April 18, 2024
A Film at 45: Mad Max

"They say people don't believe in heroes anymore. Well damn them! You and me, Max, we're gonna give them back their heroes!"
Our limited series, "A Film at 45" is back to celebrate the 45th anniversary of the films of 1979. We're dusting off the end of a decade that changed cinema forever, with a fresh look at modern classics and hidden gems that we can't stop watching! On this episode, David and Scott take a look at the film that launched Mel Gibson's career and set the standard for post-apocalyptic action; "Mad Max."
For exclusive episodes and content, check out A Film By... on Patreon! with a FREE 7-day trial!
Check out www.afilmbypodcast.com/ for more information.
Email us at afilmbypodcast@gmail.com with your questions, comments, and requests.
Find us on X Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook @afilmbypodcast.
Our limited series, "A Film at 45" is back to celebrate the 45th anniversary of the films of 1979. We're dusting off the end of a decade that changed cinema forever, with a fresh look at modern classics and hidden gems that we can't stop watching! On this episode, David and Scott take a look at the film that launched Mel Gibson's career and set the standard for post-apocalyptic action; "Mad Max."
For exclusive episodes and content, check out A Film By... on Patreon! with a FREE 7-day trial!
Check out www.afilmbypodcast.com/ for more information.
Email us at afilmbypodcast@gmail.com with your questions, comments, and requests.
Find us on X Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook @afilmbypodcast.
WEBVTT
1
00:00:00.080 --> 00:00:04.360
Hello everyone, and welcome back to
nineteen seventy nine in a Film Buys limited
2
00:00:04.440 --> 00:00:08.880
series A Film at forty five.
I am David Burns and I'm Scott Hoffman
3
00:00:08.960 --> 00:00:12.160
with this limited series from a Film
by a Podcast where we're dusting off the
4
00:00:12.279 --> 00:00:16.559
end of a decade changed cinema forever
with a fresh look at modern classics and
5
00:00:16.640 --> 00:00:20.320
hidden gems that we can't stop watching. In this episode, we're going way
6
00:00:20.359 --> 00:00:25.199
back before Thunderdome, at least four
rest stops before Fury Road, and talking
7
00:00:25.239 --> 00:00:30.760
about the start of cinema's most maniacal
road trip, Mad Max. At least
8
00:00:30.800 --> 00:00:37.600
eight people who don't believe and he
aroes anymore. We'll damn them. The
9
00:00:37.719 --> 00:00:43.799
chain in those handcuffs, it's high
ten single step, take you ten minutes
10
00:00:43.799 --> 00:00:50.759
to heck through it with this.
Now, if you're lucky, you can
11
00:00:50.799 --> 00:01:00.159
heck through your ankle in five minutes. He rules the roads. Were heading
12
00:01:00.200 --> 00:01:03.040
to a post apocalyptic world in a
story that started it all, the story
13
00:01:03.040 --> 00:01:07.439
that would give us a man named
Max and introduce the world to an actor
14
00:01:07.519 --> 00:01:11.159
known as Mel Gibson. We are, of course talking about George Miller's nineteen
15
00:01:11.239 --> 00:01:18.120
seventy nine classic Mad Max. Scott, let's dive into this post apocalyptic action
16
00:01:18.280 --> 00:01:22.079
film. How would you describe this
to someone who hasn't seen or even know
17
00:01:22.159 --> 00:01:25.640
who Mad Max is? Which would
be hard to find. I would like
18
00:01:26.959 --> 00:01:32.959
as possible. In Australia's near future
by nineteen seventy nine standards, the roads
19
00:01:32.959 --> 00:01:37.920
are terrorized by hell bent bikers and
high octane night riders. These gangs ripped
20
00:01:37.959 --> 00:01:41.640
through every step on the highway looking
for another gallon of gas to take them
21
00:01:41.680 --> 00:01:44.959
on their next terror trip. The
only things standing in their way are the
22
00:01:45.000 --> 00:01:49.840
main Force patrol, an equally hypercharged
justice squad of interceptors who focus on running
23
00:01:49.879 --> 00:01:55.079
these gangs down. Chief among them
is Max Rakatanski, which I mean,
24
00:01:55.120 --> 00:01:59.760
come on that last name, who
finds himself going from a devoted family man
25
00:01:59.799 --> 00:02:02.480
to a leather clad spirit of vengeance
writing on the edge of his own sanity.
26
00:02:02.959 --> 00:02:07.159
This is where all apocalyptic movies that
follow find their inspiration. This is
27
00:02:07.199 --> 00:02:12.879
the story of Mad Max. So
I have a confession to make, Scott,
28
00:02:13.159 --> 00:02:16.120
to you, to our listeners.
Oh boy, I was introduced to
29
00:02:16.159 --> 00:02:22.240
the world of Max as a kid
with seeing Mad Max to the Road Warrior
30
00:02:22.599 --> 00:02:28.800
first. Then I went on and
saw beyond Thunderdome. Then later on as
31
00:02:28.800 --> 00:02:30.879
an adult, when I was working
at Suncoast, I went back and saw
32
00:02:31.280 --> 00:02:38.360
Mad Max to fill in the gap. So let me tell you how weird
33
00:02:38.599 --> 00:02:43.360
and strange the first Mad Max felt
to me at that point, because what
34
00:02:43.599 --> 00:02:49.159
I had seen in the others,
you know, was really that post apocalyptic
35
00:02:49.240 --> 00:02:51.719
that you get in those films.
When I went back to this one,
36
00:02:51.840 --> 00:02:55.639
I mean, it is post apocalyptic, but you still get some normality in
37
00:02:55.680 --> 00:02:59.840
this, right, There's some normal
things that are happening. You've got families,
38
00:03:00.000 --> 00:03:04.080
stuff like that with Max. So
I didn't get that the way I
39
00:03:04.159 --> 00:03:08.319
watched these movies. So this movie
felt strange to me. I will say
40
00:03:08.319 --> 00:03:14.439
that I had a similar experience,
but a different perception of it. So
41
00:03:15.599 --> 00:03:23.400
first experience exposure to Mad Max was
beyond Thunderdome, which is awesomely weird but
42
00:03:23.520 --> 00:03:27.319
awesome. It was one of those
you know, it's on heavy rotation on
43
00:03:27.879 --> 00:03:32.360
HBO or Showtime or whatever my family
had for Cablin at the time. That
44
00:03:32.479 --> 00:03:39.680
and Starman just you know all the
time. But going from that to Road
45
00:03:39.719 --> 00:03:44.520
Warrior and then going from that to
Mad Max, so I kind of went
46
00:03:44.560 --> 00:03:47.879
in a reverse order. For whatever
reason, I think at the time I
47
00:03:47.919 --> 00:03:52.879
saw that The Road Warrior was you
know that Beyond Thunderdome was a sequel to
48
00:03:53.280 --> 00:03:54.319
The Road Warrior. So I was
like, oh, okay, I'll check
49
00:03:54.360 --> 00:03:59.960
out The Road Warrior because I didn't
associate it with Mad Max. Two right,
50
00:04:00.520 --> 00:04:04.159
titles get kind of weird. So
when I saw Mad Max, it
51
00:04:04.240 --> 00:04:10.360
felt to me like pre apocalyptic.
It's just on the edge. If this
52
00:04:10.560 --> 00:04:15.399
was one episode before the first episode
of Walking Dead, that's what this would
53
00:04:15.439 --> 00:04:21.800
be exactly. It's interesting because a
lot of times when there's some kind of
54
00:04:23.720 --> 00:04:30.000
apocalyptic movie, there's an event,
right, it's the virus, it's a
55
00:04:30.040 --> 00:04:32.800
bomb, it's some kind of war, and everything else like that. It's
56
00:04:32.879 --> 00:04:38.920
kind of interesting that this was inspired
by a gasoline crisis in Australia in nineteen
57
00:04:38.959 --> 00:04:43.680
seventy three. So the writers of
the movie decided, well, what if
58
00:04:43.759 --> 00:04:48.000
that goes completely pear shaped and follows
it to the nth degree. That makes
59
00:04:48.000 --> 00:04:51.920
sense learning about that kind of put
the pieces together, because what's puzzled me
60
00:04:51.959 --> 00:04:59.759
about all these movies is what happened
that tore everything to shreds And why is
61
00:04:59.800 --> 00:05:03.160
so way is everybody so focused on
getting gasoline? Yeah, Like because they're
62
00:05:03.160 --> 00:05:05.800
trying to get to that next destination
because they're trying to chase down water.
63
00:05:06.360 --> 00:05:11.399
I just never understood it until that
little nugget put it all together. And
64
00:05:11.439 --> 00:05:14.000
that makes perfect sense when you look
at it that way, and you know,
65
00:05:14.079 --> 00:05:16.079
the genius of the writers to come
up with something like that that everybody's
66
00:05:16.120 --> 00:05:19.199
after that gasoline, and you know, it is a theme that you know
67
00:05:19.360 --> 00:05:21.879
goes throughout Mad Max, and that
makes sense when you think about it.
68
00:05:23.600 --> 00:05:25.800
But you know, but you know
this movie, you know, we see
69
00:05:25.879 --> 00:05:28.360
Max as kind of a normal guy, right, you know, he he
70
00:05:28.399 --> 00:05:30.240
has a family, He works with
the m f P, who I like
71
00:05:30.240 --> 00:05:33.160
to refer to as the mother efing
Police, which I know that's not who
72
00:05:33.160 --> 00:05:39.639
they're called. It's the like Main
Force Patrol, but I mean they've got
73
00:05:39.839 --> 00:05:43.720
on there. Yeah. But you
know, of course we get this motorcycle
74
00:05:43.720 --> 00:05:46.560
gang ran by toe Cutter, a
name of all people, his mother must
75
00:05:46.600 --> 00:05:51.079
be proud, who is going around
causing problems, you know him. He
76
00:05:51.160 --> 00:05:55.959
kills Max's wife, Jesse and their
child, you know, which is basically
77
00:05:56.000 --> 00:06:00.279
sending Max into the madman. You
know that. We know when I saw
78
00:06:00.279 --> 00:06:01.639
this in reverse order, you know, when I saw this when I was
79
00:06:01.680 --> 00:06:03.879
like, oh, so that's how
he got hurt, and he has the
80
00:06:03.920 --> 00:06:09.360
brace on his knee. You know
that makes sense now, those kind of
81
00:06:09.360 --> 00:06:12.399
things. But you know, this
film opens up with that that really cool
82
00:06:12.800 --> 00:06:15.959
least chase. You know, that
car carries on for a while. You
83
00:06:15.959 --> 00:06:19.319
know, we kind we can kind
of get really glimpses of Max, you
84
00:06:19.360 --> 00:06:23.720
know, in his car, sitting
there waiting as the other as the other
85
00:06:23.800 --> 00:06:27.560
MFPs are chasing until you know,
they all crash and were basically out of
86
00:06:27.600 --> 00:06:29.759
the chase and they reach out to
him, and you know, then he
87
00:06:29.879 --> 00:06:33.040
enters the chase. I love that
shot after the car, you know,
88
00:06:33.399 --> 00:06:36.160
veers out of control and slams and
blows up and Max is out of the
89
00:06:36.160 --> 00:06:39.680
car and that camera like kind of
moves in on him right there. You
90
00:06:39.720 --> 00:06:43.000
get the full reveal of Max right
there. I love that shot. Yeah.
91
00:06:43.160 --> 00:06:47.120
Yeah, And I think we're starting
to see some kind of proto rigs
92
00:06:47.279 --> 00:06:55.519
from lethal weapon in this right where
he's that that officer who's on the edge
93
00:06:55.680 --> 00:07:00.680
and his his methods or what everybody
kind of faults to when when nobody else
94
00:07:00.680 --> 00:07:08.120
can stop them. So you read
this frantic first scene with the night writer,
95
00:07:08.319 --> 00:07:14.240
that's just blowing through the rest of
the patrol, right, and yeah,
96
00:07:14.279 --> 00:07:17.519
then you finally get Max, who's
able to stop them. But it's
97
00:07:17.600 --> 00:07:23.040
not in a hyper violent way.
I guess depending on your perception of it,
98
00:07:23.040 --> 00:07:25.439
it's a pretty violent crash, but
it's not like he you know,
99
00:07:25.839 --> 00:07:30.040
goes to the links that he does
at the end of the movie. It's
100
00:07:30.079 --> 00:07:39.279
also interesting how much controversy that violence
caused, with this movie being banned in
101
00:07:39.319 --> 00:07:46.399
several places for a long time.
But it's all implied violence, like aside
102
00:07:46.399 --> 00:07:47.759
from the bug eye thing, if
you know what I'm talking about, I
103
00:07:47.800 --> 00:07:55.279
do write that kind of it's almost
like a Looney Tunes like you know that
104
00:07:55.319 --> 00:08:00.519
they're going to slam into death.
But yeah, it's it's a lot of
105
00:08:01.160 --> 00:08:07.959
implied violence and big car crashes and
in this era, car crashes were expected,
106
00:08:07.959 --> 00:08:11.319
and I'm sure there's we'll probably see
some car crashes and car chases and
107
00:08:11.399 --> 00:08:15.360
Kramer versus Kramer. Yeah, yeah, when do we talk about that eventually?
