It not only would have been a serious tonal shift for the classic movie, but also would have had the effect of completely changing the way audiences look at R. Lee Ermey’s character.
I’ve now had a couple of days to reflect on hearing this story, and as funny as it is, it’s also not particularly hard to understand why Stanley Kubrick didn’t ultimately include it in Full Metal Jacket.
Pyle in the latrine ready to kill both Hartman and himself.