
  Couldn't believe I was hanging out with the guy who played one of the most memorable characters ever in a film - at least in my opinion.
4. 6/26/08
  
  Anok
  
  Well as story has it - that's not a character, that's his personality! I guess they called him onto the set to train the actor originally slotted to play the part, and decided the real thing was much better
  
  But yeah, Gomer f'in Pyle....I never realized who played that part - oh no wonder I couldn't put my finger on D'Onfonrio's other characters...always something off, couldn't figure it out.
  
  Ha!
5. 6/26/08
  
  kdawg68
  
  Ah yes, he "suggests something about the duality of man" with his (Vincent's) characters.
  
  (hidden Full Metal Jacket reference)
6. 6/26/08
  
  Anok
  
  I just thought it was because he had a tic.
  
  But alas, wrong again!
7. 6/26/08
  
  kdawg68
  
  as a tourrettes guy, I'm quite offended! (just kidding - about being offended that is...but don't get me started on the portrayal of tourrettes in film/tv - it's wrong to laugh at folks in wheelchairs but tourrettes is apparently fair game to mock/ridicule).
8. 6/26/08
  
  DrowseyMonkey
  
  kdawg - I have seen the video where Vincent is talking about the character, isn't he dreamy? LOL
  
  anok - he can lose himself in a character, I remember Homicide Life on the Street ... and the guy who got trapped on the subway tracks, anyway, not sure if you ever watched it ... but it was a powerful episode and I only realized last year that that was D'Onofrio.
  
  Maybe someday I'll watch this movie ... I've tried before, maybe I need to watch it in stages or something, lol.
6/26/08

atlasbear

very enjoyable good post

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