108
00:08:15.839 --> 00:08:20.040
Maybe, But it's just interesting how
that that arc kind of goes,
109
00:08:20.120 --> 00:08:24.720
and that the changes that you see
in Max over the course of the film.
110
00:08:26.160 --> 00:08:28.319
Yeah, and then implied in violence
that you're talking about, even when
111
00:08:28.399 --> 00:08:33.639
they go after that guy and her
girlfriend in the car. You don't see
112
00:08:33.720 --> 00:08:37.919
them do anything to them, you
know, you just get what happened afterwards,
113
00:08:37.919 --> 00:08:39.840
where you know, she's chained to
the guy and you know those kinds
114
00:08:39.840 --> 00:08:43.440
of things, which I think was
what Johnny the Boy, Johnny the Boy,
115
00:08:43.480 --> 00:08:45.720
I believe it was. Yeah,
yep, who they who? They
116
00:08:45.759 --> 00:08:48.559
got right there, So there really
was not showing any violence. You're just
117
00:08:48.600 --> 00:08:52.480
getting the after effect of what had
happened. So yeah, it was really
118
00:08:52.519 --> 00:08:56.399
strange that some countries really banned that. Yeah. Well, and even then
119
00:08:56.399 --> 00:09:01.679
that I'm sure we'll get that blood
pressure up. Was in that first sequence
120
00:09:01.720 --> 00:09:03.720
when we see the night rider going
through that town and there's the kid that
121
00:09:03.799 --> 00:09:07.600
kind of tuddles out in the middle
of the road. Yeah, I'm sure
122
00:09:07.639 --> 00:09:11.360
that there's a lot of Like I'm
maybe they couldn't watch it, Maybe they
123
00:09:11.399 --> 00:09:15.519
covered their eyes to right, you
know, I didn't want to see the
124
00:09:15.559 --> 00:09:18.759
kid get run over. But yeah, I really had visions of pet cemetery
125
00:09:18.799 --> 00:09:22.080
right there when the little kid came
running out there, like, oh yeah,
126
00:09:22.320 --> 00:09:26.279
yes, exactly, the guy,
I don't want to see this come
127
00:09:26.320 --> 00:09:30.480
on now. But luckily it turned
out better than we were imagining it to
128
00:09:30.519 --> 00:09:35.039
be I suppose so. Yeah,
But now let's let's let's talk a little
129
00:09:35.039 --> 00:09:37.159
bit about Mel Gibson. I mean, he is the man who really didn't
130
00:09:37.159 --> 00:09:39.840
have much going on for him at
this point. You know, he was
131
00:09:41.519 --> 00:09:45.480
a couple of TV series, I
believe episodes before he got this role.
132
00:09:45.480 --> 00:09:48.639
I think he was still in he
was still a student for drama when he
133
00:09:48.799 --> 00:09:54.960
got this role as as Max.
And I think he's paid like ten thousand
134
00:09:54.000 --> 00:10:01.519
dollars for this role. But what
a great move for Mel because this really
135
00:10:01.559 --> 00:10:07.559
shot him into stardom for the entire
world. For American audiences, we got
136
00:10:07.559 --> 00:10:11.320
to know who Mel Gibson was because
of this film, and we know the
137
00:10:11.360 --> 00:10:13.840
history of Mel Gibson with the movies
he's done after this, right, And
138
00:10:13.879 --> 00:10:18.559
I mean, obviously he's had more
than an action career, right, He's
139
00:10:18.919 --> 00:10:22.879
done a lot of dramatic work.
He's done a lot of comedy yep.
140
00:10:24.080 --> 00:10:30.720
And you know, obviously there's there's
controversy around there, but as far as
141
00:10:30.919 --> 00:10:35.159
his his main role, I would
say he's most known as an action star,
142
00:10:35.639 --> 00:10:39.240
yes, right, without a question. And at the time, you
143
00:10:39.279 --> 00:10:43.360
know, the things that I've seen
from him before it was more like,
144
00:10:43.559 --> 00:10:48.440
you know, the handsome face,
right, somebody who probably had the looks
145
00:10:48.440 --> 00:10:52.519
of a leading man but hadn't been
defined as you know, what makes him
146
00:10:52.600 --> 00:10:56.559
stand apart, And this one truly
did. And yeah, it was a
147
00:10:56.759 --> 00:11:03.120
bold move. Really. A lot
of credit goes to George Miller there,
148
00:11:03.120 --> 00:11:07.399
oh yeah, for creating this kind
of role, but you know, not
149
00:11:07.519 --> 00:11:13.480
to take away any credit from himself, who who pours that intensity into these
150
00:11:13.600 --> 00:11:20.240
roles. A lot of his action
roles get into that man who's just kind
151
00:11:20.240 --> 00:11:24.960
of you know that he's close to
the edge and then people just put him
152
00:11:26.039 --> 00:11:30.399
right over it. And he has
that when he turns into Max when he
153
00:11:30.639 --> 00:11:33.639
you know, well he's always Max, when he turns into mad Max,
154
00:11:33.960 --> 00:11:35.919
right with the leather outfit and all
this other kind of stuff. Yep,
155
00:11:37.879 --> 00:11:43.159
he goes into i think the hospital
tech and said that zombie mode right when
156
00:11:43.200 --> 00:11:48.519
it's just this dead expression and that
full intensity. We see that in a
157
00:11:48.600 --> 00:11:52.759
lot of his movies to follow,
and this is absolutely where it starts.
158
00:11:52.000 --> 00:11:54.720
Absolutely, this is a good one. Yeah. And he was only what
159
00:11:54.759 --> 00:12:00.399
twenty three years old I think when
he made this movie, so really young.
160
00:12:00.679 --> 00:12:03.159
Mel Gibson, he was an unknown
at this time. And so he
161
00:12:03.240 --> 00:12:07.480
was so unknown that he really wasn't
even in the trailer of this movie when
162
00:12:07.519 --> 00:12:11.000
it came over to America because it
was mainly like the car chases and the
163
00:12:11.120 --> 00:12:13.639
you know, the Rex and stuff
like that to get the audience because no
164
00:12:13.639 --> 00:12:18.879
one knew who Melkibson was, right, well, even the US poster,
165
00:12:18.480 --> 00:12:24.720
right, it's very iconic, very
recognizable. But aside from it, wearing
166
00:12:24.039 --> 00:12:28.519
the bronze, you know, having
a badge yeah on the lapel, and
167
00:12:28.600 --> 00:12:31.600
wearing leather, it's got nothing else
to do with Max. He never wears
168
00:12:31.639 --> 00:12:35.000
a helmet, he never wears any
of that stuff. No, it almost
169
00:12:35.039 --> 00:12:39.720
looks like a you know, Star
Wars Little Brother, yeah, kind of
170
00:12:39.720 --> 00:12:43.960
pose with the with the gun in
his hand. So it's kind of a
171
00:12:45.000 --> 00:12:48.120
shame that when it came to America
that there were decisions like that not to
172
00:12:48.159 --> 00:12:52.519
put his face, because I think
the trailer would have benefited from showing his
173
00:12:54.480 --> 00:12:58.879
intensity, right. But it's also
a shame that when it was brought over
174
00:13:00.080 --> 00:13:07.759
American audiences, they replaced the dialogue
to get rid of Australian colloquialisms and redubbed
175
00:13:07.759 --> 00:13:13.480
it to get rid of Australian accents. Now I'll admit, if I didn't
176
00:13:13.480 --> 00:13:18.159
have subtitles on, I might have
a hard time going through it. Not
177
00:13:18.200 --> 00:13:22.639
that I could understand the dialogue,
but when it's a lot of colloquialism,
178
00:13:22.759 --> 00:13:24.559
She's like, wait, what does
that mean? And I'm kind of reading
179
00:13:24.639 --> 00:13:30.559
for it, right, I think
it's it's much better and it's your original
180
00:13:30.559 --> 00:13:33.960
form. Oh absolutely. And even
even when I the version I watched you,
181
00:13:35.159 --> 00:13:37.320
I had to turn the audio up
a little bit because some of the
182
00:13:37.360 --> 00:13:41.919
dialogue is really low in this film. Yeah, and it's tough to understand
183
00:13:41.919 --> 00:13:43.879
what they're saying. But yeah,
I mean, there's no way I would
184
00:13:43.879 --> 00:13:48.000
have been happy if they had dubbed
it over today. There's no way I
185
00:13:48.240 --> 00:13:52.519
want to watch that film, No
way, exactly. Well, and interestingly,
186
00:13:52.679 --> 00:13:58.240
you know, even though as we're
talking about dialogue, it's not something
187
00:13:58.320 --> 00:14:05.200
that Miller was really focused on using
so much as a driver of the story,
188
00:14:05.480 --> 00:14:11.519
right, there's an aspect of this
it's almost like a silent movie with
189
00:14:11.639 --> 00:14:15.919
sound is something I've heard it referred
to before, like the limited dialogue purely
190
00:14:15.919 --> 00:14:20.320
a visual storytelling. I'd be curious
to know what it would be like to
191
00:14:20.919 --> 00:14:24.000
watch this with sound all the way
down to not hear that dialogue and see
192
00:14:24.000 --> 00:14:28.240
how it would run through, because
it does do a very good job of
193
00:14:28.279 --> 00:14:33.240
telling the story. You'd be able
to understand the arc of there's this force
194
00:14:33.279 --> 00:14:39.360
that can't stop this biker gang.
They eventually go after his wife and she
195
00:14:39.480 --> 00:14:43.159
ends up dead. He ends up
exacting his vengeance and moves on. Yep
196
00:14:43.240 --> 00:14:46.759
So, and that's the theme that
he Miller carries on into the Other Man
197
00:14:46.879 --> 00:14:50.159
Max. I mean, they're not
dialogue heavy either. You know, you
198
00:14:50.200 --> 00:14:54.679
get a lot of chase scenes and
you know, especially in the newer ones
199
00:14:54.720 --> 00:14:56.440
with Fury Road and stuff like that, again, you don't get a lot
200
00:14:56.480 --> 00:15:00.120
of dialogue. You just get a
lot of action sequences that you're right,
201
00:15:00.519 --> 00:15:03.200
you really don't need. You could
turn it down and just watch it that
202
00:15:03.240 --> 00:15:05.240
way and enjoy the film immensely.
And this is just like that too.
203
00:15:05.240 --> 00:15:09.679
You're absolutely correct with that. Yeah, well, let's suck a little bit
204
00:15:09.679 --> 00:15:13.759
more of some of the other cast. Joey and Samuel who plays Jesse,
205
00:15:15.279 --> 00:15:18.240
wife to Max, but obviously a
very strong mother, very caring mother.
206
00:15:20.120 --> 00:15:26.440
She is clearly mad about Max.
I really loved the sign language thing that
207
00:15:26.519 --> 00:15:31.120
she did when Max was leaving.
I love that you know, basically saying
208
00:15:31.120 --> 00:15:33.039
I am mad about you. And
then Max turns around and does that to
209
00:15:33.120 --> 00:15:35.720
her when she was going down to
the beach by herself, which was a
210
00:15:35.799 --> 00:15:39.919
very odd move in my opinion,
after what had just occurred to her.
211
00:15:39.399 --> 00:15:43.519
But you know what, whatever,
that's besides the point, I guess.
212
00:15:43.919 --> 00:15:46.039
But yeah, I thought those who
had really good chemistry together. Absolutely,
213
00:15:46.240 --> 00:15:50.360
Yeah, she's she's adorable. She
is in this role you really wanted to
214
00:15:50.399 --> 00:15:56.320
pull through. I think it's a
shame what happens to her. And she's
215
00:15:56.399 --> 00:16:00.919
clearly not a fan of pants right
point, Like, let's say it,
216
00:16:03.480 --> 00:16:10.919
but she really endears you to take
care about her and Max by extension,
217
00:16:12.120 --> 00:16:18.960
and as as much as she's you
know, a very sweet and loving they're
218
00:16:18.120 --> 00:16:23.360
very cute, she stands up for
herself. And when she stands up to
219
00:16:23.360 --> 00:16:26.879
toe Cutter and gives them the knee, I'm like, there you go,
220
00:16:26.639 --> 00:16:33.440
let's do this right. And I
think she gives great performances, you know,
221
00:16:33.480 --> 00:16:41.679
with the dialogue and the the action
sequences, specifically the chase through the
222
00:16:41.679 --> 00:16:45.519
woods. Yep, that I don't
know about you, but that gave me
223
00:16:45.759 --> 00:16:48.679
very That was very much right of
the thirteenth kind of vibes. Oh absolutely,
224
00:16:49.320 --> 00:16:55.080
yes. It's like, so this
went from a dramatic picture, from
225
00:16:55.120 --> 00:16:59.559
an action picture to a dramatic picture
to a horror movie, back to an
226
00:16:59.600 --> 00:17:04.599
action picture. There's a lot of
twists and turns. But even then she's
227
00:17:04.720 --> 00:17:07.880
like, no, I'm going to
get out of this. I'm going to
228
00:17:07.000 --> 00:17:11.359
run for my life and maybe yeah, and protect her son. So I
229
00:17:11.359 --> 00:17:15.920
think she does a great job.
