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Marine Memorabilia on the Silver Screen

Boondoggle  //  August 5th, 2010  //  By Marines Staff

When TV, movie and video game writers want a formidable character, they often add a dash of Marine mystique – usually, but not always, with a tattoo. MARINES found these examples under the magnifying glass.

Anger Managment movie poster

Anger Management
Jack Nicholson plays a hot-headed anger management counselor in this April 2003 release. In one scene, he sports a “USMC” T-shirt while complaining loudly about how he wanted his eggs done. Viewers can almost expect Nicholson to shout “You can’t handle the truth,” his famous line from “A Few Good Men” where Nicholson portrays a Marine colonel.

G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobramovie poster

G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra

For a movie about hardcore service members, this August 2009 release did not show the Marines a lot of love. However, diligent moviegoers may have spotted an eagle, globe, and anchor tattoo on Brendan Fraser’s arm in his initial appearance. Fraser was originally rumored to play Gung Ho, a gunnery sergeant from the G.I. Joe series.

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  • USMC Sgt 5815

    Great book, it was written by Robert Heinlein a USN Lt. However, it has been well referenced that the book is histoically based on the Korean War. Cool that he dedicates the book to the USMC and Royal Marines in the first few pages.

  • Neil Effler

    In “Taxi Driver” Robert Deniro’s character mentions during a job interview that he was a Marine.

  • Eric K

    Battle: Los Angeles is all bout the Marines!

  • Tosco1

    I beleive that is Capt C and not Cpt, you must be in the Army…

  • Sgt. Joe

    Who can forget Robert Deniro sporting an EGA on his arm in ‘Heat’.

  • DB_All1371

    in the first 30 min of “Chasing Amy” there are 2 sets of marine jackets. One is the the background of the opening scene and the second one is a WWII Field Jacket being worn by Ethan Suplee with a First MarDiv Raiders Patch on the sleeve

  • Capt M.

    The movie was based on the novel, which was 100% based on the Marines’ fight for Iwo Jima (note the similarities in chasing the enemies into their underground labyrinths and many other paralles).

  • SGT MERITORIOUS IT

    Great gouge! .. Especially the part about Arnold in True Lies… Top 5 action movie of the 90′s

  • Sgt Dangle

    An extremely obvious example is Avatar, there’s only about 13,000 Marine references. Nice research for this piece (not)

  • http://pulse.yahoo.com/_HGIKDT6LOMRCLDQDUS4WBDVYP4 Edward Shields

    Getting an EGA cause of a video game is frowned upon… but have fun and dont tell your DI’s. don’t even mention Video games….

  • Vince Peters

    in the new hit video game, “Call of Duty, Black Ops” which is as of right now the greatest 1st person shooter game, The main character features a USMC tattoo on his arm, which is also shown on the back cover of the case under his ID strap. then again in all the Call of duty games, A marine is always used, normally as the main character.
    can’t wait until i earn my EGA! Paris Island here i come!

  • Christopher Ross

    I want to believe that Starship Troopers “roughnecks” were Marines of the future. They did a scene were they were all getting unit tattoos. I really hope that tattoos are not done with machines and lasers in the future!

    Semper Fi

  • ELVEE

    IN THE MOVIE SPIRIT THE ODL DETECTIVE WEARS AN EAGLE, GLOBE AND ANCHOR ON HIS TRENCH COAT, IN AN EPISODE OF THE SIMPSONS WHEN BART GETS COUGHT SHOPLIFTING A VIDEO GAME THE SECURITY MANAGER HAS AN EGA TATTO.

  • Gary H

    Three other not-so-subtle references to the Marines in movies, but never specifically mentioned are:
    1) Mel Gibson’s character, Porter, in “Payback”, sports an EGA tat. It’s seen most prominent in his shower scene.
    2) Ving Rhames character in the remake of “Dawn of the Dead”, also sports an EGA. Seen most prominent when he treats a wound to his arm, after a fight.
    3) This one really is subtle. In the movie, “True Lies”, Arnold is about to take off in a Harrier. Tom Arnold jumps up and reminds him of how long it’s been since he’s flown a Harrier. To be be a US Harrier pilot, means he was a Marine, before he became a spy.

    Semper Fi, Devil Dogs!!

  • Duty Driver

    Did I hear “chow”?

  • CPL.S

    In the movie Doom the Rock has SEMPER FI tattooed on his back not an Eagle, Globe,and Anchor. And Ving Rhames Has that same tattoo in alot of his movies.Like Chuck and Larry.

  • Sgt R

    I agree with Cpt C, Its not as saucy as I though it would be.

  • Captain C

    In Doom, The Rock has an Eagle, Globe and Anchor tattooed across his back.

    I thought this article would have more substance. I was disappointed.

  • William

    In the movie Pay Back with Mel Gibson he sports an Eagle Globe and Anchor on his arm in a shower secne at the begining of the movie.

  • Sgt Rojas

    In Dawn of the Dead, Ving Rhames has a USMC tattoo on his left arm in a bathroom scene when he is cleaning up after a zombie attack in the mall.

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