12 Shocking Movie Deaths You Won't Believe Almost Happened
10. Private James T. Joker Davis Was Going To Die At The Hands Of Private Pyle - Full Metal Jacket
The first half of Full Metal Jacket was a brilliant depiction of military training, the brutality that can come with it, and how casting a real-life hard-ass drill sergeant in a war movie can result in some cinematic magic. After some seriously gut-wrenching boot camp and hazing sequences, this initial part of the film culminates in an shocking finish where Private Pyle loses his mind and commits suicide. But that astounding first half could've ended differently had Kubrick's original idea for James T. 'Joker' Davis (Matthew Modine) went through instead. The details are a bit sparce but according to Modine, Kubrick's original plan was to kill off Joker at around the film's midpoint. This plan would've dramatically changed everything, robbing the film of its supposed protagonist incredibly early on whilst setting up a completely different second and third act. Modine wasn't completely sold on the idea and he suggested to Kubrick that Joker should live because the film needs an empathetic character who not only experienced the brutalities of war but also lasted from start to finish. Thankfully, this was one of the rare times that Kubrick listened and the original scripted ending was never shot.
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