Oh, absolutely so. Sheila Flawrence,
230
00:17:17.319 --> 00:17:19.960
who plays is it May? Yeah, May Swayze Yeah, May swayzey.
231
00:17:21.880 --> 00:17:26.440
She was awesome. Man. How
she swooped in there to save Jesse when
232
00:17:26.599 --> 00:17:30.759
the motorcycle gang was there and you
know, lock them in the barn.
233
00:17:30.880 --> 00:17:33.680
You shot the shotgup, but still
I was able to take all those men
234
00:17:33.759 --> 00:17:37.279
and push them back with that one
double barrel shotgun. Yeah. And then
235
00:17:37.559 --> 00:17:41.079
when they tried to escape in the
car obviously broke down. She gets to
236
00:17:41.079 --> 00:17:45.319
the back of the vehicle as the
other two are trying to escape and goes
237
00:17:45.359 --> 00:17:48.640
to shoot them as they're coming at
her. Dude, she's a bad ass.
238
00:17:48.000 --> 00:17:52.640
Yeah. I think that's one of
the things that I noticed and I
239
00:17:52.680 --> 00:17:56.160
appreciated a lot. It was so
cool to see May used in that way,
240
00:17:56.640 --> 00:17:57.880
but it also kind of sets the
tone for what we're going to see
241
00:17:57.880 --> 00:18:08.680
in subsequent installments in this franchise,
is a significant force from an unexpected place.
242
00:18:10.359 --> 00:18:12.240
Right, you would expect that she's
just kinda you know, tending to
243
00:18:12.319 --> 00:18:18.160
the house and that she's not gonna
do much to to stand up to the
244
00:18:18.200 --> 00:18:22.559
gang. But yeah, she practically
shuts the whole thing down by locking me
245
00:18:22.599 --> 00:18:29.440
in a barn with one gun,
like that's crazy. Yeah, you're getting
246
00:18:29.559 --> 00:18:33.079
more badass and that that is for
sure. And then of course we have
247
00:18:33.480 --> 00:18:38.440
toe Cutter himself, uh played Hugh
Keysburn, I believe, which is really
248
00:18:38.559 --> 00:18:44.720
unique about this guy because he comes
back in Mad Max Fiery Road and plays
249
00:18:44.759 --> 00:18:51.799
the Morton Joe in that movie,
but he plays a really crazy dude in
250
00:18:51.839 --> 00:18:55.480
this film. And what I found
very interesting when I was doing some research
251
00:18:55.519 --> 00:18:59.799
on this, he changes his accent
scene to scene to make his character seem
252
00:18:59.839 --> 00:19:03.720
even crazier. So if you're watching
this film and paying attention, pay close
253
00:19:03.759 --> 00:19:07.440
attention to every scene that he's in
because he changes that and that is really
254
00:19:07.480 --> 00:19:11.279
cool, really unique idea. Yeah, and it's you can you can tell
255
00:19:11.319 --> 00:19:17.480
the writing for toe Cutter is what
sets the tone for any apocalyptic battie in
256
00:19:18.559 --> 00:19:22.799
that follows in the other movies,
right, the rest of the gang seems
257
00:19:22.799 --> 00:19:30.519
a little eclectic, but he really
sets that bar. Like the one of
258
00:19:30.519 --> 00:19:33.640
the first scenes where we meet him, and he does kind of that almost
259
00:19:33.680 --> 00:19:37.200
like he's going to do a vulcan
mind meld on some guy. Yeah,
260
00:19:37.720 --> 00:19:45.319
and that's kind of whispery lines and
he's all over the place with his dialogue.
261
00:19:45.359 --> 00:19:48.960
But he's absolutely, absolutely captivating to
watch. He is. He's got
262
00:19:48.960 --> 00:19:56.279
a big presence. Obviously he's the
leader of the gang, but it's it's
263
00:19:56.279 --> 00:20:00.000
the dynamic nature of him that makes
you want to watch, not so much
264
00:20:00.160 --> 00:20:03.559
that he's threatening the other gang or
anything else like that. They just fall
265
00:20:03.640 --> 00:20:10.039
in line because I think they're mesmerized
by him, and that's what that's what
266
00:20:10.079 --> 00:20:14.119
we get in a lot of the
other movies. Absolutely, the weird thing
267
00:20:14.200 --> 00:20:15.559
with the ice cream come on,
come on, creeper, come on.
268
00:20:17.000 --> 00:20:21.240
Yeah, yeah, I mean really
he deserved that, need, Yes he
269
00:20:21.359 --> 00:20:25.759
did. Absolutely I did not feel
sorry for that. Yeah. Then of
270
00:20:25.759 --> 00:20:33.279
course we have Steve Bisley who plays
Goose, which is max partner basically and
271
00:20:33.759 --> 00:20:37.839
becomes a crispy critter. Unfortunately in
the movie, which is something else that
272
00:20:37.920 --> 00:20:42.240
Max uses to, you know,
push him over the edge. Losing his
273
00:20:42.240 --> 00:20:45.279
wife and his child obviously would be
the the ultimate thing that pushes him over
274
00:20:45.279 --> 00:20:48.359
the edge, but this didn't help
that matter much at all. Yeah,
275
00:20:48.519 --> 00:20:52.319
I think that's one of the notes
in the movie that seemed like it was
276
00:20:52.440 --> 00:20:59.200
really taking beats from George Miller's own
experience as emergent, as an emergence as
277
00:20:59.200 --> 00:21:02.279
an er doctor. M hm.
That's easy. Let's just see it that
278
00:21:02.319 --> 00:21:08.079
way. But when you think about
you know, he's able to orchestrate the
279
00:21:08.119 --> 00:21:14.960
crash scenes and the accidents on the
road based on what he had seen in
280
00:21:15.000 --> 00:21:22.880
his own life, but knowing what
somebody is going to look like or what
281
00:21:22.920 --> 00:21:26.839
they're going to kind of experience when
they're in the hospital being treated, and
282
00:21:26.880 --> 00:21:30.319
he's got that ominous kind of tent
over him with the single blue light.
283
00:21:30.680 --> 00:21:34.480
I thought it was brilliant that we
didn't see Goose's body. We didn't,
284
00:21:34.480 --> 00:21:38.119
at least in the version that I
watched. I didn't see anything other than
285
00:21:38.200 --> 00:21:41.519
Goose's hand. Yeah, That's all
I saw was the hand. But you
286
00:21:41.640 --> 00:21:45.319
see that expression of mel Gibson,
and I think it would have been less
287
00:21:45.359 --> 00:21:49.480
if we had seen his body,
but I feel like George Miller knew the
288
00:21:49.599 --> 00:21:56.400
kind of experience that that can be
or loved ones that see them. Yeah,
289
00:21:56.720 --> 00:22:02.480
it had to be absolutely horrific and
obviously haunted X further on down the
290
00:22:02.559 --> 00:22:07.920
road. Oh, what I was
wondering about Goose was we see the character
291
00:22:07.960 --> 00:22:11.559
of the pilot. I don't know
how else to describe him, but in
292
00:22:12.039 --> 00:22:18.279
Road Warrior in Thunderdome, I think
I'm talking about absolutely I feel like maybe
293
00:22:18.480 --> 00:22:22.920
that character is meant to be kind
of a reminder of Goose. I can
294
00:22:22.960 --> 00:22:26.480
see that. Yeah, and visually
the similarities between them. To me,
295
00:22:26.599 --> 00:22:30.160
it makes me want to watch the
other movies and see what kind of connections
296
00:22:30.200 --> 00:22:33.599
they have. I think it's usually
just like, hey, i'll help you
297
00:22:33.640 --> 00:22:37.559
out. I'm kind of desperate,
just don't kill me, okay, right,
298
00:22:37.839 --> 00:22:41.359
And it doesn't seem like Max has
any kind of attachment to that pilot,
299
00:22:41.799 --> 00:22:45.400
but you can tell that there's there's
something else kind of going on there.
300
00:22:45.759 --> 00:22:49.279
So Yeah, Jim did a great
job. Oh absolutely did. And
301
00:22:49.640 --> 00:22:53.200
speaking of you, you touched base
there on George Miller, who directed this
302
00:22:53.240 --> 00:22:59.519
film and directed you know all the
men Max, He basically raised the money
303
00:22:59.519 --> 00:23:03.720
working as emergency room doctor. As
you talked about, that's just crazy,
304
00:23:03.880 --> 00:23:07.000
is that not. I mean you
read a lot about directors and stuff who
305
00:23:07.119 --> 00:23:11.039
you know, work hard to raise
money for their films and stuff like that.
306
00:23:11.640 --> 00:23:14.200
I think George Miller is the first
one I've heard who was actually a
307
00:23:14.319 --> 00:23:18.079
doctor to save money for his film. Yeah. Yeah, And I mean
308
00:23:18.440 --> 00:23:22.359
you know that's kind of a source
of funding and a source for inspiration,
309
00:23:23.519 --> 00:23:30.079
right, Yeah. And I don't
think he was necessarily exploiting that. It
310
00:23:30.200 --> 00:23:34.400
was just something where he was taken
from his experiences knowing what people go through
311
00:23:34.920 --> 00:23:44.000
and going through the scare in seventy
three of the gasoline crisis that also inspired
312
00:23:44.039 --> 00:23:47.799
it. It was kind of like, what if it's a world where this
313
00:23:47.880 --> 00:23:52.200
is all that you see, this
horrific accident after a horrific accident and the
314
00:23:52.240 --> 00:23:56.039
threats of the road. Yeah.
I think it's a brilliant move to do
315
00:23:56.079 --> 00:24:00.200
that, And I think it's cool
to know that, you know, this
316
00:24:00.279 --> 00:24:04.079
is kind of funded by helping to
save people's lives. Yeah. Absolutely,
317
00:24:04.519 --> 00:24:07.240
So let's look through the lens of
this film, Scott. One of the
318
00:24:07.240 --> 00:24:14.559
things I found very interesting about this
was this is the perfect movie when you're
319
00:24:14.599 --> 00:24:21.319
thinking about gorilla filmmaking. This movie
took it to the extreme of that process
320
00:24:21.480 --> 00:24:26.279
because they would close down roads and
had no film permit to do that.
321
00:24:27.400 --> 00:24:33.160
The stunts that they were doing were
so dangerous they had to do them quickly
322
00:24:33.200 --> 00:24:37.240
before they got caught by the police. Is that not taking gorilla filmmaking to
323
00:24:37.279 --> 00:24:44.400
an extreme or what? Absolutely?
Yeah, I mean considering you know,
324
00:24:44.519 --> 00:24:51.400
the extent of the damage, like
the road is painted in parts. Yeah,
325
00:24:51.799 --> 00:24:53.680
not body parts necessarily all the time, but you know, car parts,
326
00:24:53.680 --> 00:24:59.319
shrapnel, knowing that they would have
to quickly clean that up. And
327
00:24:59.400 --> 00:25:02.400
I'm not a exactly sure how,
Like did they just drive around a dump
328
00:25:02.400 --> 00:25:07.519
truck all day and collect things?
Yeah? And crazy to think that Miller
329
00:25:07.559 --> 00:25:11.440
was out there doing the same thing. When there was time for the cleanup,
330
00:25:11.480 --> 00:25:15.559
he got right into the trenches,
was as was cleaning up himself.
331
00:25:15.599 --> 00:25:19.319
I know what I feel like.
Eventually they got some permits and they got
332
00:25:19.319 --> 00:25:23.359
some permission to do it, but
it takes the stones to get out there
333
00:25:23.400 --> 00:25:27.400
and do what they did. I
couldn't imagine being a film like myself of
334
00:25:27.440 --> 00:25:33.920
doing something of this caliber without any
permits or anything like that. Today.
335
00:25:33.960 --> 00:25:36.519
I mean, you've got a lot
of legal issues obviously, so if somebody
336
00:25:36.559 --> 00:25:40.440
was getting hurt making this film,
you're probably gonna find yourself in court in
337
00:25:40.440 --> 00:25:41.880
in a position you don't want to
be in. So things were obviously,
338
00:25:42.000 --> 00:25:45.000
you know, different back then.
But still, man, this was a
339
00:25:45.079 --> 00:25:49.400
major risk for George Miller to do. Absolutely yeah, but well worth it.
340
00:25:49.480 --> 00:25:52.519
And I mean, oh yeah,
speaking of risk, like, you
341
00:25:52.559 --> 00:25:55.240
know, you get caught in your
first scene, it shuts it down.
342
00:25:56.039 --> 00:26:00.119
Now what do you do? Or
even of course you're at the end and
343
00:26:00.160 --> 00:26:04.960
you can't film the you know,
the important sequences that would crush it.
