Author Description

"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 coa