or
Sign in to turn on 1-Click ordering
Sell Us Your Item
For a $7.53 Gift Card
Trade in
More Buying Choices
Have one to sell? Sell yours here
Tell the Publisher!
I'd like to read this book on Kindle

Don't have a Kindle? Get your Kindle here, or download a FREE Kindle Reading App.
Sorry, this item is not available in
Image not available for
Color:
Image not available

To view this video download Flash Player

 

Full Metal Jacket Diary [Hardcover]

Matthew Modine
4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (22 customer reviews)

List Price: $29.95
Price: $22.88 & FREE Shipping on orders over $25. Details
You Save: $7.07 (24%)
o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o
Temporarily out of stock.
Order now and we'll deliver when available. We'll e-mail you with an estimated delivery date as soon as we have more information. Your account will only be charged when we ship the item.
Ships from and sold by Amazon.com. Gift-wrap available.
Image
Save on Popular Books This Summer
Browse our Bookshelf Favorites store for big savings on popular fiction, nonfiction, children's books, and more.

Book Description

October 25, 2005
Despite the infamous reputation of the enigmatic Stanley Kubrick, Matthew Modine couldn’t refuse his offer. Faced with the prospects of a career-defining role and mentorship by a cinematic great, the 24-year-old Hollywood actor arrived in London armed with a large-format Roliflex camera–inspired by Kubrick’s early career as a Look photographer–and a notebook to record his own on-set reportage; preparation for his starring role as a Marine Corps journalist.

But expectations eroded as a strange, creeping sickness pervaded the set, a horrific accident sidelined a principal, and an unexpected rivalry arose with a co-star. And as the months dragged on, take-by-take, Modine realized he was falling victim to a manipulative mind-game of the Grand Master himself.

By the time his tour of duty ended a year and a half later, Modine had shot hundreds of photos and written countless entries. Only now–after two decades and the death of Kubrick–can Modine look back on his images and words. The result–a coming-of-age drama set against the backdrop of a seminal Vietnam saga.

A book like no other, Stanley Kubrick would have been the first in line to buy Full Metal Jacket Diary.

Frequently Bought Together

Full Metal Jacket Diary + Kubrick + Stanley Kubrick: Interviews (Conversations with Filmmakers)
Price for all three: $54.78

Some of these items ship sooner than the others.

Buy the selected items together

Customers Who Bought This Item Also Bought


Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Modine, who starred as Private Joker in Stanley Kubrick's 1987 Vietnam War masterpiece, Full Metal Jacket, gets right to the core of his subject by beginning with the question, "What was Stanley like?" He supplies the answers throughout this diary on the movie's filming, which should provide new insights for Kubrick enthusiasts. Modine's writing isn't graceful, but his insider's view of events have enough acrid flavor and authenticity to compensate. He explains Kubrick's philosophy by quoting him, "There are no bad ideas—only better ones," and convincingly highlights the fanatical perfectionism that caused Kubrick to go "dangerously overboard... way behind schedule." Modine mentions the horror of eating fruits and meats that were actually from the Vietnam War, kept in cans for 20 years. Other atmospherically effective details include the "incredibly uncomfortable, gummy and viscous" makeup blood, freezing in jungle fatigues and experiencing through Kubrick's emphasis on raw reality what the war was like. The book is filled with Modine's excellent photographs, which powerfully supplement the sometimes sketchy narrative. In the end, the work succeeds in expressing Modine's attitude—"I'm going to make you feel the horror of death." The stainless steel–covered book—each one laser-etched with a serial number—should become a collector's item for fans of the legendary director. (Oct.)
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

About the Author

Matthew Modine has starred in over forty films, including Any Given Sunday, Pacific Heights, Married to the Mob, Vision Quest, and Birdy.