344
00:26:06.480 --> 00:26:08.119
Yeah, so I'm glad they were
able to get away with it. Oh
345
00:26:08.200 --> 00:26:15.039
yeah, absolutely, Speaking of damage
and gorilla filmmaking, the fact that Miller
346
00:26:15.079 --> 00:26:19.759
gave up his own little blue van
when the crash sequences. Which one was
347
00:26:19.759 --> 00:26:27.039
that? That's dedication. So there
is a chase scene. I don't remember
348
00:26:27.079 --> 00:26:30.880
if it's with Toe Cutter or a
little bit later in the movie, but
349
00:26:32.039 --> 00:26:37.880
there's there's a little blue van that
somebody recks into and it just wipes it
350
00:26:37.920 --> 00:26:44.079
out. Like you see it.
It doesn't flip as the cars usually do
351
00:26:44.079 --> 00:26:48.000
when they get hit. It spins
and you could see that thing just got
352
00:26:48.279 --> 00:26:52.359
caved in. I think that was
the police chase at the beginning. I
353
00:26:52.400 --> 00:26:55.359
remember blue van is kind of like
getting hit and spinning around. Yeah,
354
00:26:55.359 --> 00:26:59.839
that's exactly it. Yeah, that
was okay. So aside from cleaning up
355
00:26:59.880 --> 00:27:03.519
the trapped on the road, risking
getting arrested and having to provide the beer,
356
00:27:03.680 --> 00:27:10.079
I assumed that they were paying the
crew with Yeah, that's that's that's
357
00:27:10.240 --> 00:27:14.839
dedication. That is Oh my goodness, that's again. As a filmmaker,
358
00:27:14.839 --> 00:27:18.640
I could not imagine going to that
level, you know, to create your
359
00:27:18.680 --> 00:27:23.400
film using my own vehicle to be
destroyed. No, no way. So
360
00:27:23.559 --> 00:27:26.400
this movie had a three hundred and
fifty thousand dollars budget, of course,
361
00:27:26.440 --> 00:27:32.319
all done by George Miller, you
know, working as a doctor. This
362
00:27:32.400 --> 00:27:37.640
movie ended up making I think,
like what one point five million or something.
363
00:27:37.720 --> 00:27:41.440
Ridiculous. Okay, it made It
made a lot of money. This
364
00:27:41.640 --> 00:27:47.599
was actually the first independent movie and
it was the biggest independent movie of making
365
00:27:47.680 --> 00:27:51.519
the most money in Hollywood until Blair
Witch came along. Yeah, it held
366
00:27:51.519 --> 00:27:55.599
the record. Yeah, it held
the right right, which I mean it
367
00:27:55.640 --> 00:28:00.000
didn't seem like it made I mean, in contrast, it made a little
368
00:28:00.039 --> 00:28:04.200
lot of money. Yeah, but
it's that small budget, like it's it's
369
00:28:04.440 --> 00:28:11.240
Robert Rodriguez, you know, El
Mariachi kind of start to exactly. Yes,
370
00:28:11.559 --> 00:28:15.279
yeah, same kind of thing.
And I think that approach aspired a
371
00:28:15.279 --> 00:28:21.799
lot of indie filmmakers to take these
risks and to see what kind of vision
372
00:28:21.839 --> 00:28:26.119
they could bring about without having to
seek a lot of money into it and
373
00:28:26.279 --> 00:28:30.640
going to desperate measures to make it
happen. Yeah, and I was incorrect,
374
00:28:30.720 --> 00:28:34.039
is that he Actually it made eight
point eight million dollars, so it
375
00:28:34.119 --> 00:28:38.160
made a lot of money, especially
in seventy nine money. Yeah, I
376
00:28:38.160 --> 00:28:44.319
mean today's I wouldn't mind that,
but yeah, I wouldn't anything else do
377
00:28:44.319 --> 00:28:51.559
you find interesting for look through the
lens? Just the last thing, you
378
00:28:51.559 --> 00:28:57.079
know, speaking of how they made
certain sequences happened the toe cutter death.
379
00:28:59.440 --> 00:29:03.759
I was interest to learn that the
the big rig that eventually crashes into him
380
00:29:04.440 --> 00:29:11.920
that optimist looking truck. The owner
of the truck I wanted to be able
381
00:29:11.920 --> 00:29:17.720
to do the scene, but didn't
want the motorcycle wreck to, you know,
382
00:29:17.839 --> 00:29:22.759
to damage his truck too much,
So they built a steel painted false
383
00:29:22.799 --> 00:29:26.359
front on the truck so that it's
like a false face that you see there
384
00:29:26.440 --> 00:29:30.680
that actually hits the motorcycle. If
you pause it just the right way,
385
00:29:30.720 --> 00:29:36.319
you can see a gap between that
face and the face of the actual truck.
386
00:29:36.880 --> 00:29:41.559
It doesn't take you out of the
movie, but that that takes a
387
00:29:41.599 --> 00:29:45.480
lot of effort, and it's a
genius move to make sure that they get
388
00:29:45.640 --> 00:29:51.240
just the right shot, but you
know, keeping it intact, basically doing
389
00:29:51.279 --> 00:29:53.559
that doing that person a favor.
Yeah, that's a smart move because it
390
00:29:53.559 --> 00:29:56.400
would have done some major damage to
that vehicle. But that was a really
391
00:29:56.440 --> 00:30:00.839
cool scene too, you know,
the bug eyes coming out. You know,
392
00:30:02.839 --> 00:30:06.039
I'm a umanitated by that. Yeah, that's one of the things I
393
00:30:06.039 --> 00:30:08.599
know. There's a documentary what is
it called The Madness of Maas Yep,
394
00:30:10.759 --> 00:30:14.640
I haven't watched it. I have
needs something I want to go see pretty
395
00:30:14.640 --> 00:30:18.799
immediately after this to see how they
did things like that, because it's so
396
00:30:19.000 --> 00:30:22.880
grotesque, that buggy thing, and
I'm just kind of like, did they
397
00:30:22.960 --> 00:30:27.599
just create a false face and then
just pushed the eyes through or did they
398
00:30:27.640 --> 00:30:30.640
find somebody that could do that trick? I hope it's the former out of
399
00:30:30.640 --> 00:30:33.920
the ladder, but it will doo
yeah, but yeah, I guess we'll
400
00:30:33.920 --> 00:30:40.160
see all right, Well, moving
on Let's score the film. The score
401
00:30:40.319 --> 00:30:47.880
was done by Brian May. Apparently
George Miller wanted a gothic sound, kind
402
00:30:47.880 --> 00:30:52.960
of like a Bernard Herman, and
apparently Brian May, who scored Patrick in
403
00:30:52.039 --> 00:30:57.720
nineteen seventy eight, George Miller loved
that work, so he actually hired Brian
404
00:30:57.799 --> 00:31:03.000
May to do this film. Some
people would Nobrien made by some of his
405
00:31:03.079 --> 00:31:07.039
other films. He did Steal Down
with Patrick Swayze, he did The Quest
406
00:31:07.480 --> 00:31:11.839
with Henry Thomas, Doctor Giggles,
and of course Cloak and Dagger, which
407
00:31:11.880 --> 00:31:17.680
I know Jeff our producer loves,
and for Nightmare and Elm Street fans,
408
00:31:17.720 --> 00:31:21.640
he did Freddy's Dead Final Nightmare.
That's right. Yeah, Yeah, So
409
00:31:21.680 --> 00:31:23.440
you're done quite a lot of work
that a lot of us would have heard
410
00:31:23.480 --> 00:31:27.240
for sure. Yeah. And when
I find interesting to the score wasn't like
411
00:31:29.000 --> 00:31:32.920
overpowering a lot. It suited the
scenes of what was going on quite well
412
00:31:32.920 --> 00:31:36.680
in my opinion, I agree,
Yeah, I think it fit right into
413
00:31:36.720 --> 00:31:40.960
it. And considering you know what
we had said before about this goes from
414
00:31:41.039 --> 00:31:45.640
being high action to a drama to
kind of a romance kind of thing to
415
00:31:45.920 --> 00:31:51.640
yeah, a horror movie, back
to an action movie. It never takes
416
00:31:51.640 --> 00:31:53.039
you out of it. No,
it keeps you right in the mood for
417
00:31:53.559 --> 00:31:57.319
what's happening on the screen. Yeah. When I for sad that it was
418
00:31:57.359 --> 00:32:00.720
Brian made that composed it, I
was like, oh my god from Queen
419
00:32:01.440 --> 00:32:08.480
Right. No, but still impressive
resume for Brian. Absolutely. Yeah,
420
00:32:08.960 --> 00:32:13.519
a good choice by Miller two to
getting for this film. All right,
421
00:32:14.039 --> 00:32:17.839
quote this, I actually found a
couple quotes, both of them from Miller
422
00:32:17.960 --> 00:32:23.599
himself. The first one I have
is about the character of Max. He
423
00:32:23.720 --> 00:32:28.640
says he is all of us amplified, each of us in our own way,
424
00:32:29.200 --> 00:32:32.640
is looking for meaning in a chaotic
world. He's got that one instinct
425
00:32:32.640 --> 00:32:37.119
to survive. And he says after
the first Mad Max seven nine, we
426
00:32:37.119 --> 00:32:39.720
went to Japan and they said,
we know this character. He's a ronin
427
00:32:40.200 --> 00:32:45.160
like a samurai. In Scandinavia they
called him alone wondering Viking. To others,
428
00:32:45.440 --> 00:32:50.720
he's a classic American Western figure.
When you think about that, it's
429
00:32:50.839 --> 00:32:53.200
really unique and it makes sense,
especially when you watch all the Mad Max
430
00:32:53.240 --> 00:32:57.240
It's like, wow, that all
of that makes sense. That's pretty neat
431
00:32:57.319 --> 00:33:00.599
all in one character. Yeah,
and I think it would be interesting,
432
00:33:00.680 --> 00:33:02.279
you know, we always talk about
why we do this kind of series.
433
00:33:04.559 --> 00:33:08.359
Knowing that Furiosa is coming out pretty
soon, I think what you just said
434
00:33:08.960 --> 00:33:14.319
is a great reason to crack this
one open again. Yeah, especially with
435
00:33:14.400 --> 00:33:21.240
that timing, because I think Furiosa
is probably going to continue the same kind
436
00:33:21.240 --> 00:33:25.039
of tone from the franchise and that
same kind of feeling that you're just describing.
437
00:33:25.599 --> 00:33:29.279
I think it's very much going to
come across in Furiosa. So to
438
00:33:29.319 --> 00:33:30.880
see where that kind of begins with
this movie, I think it's a perfect
439
00:33:30.920 --> 00:33:35.720
time. Yeah. And then the
second quote that I found with Miller on
440
00:33:35.839 --> 00:33:39.559
basically filmmaking itself. He says,
the way I think of filmmaking, it's
441
00:33:39.599 --> 00:33:45.519
such a seductive thing. It encompasses
every human discipline you can imagine, composition,
442
00:33:45.839 --> 00:33:52.160
art, technology, music, movement, and choreography. It encompasses all
443
00:33:52.200 --> 00:33:55.279
of life. We are the servants
of the Zegist and we live in a
444
00:33:55.319 --> 00:33:59.839
chaotic world. There is so much
information coming at you. We are trying
445
00:33:59.880 --> 00:34:04.119
to find residents out there to create
some kind of meaning. Stories are a
446
00:34:04.119 --> 00:34:08.039
way of distilling something out of all
that bompardment. They're a way of finding
447
00:34:08.079 --> 00:34:16.920
signal in the noise. That's very
seductive. Very George Miller's is brilliant.
448
00:34:17.119 --> 00:34:21.960
All of his films that he's done
has been really well done. I would
449
00:34:22.000 --> 00:34:27.360
go back to Babe, which is
kind of a completely different film for George
450
00:34:27.360 --> 00:34:31.320
Miller. What the Witches of Eastwick
I believe a happy feat even for crying
451
00:34:31.360 --> 00:34:37.760
out loud, some very odd things
for George Miller. But hey, they
452
00:34:37.760 --> 00:34:43.000
were all really good films. And
you know, let's talk a little bit
453
00:34:43.039 --> 00:34:45.000
about the impact of this film since
we're talking about it, and we'll go
454
00:34:45.079 --> 00:34:49.159
back to the rewind and what if, but let's talk about the impact of
455
00:34:49.159 --> 00:34:52.079
this film, Scott. We know
what's going to come down the road.
456
00:34:52.119 --> 00:34:57.960
Here we get mad Max to the
Road Warrior. We know we're going to
457
00:34:58.000 --> 00:35:01.559
get mad Max Fury Road, and
here in this year we're getting for Firosa
458
00:35:01.800 --> 00:35:09.519
a Mad Max saga. Well,
Fury Road was incredible. Yeah, that
459
00:35:09.679 --> 00:35:19.360
movie because it when when was Beyond
thunderdone? Was that eighty five? I
460
00:35:19.519 --> 00:35:28.000
believe that was eighty five? Yeah, okay, so think about that.
