Remembrances of Kubrick

......another interesting tidbit....."Remembrances of Kubrick" excerpted from Kinetofilm.com
Complete journal may be read here.


LEE ERMEY (Vietnam Marine Corps veteran; technical adviser, script consultant, actor on "Full Metal Jacket"): Stanley told me he didn't understand actors. He had no actor friends -- they were basically working associates, and he thought they were a little bit strange, totally spoiled and in most cases had to be begged to give him a decent performance. Half the time the actor would argue with him. Vince D'Onofrio didn't like Stanley's "craziness look." He wanted to try it some other way. The problem with Vince was this was his first film, and he's telling Stanley Kubrick how he thinks this look should be. They stand there arguing. Stanley finally said, "Look, do it my way and we'll load back up and we'll shoot it your way." Well, when they shot it Vince's way they didn't have any film in the camera.

LOUIS BLAU: Stanley told Vincent D'Onofrio the night before a scene, "I want you to be big -- Lon Chaney big." They shot the scene in three takes and as they sat playing back the tape, Vincent and Stanley were seated next to each other. And after the third take was seen, Stanley took his fist and gently rubbed it against Vincent D'Onofrio. Vincent has never forgotten that -- it was the approval from Kubrick.