Original Sgt. Hartman? (Full Metal Jacket) (1 Viewer)

[Patrick Mirza]

Does anyone know who the original actor was that Kubrick hired to play Sgt. Hartman in Full Metal Jacket (only to be replaced by then-consultant R. Lee Ermey)??

I've wondered about this for years, but never found out who it was.

 

[Kevin M]

Can't say that I know, but I do know that Anthony Michael Hall was set to play Joker before he got all prima donna and decided he wanted to party rather than go through "Hollywood Basic" in preparation for the film, so Kubrick settled on his second choice, Matthew Modine.
If you ask me, the correct actor was in the part.

 

[Peter Apruzzese]

Patrick,

I don't remember where I read it - so it may not have been a reliable source - but I seem to recall that Bruce Boa was set to play Sgt. Hartman but was unable (to Kubrick's satisfaction) to speak the lines as authoritatively and as naturally as Ermey. Boa does have a part in Full Metal Jacket - he's the Colonel who questions Joker about his "peace" button at the mass grave. "I think it has something to do with the duality of man, Sir!"

 

[Patrick Mirza]

Thanks Peter! As for Anthony Michael Hall, I do remember that story and I think he was an ass. Yes he was demanding and tough, but how in the hell do you turn down the chance to work with Kubrick?!? The man was a film god!

 

[Robert Crawford]

Part of Hall's problems during that time was his age, I believe he was only 18 years old during the filming of that film and he had a drinking problem from the time he was 13 until he became sober at 20 years old. By the way, Modine was 27/28 years old during filming and without a doubt, a lot more mature than Hall.




Crawdaddy

 

[Jack Briggs]

Your check is in the mail, Patrick.

Peter: I've read the same thing. And ... and ... "all I ask of my men is that they obey my orders as the would the word of god."

 

[Stefan Pedersen]

According to the book "The Complete Kubrick" by David Hughes, the part was to be played by an actor named Tim Colceri who was 36 at the time. He was also an ex-marine.

He had already been cast when Kubrick met R Lee Ermey.

Even though Colceri was replaced, he is still in the film. He plays the role of the door gunner. Remember him? He´s the one in the helicopter who shoots Vietnamese citizens indiscriminately, yelling "Ain´t war hell"?

 

[Jack Briggs]

I stand corrected--about a Stanley Kubrick film, no less. And by a Swedish member from whom I haven't heard in far too long a time. Good to see you, Stefan!

 

[Kevin M]

but was fired after repeatedly complaining about Kubrick's time consuming, perfectionist directing style.

I could swear that one of those E! True Hollywood Stories said that Hall never even made it over to England for filming.
I could be totally wrong about that of course.
It's a shame really because I like Hall in USA's The Dead Zone, I guess we'll never know what might have been, Full Metal Jacket could have changed Hall's career completely.

 

[Rob Tomlin]

I'm just glad that Kubrick was intelligent enough to put R. Lee Ermey in the role that he was born to play!

One of the best performances ever put on screen as far as I am concerned!

Full Metal Jacket is Fifth on my all-time favorite movie list, and Ermey's performance is definitely one of the reasons!

 

[Jack Briggs]

Rob, good to see you again. And I couldn't agree with you more about Full Metal Jacket. It's way up there on my list.

"...in a world of shit..."

 

[Kevin Leonard]

You know, I've read probably half a dozen books on Kubrick, and I had no idea Ermey was the second, or even third choice for Hartmann. I was under the impression that Kubrick hadn't even cast Hartmann's role yet and hired Ermey as a consultant, who then impressed the director so much he was cast soon after.
Oh, and if you have a spare 40 dollars, you can order the R. Lee Ermey "motivational" doll from his official site. The doll looks like a miniture Sgt. Hartmann and some of the sound bites are straight out of FMJ. Can't say it's worth it (because it isn't), but it sure makes for an interesting piece of FMJ-paraphernalia.

 

[Mark_vdH]

I think I read* that Ermey was hired as a consultant, and made a 15 minute video tape as an example for Kubrick to watch. In the video, he yelled insults/profanities for 15 minutes, while someone even throwed stuff (like eggs and tomatoes) in his face.
Kubrick was so impressed by the tape, that he hired Ermey for the part, and let his secretary make a transcript from the tape. Apparently quite a lot of dialogue (sp?) from the tape was used in the film.


