Private Pyle Goes Crazy

The scene from Full Metal Jacket that interested me the most was where Pyle shoots Sergeant Hartman. The scene begins with Joker patrolling late at night in the bunk room while the other Marines sleep. Ominous music plays in the background foreshadowing a dark event. Joker shines his flashlight on the door of Hartman's room. "Drill Instructor" is visibly seen on the door in black letters. Joker then shines his light on the door opposite with the word "Head" on it. He then proceeds to push the door carefully open with this stick. Inside, Pyle is seen sitting on a toilet with a demonic look on his face. The light is on his face and Pyle says hello to Joker in an evil tone. He arranges his bullets and then Joker turns off his light. Joker asks what bullets he has and Pyle answers him. Pyle's face is in the dark but the audience can still see the demonic look on his face. Joker tries to reason with Pyle but Pyle just answers that he's already in "a world of shit." When he says this, his words come out slow and rough. In contrast, Pyle quickly stands up, moves his gun around, and loads it with the bullets. He then recites the "This is my rifle" speech, waking up the other men. Sergeant Hartman angrily walks in the room and demands Joker to tell him why Pyle has his rifle in the head when he should be sleeping. Joker then informs Hartman that Pyle's rifle is loaded. The next shot is of Pyle's face. His mouth is open and you can't see the iris of the eye in the light. This face is the opposite of the face we first see in the movie when he is being rebuked for smiling. Hartman talks to him calmly but then yells when Pyle points the rifle at him. Pyle shoots Hartman and Hartman falls dramatically slow, blood flying, and his scream muffled. His body lies motionless while Joker tries to calm Pyle down. Pyle sits back on the toilet, puts the gun in his mouth and shoots. The last shot of the scene is Pyle's body sitting awkwardly on the toilet with blood splattered on the wall.

This scene was very gruesome. It freaked me out seeing someone like Pyle who seemed so jolly at the beginning kill his sergeant and then commit suicide. The music and dark lighting contributed to the menacing vibe. I thought the actor playing Pyle gave a very convincing performance. What interests me the most about the scene is that it seemed like the dehumanizing process of the soldier was already in effect even before he went out to war. Pyle's demise was like a warning to the other men that the war would change them for the worst.