Alliance and Allegiance

Allegiance and Alignment

Full Metal Jacket is a film in which it is difficult to align with any particular character because of the form and content used in the film. Alignment is the process in which we as the audience or spectator identify ourselves with something or someone. In conventional films we align with the main protagonist because we are made to see the world through the eyes of the protagonist however Full Metal Jacket does not do this. There is no real protagonist in the film and therefore there is no one to align with and we must use our own emotional response tin order to form a judgment on the film.

The opening of the film begins with a series of shots showing men getting their heads shaved. This straight away shows us the theme of loss of identity because now they are all the same. Also the repetition of shots reinforces this theme as all the men no matter who it is has the same shot, same length of shot as well as having their head shaved like everybody else therefore we are unable to see anyone as an individual.

Throughout boot camp we could argue that the main focus is on Private Pyle and how he is not part of the group. We do not feel any real sympathy towards Pyle because the seriousness of the abuse he receives is disarmed by humor, therefore blocking any empathy we may feel towards Pyle. Also throughout the boot camp we see Pyle not part of the group, we see him as an outcast. The group is also shot together as a unit and no marine is ever alone in any shot, whereas Pyle is always shot away from the group because he is a burden and a threat to the unit. The scene where Pyle is climbing the frame is very important in showing this. As Pyle climbs the frame the frame he is positioned in middle, whilst the other marines go up either side in two’s. This reinforces that Pyle is isolated from the group. Also in the background we see the other Marines training always in groups and never alone because they are a unit and Pyle is an outsider.

The jelly donut is one of the key scenes in which see Pyle as an outcast and the other marines as a united group. When Pyle is pulled into the middle of the two rows of marines the first thing we notice is that all the other marines are together as a unit dressed the same, stood in the same position with the same haircuts whereas Pyle is alone and isolated in the center away from the group. This reinforces the theme that Pyle is not part of the group and is a burden on them as they are being punished every time he does something wrong, which pushes him further away from the group.

The soap-beating scene is important because it is the scene where Joker finally aligns with the group rather than Pyle. Throughout the film Pyle has prevented Joker from joining the group because he has had to come away from the unit in order to train Pyle. By taking part in the beating of Pyle Joker has finally aligned fully with group, but also prevents us from aligning with Joker because we view him negatively after seeing him beat Pyle. The group mentality is reinforced also by the way the Marines beat Pyle. They attack him from either side in rows each taking turns, almost like a drill they have been ordered to do. This is their first mission as a unit to get rid of a threat to the group, the threat being Pyle.

The conversation between Joker and Cowboy also shows us how the group perceive Pyle. They call him Leonard and not Pyle, therefore rejecting his marine identity and treating him like a civilian. Also we notice that they both use the same vocabulary as Hartmann, which shows that they have conformed to the Marine way of life and are part of the group.

Pyle’s final scene is one of the only scenes where Kubrick purposely manipulates us to see Pyle as a threat. The music tells us that something bad is going to happen and when we see Pyle with the gun we know straightaway he is the threat, therefore preventing any empathy we have towards Pyle. Also we see close-ups of Pyle’s face with a menacing look almost psychotic. This is because Kubrick wants us to see Pyle as a threat to the group and wants us to not feel empathy towards him. Also there is a repetition of form in the scene from the jelly donut scene. Pyle stands in between two rows of toilets, isolated and alone. Now because we see Pyle as a threat we have adopted the groups viewpoint and we no longer feel sympathy or empathy towards Pyle but we also see him as a threat just like the other marines do.