Jason KingMad Max $14-
September 12th 2008 21:48
Category: No Category
Mad Max $14-
While I was on holidays recently I tried to do as much as possible to stay out of cinemas and watching films. I honestly really needed a break from my life. But what I did watch were comfort films I hadn't seen for years on DVD. One of the ones I bought was the original Mad Max. Inspired after watching the most fabulous "Not Quite Hollywood" and seeing some footage from Max again I remembered how much I absolutely loved this when I was younger and decided to try for that experience again.
A vision of an apocalyptic future set in the wastelands of Australia. Total social decay is just around the corner in this spectacular cheap budget gang orientated road movie. Where the cops do their best to lay down the law and the outlaw gangs try their hardest to defy the system. Leather clad Max Rockatansky husband, father and cop turns judge, juror and executioner after his best friend, wife and baby are killed. Here we see the final days of normality of a man who had everything to live for, and his slip into the abyss of madness. Mad Max is the antihero on the road to vengeance and oblivion.
I don't think this film has dated in any way - it was still as amazing as when I watched it the first time and I truly believe this was Mel's best work. He has never looked better and no one does extremely high waisted leather pants quite like Mel - ok - some of the fashion has dated. This film and the follow up MM2 launched Mel's stratospheric career. For the US launch of this film Mel took time off from a TV show being made in Australia called Punishment - this was a male version of Prisoner being made to cash on the huge success of Prisoner. Producers decided it would be fine to let Mel go and did not offer to re-sign him for the 2nd season. A season that died as soon as Mel left the set.
I spoke to one of the writer's wives (writer, producer and Australian TV soap legend of way back from the Young Doctors, Prisoner, Dallas, Bellbird and more recently my boss and friend at the growers markets and baking extraordinaire - Anne Lucas) from Punishement who stated that there were only a couple of times in her acting career where she saw an actor and became instantly enthralled at their abilities to captivate an audience. Every single person was spellbound by Mel and most knew back then he would go on to do amazing work. She also says their was only one other Australian she felt the same way about - a certain Mrs Kidman, most overpaid actress of all time (apparently her return for films compared to her salary is only $1- for every $1- paid, compare this with Matt Damon who has a $10 return and is the most bankable actor). Good on Mel.
Not only did this film launch Mel's career it birthed the start of an entire genre of film, the post apocalyptic road film, this sparked copy cat and inspired films the entire world over. Has an Australian film ever held so much influence on the world? And all this from an unknown director who wasn't even a director - he was a doctor. George Miller was a medical doctor in Australia, working in a hospital emergency room, where he saw many injuries and deaths of the types depicted in the movie. While in residency at a Melbourne hospital, he met amateur film maker Byron Kennedy at a summer film school in 1971. The duo produced the short film Violence in the Cinema, Part 1, which was screened at a number of film festivals and won several awards. Eight years later, the duo created Mad Max, with the assistance of first time screenwriter James McCausland (who appears in the film as the bearded man in an apron in front of the diner).
Miller believed that audiences would find his violent story to be more believable if set in a bleak, dystopic future. The film was shot over a period of twelve weeks in Australia, between December 1978 and February 1979, just outside Melbourne. Many of the car-chase scenes for the original Mad Max were filmed near the town of Lara, just north of Geelong (Victoria, Australia). The movie was shot with a cinemascope anamorphic lens, the first Australian film to use one. This in itself is film history! 80% of films are now shot in Cinemascope - you know it goes to scope when you see the masking (or curtains) extend further outward on the sides to create a larger (less square) image. For geeks out there the ratio of a standard screen in 1.85 to 1 and scope is 2.35 to 1.
Mel Gibson, a complete unknown at this point, went to auditions with his friend and classmate Bisley (who would later land the part of Jim Goose). Gibson went to auditions in poor shape, as the night before he had gotten into a drunken brawl with three men at a party, resulting in a swollen nose, a broken jawline, and various other bruises. Mel showed up at the audition the next day looking like a "black and blue pumpkin" (his own words). Mel did not expect to get the role and only went to accompany his friend. However, the casting agent liked the look and told Mel to come back in two weeks, telling him "we need freaks." When Gibson returned, he was not recognized because his wounds had healed almost completely; he received the part anyway. It looks like Mel got himself into trouble even back then prior to alcohol fueled antisemitic outbursts.
Due to the film's low budget, only Mel Gibson was given a jacket and pants made from real leather. All the other actors playing police officers wore vinyl outfits. The police cars were repeatedly repainted to give the illusion that more cars were used; often they were driven with the paint still wet. The film's post-production was done in Kennedy's house, with Wilson and Byron editing the film in Byron's bedroom on a home-built editing machine that Byron's father, an engineer, had designed for them. The duo also edited the sound in Kennedy's house.