*It's in LoBrutto's book, if I remember correctly.

 

[Peter Apruzzese]

Close, Mark . I just checked the FMJ chapter in LoBrutto's book and the Ermey casting went like this (no mention made of the actor who was considered prior to Ermey, though):
Ermey was hired as a consultant and asked to audition. Kubrick said no. Ermey was then asked, as part of his consultation, to do his improvised insults to groups of British soldiers who were being tested for parts in the film as the Marines and he used this opportunity to really pour it on. Kubrick was so impressed that Ermey was offered the part. Then, these sessions with Ermey and the actors-in-training were videotaped and transcribed (250 pages worth!) for eventual use in the script. Kubrick estimated that 50% of Ermey's dialogue came from the improvisations. Rehearsals with Ermey were as follows:

Kubrick's assistant Leon Vitali fired oranges and tennis balls at Ermey. "I had to catch the ball and throw it back to Leon as fast as possible and say the lines as fast as possible. If I were to slur a word, drop a word or slow down, I had to start over. I had to do it twenty times without a mistake. Leon was my drill instructor."

*LoBrutto, pages 462-3

 

[Mark_vdH]

Former US Marines Drill Instructor R. Lee Ermey was hired as a consultant on how to drill USMC style. He performed a demonstration on videotape in which he yelled obscene insults and abuse non-stop for fifteen minutes without stopping, repeating himself, or even flinching - despite being continuously pelted with tennis balls and oranges. Director Stanley Kubrick was so impressed that he cast Ermey as Gunnery Sergeant Hartmann.

 

[Patrick Mirza]

That videotape would have been great as a supplement to the DVD!

By the way, does anyone remember that it was rumored Kubrick would actually supply a commentary track for the remastered FMJ after he was done with Eyes Wide Shut duties?!?

I doubted that he would do it, and boy was I right.

I still can't get over the fact that the MAN is gone and that there will never be another Kubrick film. I really worship the guy, because I think about this nearly every day.

 

[Darren H]

Last week I watched Full Metal Jacket for the first time in a number of years. Despite my deep admiration for Kubrick (no other single person is more responsible for my love of movies), I'd always been ambivalent about FMJ, joining those who felt that the first act overshadowed the rest. Well, after spending several months buried under literature of the Vietnam experience, I have gained a much greater appreciation of the film. In fact, I now think it's one of Kubrick's best.
I've written up my defense of FMJ and would love feedback.
http://www.longpauses.com/full_metal_jacket.htm
Thanks,
Darren

 

[Mike Broadman]

"Hell, I like you, you can come over and f*** my sister."

Goddamn, I love that movie.

Kubrick's vision and talent still astound me.

Thanks for all the neat info, guys!

 

[Jefferson Morris]

Then, these sessions with Ermey and the actors-in-training were videotaped and transcribed (250 pages worth!)

I'd kill for those tapes and/or transcripts.

In my college days, with a little prodding, I could recite, word for word, the first five minutes of Full Metal Jacket. It it without question one of the most singularly memorable, not to mention downright hilarious/horrifying, opening scenes in any film. The first time I ever saw this scene, on video (alas), marked one of only three times in my life so far when I have literally fallen out of my chair laughing, clutching my sides in pain and gasping for breath.

--Jefferson Morris

 

[Peter Apruzzese]

when I have literally fallen out of my chair laughing, clutching my sides in pain and gasping for breath.

"Wipe that disgusting grin off your face, fatbody!"

Darren,

Wonderful review! I don't have any feedback for you other than to say I agree with your points. I, like others, was so knocked out by the first third of the film (on the initial viewing), that the other two-thirds seemed like lesser work. With subsequent viewings, Kubrick's structure started to become visible and the "other" two acts really began to shine for me. I still think the transition from the murder/suicide to Vietnam is one of the most disturbing and disorienting things I've ever seen. We leave a place that we had been very familiar with ("comfortable" may not be the right word, but it's close) and are, literally, dropped into the middle of the war. And the final transition of the film - from daytime to twilight to night - is masterfully done, both on a technical level and as a cinematic device. The agonizingly long fade-out at the end is, as you point out, not a place for closure. "Paint It Black", indeed!