Apr 30th  
Full Metal Jacket**       
(US 1987)                                                        
Warner Bros/Natant/Harrier Films. 116m.

Experiences of a US Marine from the hell of combat training into combat service in Vietnam.
Memories of Kubrick's Paths of Glory are conjured in this functional Vietnam war film (one of a cycle at the time, including Oliver Stone's Platoon), with a brutal and tragic first half in the training camp that has almost no bearing at all on the rest of the film, which like the later Saving Private Ryan. is relatively standard war film fare, but at least marked something of a welcome return to form for Kubrick.

Written by: Stanley Kubrick, Michael Herr, Gustav Hasford, from his novel "The Short-Timers".
Producer/Director: Stanley Kubrick.
Starring: Matthew Modine, Arliss Howard, Adam Baldwin, Vincent D'Onofrio, R. Lee Ermey, Kevyn Major Howard, Ed O'Ross, John Terry, Tim Colceri, Bruce Boa.
Photography: Douglas Milsome.
Music: Abigail Mead.
Production Design: Anton Furst (developing parts of southern England to resemble Vietnam).

Preceded by:
Bugs Bunny in
Falling Hare*
(US 1943. 8m.; p: Leon Schlesinger; d: Bob Clampett; voices of Mel Blanc; for Warner Bros/Merrie Melodies.)