461
00:35:28.039 --> 00:35:30.840
The last time we saw Mad Max
was in nineteen eighty five. So basically
462
00:35:30.920 --> 00:35:35.519
what the rest of the world kind
of forgot about Mad Max, George Miller
463
00:35:35.559 --> 00:35:39.039
did not he wanted to bring them
back in such a big epic way,
464
00:35:40.039 --> 00:35:46.079
and he did that in Fury Road, the cinematography, the special effects,
465
00:35:46.360 --> 00:35:51.679
and then he gave us a new
character with Firosa, and now we're getting
466
00:35:51.760 --> 00:35:55.039
her saga coming up in this movie
this year. Just the impact of those
467
00:35:55.079 --> 00:36:01.480
films says so much about George Miller
and what his impact is on the film
468
00:36:01.480 --> 00:36:07.199
industry. Yeah, for sure.
And I mean just thinking about the the
469
00:36:07.280 --> 00:36:13.320
style of this movie, and I
know that in the movie we're talking about
470
00:36:13.320 --> 00:36:17.679
the first Mad Max, you get
hints of this, but not a lot
471
00:36:17.719 --> 00:36:27.000
of that idea of the surviving the
apocalypse by scavenging, right, a lot
472
00:36:27.000 --> 00:36:32.519
of spare parts. Yep. I
think up until this point, when we
473
00:36:32.559 --> 00:36:39.960
would see apocalyptic predictions of the future, it was more futuristics with like you
474
00:36:40.000 --> 00:36:45.079
know, laser guns and things that
were a little bit more far fetched,
475
00:36:45.119 --> 00:36:51.719
a little bit more kind of toward
the Star Wars end of the sci fi
476
00:36:51.760 --> 00:36:57.519
spectrum, right, whereas this one
is really you know, whatever's left is
477
00:36:57.559 --> 00:37:05.239
what we have. And the way
that they kept ramping that up in subsequent
478
00:37:05.280 --> 00:37:07.760
movies. We kind of get the
start of it with toe Cutter and his
479
00:37:07.800 --> 00:37:13.039
gang and you can see beats of
that start here. They ramp it up
480
00:37:13.119 --> 00:37:16.920
in Road Warrior, because then that
kind of swallows up the vehicles themselves,
481
00:37:17.559 --> 00:37:21.199
whereas now it's kind of like,
oh, I found the station, Mike,
482
00:37:21.239 --> 00:37:23.280
and I'm just going to drive it
down the road. They start kind
483
00:37:23.320 --> 00:37:28.119
of amping it up and giving them
more personality. It starts to look like
484
00:37:28.199 --> 00:37:32.400
the cars that eight Paris, right, and they keep ramping it up with
485
00:37:32.559 --> 00:37:37.400
every future installment. I think it
was a great idea to continue it with
486
00:37:37.559 --> 00:37:44.400
Fury Road, but to take a
break between Thunderdome and Fury Road so that
487
00:37:44.440 --> 00:37:49.400
you had enough time to say,
you're not going to see the same kind
488
00:37:49.440 --> 00:37:52.320
of thing, You're going to see
an evolution of that, and I think
489
00:37:52.360 --> 00:37:58.519
giving it enough time for the special
effects to be able to catch up to
490
00:37:58.719 --> 00:38:01.039
I think the vision that he had
with Fear Road, Yeah, was a
491
00:38:01.199 --> 00:38:05.519
was a brilliant idea, and I'm
glad we're getting it continued with Furiosa.
492
00:38:05.920 --> 00:38:09.440
Oh yeah, absolutely. And I
know George Miller mounted cameras on cars,
493
00:38:10.159 --> 00:38:14.039
uh for Mad Max, which basically
putting the audience, you know, in
494
00:38:14.039 --> 00:38:16.519
the middle of the action, and
it shows that in that film, And
495
00:38:16.559 --> 00:38:20.079
I know a lot of the film
industry would follow suit. I mean,
496
00:38:20.079 --> 00:38:22.920
I'm sure probably some movies had already
done that in the seventies, but George
497
00:38:22.920 --> 00:38:27.840
Miller really did to a further extent, uh with this, with you know,
498
00:38:28.159 --> 00:38:30.039
the craziness that you see with the
crashes and the chasers and stuff like
499
00:38:30.079 --> 00:38:34.239
that in this movie that you will
see a lot more later on in the
500
00:38:34.280 --> 00:38:37.719
film industry that was trying to match
what George Miller did in Man Max.
501
00:38:38.480 --> 00:38:43.400
Yeah. So I want to correct
myself one more time for our listeners.
502
00:38:43.599 --> 00:38:51.760
So the actual what this movie did
worldwide was actually one hundred million dollars Scott.
503
00:38:52.239 --> 00:38:53.719
I mean, it's just earning more
every time you say it is it
504
00:38:53.760 --> 00:38:58.880
is. So it set a new
record for the most profitable obviously independent film.
505
00:38:59.119 --> 00:39:00.840
And again, as we mentioned Blur, which would shadow that you know,
506
00:39:00.880 --> 00:39:05.880
in nineteen ninety nine. But yeah, I have to correct myself on
507
00:39:05.920 --> 00:39:07.639
that because you know, I don't
want to, you know, underestimate what
508
00:39:07.679 --> 00:39:12.880
this movie did, because this movie
took the world by storm. Yeah,
509
00:39:12.960 --> 00:39:15.679
and I mean, you know,
I'm glad you get us back to the
510
00:39:15.719 --> 00:39:21.880
budget because it shows the studios what's
possible. Yeah, And I think that
511
00:39:22.039 --> 00:39:25.760
opens up the door for Miller to
pursue more work, which is fantastic yep.
512
00:39:25.880 --> 00:39:30.800
But it also shows that these kind
of movies are worth investing in and
513
00:39:31.840 --> 00:39:37.639
not just having. You know,
obviously it did a lot for automotive focused
514
00:39:37.679 --> 00:39:43.159
action, to say the least,
but to show that you could take it
515
00:39:43.159 --> 00:39:46.400
a little bit further, that you
could use that to tell a story visually,
516
00:39:46.800 --> 00:39:52.760
Yeah, I think it did a
lot for not only in the movie
517
00:39:52.760 --> 00:39:55.599
industry, but I mean, we
see his style and his tone emulated anytime.
518
00:39:57.159 --> 00:40:00.880
You know, think about music videos
that you've seen where they emulate that.
519
00:40:00.920 --> 00:40:06.519
There's a Tupac video that used this
same kind of style, right,
520
00:40:06.960 --> 00:40:12.000
Yeah, it is. It's not
the only way that people see the apocalypse,
521
00:40:12.039 --> 00:40:19.079
but it's definitely a definitive style for
an apocalypse. Absolutely absolutely. So
522
00:40:19.159 --> 00:40:22.559
let's backtrack a little bit. Sins, We skipped a couple what ifs.
523
00:40:22.119 --> 00:40:24.599
In doing my research, I didn't
find a lot of what if actors or
524
00:40:24.639 --> 00:40:28.079
anything in that deca is. Come
on, this was an independent film film
525
00:40:28.119 --> 00:40:31.000
in Australia, so you know,
they were basically going after people that they
526
00:40:31.000 --> 00:40:35.400
could get on such a shoestring budget
that they had. But one of the
527
00:40:35.440 --> 00:40:39.480
things that I found interested about this
is Lord Humongus, who was the antagonist
528
00:40:39.559 --> 00:40:43.960
in Mad Max to the Road Warrior. Yeah, that was actually supposed to
529
00:40:44.039 --> 00:40:51.440
be Goose. He was supposedly,
supposedly has survived burning in that car wreck,
530
00:40:52.039 --> 00:40:57.119
and he was come back as the
villain in the next one, basically
531
00:40:57.480 --> 00:41:01.960
seeking his revenge on everybody. Miller
ended up being scrapping that early into production,
532
00:41:02.000 --> 00:41:06.559
which I'm glad he did because I
think that would have taken something from
533
00:41:06.559 --> 00:41:08.840
Goose's character. If they had gone
that route, I think so too.
534
00:41:09.199 --> 00:41:15.840
I think it would have taken Max
a little bit backward into the past as
535
00:41:15.840 --> 00:41:17.679
well, right, absolutely, and
there probably would have been a thread about,
536
00:41:17.760 --> 00:41:22.519
you know, trying to save him
or whatever and have that connection.
537
00:41:23.079 --> 00:41:28.800
I think it's better to see Max
continue on this road where he's becoming more
538
00:41:28.840 --> 00:41:32.679
and more isolated. Yep, he's
becoming more and more separated from the life
539
00:41:32.679 --> 00:41:37.559
that he was living and having this
personal attachments. I don't think it would
540
00:41:37.559 --> 00:41:39.760
have done anything for us. Yeah, I completely agree, Scott. So
541
00:41:39.800 --> 00:41:44.679
I'm glad they scrapped that, which
Miller obviously recognized that too. All right,
542
00:41:44.760 --> 00:41:47.000
let's rewind. Let's talk about some
of our likes and dislikes and he
543
00:41:47.079 --> 00:41:52.280
likes Scott. We've talked about a
lot. I mean, I'm fascinated by
544
00:41:52.320 --> 00:41:58.159
that bug eye effect. All right, I hope we see that explained.
545
00:41:58.239 --> 00:42:04.119
But you know, the chase scene
through the woods we've already talked about.
546
00:42:04.280 --> 00:42:07.400
I thought it was a brilliant addition
of the scene and the fact that I
547
00:42:07.440 --> 00:42:10.599
was afraid we were going to have
to see something terrible happen to the wife.
548
00:42:12.119 --> 00:42:15.039
Yeah, I think it does a
great job of continuing that tension of
549
00:42:15.079 --> 00:42:21.039
the chase. As they continue on
down the road, it seems like they've
550
00:42:21.079 --> 00:42:24.920
gotten away from the biker gang maybe
until they find a hand chained to the
551
00:42:24.920 --> 00:42:30.480
back of the car. Right,
it's pretty horrific. But that entire sequence,
552
00:42:30.679 --> 00:42:34.760
I think it was the right pace. I think it was the right
553
00:42:34.800 --> 00:42:39.400
amount of time to spend in it, and I think it's just brilliantly constructed.
554
00:42:39.679 --> 00:42:43.679
I agree. You're trying to give
your audience a little bit of catch
555
00:42:43.760 --> 00:42:46.320
their breath, right, just like
the characters are catching their breath here.
556
00:42:47.000 --> 00:42:51.400
You give a little time for that
to happen. They're relaxing with some family,
557
00:42:51.599 --> 00:42:54.039
you know, and then boom,
you know, we're back into the
558
00:42:54.079 --> 00:42:58.440
story. We're back into the chaos
and those kind of things. So,
559
00:42:58.599 --> 00:43:01.239
yeah, no, I agree with
you. I really like that scene.
560
00:43:01.760 --> 00:43:06.079
The one that really stands out to
me is what Max does to Johnny the
561
00:43:06.079 --> 00:43:09.119
Boy at the end of this film. Yeah, you know, he gives
562
00:43:09.159 --> 00:43:12.760
him the option. He doesn't just
go and kill him. You know,
563
00:43:13.800 --> 00:43:17.559
he handcuffs him to the truck which
is leaking gas, and of course Max
564
00:43:17.639 --> 00:43:22.440
sets that little trap with the lighter
and then gives him the hacksaw. So
565
00:43:22.840 --> 00:43:25.679
you know, Max is saying,
hey, okay, you know you should
566
00:43:25.719 --> 00:43:29.679
die here because of what you have
done, but I'm going to give you
567
00:43:29.719 --> 00:43:32.079
the opportunity to choose. You know, are you going to hack off your
568
00:43:32.119 --> 00:43:37.840
foot or are you just gonna blow
up with the truck? Yeah, it
569
00:43:37.880 --> 00:43:40.559
seems like there's kind of a double
meaning to that revenge, right, So
570
00:43:42.000 --> 00:43:44.440
not only am I going to cook
you the way that you did to Goose
571
00:43:44.840 --> 00:43:50.639
yep, So that's one way this
could go, but I'm also going to
572
00:43:50.679 --> 00:43:58.000
take revenge on what he did to
Max. Essentially would feel to Max like
573
00:43:58.079 --> 00:44:00.440
ripping off his own arm. Yeah. Right, It's like we see in
574
00:44:02.000 --> 00:44:06.480
First Contact, there's a scene where
somebody says, well, if you're you
575
00:44:06.480 --> 00:44:07.719
know, if you don't want that, then go ahead and just rip it
576
00:44:07.760 --> 00:44:10.920
off, right. I'm not going
to spoil things because as a future episode,
577
00:44:12.000 --> 00:44:15.880
but knowing that he's giving them him
the ultimatum like you can eat yourself
578
00:44:15.920 --> 00:44:19.960
for the way that my friend did, or you can suffer the way that
579
00:44:20.079 --> 00:44:24.920
I did by you know, going
through this slow, painful process of losing
580
00:44:24.960 --> 00:44:31.719
something that you can't give up.
