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Full Metal Jacket (1987)
Full Metal Jacket (1987) poster
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4.2

Full Metal Jacket (1987)

Drama, War • 1h 56m

Overview

A pragmatic U.S. Marine observes the dehumanizing effects the U.S.-Vietnam War has on his fellow recruits from their brutal boot camp training to the bloody street fighting in Hue.

Director: Stanley Kubrick

Cast: Matthew Modine, Adam Baldwin, Vincent D'Onofrio, R. Lee Ermey, Dorian Harewood, Kevyn Major Howard, Arliss Howard, Ed O'Ross, John Terry, Kieron Jecchinis, Kirk Taylor, Tim Colceri, Jon Stafford, Bruce Boa, Ian Tyler, Sal Lopez, Gary Landon Mills, Papillon Soo, Peter Edmund, Ngoc Le, Leanne Hong, Tan Hung Francione, Marcus D'Amico, Costas Dino Chimona, Gil Kopel, Keith Hodiak, Peter Merrill, Herbert Norville, Nguyen Hue Phong, Duc Hu Ta, Martin Adams, Kevin Albridge, Del Anderson, Philip Bailey, Louis Barlotti, John Beddows, Patrick Benn, Steve Boucher, Adrian Bush, Tony Carey, Gary Cheeseman, Wayne Clark, Chris Cornibert, Danny Cornibert, John Curtis, John Davis, Harry Davies, Kevin Day, Gordon Duncan, Phil Elmer, Colin Elvis, Hadrian Follett, Sean Frank, David George, Laurie Gomes, Brian Goodwin, Nigel Goulding, Tony Hague, Steve Hands, Chris Harris, Robert E. Hartenberger, Derek Hart, Barry Hayes, Tony Hayes, Robin Hedgeland, Duncan Henry, Kenneth Head, Liam Hogan, Trevor Hogan, Luke Hogdal, Steve Hudson, Tony Howard, Sean Lamming, Dan Landin, Tony Leete, Nigel Lough, Terry Lowe, Frank McCardle, Gary Meyer, Brett Middleton, David Milner, Sean Minmagh, Tony Minmagh, John Morrison, Russell Mott, John Ness, Robert Booth Nichols, David Perry, Peter Rommely, Pat Sands, Jim Sarup, Chris Maybach, Al Simpson, Russell Slater, Gary Smith, Tony Smith, Anthony Styliano, Mike Turjansky, Dan Weldon, Dennis Wells, Michael Anthony Williams, John Wonderling, Vivian Kubrick, Stanley Kubrick, David Palffy

Best English-Friendly Release

Best Video Release

Best Audio Release

1999 WB R1 DVD

Format

UHD Blu-ray

UHD Tiers

Solid
WB:

caveat: mixed opinions on the 5.1; not a player issue

TSPDT

2026: #596
2025: #612
2024: #609
2023: #607
2022: #607

Length

116 mins

Type

Movie

Alternative Titles

Stanley Kubrick's Full Metal Jacket

Last Updated

20 days ago

Contributors

Best English-Friendly Release
Best Video Release
Best Audio Release

1999 WB R1 DVD

Format
UHD Blu-ray
UHD Tiers
Solid
WB:

caveat: mixed opinions on the 5.1; not a player issue

TSPDT
2026: #596
2025: #612
2024: #609
2023: #607
2022: #607
Length
116 mins
Type
Movie
Alternative Titles
Stanley Kubrick's Full Metal Jacket
Last Updated
20 days ago
Contributors

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Best English-Friendly:

Criterion 4K

Upcoming Release:

UK Warner Bros Steelbook 4K Blu-ray

Best Video:

Criterion 4K. Caps

Best Audio:

Uncensored: Cinema DTS
Censored: Criterion
Comparison

Additional Info:

Old WB Blu-ray has exclusive extras

Best English-Friendly:

Criterion 4K

Upcoming Release:

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Best Video:

Criterion 4K. Caps

Best Audio:

Uncensored: Cinema DTS
Censored: Criterion
Comparison

Additional Info:

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Best Video:

WB 4K Blu-ray

Best Audio:

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Mono: 4K Blu-ray/1999 DVD

Best English-Friendly:

WB 4K Blu-ray

Best Video:

WB 4K Blu-ray

Best Audio:

WB 4K 5.1: a remix but has higher fidelity

Mono: 4K Blu-ray/1999 DVD

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UHD Blu-ray
Best English-Friendly:

US Criterion 4K Blu-ray

Best Video:

US Criterion 4K Blu-ray > International WB 4K Blu-ray see caps. While WB has better highlights, Criterion resolves grains better and is believed to have a more accurate color grading.

For Criterion 4K Blu-ray: The better resolution and the subtly adjusted grading paired with HDR makes for a more rounded, fine-tuned experience. The encoding is a leap forward from the Blu-ray as darker shots are no longer a macroblocking mess on the 4K.

