Musings on Parallels between Peter Pan (1953) and Full Metal Jacket (1987)
For me, I have begun to see some parallels between Stanley Kubrick's 1987 Vietnam War movie Full Metal Jacket (an adaptation of Gustav Hasford's 1979 novel The Short-Timers with material also lifted from Michael Herr's book Dispatches) and Peter Pan (1953) in how some of the characters and their relationships have analogues - particularly in the first 3rd/first act set on Parris Island during Basic Training in 1966.
The misogynistic-homophobic-xenophobic Gunnery Sergeant Hartman I see parallels to Captain Hook in.
Hartman's abusive rhetoric for a homoerotic/violence-obsessed male utopia of no women reflects Hook and the Jolly Roger's crew.
His abuse could also have a level of Psychological Projection that he is lusting after the innocence and souls of Platoon 3092 even as he derides the thought of "ONLY F*GG*TS AND SAILORS ARE CALLED LAWRENCE!".
His abhorrence of all things feminine or homosexual coupled with his bipolar abuse towards the men of 3092 seems to indicate to me Hartman is an Armored Closet Manly Gay who is what he despises.
These in this troper's mind connects him to Hook who has been said to be queer-coded (who at best is asexual) with his dainty, foppish attitudes and cowardice in the face of a true threat like that of the Crocodile coupled with outdated and harmful stereotypes of gay men.
Rule of Cautious Editing Judgment extending to replies will apply to here.
Turning to Private James Theodore "Joker" Davis, I see him as Peter Pan for as Hartman and Hook both lust after either perverting the innocence or outright killing them; Davis and Pan both take on the role of The Prankster or Sad Clown by masking the hidden darkness waiting within with humor in.
The titular "Full Metal Jacket" of humor coupled with youth in a way protects Davis and Pan from the ravages of Hartman and Hook's respective bloodlusts.
As for Private Leonard "Gomer Pyle" Lawrence, I see him as the coming Tick-Tock Crocodile.
Hartman's abuse of Lawrence takes on a new meaning first if you take the account of Psychological Projection in which the Senior Drill Instructor is externalizing his own insecurities onto the hapless private who has no business being in Basic Training let alone the Marine Corps, but perhaps Lawrence was sent there to kill Hartman.
Those insecurities could be of ruined innocence from possibly being a failure in civilian life ("DIDN'T MOMMY AND DADDY TREAT YOU ENOUGH ATTENTION WHEN YOU WERE A CHILD?!") and knowing that heading back to the front lines of Vietnam and the DMZ would kill him, so a cushy job breaking recruits on the home front at Parris Island would allow our Hartman to exact some form of violent power over others without risk to himself.
But what if he is at the same token, railing and pushing back against what he sees as the inevitable death of him?
Even though he says and I quote "MARINES DIE... THAT'S WHAT WERE HERE FOR! BUT THE MARINE CORPS LIVES ON FOREVER - AND THAT MEANS YOU LIVE FOREVER!", Hartman may really know it's full of shit and is determined to stave off his eventual death at the hands of Lawrence just as Hook attempts to do likewise with the Crocodile.
The two authority figures both know that death for them would be worse even as they try to outrun its inevitability.
For extra points, the "stupid grin" on Lawrence's face during Hartman's opening diatribes connects him to the Crocodile with the lyrics to "Never Smile At A Crocodile" with Don't be taken in... by his welcome grin. He's imagining how well you'd fit within his skin! if you can believe it.
At least, those are my takes on the characters. What do you denizens of the interwebs think about my interpretation?