Product Details

  • Hardcover: 224 pages
  • Publisher: Rugged Land (October 25, 2005)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 1590710479
  • ISBN-13: 978-1590710470
  • Product Dimensions: 9.6 x 0.9 x 9.4 inches
  • Shipping Weight: 3.3 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
  • Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (22 customer reviews)
  • Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #377,093 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

4.7 out of 5 stars
(22)
4.7 out of 5 stars
3 star
0
2 star
0
1 star
0
Such is the glamour of film making. Joseph J. Kelly  |  2 reviewers made a similar statement
An easy read, yet hard to put down. P. Weiss     
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
22 of 22 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent Book November 21, 2005
Having seen Full Metal Jacket numerous times and being a big Kubrick fan I couldn't resist owning this book. The photos are stunning. Modine has a photographer's eye and it shows. What I found more interesting was the diary. Even twenty years later it must have been difficult to publish such candid thoughts. In it Modine reveals his jealousies and problems with other actors. To one he says something like: 'You're everything I'm afraid I'll become.' Oddly, the actor was not bothered by this statement. This isn't to say Modine is a whiner. His feelings were probably natural for any actor on any movie set particularly one made by Kubrick. For example, Kubrick demands Modine return to the set literally hours after his wife gives birth to their first child. Modine complies not wanting to hold up production. The demands Kubrick places on cast and crew are legendary and Modine delves into them. And then there's Modine's trepidations about a sex scene with Papillion Soo Soo... On the other hand, Modine talks about the way the film changed as they shot it. The ending was altered radically and it may be because of Modine's random thoughts or maybe because Kubrick was waiting for Modine to realize what he had realized. Whatever the case Modine played was a major influence in the direction Kubrick took while filming. Modine's diary is a blunt testimony to the heaven and hell it was for a young actor to star in Kubrick's last great movie.
Comment | 
Was this review helpful to you?
9 of 9 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars Not just for fans of the film... October 27, 2005
...although fans of the film will most appreciate the great photographs and inside scoop on Stanley Kubrick, the cast and crew, and the movie-making details. (Thanks, Mr. Modine!)

The packaging of the book -- in a "full metal jacket" with a serial number -- is clever marketing that only enhances the subject, not takes away from it.

All in all, an intellectual and tactile pleasure.
Comment | 
Was this review helpful to you?
8 of 8 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars A "must read" for Full Metal Jacket lovers December 26, 2005
One word. WOW.

My husband got me this book for Christmas and I couldn't be happier. I love this movie and always wondered how Kubrick found these actors and got these unbelievable shots. I was shocked to find how much of my perceptions of Kubrick's genius were actually stumbled upon accidentally or ideas from cast members! (Don't get me wrong, much of it was still Kubrick's genius!)

The book covers dialogue and conflicts between cast and crew, personal thoughts of Modine, how the film was made, how the actors were chosen, etc. It also gives away many secrets of the movie.

The way Modine keeps this journal is strikingly similar to the way Joker narrates the movie... as you read the pages of the journal you can almost hear Joker narrating to you -- the writing style and broken sentences make you feel almost as if you're watching an after-thought to the movie with the same voice walking you through.

One thing that troubles me... the book references multiple instances where parts and scenes were filmed (over and over and over again! Modine's main problem while the movie was being filmed) but are NOT in the final cut. For examnple, the sex scene, Animal Mother decapitating the sniper... neither are in the actual film. But the book doesn't acknowledge that.. I would like to know why they were left out after so many months of filming those scenes over and over.

This diary gives an interesting perspective on what it was like to *live* Full Metal Jacket, not just watch it. I highly recommend it to anyone who wants to know more about the film.
Comment | 
Was this review helpful to you?
9 of 10 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars Not only an extremely beautiful book... October 30, 2005
in words, pictures and design,"Full Metal Jacket Diary" is most of all a unique and honest book about the realities of film making at it's extreme. Such are few and far between.

In it Matthew Modine takes you through two years of heaven and hell working for the enigmatic genius film director, Stanley Kubrick, as an actor starring as Private Joker in "Full Metal Jacket".

What started as a three month shoot turned into years with no end in sight.. This tale of Kubrick's conscious or unconscious manipulation of both cast and crew to achieve his vision is a fascinating account of genius and perhaps insanity.

Within this alternate reality, the damp chill of England slowly broke Kubrick's men down. much like the heat of jungle did in Vietnam.. Modine has captured the madness of the war of making movies unlike any other book I have read.

Matthew Modine's stunning black and white images and his passionate words of a young actor's very difficult personal journey are unique and compelling. He became a father during the filming just as Chernobal blew its stack and was told everyone would be fine except for nursing infants. Such is the glamour of film making.

Yet despite the hardships and stress, he portrays a compelling and unique reverence for Stanley Kubrick and his vision. . It's straight from the heart.

