The line comes from Stanley Kubrick's 1987 Vietnam War film Full Metal Jacket, in the Parris Island boot camp section that made Gunnery Sergeant Hartman an enduring screen icon. Played by former drill instructor R. Lee Ermey, Hartman delivers a stream of creative, profane insults to his recruits, and Alabama Black Snake became one of the most quoted examples. Clipped for soundboards, the phrase spread through gaming chats, forums and meme edits, where its brevity and delivery keep it useful as a comic insult long after the film's release.