It obviously has you know, beats that
581
00:44:31.760 --> 00:44:38.880
reminded me of Saw of course,
but and and really effective because then in
582
00:44:38.960 --> 00:44:45.119
terms of practicality like budget and special
effects, you never have to see new
583
00:44:45.199 --> 00:44:50.519
violence happened to the guy. But
you know, he drives off into the
584
00:44:50.559 --> 00:44:53.119
distance, and you don't know whether
he explodes with the car or saw his
585
00:44:53.199 --> 00:44:58.440
own foot off. Use your imagination, right, and you imagine that he
586
00:44:58.559 --> 00:45:01.199
might have gone through both. Maybe
he decided halfway through I'm just going to
587
00:45:01.280 --> 00:45:05.480
give it a shot, but it
was too late. That's yeah, horrific
588
00:45:06.000 --> 00:45:08.559
mm. I like. I like
when directors are able to leave something for
589
00:45:08.599 --> 00:45:15.159
your audience's imagination. I think that
makes your point even stronger as a filmmaker
590
00:45:15.159 --> 00:45:17.199
when you're able to do that stuff. So yeah, and that's why I
591
00:45:17.559 --> 00:45:22.519
appreciate the that there wasn't a lot
of gore right in this one. If
592
00:45:22.519 --> 00:45:25.519
you really really really stop and break
it down, there's not a lot of
593
00:45:25.559 --> 00:45:29.280
gore. You're not seeing parts on
the highway or anything else like that.
594
00:45:29.360 --> 00:45:34.639
The worst you see arguably is Goose's
hand, right. But it's that tone
595
00:45:34.679 --> 00:45:37.519
and it's that feeling that you get
from it that exactly really makes it the
596
00:45:37.519 --> 00:45:39.960
difference. Yep. Absolutely, well, we definitely can't, you know,
597
00:45:40.079 --> 00:45:46.480
skip a part that this film launched
Mel Gibson's career and launched George Miller's career,
598
00:45:46.719 --> 00:45:51.440
sent both of them into stardom.
So we definitely cannot go without without
599
00:45:51.480 --> 00:45:53.400
being on set. Yeah, Scott, where'd you watch? Is that?
600
00:45:54.679 --> 00:46:00.760
I found it on Amazon Prime And
what I appreciate at what I appreciate about
601
00:46:00.760 --> 00:46:04.960
seeing things there as it gives you
some of the behind the scenes tidbits if
602
00:46:04.960 --> 00:46:07.039
you can see the trivia and the
X ray that kind of gets you into
603
00:46:07.039 --> 00:46:14.079
it. But it was it was
interesting to watch it on a streaming service
604
00:46:14.159 --> 00:46:21.000
this time because you get that kind
of that new word, that crisper definition.
605
00:46:21.280 --> 00:46:23.320
I would think, yep, and
I would get that with DVD,
606
00:46:23.400 --> 00:46:25.639
I would get that with Blu Ray. So it'll get me wrong, but
607
00:46:28.239 --> 00:46:30.559
I enjoyed watching it on Prime and
it was it was good to know that
608
00:46:32.039 --> 00:46:36.320
if I want to see the madness
of Max, that I could just switch
609
00:46:36.360 --> 00:46:39.199
right over and do so. Right, what about you, I own a
610
00:46:39.239 --> 00:46:44.639
copy of Mad Max. Seeing this
again, it's got me the mood to
611
00:46:44.639 --> 00:46:46.480
go on and watch Mad Max two, and I mean, you know,
612
00:46:46.679 --> 00:46:50.360
just go on and on with watching
the rest of them because I'm in such
613
00:46:50.360 --> 00:46:52.960
a mood mood for it now.
So yeah, definitely something I have in
614
00:46:53.000 --> 00:46:55.880
the library for sure. Well,
and eventually you get to Tina Turner with
615
00:46:55.920 --> 00:47:00.800
the big Things. Yeah, you
know it, you know it all right.
616
00:47:00.840 --> 00:47:04.760
As always, I want to thank
our listeners and hope you're excited as
617
00:47:04.800 --> 00:47:08.320
we continue our journey through the year
nineteen seventy nine. Let us know how
618
00:47:08.400 --> 00:47:12.840
you saw the Mad Max films.
Were you a normal person and watch them
619
00:47:12.840 --> 00:47:15.840
in order as you should have,
or were you like Scott and I and
620
00:47:15.199 --> 00:47:17.920
kind of mix it up a little
bit and watch them out of order?
621
00:47:19.239 --> 00:47:22.159
Either way, let us know how
what you think about Mad Max. If
622
00:47:22.199 --> 00:47:24.760
you want to leave a comment,
discuss what's next, or even has suggestions,
623
00:47:24.800 --> 00:47:29.000
you can find us at a film
by podcast dot com, a film
624
00:47:29.079 --> 00:47:31.400
by podcast at gmail dot com.
You can find us on a film by
625
00:47:31.440 --> 00:47:37.320
podcast at Facebook, Instagram, and
Twitter. Until our film reels start rolling
626
00:47:37.360 --> 00:47:39.760
again, go out, watch something
new, watch something different, and who
627
00:47:39.760 --> 00:47:43.119
knows what you will discover next.
Thanks everyone,
1
00:00:00.080 --> 00:00:04.360
Hello everyone, and welcome back to
nineteen seventy nine in a Film Buys limited
2
00:00:04.440 --> 00:00:08.880
series A Film at forty five.
I am David Burns and I'm Scott Hoffman
3
00:00:08.960 --> 00:00:12.160
with this limited series from a Film
by a Podcast where we're dusting off the
4
00:00:12.279 --> 00:00:16.559
end of a decade changed cinema forever
with a fresh look at modern classics and
5
00:00:16.640 --> 00:00:20.320
hidden gems that we can't stop watching. In this episode, we're going way
6
00:00:20.359 --> 00:00:25.199
back before Thunderdome, at least four
rest stops before Fury Road, and talking
7
00:00:25.239 --> 00:00:30.760
about the start of cinema's most maniacal
road trip, Mad Max. At least
8
00:00:30.800 --> 00:00:37.600
eight people who don't believe and he
aroes anymore. We'll damn them. The
9
00:00:37.719 --> 00:00:43.799
chain in those handcuffs, it's high
ten single step, take you ten minutes
10
00:00:43.799 --> 00:00:50.759
to heck through it with this.
Now, if you're lucky, you can
11
00:00:50.799 --> 00:01:00.159
heck through your ankle in five minutes. He rules the roads. Were heading
12
00:01:00.200 --> 00:01:03.040
to a post apocalyptic world in a
story that started it all, the story
13
00:01:03.040 --> 00:01:07.439
that would give us a man named
Max and introduce the world to an actor
14
00:01:07.519 --> 00:01:11.159
known as Mel Gibson. We are, of course talking about George Miller's nineteen
15
00:01:11.239 --> 00:01:18.120
seventy nine classic Mad Max. Scott, let's dive into this post apocalyptic action
16
00:01:18.280 --> 00:01:22.079
film. How would you describe this
to someone who hasn't seen or even know
17
00:01:22.159 --> 00:01:25.640
who Mad Max is? Which would
be hard to find. I would like
18
00:01:26.959 --> 00:01:32.959
as possible. In Australia's near future
by nineteen seventy nine standards, the roads
19
00:01:32.959 --> 00:01:37.920
are terrorized by hell bent bikers and
high octane night riders. These gangs ripped
20
00:01:37.959 --> 00:01:41.640
through every step on the highway looking
for another gallon of gas to take them
21
00:01:41.680 --> 00:01:44.959
on their next terror trip. The
only things standing in their way are the
22
00:01:45.000 --> 00:01:49.840
main Force patrol, an equally hypercharged
justice squad of interceptors who focus on running
23
00:01:49.879 --> 00:01:55.079
these gangs down. Chief among them
is Max Rakatanski, which I mean,
24
00:01:55.120 --> 00:01:59.760
come on that last name, who
finds himself going from a devoted family man
25
00:01:59.799 --> 00:02:02.480
to a leather clad spirit of vengeance
writing on the edge of his own sanity.
26
00:02:02.959 --> 00:02:07.159
This is where all apocalyptic movies that
follow find their inspiration. This is
27
00:02:07.199 --> 00:02:12.879
the story of Mad Max. So
I have a confession to make, Scott,
28
00:02:13.159 --> 00:02:16.120
to you, to our listeners.
Oh boy, I was introduced to
29
00:02:16.159 --> 00:02:22.240
the world of Max as a kid
with seeing Mad Max to the Road Warrior
30
00:02:22.599 --> 00:02:28.800
first. Then I went on and
saw beyond Thunderdome. Then later on as
31
00:02:28.800 --> 00:02:30.879
an adult, when I was working
at Suncoast, I went back and saw
32
00:02:31.280 --> 00:02:38.360
Mad Max to fill in the gap. So let me tell you how weird
33
00:02:38.599 --> 00:02:43.360
and strange the first Mad Max felt
to me at that point, because what
34
00:02:43.599 --> 00:02:49.159
I had seen in the others,
you know, was really that post apocalyptic
35
00:02:49.240 --> 00:02:51.719
that you get in those films.
When I went back to this one,
36
00:02:51.840 --> 00:02:55.639
I mean, it is post apocalyptic, but you still get some normality in
37
00:02:55.680 --> 00:02:59.840
this, right, There's some normal
things that are happening. You've got families,
38
00:03:00.000 --> 00:03:04.080
stuff like that with Max. So
I didn't get that the way I
39
00:03:04.159 --> 00:03:08.319
watched these movies. So this movie
felt strange to me. I will say
40
00:03:08.319 --> 00:03:14.439
that I had a similar experience,
but a different perception of it. So
41
00:03:15.599 --> 00:03:23.400
first experience exposure to Mad Max was
beyond Thunderdome, which is awesomely weird but
42
00:03:23.520 --> 00:03:27.319
awesome. It was one of those
you know, it's on heavy rotation on
43
00:03:27.879 --> 00:03:32.360
HBO or Showtime or whatever my family
had for Cablin at the time. That
44
00:03:32.479 --> 00:03:39.680
and Starman just you know all the
time. But going from that to Road
45
00:03:39.719 --> 00:03:44.520
Warrior and then going from that to
Mad Max, so I kind of went
46
00:03:44.560 --> 00:03:47.879
in a reverse order. For whatever
reason, I think at the time I
47
00:03:47.919 --> 00:03:52.879
saw that The Road Warrior was you
know that Beyond Thunderdome was a sequel to
48
00:03:53.280 --> 00:03:54.319
The Road Warrior. So I was
like, oh, okay, I'll check
49
00:03:54.360 --> 00:03:59.960
out The Road Warrior because I didn't
associate it with Mad Max. Two right,
50
00:04:00.520 --> 00:04:04.159
titles get kind of weird. So
when I saw Mad Max, it
51
00:04:04.240 --> 00:04:10.360
felt to me like pre apocalyptic.
It's just on the edge. If this
52
00:04:10.560 --> 00:04:15.399
was one episode before the first episode
of Walking Dead, that's what this would
53
00:04:15.439 --> 00:04:21.800
be exactly. It's interesting because a
lot of times when there's some kind of
54
00:04:23.720 --> 00:04:30.000
apocalyptic movie, there's an event,
right, it's the virus, it's a
55
00:04:30.040 --> 00:04:32.800
bomb, it's some kind of war, and everything else like that. It's
56
00:04:32.879 --> 00:04:38.920
kind of interesting that this was inspired
by a gasoline crisis in Australia in nineteen
57
00:04:38.959 --> 00:04:43.680
seventy three. So the writers of
the movie decided, well, what if
58
00:04:43.759 --> 00:04:48.000
that goes completely pear shaped and follows
it to the nth degree. That makes
59
00:04:48.000 --> 00:04:51.920
sense learning about that kind of put
the pieces together, because what's puzzled me
60
00:04:51.959 --> 00:04:59.759
about all these movies is what happened
that tore everything to shreds And why is
61
00:04:59.800 --> 00:05:03.160
so way is everybody so focused on
getting gasoline? Yeah, Like because they're
62
00:05:03.160 --> 00:05:05.800
trying to get to that next destination
because they're trying to chase down water.
63
00:05:06.360 --> 00:05:11.399
I just never understood it until that
little nugget put it all together. And
64
00:05:11.439 --> 00:05:14.000
that makes perfect sense when you look
at it that way, and you know,
65
00:05:14.079 --> 00:05:16.079
the genius of the writers to come
up with something like that that everybody's
66
00:05:16.120 --> 00:05:19.199
after that gasoline, and you know, it is a theme that you know
67
00:05:19.360 --> 00:05:21.879
goes throughout Mad Max, and that
makes sense when you think about it.
