You may have heard about a small, indie director, Stanley Kubrick. He made a movie called Full Metal Jacket, which was something to do with the Vietnam War. It’s new to me, but I’ll put it on the list.
I’m being silly, obviously. If you love movies, you have heard of Kubrick and, love him or hate him, he’s left his mark on cinema. Full Metal Jacket is one of those movies that is a work of art.
Matthew Modine, one of the stars of Full Metal Jacket, has produced a new documentary about the making of the movie: A Modern Art Masterpiece: The Untold Story of Full Metal Jacket. That title needs to be a little longer if you ask me. The rest of the details are from the press release.
Including a series of over 30 new interviews, extensive and definitive conversations with Matthew Modine, Vincent D’Onofrio and Arliss Howard, the story unfolds through new, first-hand accounts from the cast and crew. It is narrated using newly discovered and previously unheard audio interviews with Stanley Kubrick himself. Revealing intimate details of his life and work in the 1980s.
Richly illustrated with exclusive archival materials, including thousands of candid behind-the-scenes photographs and never-before-released audio of Kubrick rehearsing with the actors at Pinewood Studios in 1986. A gripping story emerges of the drama and challenges behind this complex production, offering a rare glimpse into the mind of a true cinematic artist at work.
![Director Stanley Kubrick on set with Vincent D’Onofrio [Pvt. Pyle] ©Matthew Modine](https://lastmovieoutpost.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/full_metal_jacket_docu_kurick_defrono.jpg)
A New Documentary
The documentary is being produced in the UK by Stephen Rigg (Soldiers of the Damned, Kubrick’s Universe) and Hank Starrs (RoboDoc, Elstree 1976), in association with producers Matthew Modine and Adam Rackoff’s US-based production company Cinco Dedos Peliculas (Downwind, Michael Caton-Jones: This Broxburn Boy’s Life) and SuperCloud Studios, a cloud-based media company specialising in content distribution, development and financing (The Journey’s Within).
Executive Producers in the US are Rich Kane, James Hancock (Cheatin’, Geekin’ with James Hancock) and four-time Emmy-winning producer Jarratt Carson (Profiles From The Frontline, The Amazing Race). UK Executive Producers include Amer Hilal (Where to Land, The Life and Deaths of Christopher Lee) and Adrian Lord (The Terror of Our Ways).
Speaking about the project, writer and director Stephen Rigg says:
“For decades, the making of FULL METAL JACKET has been shrouded in myth and mystery. Through the voices of those who were there, guided by Stanley Kubrick’s own words — our film finally tells the full story. This isn’t just a retrospective; it’s an immersive journey back to the 1980s, recreating the atmosphere and intensity of life on set. FULL METAL JACKET remains one of the most enduring war films of the 20th century, and this documentary offers a fresh perspective on Kubrick’s creative process and the remarkable people who helped bring his vision to life.”
A Modern Art Masterpiece: The Untold Story of Full Metal Jacket has had a limited cinema release and will be on digital soon.
Header image: Matthew Modine [Pvt. Joker], Vincent D’Onofrio [Pvt. Pyle] and Arliss Howard [Pvt. Cowboy] on set ©Dan Weldon/AMAM Ltd
