Modine, who starred as Private Joker in Stanley Kubrick's 1987 Vietnam War masterpiece, Full Metal Jacket
, gets right to the core of his subject by beginning with the question, "What was Stanley like?" He supplies the answers throughout this diary on the movie's filming, which should provide new insights for Kubrick enthusiasts. Modine's writing isn't graceful, but his insider's view of events have enough acrid flavor and authenticity to compensate. He explains Kubrick's philosophy by quoting him, "There are no bad ideas—only better ones," and convincingly highlights the fanatical perfectionism that caused Kubrick to go "dangerously overboard... way behind schedule." Modine mentions the horror of eating fruits and meats that were actually from the Vietnam War, kept in cans for 20 years. Other atmospherically effective details include the "incredibly uncomfortable, gummy and viscous" makeup blood, freezing in jungle fatigues and experiencing through Kubrick's emphasis on raw reality what the war was like. The book is filled with Modine's excellent photographs, which powerfully supplement the sometimes sketchy narrative. In the end, the work succeeds in expressing Modine's attitude—"I'm going to make you feel the horror of death." The stainless steel–covered book—each one laser-etched with a serial number—should become a collector's item for fans of the legendary director. (Oct.)
