Stanley Kubrick's Full Mental Straightjacket: The Siege of Gunnery Sgt. Hartman

By Dan Valenti

Book Overview

Stanley Kubrick''s penultimate film Full Metal Jacket has been hailed by critics as the best war film of all time. In the nearly 40 years since its filming (1985-6) and release (1987), it has grown to iconic status. At the heart of this evaluation is the blazing performance of Lee Ermey (later billed as "R. Lee Ermey") as Gunnery Sgt. Hartman in his stunning portrayal of the drill instructor from hell. What is puzzling, though, is how little serious attention this film has garnered from authors, it being one of the few Kubrick films that hasn''t been treated in dedicated book form. Consequently, not many know that Ermey initially was not supposed to be in the film. Kubrick hired the former Marine D.I. solely as Full Metal Jacket''s technical adviser. In literally his first meeting with Kubrick on the FMJ location at Beckton Gas Works on the Thames, Ermey asked Kubrick if he could play Hartman. The director flat-out said no. Kubrick''s initial choice for Hartman was another unknown actor, Tim Colceri, the only other former Marine in the film''s cast. Miraculously, Kubrick plucked Colceri out of obscurity for the film''s starring role from the 5,000 audition tapes sent in by hopefuls looking to be cast as platoon extras for the boot camp and Vietnam scenes. It was a real-life "Schwab''s Drugstore" moment: an unknown to star in a major motion picture released by the preeminent movie studio and directed by a man who is arguably the medium''s greatest, ever. It was all but certain: the actor who played Hartman would be set up for life. That''s what happened to Ermey, who says "Stanley put me on the map." As for Colceri, it was "Aloha" on the steel guitar. The heart of this book is that story, which from Ermey''s standpoint heretofore has been told but only in broad, caricatured terms. Valenti has the goods. And what of Colceri''s experience? What happened to him? How did he lose the coveted role after rehearsing for months--countless hours--with Kubrick''s factotum and dialogue coach Leon Vitali? How did he turn the small part of the helicopter door gunner into the now-celebrated "Get some!" scene? For the first time ever, Stanley Kubrick''s Full Mental Straitjacket tells the full story. Author Dan Valenti is uniquely positioned to reveal the startling details. For more than two years following the release of FMJ , Valenti partnered with Ermey on a book/screenply project. During their time together, Ermey talked extensively about his FMJ experience, as star AND technical advisor. Ermey was with Kubrick nearly every day. This included on the set for every scene and more than 50 visits inside of Childwickbury after Ermey''s horrific car crash that almost killed him (covered for the first time anywhere in detail). From 2022 to 2024, Valenti also interviewed at length Tim Colceri more than a dozen times, and he reveals all. Readers will learn of his ordeal on the film, the story of his against-all-odds hiring to play Hartman, the devastating firing at Kubrick''s hands just before Thanksgiving 1985, his rehiring as Hartman after Ermey''s accident, losing the role for a second time to Ermey, his rehiring to play the chopper door gunner, how he had to threaten a lawsuit to keep Kubrick from cutting the part, his ordeal with Vitali filming from a helicopter flying over the wastes of the remote Norwich countryside, and, finally, his coming to terms with his unbelievable experience with Kubrick. The book reveals new information and offers new insights about Kubrick''s mercurial methods: His mannerisms on the set and behavior off the set, at home in Childwickbury. On set the cold, abrupt director who didn''t like to be touch ... off set the warm and obliging family man who had a sense of humor and a deep sense of caring. Informed by fresh testimony by Ermey and Colceri, a new picture of Kubrick emerges. Valenti''s book is one all Kubrick fans will love.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: B0F6339TNW
• ISBN13: 9798281053440
• Release Date: April 2025
• Publisher: Independently published
• Length: 439 Pages
• Dimensions: 9.0" x 1.1" x 6.0"