TRVIA: There is a lot but it's amazing so left it complete.
* Director George Miller was inspired by A Boy and His Dog (1975) - see Brynn's most awesome review for this film HERE.
* The car that Max drives (the "last of the V8 interceptors") is a production car, the Ford "XB Falcon Coupe", sold in Australia from December 1973 until August 1976. The car in the film had a standard 351 cubic inch (5.75 litre) V8 motor.
* Only two original Interceptors were used in the Mad Max movies. The one that was used in the first film was modified and reused in all of the interior and close up car shots in Mad Max 2: the Road Warrior. After filming was over, this Interceptor was bought and restored by Bob Forsenko and is currently on display in the "Cars of the Stars Motor Museum" in England. Another car was built for the chase scenes in the second movie but that one was destroyed when the script required it to be pushed off the road and blown up. The wreckage used to be viewable at Broken Hill, Australia but due to thefts it can't be found there any longer. The Planet Hollywood Interceptor is a replica and was never used in any of the films.
* The stolen interceptor driven by the Nightrider in the opening scenes is another production vehicle; it is a "HQ Holden Monaro", which was sold in Australia in the early 70's with a variety of motors including large capacity V8's. Also, the other police vehicles in the movie were sedan versions of the XB, although one was the previous model "XA". They also had 351 cubic inch motors and are a common car on Australian roads.
* Max's yellow interceptor car, a Ford Falcon XB sedan, was originally a police car from the Australian state of Victoria.
* Goose's motorcycle is a 1977 Kawasaki KZ 1000.
* One of the yellow interceptors, a Ford Falcon XA GCI, was a decommissioned taxi cab.
* Some of the cars used as police interceptors were being constantly repainted for other scenes to pass as different cars. Often they were driven while the paint was still wet.
* Some of the things Nightrider says over the radio are lyrics from the AC/DC song "Rocker."
* The van that is smashed in the opening chase was George Miller's own vehicle, as the production was running out of money. About 20% of the chase scenes scheduled were not shot due to lack of money.
* Max's MFP (Main Force Patrol) number is 4073, Jim Goose's is 2241, Charlie's is either 3840 or 3842.
* Early in the film there is a brief shot of 2 road signs. They read: "Anarchie" (Anarchy), and "Bedlam". This Road sign actually exists in Australia
* Because he was relatively unknown in the US, trailers and previews did not feature Mel Gibson, instead focusing on the car crashes and action scenes.
* Because of the tight budget, actual decommissioned police cars were used in the film. Only Mel Gibson was wearing real leathers. All the other police officers were wearing vinyl costumes. The motorcycles, all late model demonstration units, were donated by Kawasaki. Many of the bikers kept them after the shooting was completed.
* The blue van that was wrecked in the film's opening chase had the engine removed and was pushed into the path of the oncoming cars by off-camera assistants. The lack of the engine's weight caused the van to spin uncontrollably, adding to the spectacular crash.
* The bearded man wearing an apron in front of the roadside diner watching the police cyclists and tow trucks drive away is James McCausland, the film's co-writer.
* The auto accident scene was made as realistic as possible, thanks to director's George Miller's experience as a medical doctor.
* The voice of Robina Chaffey, the singer of the Sugartown Night Club, was the only voice left undubbed in this film's original USA release.
* George Miller paid a truck driver $50 to run over the bike at the final scene. However, the truck driver didn't want to damage his rig; thus the crew had to install a shield painted to look like the front of the rig.
* Hugh Keays-Byrne modeled his performance of Toecutter after historical records written about Mongolian warlord Temujin, also known as Genghis Kahn.
* Sheila Florance broke her knee when she tripped whilst running with the antique shotgun. She returned to complete her scenes with her leg and hip in plaster.
* There is one scene in the film where you are watching a motorbike racing on the freeway from the drivers perspective - you actually get to see the speedo - 180km's per hour and this was shot with a cameraman sitting behind the driver holding onto the driver with one hand while holding a 35mm scope lensed camera with the other - total film pioneering legendary work.
SPOILER ALERT:
There was the one scene from the film where Mel's wife and child are killed, when I saw this as a younger man I was stunned - it shocked me so thoroughly and I remember balling my eyes out - hey I was only 10!! I have to say it shocked me just as much second time round. It is such a powerful scene that created Mad Max from Max.
And to end with a quote from Tarantino - “Nobody shoots a car the way Aussies do. They manage to shoot cars with this fetishistic lens that just makes you want to jerk off!” Well worth $14- - rent or buy on DVD now!