68
00:05:23.600 --> 00:05:25.800
But you know, but you know
this movie, you know, we see
69
00:05:25.879 --> 00:05:28.360
Max as kind of a normal guy, right, you know, he he
70
00:05:28.399 --> 00:05:30.240
has a family, He works with
the m f P, who I like
71
00:05:30.240 --> 00:05:33.160
to refer to as the mother efing
Police, which I know that's not who
72
00:05:33.160 --> 00:05:39.639
they're called. It's the like Main
Force Patrol, but I mean they've got
73
00:05:39.839 --> 00:05:43.720
on there. Yeah. But you
know, of course we get this motorcycle
74
00:05:43.720 --> 00:05:46.560
gang ran by toe Cutter, a
name of all people, his mother must
75
00:05:46.600 --> 00:05:51.079
be proud, who is going around
causing problems, you know him. He
76
00:05:51.160 --> 00:05:55.959
kills Max's wife, Jesse and their
child, you know, which is basically
77
00:05:56.000 --> 00:06:00.279
sending Max into the madman. You
know that. We know when I saw
78
00:06:00.279 --> 00:06:01.639
this in reverse order, you know, when I saw this when I was
79
00:06:01.680 --> 00:06:03.879
like, oh, so that's how
he got hurt, and he has the
80
00:06:03.920 --> 00:06:09.360
brace on his knee. You know
that makes sense now, those kind of
81
00:06:09.360 --> 00:06:12.399
things. But you know, this
film opens up with that that really cool
82
00:06:12.800 --> 00:06:15.959
least chase. You know, that
car carries on for a while. You
83
00:06:15.959 --> 00:06:19.319
know, we kind we can kind
of get really glimpses of Max, you
84
00:06:19.360 --> 00:06:23.720
know, in his car, sitting
there waiting as the other as the other
85
00:06:23.800 --> 00:06:27.560
MFPs are chasing until you know,
they all crash and were basically out of
86
00:06:27.600 --> 00:06:29.759
the chase and they reach out to
him, and you know, then he
87
00:06:29.879 --> 00:06:33.040
enters the chase. I love that
shot after the car, you know,
88
00:06:33.399 --> 00:06:36.160
veers out of control and slams and
blows up and Max is out of the
89
00:06:36.160 --> 00:06:39.680
car and that camera like kind of
moves in on him right there. You
90
00:06:39.720 --> 00:06:43.000
get the full reveal of Max right
there. I love that shot. Yeah.
91
00:06:43.160 --> 00:06:47.120
Yeah, And I think we're starting
to see some kind of proto rigs
92
00:06:47.279 --> 00:06:55.519
from lethal weapon in this right where
he's that that officer who's on the edge
93
00:06:55.680 --> 00:07:00.680
and his his methods or what everybody
kind of faults to when when nobody else
94
00:07:00.680 --> 00:07:08.120
can stop them. So you read
this frantic first scene with the night writer,
95
00:07:08.319 --> 00:07:14.240
that's just blowing through the rest of
the patrol, right, and yeah,
96
00:07:14.279 --> 00:07:17.519
then you finally get Max, who's
able to stop them. But it's
97
00:07:17.600 --> 00:07:23.040
not in a hyper violent way.
I guess depending on your perception of it,
98
00:07:23.040 --> 00:07:25.439
it's a pretty violent crash, but
it's not like he you know,
99
00:07:25.839 --> 00:07:30.040
goes to the links that he does
at the end of the movie. It's
100
00:07:30.079 --> 00:07:39.279
also interesting how much controversy that violence
caused, with this movie being banned in
101
00:07:39.319 --> 00:07:46.399
several places for a long time.
But it's all implied violence, like aside
102
00:07:46.399 --> 00:07:47.759
from the bug eye thing, if
you know what I'm talking about, I
103
00:07:47.800 --> 00:07:55.279
do write that kind of it's almost
like a Looney Tunes like you know that
104
00:07:55.319 --> 00:08:00.519
they're going to slam into death.
But yeah, it's it's a lot of
105
00:08:01.160 --> 00:08:07.959
implied violence and big car crashes and
in this era, car crashes were expected,
106
00:08:07.959 --> 00:08:11.319
and I'm sure there's we'll probably see
some car crashes and car chases and
107
00:08:11.399 --> 00:08:15.360
Kramer versus Kramer. Yeah, yeah, when do we talk about that eventually?
108
00:08:15.839 --> 00:08:20.040
Maybe, But it's just interesting how
that that arc kind of goes,
109
00:08:20.120 --> 00:08:24.720
and that the changes that you see
in Max over the course of the film.
110
00:08:26.160 --> 00:08:28.319
Yeah, and then implied in violence
that you're talking about, even when
111
00:08:28.399 --> 00:08:33.639
they go after that guy and her
girlfriend in the car. You don't see
112
00:08:33.720 --> 00:08:37.919
them do anything to them, you
know, you just get what happened afterwards,
113
00:08:37.919 --> 00:08:39.840
where you know, she's chained to
the guy and you know those kinds
114
00:08:39.840 --> 00:08:43.440
of things, which I think was
what Johnny the Boy, Johnny the Boy,
115
00:08:43.480 --> 00:08:45.720
I believe it was. Yeah,
yep, who they who? They
116
00:08:45.759 --> 00:08:48.559
got right there, So there really
was not showing any violence. You're just
117
00:08:48.600 --> 00:08:52.480
getting the after effect of what had
happened. So yeah, it was really
118
00:08:52.519 --> 00:08:56.399
strange that some countries really banned that. Yeah. Well, and even then
119
00:08:56.399 --> 00:09:01.679
that I'm sure we'll get that blood
pressure up. Was in that first sequence
120
00:09:01.720 --> 00:09:03.720
when we see the night rider going
through that town and there's the kid that
121
00:09:03.799 --> 00:09:07.600
kind of tuddles out in the middle
of the road. Yeah, I'm sure
122
00:09:07.639 --> 00:09:11.360
that there's a lot of Like I'm
maybe they couldn't watch it, Maybe they
123
00:09:11.399 --> 00:09:15.519
covered their eyes to right, you
know, I didn't want to see the
124
00:09:15.559 --> 00:09:18.759
kid get run over. But yeah, I really had visions of pet cemetery
125
00:09:18.799 --> 00:09:22.080
right there when the little kid came
running out there, like, oh yeah,
126
00:09:22.320 --> 00:09:26.279
yes, exactly, the guy,
I don't want to see this come
127
00:09:26.320 --> 00:09:30.480
on now. But luckily it turned
out better than we were imagining it to
128
00:09:30.519 --> 00:09:35.039
be I suppose so. Yeah,
But now let's let's let's talk a little
129
00:09:35.039 --> 00:09:37.159
bit about Mel Gibson. I mean, he is the man who really didn't
130
00:09:37.159 --> 00:09:39.840
have much going on for him at
this point. You know, he was
131
00:09:41.519 --> 00:09:45.480
a couple of TV series, I
believe episodes before he got this role.
132
00:09:45.480 --> 00:09:48.639
I think he was still in he
was still a student for drama when he
133
00:09:48.799 --> 00:09:54.960
got this role as as Max.
And I think he's paid like ten thousand
134
00:09:54.000 --> 00:10:01.519
dollars for this role. But what
a great move for Mel because this really
135
00:10:01.559 --> 00:10:07.559
shot him into stardom for the entire
world. For American audiences, we got
136
00:10:07.559 --> 00:10:11.320
to know who Mel Gibson was because
of this film, and we know the
137
00:10:11.360 --> 00:10:13.840
history of Mel Gibson with the movies
he's done after this, right, And
138
00:10:13.879 --> 00:10:18.559
I mean, obviously he's had more
than an action career, right, He's
139
00:10:18.919 --> 00:10:22.879
done a lot of dramatic work.
He's done a lot of comedy yep.
140
00:10:24.080 --> 00:10:30.720
And you know, obviously there's there's
controversy around there, but as far as
141
00:10:30.919 --> 00:10:35.159
his his main role, I would
say he's most known as an action star,
142
00:10:35.639 --> 00:10:39.240
yes, right, without a question. And at the time, you
143
00:10:39.279 --> 00:10:43.360
know, the things that I've seen
from him before it was more like,
144
00:10:43.559 --> 00:10:48.440
you know, the handsome face,
right, somebody who probably had the looks
145
00:10:48.440 --> 00:10:52.519
of a leading man but hadn't been
defined as you know, what makes him
146
00:10:52.600 --> 00:10:56.559
stand apart, And this one truly
did. And yeah, it was a
147
00:10:56.759 --> 00:11:03.120
bold move. Really. A lot
of credit goes to George Miller there,
148
00:11:03.120 --> 00:11:07.399
oh yeah, for creating this kind
of role, but you know, not
149
00:11:07.519 --> 00:11:13.480
to take away any credit from himself, who who pours that intensity into these
150
00:11:13.600 --> 00:11:20.240
roles. A lot of his action
roles get into that man who's just kind
151
00:11:20.240 --> 00:11:24.960
of you know that he's close to
the edge and then people just put him
152
00:11:26.039 --> 00:11:30.399
right over it. And he has
that when he turns into Max when he
153
00:11:30.639 --> 00:11:33.639
you know, well he's always Max, when he turns into mad Max,
154
00:11:33.960 --> 00:11:35.919
right with the leather outfit and all
this other kind of stuff. Yep,
155
00:11:37.879 --> 00:11:43.159
he goes into i think the hospital
tech and said that zombie mode right when
156
00:11:43.200 --> 00:11:48.519
it's just this dead expression and that
full intensity. We see that in a
157
00:11:48.600 --> 00:11:52.759
lot of his movies to follow,
and this is absolutely where it starts.
158
00:11:52.000 --> 00:11:54.720
Absolutely, this is a good one. Yeah. And he was only what
159
00:11:54.759 --> 00:12:00.399
twenty three years old I think when
he made this movie, so really young.
160
00:12:00.679 --> 00:12:03.159
Mel Gibson, he was an unknown
at this time. And so he
161
00:12:03.240 --> 00:12:07.480
was so unknown that he really wasn't
even in the trailer of this movie when
162
00:12:07.519 --> 00:12:11.000
it came over to America because it
was mainly like the car chases and the
163
00:12:11.120 --> 00:12:13.639
you know, the Rex and stuff
like that to get the audience because no
164
00:12:13.639 --> 00:12:18.879
one knew who Melkibson was, right, well, even the US poster,
165
00:12:18.480 --> 00:12:24.720
right, it's very iconic, very
recognizable. But aside from it, wearing
166
00:12:24.039 --> 00:12:28.519
the bronze, you know, having
a badge yeah on the lapel, and
167
00:12:28.600 --> 00:12:31.600
wearing leather, it's got nothing else
to do with Max. He never wears
168
00:12:31.639 --> 00:12:35.000
a helmet, he never wears any
of that stuff. No, it almost
169
00:12:35.039 --> 00:12:39.720
looks like a you know, Star
Wars Little Brother, yeah, kind of
170
00:12:39.720 --> 00:12:43.960
pose with the with the gun in
his hand. So it's kind of a
171
00:12:45.000 --> 00:12:48.120
shame that when it came to America
that there were decisions like that not to
172
00:12:48.159 --> 00:12:52.519
put his face, because I think
the trailer would have benefited from showing his
173
00:12:54.480 --> 00:12:58.879
intensity, right. But it's also
a shame that when it was brought over
174
00:13:00.080 --> 00:13:07.759
American audiences, they replaced the dialogue
to get rid of Australian colloquialisms and redubbed
175
00:13:07.759 --> 00:13:13.480
it to get rid of Australian accents. Now I'll admit, if I didn't
176
00:13:13.480 --> 00:13:18.159
have subtitles on, I might have
a hard time going through it. Not
177
00:13:18.200 --> 00:13:22.639
that I could understand the dialogue,
but when it's a lot of colloquialism,
178
00:13:22.759 --> 00:13:24.559
She's like, wait, what does
that mean? And I'm kind of reading
179
00:13:24.639 --> 00:13:30.559
for it, right, I think
it's it's much better and it's your original
180
00:13:30.559 --> 00:13:33.960
form. Oh absolutely. And even
even when I the version I watched you,
181
00:13:35.159 --> 00:13:37.320
I had to turn the audio up
a little bit because some of the
182
00:13:37.360 --> 00:13:41.919
dialogue is really low in this film. Yeah, and it's tough to understand
183
00:13:41.919 --> 00:13:43.879
what they're saying. But yeah,
I mean, there's no way I would
184
00:13:43.879 --> 00:13:48.000
have been happy if they had dubbed
it over today. There's no way I
185
00:13:48.240 --> 00:13:52.519
want to watch that film, No
way, exactly. Well, and interestingly,
186
00:13:52.679 --> 00:13:58.240
you know, even though as we're
talking about dialogue, it's not something
187
00:13:58.320 --> 00:14:05.200
that Miller was really focused on using
so much as a driver of the story,
188
00:14:05.480 --> 00:14:11.519
right, there's an aspect of this
it's almost like a silent movie with
189
00:14:11.639 --> 00:14:15.919
sound is something I've heard it referred
to before, like the limited dialogue purely
190
00:14:15.919 --> 00:14:20.320
a visual storytelling. I'd be curious
to know what it would be like to
191
00:14:20.919 --> 00:14:24.000
watch this with sound all the way
down to not hear that dialogue and see
192
00:14:24.000 --> 00:14:28.240
how it would run through, because
it does do a very good job of
193
00:14:28.279 --> 00:14:33.240
telling the story. You'd be able
to understand the arc of there's this force
194
00:14:33.279 --> 00:14:39.360
that can't stop this biker gang.