Source:

Best English-Friendly:

US Criterion 4K Blu-ray

Best Video:

US Criterion 4K Blu-ray > International WB 4K Blu-ray see caps. While WB has better highlights, Criterion resolves grains better and is believed to have a more accurate color grading.

For Criterion 4K Blu-ray: The better resolution and the subtly adjusted grading paired with HDR makes for a more rounded, fine-tuned experience. The encoding is a leap forward from the Blu-ray as darker shots are no longer a macroblocking mess on the 4K.

Source:

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UHD Blu-ray
Best English-Friendly:

UK MoC 4K Blu-ray

Best Video:

UK MoC 4K Blu-ray better encoding

Best Audio:

Original mix: 1999 R1 MGM DVD
Restored remix: UK MoC 4K Blu-ray

From cbc: "I'm personally quite fond of the restored track on Eureka's 4K Blu-ray. It does have spots with objectively worse fidelity, but for the most part, it sounds a lot more natural and less shrill, particularly dialogue. It seems to be a new mixdown of stems. Technically a remix, so not everyone's cup of tea, but it's not revisionist like most new movie mixes tend to be"

Best English-Friendly:

UK MoC 4K Blu-ray

Best Video:

UK MoC 4K Blu-ray better encoding

Best Audio:

Original mix: 1999 R1 MGM DVD
Restored remix: UK MoC 4K Blu-ray

From cbc: "I'm personally quite fond of the restored track on Eureka's 4K Blu-ray. It does have spots with objectively worse fidelity, but for the most part, it sounds a lot more natural and less shrill, particularly dialogue. It seems to be a new mixdown of stems. Technically a remix, so not everyone's cup of tea, but it's not revisionist like most new movie mixes tend to be"

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UHD Blu-ray
Best English-Friendly:

WB 4K Blu-ray

Best Video:

WB 4K Blu-ray (early pressing has errors of a shot, later pressings fixed)

Best Audio:

1997 MGM LaserDisc, 1998 MGM DVD

Best English-Friendly:

WB 4K Blu-ray

Best Video:

WB 4K Blu-ray (early pressing has errors of a shot, later pressings fixed)

Best Audio:

1997 MGM LaserDisc, 1998 MGM DVD

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UHD Blu-ray
Best English-Friendly:

US Cut: WB 4K Blu-ray

International Cut: Old 2007 Europe Blu-ray

Best Video:

US Cut: WB 4K Blu-ray

International Cut: Old 2007 Europe Blu-ray

Best Audio:

1999 WB DVD

Best English-Friendly:

US Cut: WB 4K Blu-ray

International Cut: Old 2007 Europe Blu-ray

Best Video:

US Cut: WB 4K Blu-ray

International Cut: Old 2007 Europe Blu-ray

Best Audio:

1999 WB DVD

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1080p Blu-ray
Best English-Friendly:

Kino Lorber Fear and Desire Blu-ray extra

Best Video:

4k resto included in Kino Lorber Fear and Desire, better than Blu-ray https://criterionforum.org/forum/viewtopic.php?p=812039#p812039

Flying Padre poster
1080p Blu-ray
Best English-Friendly:

Kino Lorber Fear and Desire Blu-ray extra

Best Video:

4k resto included in Kino Lorber Fear and Desire, better than Blu-ray https://criterionforum.org/forum/viewtopic.php?p=812039#p812039

The Seafarers poster
1080p Blu-ray
Best English-Friendly:

2024 Kino Lorber Fear and Desire Blu-ray extra

Best Video:

4k resto included in Kino Lorber Fear and Desire, worse on 4k than Blu-ray https://criterionforum.org/forum/viewtopic.php?p=812039#p812039 
See caps: The Seafarers 2012 Blu-ray vs 2024 Blu-ray vs 4K Blu-ray: https://slow.pics/c/AQhszlGn 

Best English-Friendly:

2024 Kino Lorber Fear and Desire Blu-ray extra

Best Video:

4k resto included in Kino Lorber Fear and Desire, worse on 4k than Blu-ray https://criterionforum.org/forum/viewtopic.php?p=812039#p812039 
See caps: The Seafarers 2012 Blu-ray vs 2024 Blu-ray vs 4K Blu-ray: https://slow.pics/c/AQhszlGn 

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1080p Blu-ray
Best English-Friendly:

Kino Lorber Fear and Desire Blu-ray extra

Best Video:

4k resto included in Kino Lorber Fear and Desire, better than Blu-ray https://criterionforum.org/forum/viewtopic.php?p=812039#p812039

Best English-Friendly:

Kino Lorber Fear and Desire Blu-ray extra

Best Video:

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UHD Blu-ray
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International Warner Bros 4K Blu-ray, is significantly better than the US Paramount 4K Blu-ray (even with FEL Baked in and Dolby Vision), with more grain retention and detail
SDR Comparisons: International Warner Bros 4K Blu-ray vs US Paramount 4K Blu-ray: https://slow.pics/c/TEPHtKjl
HDR Comparisons: International Warner Bros 4K Blu-ray vs US Paramount 4K Blu-ray: https://slow.pics/c/hIFe11Hx
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The International Cut, which contains alternate, more violent shots in the final act, hasn't been released on home video to date.