In any event had Modine not become a brilliant actor, he could have been a kick ass, no holds back war correspondent and photographer. If you like Kubrick, Modine or are at all interested in what making a film really can be like, this is the best twenty bucks you will ever spend.
Comment | 
Was this review helpful to you?
6 of 6 people found the following review helpful
4.0 out of 5 stars A straight and quick review without giving too much away. November 29, 2005
By FfW
-The metal book jacket is gimmicky. But I doubt anyone would really buy this book for the jacket alone.

-The overall physical quality of the book is quite good. A top production; quality paper and printing.

-Photos are candid and vary in subjects. Cast, crew, family, and even vacation photos are present. There are only a handful of photos of Kubrick, and IMO none that stay in the mind, unfortunately.

-The diary is a quick read. Not unlike Michael Herr's book "Kubrick."

-The diary covers the onset production of Full Metal Jacket, in addition to some of Mr. Modine's private life offset during production. Some of the finest entries are short conversations between Mr. Modine and Kubrick and others.

-I would say that Mr. Modine's personal insights into his fellow cast and crew are the jewels of this book. This alone is worth the price. As a fan of Kubrick I feel a few more blanks in his puzzle have been filled. Not only of him, but also of his working habits and those with whom he worked. There are a couple shared moments between actor and director that I felt were quite touching.
Comment | 
Was this review helpful to you?
Most Recent Customer Reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars Interesting
Matthew Modine (who plays Joker in the movie) published the story of first meeting Stanley Kubrick to finishing the movie. The filming was pushed back due to R. Read more
Published 4 months ago by Brady
5.0 out of 5 stars Wonderfully written
If your a fan of Full Metal Jacket, Kubrick, Modine, or war films in general, this book is a great read. Matthew Modine is quite a spectacular writer.. Read more
Published 10 months ago by Christopher Hart
5.0 out of 5 stars awesome
Excellent Book! I bought 2 for the price. Matthew knocked it out of the park and now I know why I don't like Vincent.
Published 11 months ago by disgruntled
4.0 out of 5 stars Great product for a fan
I got this for a dear friend who is a great fan of the movie - he was totally over the moon.

This makes a great gift for christmas, birthdays or for no reason at all!
Published on May 24, 2011 by A Reader
5.0 out of 5 stars Great Book
I was excited to receive this book. The metal cover is a nice touch along with the serial number. Now I need help in trying to locate Matthew Modine to get his signature to make... Read more
Published on January 17, 2010 by Benjamin Ishmael
5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent Look Inside the Movie Industry
Modine showed up on the set of Stanley Kubrick's 1987 Vietnam War masterpiece "Full Metal Jacket", in which he starred as Private Joker, armed with his weapon and his gun and his... Read more
Published on May 12, 2009 by Brian Smith
5.0 out of 5 stars Behind The Scenes Of A Great Film
Real simple - if you want to get the behind the scenes reality of the making of one of the best films ever made, read this book.
Published on April 9, 2008 by Lee Stranahan
5.0 out of 5 stars For any Full Metal Jacket fan
Behind the scenes features on DVDs are great but it isn't often you get a first person account as in-depth as Matthew Modine's diary of his experiences on Full Metal Jacket. Read more
Published on April 9, 2008 by William J. Checket
4.0 out of 5 stars Full Metal Jacket
I read this book pretty much one Sunday. I love the Kubrick film and wanted to read about actor Matthew Modine's memories of working with such a great director. Read more
Published on November 19, 2007 by Evelyn Schubert
4.0 out of 5 stars A unique chronicle and perspective on Full Metal Jacket
This diary and its photographs provide a very unique look into the making of this classic film from Stanley Kubrick. Read more
Published on August 20, 2007 by J. Starr
Search Customer Reviews
Only search this product's reviews

What Other Items Do Customers Buy After Viewing This Item?


Sell a Digital Version of This Book in the Kindle Store

If you are a publisher or author and hold the digital rights to a book, you can sell a digital version of it in our Kindle Store. Learn more

Forums

There are no discussions about this product yet.
Be the first to discuss this product with the community.
Start a new discussion
Topic:
First post:
Prompts for sign-in
 



So You'd Like to...

Create a guide


Look for Similar Items by Category