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Over the past decade, whenever I’ve been fortunate enough to interview someone that worked with Stanley Kubrick, I’ve always had far too many questions about the reclusive director. After all, if you love movies, Kubrick is part of that rare breed that created masterful films that are also worthy of being studied down to the smallest detail. His resume, while not extensive, will stand the test of time. So when Warner Home Video asked me if I wanted to help promote the 30th anniversary of Full Metal Jacket by speaking with Matthew Modine, Vincent D’Onofrio and Leon Vitali (who was the casting director on Full Metal Jacket and also Kubrick’s right hand man for everything), I jumped at the chance.
During the interview they talked about the casting process and how Matthew Modine helped Vincent D'Onofrio get the role, the difference between acting methods (including a great story about Dustin Hoffman and Laurence Olivier), if Kubrick changed as a director during his career and his penchant for doing a lot of takes, and Modine talks about the two deleted scenes from Full Metal Jacket and how one of them was his idea.
Check out what they had to say in the player above and below is exactly what we talked about followed by some images from the film.
Matthew Modine, Vincent D’Onofrio and Leon Vitali:
- Casting talk. How Val Kilmer helped Matthew Modine get cast (sort of) and how Modine helped Vincent D'Onofrio get cast.
- Modine talks about the difference between acting methods and shares a great story about Dustin Hoffman and Laurence Olivier.
- How Vincent D'Onofrio gained 70 or 80 pounds for the role.
- Leon Vitali talks about how Kubrick changed as a director and when he would do a lot of takes.
- Did Full Metal Jacket have any deleted scenes? Matthew Modine talks about the two scenes that didn’t make the finished film.