Additional Info:

International Cut contains alternate, more violent shots in the final act.

Best English-Friendly:

International Warner Bros 4K Blu-ray

Best Video:

International Warner Bros 4K Blu-ray > US Paramount 4K Blu-ray for the US Cut.

International Warner Bros 4K Blu-ray, is significantly better than the US Paramount 4K Blu-ray (even with FEL Baked in and Dolby Vision), with more grain retention and detail
SDR Comparisons: International Warner Bros 4K Blu-ray vs US Paramount 4K Blu-ray: https://slow.pics/c/TEPHtKjl
HDR Comparisons: International Warner Bros 4K Blu-ray vs US Paramount 4K Blu-ray: https://slow.pics/c/hIFe11Hx
Comparisons in SDR using L8 Trim from CM v4.0 (both UHDs can use CM v4.0): Remux vs USA UHD: https://slow.pics/c/mkrhVtpl

The International Cut, which contains alternate, more violent shots in the final act, hasn't been released on home video to date.

Additional Info:

International Cut contains alternate, more violent shots in the final act.

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Best Audio:

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Additional Info:

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Best English-Friendly:

Warner Bros 4K Blu-ray

Best Audio:

1991 Warner Bros LaserDisc (for original mono track)

Additional Info:

1996 Warner Bros 25th Anniversary LaserDisc has isolated music and effects track (incorrectly labeled "music minus vocals") not present on any other release

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Best Audio:

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1080p Blu-ray
Best English-Friendly:

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Best Audio:

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1080p Blu-ray
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Best Audio:

1991 WB LaserDisc

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2024 Second Sight 4K Blu-ray

Best Video:

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Best Audio:

1991 WB LaserDisc

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UHD Blu-ray
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Best Video:

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Best Video:

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UHD Blu-ray
Best English-Friendly:

Criterion 4K Blu-ray

Best Video:

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The ESC France 4K Blu-ray is an SDR grade erroneously presented in HDR, but if your player can force the HDR into SDR it looks very good.

Best Audio:

2011 Criterion Blu-ray has the least tampered with audio of the DVD era, but it's possible the 1993 Criterion LaserDisc or the 1998 Japan LaserDisc are preferable.

Best English-Friendly:

Criterion 4K Blu-ray

Best Video:

Criterion 4K Blu-ray

The Criterion 4K Blu-ray has marginally better detail and grain structure than ESC 4K Blu-ray

The ESC France 4K Blu-ray is an SDR grade erroneously presented in HDR, but if your player can force the HDR into SDR it looks very good.

Best Audio:

2011 Criterion Blu-ray has the least tampered with audio of the DVD era, but it's possible the 1993 Criterion LaserDisc or the 1998 Japan LaserDisc are preferable.

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UHD Blu-ray
Best English-Friendly:

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Best Audio:

Disney 4K Atmos is great, a reference quality track. It's a very slight remix (music seems to be from a better source), but it's completely seamless and faithful to the original, better fidelity than anything since the 1994 30th Anniversary Edition LaserDisc.

All DVDs (and 2010 Blu-ray) sound far worse than the 4K Blu-ray/LaserDisc and have various missing sound cues.

Best English-Friendly:

Disney 4K Blu-ray

Best Audio:

Disney 4K Atmos is great, a reference quality track. It's a very slight remix (music seems to be from a better source), but it's completely seamless and faithful to the original, better fidelity than anything since the 1994 30th Anniversary Edition LaserDisc.

All DVDs (and 2010 Blu-ray) sound far worse than the 4K Blu-ray/LaserDisc and have various missing sound cues.

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UHD Blu-ray
Best English-Friendly:

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Best Video:

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Best Audio:

Restored original mono mix: Toho Japan 4K Blu-ray
Unrestored original mono: 2014 BFI Blu-ray

BFI 4K Blu-ray has OG Perspecta (in 5.1 container) and a stereo downmix of it; no original mono.

Additional Info:

The unrestored track on BFI's earlier release appears to be an almost entirely unmanipulated transfer of the original mix. It suffers from a distracting low-frequency hum. The 4K restoration comes with a restored track, which appears to be the same transfer, but which appears to be cleaned up with a moderate amount of noise reduction and some EQ, nicely opening up the high-end, and which is likely to be preferable to most listeners. All earlier releases sound poor.