While I was on holidays recently I tried to do as much as possible to stay out of cinemas and watching films. I honestly really needed a break from my life. But what I did watch were comfort films I hadn't seen for years on DVD. One of the ones I bought was the original Mad Max. Inspired after watching the most fabulous "Not Quite Hollywood" and seeing some footage from Max again I remembered how much I absolutely loved this when I was younger and decided to try for that experience again.
A vision of an apocalyptic future set in the wastelands of Australia. Total social decay is just around the corner in this spectacular cheap budget gang orientated road movie. Where the cops do their best to lay down the law and the outlaw gangs try their hardest to defy the system. Leather clad Max Rockatansky husband, father and cop turns judge, juror and executioner after his best friend, wife and baby are killed. Here we see the final days of normality of a man who had everything to live for, and his slip into the abyss of madness. Mad Max is the antihero on the road to vengeance and oblivion.
I don't think this film has dated in any way - it was still as amazing as when I watched it the first time and I truly believe this was Mel's best work. He has never looked better and no one does extremely high waisted leather pants quite like Mel - ok - some of the fashion has dated. This film and the follow up MM2 launched Mel's stratospheric career. For the US launch of this film Mel took time off from a TV show being made in Australia called Punishment - this was a male version of Prisoner being made to cash on the huge success of Prisoner. Producers decided it would be fine to let Mel go and did not offer to re-sign him for the 2nd season. A season that died as soon as Mel left the set.
I spoke to one of the writer's wives (writer, producer and Australian TV soap legend of way back from the Young Doctors, Prisoner, Dallas, Bellbird and more recently my boss and friend at the growers markets and baking extraordinaire - Anne Lucas) from Punishement who stated that there were only a couple of times in her acting career where she saw an actor and became instantly enthralled at their abilities to captivate an audience. Every single person was spellbound by Mel and most knew back then he would go on to do amazing work. She also says their was only one other Australian she felt the same way about - a certain Mrs Kidman, most overpaid actress of all time (apparently her return for films compared to her salary is only $1- for every $1- paid, compare this with Matt Damon who has a $10 return and is the most bankable actor). Good on Mel.
Not only did this film launch Mel's career it birthed the start of an entire genre of film, the post apocalyptic road film, this sparked copy cat and inspired films the entire world over. Has an Australian film ever held so much influence on the world? And all this from an unknown director who wasn't even a director - he was a doctor. George Miller was a medical doctor in Australia, working in a hospital emergency room, where he saw many injuries and deaths of the types depicted in the movie. While in residency at a Melbourne hospital, he met amateur film maker Byron Kennedy at a summer film school in 1971. The duo produced the short film Violence in the Cinema, Part 1, which was screened at a number of film festivals and won several awards. Eight years later, the duo created Mad Max, with the assistance of first time screenwriter James McCausland (who appears in the film as the bearded man in an apron in front of the diner).
Miller believed that audiences would find his violent story to be more believable if set in a bleak, dystopic future. The film was shot over a period of twelve weeks in Australia, between December 1978 and February 1979, just outside Melbourne. Many of the car-chase scenes for the original Mad Max were filmed near the town of Lara, just north of Geelong (Victoria, Australia). The movie was shot with a cinemascope anamorphic lens, the first Australian film to use one. This in itself is film history! 80% of films are now shot in Cinemascope - you know it goes to scope when you see the masking (or curtains) extend further outward on the sides to create a larger (less square) image. For geeks out there the ratio of a standard screen in 1.85 to 1 and scope is 2.35 to 1.
Mel Gibson, a complete unknown at this point, went to auditions with his friend and classmate Bisley (who would later land the part of Jim Goose). Gibson went to auditions in poor shape, as the night before he had gotten into a drunken brawl with three men at a party, resulting in a swollen nose, a broken jawline, and various other bruises. Mel showed up at the audition the next day looking like a "black and blue pumpkin" (his own words). Mel did not expect to get the role and only went to accompany his friend. However, the casting agent liked the look and told Mel to come back in two weeks, telling him "we need freaks." When Gibson returned, he was not recognized because his wounds had healed almost completely; he received the part anyway. It looks like Mel got himself into trouble even back then prior to alcohol fueled antisemitic outbursts.
Due to the film's low budget, only Mel Gibson was given a jacket and pants made from real leather. All the other actors playing police officers wore vinyl outfits. The police cars were repeatedly repainted to give the illusion that more cars were used; often they were driven with the paint still wet. The film's post-production was done in Kennedy's house, with Wilson and Byron editing the film in Byron's bedroom on a home-built editing machine that Byron's father, an engineer, had designed for them. The duo also edited the sound in Kennedy's house.
TRVIA: There is a lot but it's amazing so left it complete.
* Director George Miller was inspired by A Boy and His Dog (1975) - see Brynn's most awesome review for this film HERE.
