Ep. 16 - Full Metal Jacket
Adam and Nate discuss the Vietnam War classic Full Metal Jacket (1987) and its parody in “Bart the General” (S1E5), one of the earliest episodes of The Simpsons to go hard on movie parody mashups.
Also in this episode:
Does Stanley Kubrick really wait to make the last, best movie in every genre?
Revisiting Nate’s claim that this is Kubrick’s most “accessible” movie…
How Full Metal Jacket is like My Fair Lady
The perverse entertainment of R. Lee Ermey’s Gny. Sgt. Hartman
What’s the mysterious connection between Private Pyle and Animal Mother?
Next time, Adam and Nate capture King Kong (1933) and “Treehouse of Horror III” (S4E5) with film critic and horror aficionado Dede Crimmins!
Every Reference to Full Metal Jacket on The Simpsons
By our count in The Simpsons Movie Reference Database, Full Metal Jacket has been directly referenced in 5 episodes of the first 13 seasons of The Simpsons, including 2 scene parodies. The first reference appears in “Bart the General” (S1E5) from 1989, 2 years after the release of the movie.
Scene Parodies
Bart the General (S1E5): This episode includes a long training sequence with a similar rhythm to the Parris Island section of Full Metal Jacket, among other movie references. Several shots are taken directly from the movie, including the child recruits climbing at sunset and schoolyard versions of the jogging songs.
Sweet Seymour Skinner's Baadasssss Song (S5E19): The jogging songs are parodied yet again in this episode, this time with Principal Skinner taking offense to how crude they are and trying class them up.
Sideshow Bob’s Last Gleaming (S7E9): R. Lee Ermey guest stars as Colonel Leslie “Hap” Hapablap, a character similar to his most famous role of Gunnery Sergeant Hartman in this movie. One line—“What is your major malfunction?”—is taken directly from the film.
Small References
Dead Putting Society (S2E6): When Homer is dissatisfied with the name Bart chooses his for his putter, he tells him it’s named “Charlene,” just like Private Pyle’s rifle in Full Metal Jacket.
Hungry, Hungry Homer (S12E15): When Homer is asked to say something to the audience during his hunger strike, he says, “Me so hungee”—which may or may not be a reference to the infamous line from this film, “Me so horny.” (Unconfirmed)
Extra Credit
Looking for more like this or an interesting double feature? Here are our recommendations.
From Adam: MASH (1970) & Hearts of Darkness: A Filmmaker’s Apocalypse (1991)
From Nate: The Best Years of Our Lives (1946)
Further Reading & Viewing
Interview: Lloyd Rose, “Stanley Kubrick, at a Distance,“ Washington Post, June 28, 1987.
Twitter Thread: Adam Schoales & Matthew Modine, “‘Fresh Pressed’ Juices,” September 10, 2012.
Essay: Jeff Westerman, “‘Animals in My Head’: Stanley Kubrick's Preoccupation with Bathrooms,“ The Kubrick Site, 2013.
Interview: Damon Wise, “How we made Stanley Kubrick's Full Metal Jacket,“ The Guardian, August 1, 2017.
Article: Aaron Couch, “’He Had Death on His Face’: Kubrick, ‘Full Metal Jacket’ and an Actor’s Heartbreak,” The Hollywood Reporter, September 20, 2019.
Interview: Ron Magid, “Full Metal Jacket: Cynic’s Choice,“ American Cinematographer, September 29, 2020.
Interview: Nobuhiro Hosoki, “An Exclusive Interview with Leon Vitali, Who Was Stanley Kubrick’s Right-Hand Man,“ Cinema Daily US, April 26, 2021.
Article: Thuc Nguyen, “Those 5 Words: It's time to stop saying ‘Me love you long time’,“ Esquire, May 26, 2021.
Interview: Grolsch Film Works, “Interview with Full Metal Jacket Editor Martin Hunter,” CinemaTyler.com, March 1, 2023.
Article: Tim Pelan, “Run Through the Jungian: Stanley Kubrick’s ‘Full Metal Jacket’, a Phenomenological Treatise on War,“ Cinephelia & Beyond, accessed October 3, 2023.
Who’s who? Which of the above photos is Vincent D’Onofrio and which one is Adam Baldwin? Hover over the images to find the answer in the alt text.