Perspecta isn't a discrete surround format, instead only relying on manipulating volume and panning of the mono track across L/C/R channels, based on embedded control tones. As such, even the Perspecta track is technically just the mono mix, though the omission of the proper mono on BFI's 4K is still unfortunate.

Best English-Friendly:

BFI 4K Blu-ray

Best Video:

BFI 4K Blu-ray has excellent master and grade, no DNR and tasteful HDR

Best Audio:

Restored original mono mix: Toho Japan 4K Blu-ray
Unrestored original mono: 2014 BFI Blu-ray

BFI 4K Blu-ray has OG Perspecta (in 5.1 container) and a stereo downmix of it; no original mono.

Additional Info:

The unrestored track on BFI's earlier release appears to be an almost entirely unmanipulated transfer of the original mix. It suffers from a distracting low-frequency hum. The 4K restoration comes with a restored track, which appears to be the same transfer, but which appears to be cleaned up with a moderate amount of noise reduction and some EQ, nicely opening up the high-end, and which is likely to be preferable to most listeners. All earlier releases sound poor.

Perspecta isn't a discrete surround format, instead only relying on manipulating volume and panning of the mono track across L/C/R channels, based on embedded control tones. As such, even the Perspecta track is technically just the mono mix, though the omission of the proper mono on BFI's 4K is still unfortunate.

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Best Audio:

US end credits song: US Universal Blu-ray

International end credits song: International Universal Blu-ray

Additional Info:

The US uses the end credits score “Beside You” from composer Michael Kamen, while in other markets it is Simply Red “Besides You”.

Best English-Friendly:

Shout! Factory 4K Blu-ray

Best Audio:

US end credits song: US Universal Blu-ray

International end credits song: International Universal Blu-ray

Additional Info:

The US uses the end credits score “Beside You” from composer Michael Kamen, while in other markets it is Simply Red “Besides You”.

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Best Audio:

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Best Audio:

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Best Video:

Fox Blu-ray

Best Audio:

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Best English-Friendly:

Fox Blu-ray

Best Video:

Fox Blu-ray

Best Audio:

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Best English-Friendly:

Kino Lorber Blu-ray

Best Video:

Kino Lorber 4k resto

Best Audio:

Kino Lorber Blu-ray 

Additional Info:

The audio on the Kino Lorber Blu-ray comes from a better source than the various DVDs and the previous HD version on streaming. This audio is relatively untampered with, and is likely the best available source as no laserdisc was ever issued.

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1080p Blu-ray
Best English-Friendly:

Kino Lorber Blu-ray

Best Video:

Kino Lorber 4k resto

Best Audio:

Kino Lorber Blu-ray 

Additional Info:

The audio on the Kino Lorber Blu-ray comes from a better source than the various DVDs and the previous HD version on streaming. This audio is relatively untampered with, and is likely the best available source as no laserdisc was ever issued.

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1080p Blu-ray
Best English-Friendly:

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Original Hong Kong Cut (2 parts): US Magnolia Pictures Blu-ray or Hong Kong Blu-rays?

Best Video:

International Cut: US Magnolia Pictures Blu-ray

Original Hong Kong Cut (2 parts): US Magnolia Pictures Blu-ray or Hong Kong Blu-rays?

Additional Info:

Hong Kong Blu-ray has extras not on the US release

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1080p Blu-ray
Best English-Friendly:

International Cut: US Magnolia Pictures Blu-ray

Original Hong Kong Cut (2 parts): US Magnolia Pictures Blu-ray or Hong Kong Blu-rays?

Best Video:

International Cut: US Magnolia Pictures Blu-ray

Original Hong Kong Cut (2 parts): US Magnolia Pictures Blu-ray or Hong Kong Blu-rays?

Additional Info:

Hong Kong Blu-ray has extras not on the US release

Red Cliff poster
1080p Blu-ray
Best English-Friendly:

International Cut: US Magnolia Pictures Blu-ray

Original Hong Kong Cut (2 parts): US Magnolia Pictures Blu-ray or Hong Kong Blu-rays?

Best Video:

International Cut: US Magnolia Pictures Blu-ray

Original Hong Kong Cut (2 parts): US Magnolia Pictures Blu-ray or Hong Kong Blu-rays?

Additional Info:

Hong Kong Blu-ray has extras not on the US release

Red Cliff poster
1080p Blu-ray
Best English-Friendly:

International Cut: US Magnolia Pictures Blu-ray

Original Hong Kong Cut (2 parts): US Magnolia Pictures Blu-ray or Hong Kong Blu-rays?

Best Video:

International Cut: US Magnolia Pictures Blu-ray

Original Hong Kong Cut (2 parts): US Magnolia Pictures Blu-ray or Hong Kong Blu-rays?

Additional Info:

Hong Kong Blu-ray has extras not on the US release

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