* The car that Max drives (the "last of the V8 interceptors") is a production car, the Ford "XB Falcon Coupe", sold in Australia from December 1973 until August 1976. The car in the film had a standard 351 cubic inch (5.75 litre) V8 motor.
* Only two original Interceptors were used in the Mad Max movies. The one that was used in the first film was modified and reused in all of the interior and close up car shots in Mad Max 2: the Road Warrior. After filming was over, this Interceptor was bought and restored by Bob Forsenko and is currently on display in the "Cars of the Stars Motor Museum" in England. Another car was built for the chase scenes in the second movie but that one was destroyed when the script required it to be pushed off the road and blown up. The wreckage used to be viewable at Broken Hill, Australia but due to thefts it can't be found there any longer. The Planet Hollywood Interceptor is a replica and was never used in any of the films.
* The stolen interceptor driven by the Nightrider in the opening scenes is another production vehicle; it is a "HQ Holden Monaro", which was sold in Australia in the early 70's with a variety of motors including large capacity V8's. Also, the other police vehicles in the movie were sedan versions of the XB, although one was the previous model "XA". They also had 351 cubic inch motors and are a common car on Australian roads.
* Max's yellow interceptor car, a Ford Falcon XB sedan, was originally a police car from the Australian state of Victoria.
* Goose's motorcycle is a 1977 Kawasaki KZ 1000.
* One of the yellow interceptors, a Ford Falcon XA GCI, was a decommissioned taxi cab.
* Some of the cars used as police interceptors were being constantly repainted for other scenes to pass as different cars. Often they were driven while the paint was still wet.
* Some of the things Nightrider says over the radio are lyrics from the AC/DC song "Rocker."
* The van that is smashed in the opening chase was George Miller's own vehicle, as the production was running out of money. About 20% of the chase scenes scheduled were not shot due to lack of money.
* Max's MFP (Main Force Patrol) number is 4073, Jim Goose's is 2241, Charlie's is either 3840 or 3842.
* Early in the film there is a brief shot of 2 road signs. They read: "Anarchie" (Anarchy), and "Bedlam". This Road sign actually exists in Australia
* Because he was relatively unknown in the US, trailers and previews did not feature Mel Gibson, instead focusing on the car crashes and action scenes.
* Because of the tight budget, actual decommissioned police cars were used in the film. Only Mel Gibson was wearing real leathers. All the other police officers were wearing vinyl costumes. The motorcycles, all late model demonstration units, were donated by Kawasaki. Many of the bikers kept them after the shooting was completed.
* The blue van that was wrecked in the film's opening chase had the engine removed and was pushed into the path of the oncoming cars by off-camera assistants. The lack of the engine's weight caused the van to spin uncontrollably, adding to the spectacular crash.
* The bearded man wearing an apron in front of the roadside diner watching the police cyclists and tow trucks drive away is James McCausland, the film's co-writer.
* The auto accident scene was made as realistic as possible, thanks to director's George Miller's experience as a medical doctor.
* The voice of Robina Chaffey, the singer of the Sugartown Night Club, was the only voice left undubbed in this film's original USA release.
* George Miller paid a truck driver $50 to run over the bike at the final scene. However, the truck driver didn't want to damage his rig; thus the crew had to install a shield painted to look like the front of the rig.
* Hugh Keays-Byrne modeled his performance of Toecutter after historical records written about Mongolian warlord Temujin, also known as Genghis Kahn.
* Sheila Florance broke her knee when she tripped whilst running with the antique shotgun. She returned to complete her scenes with her leg and hip in plaster.
* There is one scene in the film where you are watching a motorbike racing on the freeway from the drivers perspective - you actually get to see the speedo - 180km's per hour and this was shot with a cameraman sitting behind the driver holding onto the driver with one hand while holding a 35mm scope lensed camera with the other - total film pioneering legendary work.
SPOILER ALERT:
There was the one scene from the film where Mel's wife and child are killed, when I saw this as a younger man I was stunned - it shocked me so thoroughly and I remember balling my eyes out - hey I was only 10!! I have to say it shocked me just as much second time round. It is such a powerful scene that created Mad Max from Max.
And to end with a quote from Tarantino - “Nobody shoots a car the way Aussies do. They manage to shoot cars with this fetishistic lens that just makes you want to jerk off!” Well worth $14- - rent or buy on DVD now!
| 39 |
| Vote |
Add To: 
subscribe to this blog
Comment by Morgan Bell
Science News
Deep Pencil
Business News
Movie Train
Artist Quirk
i watched the original Lethal Weapon the other day and couldnt get over how fresh-faced and vibrant he was all those years ago!
Comment by Jason King
Sydney Table
Salty Popcorn
Total Randomness