They eventually go after his wife and she
195
00:14:39.480 --> 00:14:43.159
ends up dead. He ends up
exacting his vengeance and moves on. Yep
196
00:14:43.240 --> 00:14:46.759
So, and that's the theme that
he Miller carries on into the Other Man
197
00:14:46.879 --> 00:14:50.159
Max. I mean, they're not
dialogue heavy either. You know, you
198
00:14:50.200 --> 00:14:54.679
get a lot of chase scenes and
you know, especially in the newer ones
199
00:14:54.720 --> 00:14:56.440
with Fury Road and stuff like that, again, you don't get a lot
200
00:14:56.480 --> 00:15:00.120
of dialogue. You just get a
lot of action sequences that you're right,
201
00:15:00.519 --> 00:15:03.200
you really don't need. You could
turn it down and just watch it that
202
00:15:03.240 --> 00:15:05.240
way and enjoy the film immensely.
And this is just like that too.
203
00:15:05.240 --> 00:15:09.679
You're absolutely correct with that. Yeah, well, let's suck a little bit
204
00:15:09.679 --> 00:15:13.759
more of some of the other cast. Joey and Samuel who plays Jesse,
205
00:15:15.279 --> 00:15:18.240
wife to Max, but obviously a
very strong mother, very caring mother.
206
00:15:20.120 --> 00:15:26.440
She is clearly mad about Max.
I really loved the sign language thing that
207
00:15:26.519 --> 00:15:31.120
she did when Max was leaving.
I love that you know, basically saying
208
00:15:31.120 --> 00:15:33.039
I am mad about you. And
then Max turns around and does that to
209
00:15:33.120 --> 00:15:35.720
her when she was going down to
the beach by herself, which was a
210
00:15:35.799 --> 00:15:39.919
very odd move in my opinion,
after what had just occurred to her.
211
00:15:39.399 --> 00:15:43.519
But you know what, whatever,
that's besides the point, I guess.
212
00:15:43.919 --> 00:15:46.039
But yeah, I thought those who
had really good chemistry together. Absolutely,
213
00:15:46.240 --> 00:15:50.360
Yeah, she's she's adorable. She
is in this role you really wanted to
214
00:15:50.399 --> 00:15:56.320
pull through. I think it's a
shame what happens to her. And she's
215
00:15:56.399 --> 00:16:00.919
clearly not a fan of pants right
point, Like, let's say it,
216
00:16:03.480 --> 00:16:10.919
but she really endears you to take
care about her and Max by extension,
217
00:16:12.120 --> 00:16:18.960
and as as much as she's you
know, a very sweet and loving they're
218
00:16:18.120 --> 00:16:23.360
very cute, she stands up for
herself. And when she stands up to
219
00:16:23.360 --> 00:16:26.879
toe Cutter and gives them the knee, I'm like, there you go,
220
00:16:26.639 --> 00:16:33.440
let's do this right. And I
think she gives great performances, you know,
221
00:16:33.480 --> 00:16:41.679
with the dialogue and the the action
sequences, specifically the chase through the
222
00:16:41.679 --> 00:16:45.519
woods. Yep, that I don't
know about you, but that gave me
223
00:16:45.759 --> 00:16:48.679
very That was very much right of
the thirteenth kind of vibes. Oh absolutely,
224
00:16:49.320 --> 00:16:55.080
yes. It's like, so this
went from a dramatic picture, from
225
00:16:55.120 --> 00:16:59.559
an action picture to a dramatic picture
to a horror movie, back to an
226
00:16:59.600 --> 00:17:04.599
action picture. There's a lot of
twists and turns. But even then she's
227
00:17:04.720 --> 00:17:07.880
like, no, I'm going to
get out of this. I'm going to
228
00:17:07.000 --> 00:17:11.359
run for my life and maybe yeah, and protect her son. So I
229
00:17:11.359 --> 00:17:15.920
think she does a great job.
Oh, absolutely so. Sheila Flawrence,
230
00:17:17.319 --> 00:17:19.960
who plays is it May? Yeah, May Swayze Yeah, May swayzey.
231
00:17:21.880 --> 00:17:26.440
She was awesome. Man. How
she swooped in there to save Jesse when
232
00:17:26.599 --> 00:17:30.759
the motorcycle gang was there and you
know, lock them in the barn.
233
00:17:30.880 --> 00:17:33.680
You shot the shotgup, but still
I was able to take all those men
234
00:17:33.759 --> 00:17:37.279
and push them back with that one
double barrel shotgun. Yeah. And then
235
00:17:37.559 --> 00:17:41.079
when they tried to escape in the
car obviously broke down. She gets to
236
00:17:41.079 --> 00:17:45.319
the back of the vehicle as the
other two are trying to escape and goes
237
00:17:45.359 --> 00:17:48.640
to shoot them as they're coming at
her. Dude, she's a bad ass.
238
00:17:48.000 --> 00:17:52.640
Yeah. I think that's one of
the things that I noticed and I
239
00:17:52.680 --> 00:17:56.160
appreciated a lot. It was so
cool to see May used in that way,
240
00:17:56.640 --> 00:17:57.880
but it also kind of sets the
tone for what we're going to see
241
00:17:57.880 --> 00:18:08.680
in subsequent installments in this franchise,
is a significant force from an unexpected place.
242
00:18:10.359 --> 00:18:12.240
Right, you would expect that she's
just kinda you know, tending to
243
00:18:12.319 --> 00:18:18.160
the house and that she's not gonna
do much to to stand up to the
244
00:18:18.200 --> 00:18:22.559
gang. But yeah, she practically
shuts the whole thing down by locking me
245
00:18:22.599 --> 00:18:29.440
in a barn with one gun,
like that's crazy. Yeah, you're getting
246
00:18:29.559 --> 00:18:33.079
more badass and that that is for
sure. And then of course we have
247
00:18:33.480 --> 00:18:38.440
toe Cutter himself, uh played Hugh
Keysburn, I believe, which is really
248
00:18:38.559 --> 00:18:44.720
unique about this guy because he comes
back in Mad Max Fiery Road and plays
249
00:18:44.759 --> 00:18:51.799
the Morton Joe in that movie,
but he plays a really crazy dude in
250
00:18:51.839 --> 00:18:55.480
this film. And what I found
very interesting when I was doing some research
251
00:18:55.519 --> 00:18:59.799
on this, he changes his accent
scene to scene to make his character seem
252
00:18:59.839 --> 00:19:03.720
even crazier. So if you're watching
this film and paying attention, pay close
253
00:19:03.759 --> 00:19:07.440
attention to every scene that he's in
because he changes that and that is really
254
00:19:07.480 --> 00:19:11.279
cool, really unique idea. Yeah, and it's you can you can tell
255
00:19:11.319 --> 00:19:17.480
the writing for toe Cutter is what
sets the tone for any apocalyptic battie in
256
00:19:18.559 --> 00:19:22.799
that follows in the other movies,
right, the rest of the gang seems
257
00:19:22.799 --> 00:19:30.519
a little eclectic, but he really
sets that bar. Like the one of
258
00:19:30.519 --> 00:19:33.640
the first scenes where we meet him, and he does kind of that almost
259
00:19:33.680 --> 00:19:37.200
like he's going to do a vulcan
mind meld on some guy. Yeah,
260
00:19:37.720 --> 00:19:45.319
and that's kind of whispery lines and
he's all over the place with his dialogue.
261
00:19:45.359 --> 00:19:48.960
But he's absolutely, absolutely captivating to
watch. He is. He's got
262
00:19:48.960 --> 00:19:56.279
a big presence. Obviously he's the
leader of the gang, but it's it's
263
00:19:56.279 --> 00:20:00.000
the dynamic nature of him that makes
you want to watch, not so much
264
00:20:00.160 --> 00:20:03.559
that he's threatening the other gang or
anything else like that. They just fall
265
00:20:03.640 --> 00:20:10.039
in line because I think they're mesmerized
by him, and that's what that's what
266
00:20:10.079 --> 00:20:14.119
we get in a lot of the
other movies. Absolutely, the weird thing
267
00:20:14.200 --> 00:20:15.559
with the ice cream come on,
come on, creeper, come on.
268
00:20:17.000 --> 00:20:21.240
Yeah, yeah, I mean really
he deserved that, need, Yes he
269
00:20:21.359 --> 00:20:25.759
did. Absolutely I did not feel
sorry for that. Yeah. Then of
270
00:20:25.759 --> 00:20:33.279
course we have Steve Bisley who plays
Goose, which is max partner basically and
271
00:20:33.759 --> 00:20:37.839
becomes a crispy critter. Unfortunately in
the movie, which is something else that
272
00:20:37.920 --> 00:20:42.240
Max uses to, you know,
push him over the edge. Losing his
273
00:20:42.240 --> 00:20:45.279
wife and his child obviously would be
the the ultimate thing that pushes him over
274
00:20:45.279 --> 00:20:48.359
the edge, but this didn't help
that matter much at all. Yeah,
275
00:20:48.519 --> 00:20:52.319
I think that's one of the notes
in the movie that seemed like it was
276
00:20:52.440 --> 00:20:59.200
really taking beats from George Miller's own
experience as emergent, as an emergence as
277
00:20:59.200 --> 00:21:02.279
an er doctor. M hm.
That's easy. Let's just see it that
278
00:21:02.319 --> 00:21:08.079
way. But when you think about
you know, he's able to orchestrate the
279
00:21:08.119 --> 00:21:14.960
crash scenes and the accidents on the
road based on what he had seen in
280
00:21:15.000 --> 00:21:22.880
his own life, but knowing what
somebody is going to look like or what
281
00:21:22.920 --> 00:21:26.839
they're going to kind of experience when
they're in the hospital being treated, and
282
00:21:26.880 --> 00:21:30.319
he's got that ominous kind of tent
over him with the single blue light.
283
00:21:30.680 --> 00:21:34.480
I thought it was brilliant that we
didn't see Goose's body. We didn't,
284
00:21:34.480 --> 00:21:38.119
at least in the version that I
watched. I didn't see anything other than
285
00:21:38.200 --> 00:21:41.519
Goose's hand. Yeah, That's all
I saw was the hand. But you
286
00:21:41.640 --> 00:21:45.319
see that expression of mel Gibson,
and I think it would have been less
287
00:21:45.359 --> 00:21:49.480
if we had seen his body,
but I feel like George Miller knew the
288
00:21:49.599 --> 00:21:56.400
kind of experience that that can be
or loved ones that see them. Yeah,
289
00:21:56.720 --> 00:22:02.480
it had to be absolutely horrific and
obviously haunted X further on down the
290
00:22:02.559 --> 00:22:07.920
road. Oh, what I was
wondering about Goose was we see the character
291
00:22:07.960 --> 00:22:11.559
of the pilot. I don't know
how else to describe him, but in
292
00:22:12.039 --> 00:22:18.279
Road Warrior in Thunderdome, I think
I'm talking about absolutely I feel like maybe
293
00:22:18.480 --> 00:22:22.920
that character is meant to be kind
of a reminder of Goose. I can
294
00:22:22.960 --> 00:22:26.480
see that. Yeah, and visually
the similarities between them. To me,
295
00:22:26.599 --> 00:22:30.160
it makes me want to watch the
other movies and see what kind of connections
296
00:22:30.200 --> 00:22:33.599
they have. I think it's usually
just like, hey, i'll help you
297
00:22:33.640 --> 00:22:37.559
out. I'm kind of desperate,
just don't kill me, okay, right,
298
00:22:37.839 --> 00:22:41.359
And it doesn't seem like Max has
any kind of attachment to that pilot,
299
00:22:41.799 --> 00:22:45.400
but you can tell that there's there's
something else kind of going on there.
300
00:22:45.759 --> 00:22:49.279
So Yeah, Jim did a great
job. Oh absolutely did. And
301
00:22:49.640 --> 00:22:53.200
speaking of you, you touched base
there on George Miller, who directed this
302
00:22:53.240 --> 00:22:59.519
film and directed you know all the
men Max, He basically raised the money
303
00:22:59.519 --> 00:23:03.720
working as emergency room doctor. As
you talked about, that's just crazy,
304
00:23:03.880 --> 00:23:07.000
is that not. I mean you
read a lot about directors and stuff who
305
00:23:07.119 --> 00:23:11.039
you know, work hard to raise
money for their films and stuff like that.
306
00:23:11.640 --> 00:23:14.200
I think George Miller is the first
one I've heard who was actually a
307
00:23:14.319 --> 00:23:18.079
doctor to save money for his film. Yeah. Yeah, And I mean
308
00:23:18.440 --> 00:23:22.359
you know that's kind of a source
of funding and a source for inspiration,
309
00:23:23.519 --> 00:23:30.079
right, Yeah. And I don't
think he was necessarily exploiting that. It
310
00:23:30.200 --> 00:23:34.400
was just something where he was taken
from his experiences knowing what people go through
311
00:23:34.920 --> 00:23:44.000
and going through the scare in seventy
three of the gasoline crisis that also inspired
312
00:23:44.039 --> 00:23:47.799
it. It was kind of like, what if it's a world where this
313
00:23:47.880 --> 00:23:52.200
is all that you see, this
horrific accident after a horrific accident and the
314
00:23:52.240 --> 00:23:56.039
threats of the road. Yeah.
I think it's a brilliant move to do
315
00:23:56.079 --> 00:24:00.200
that, And I think it's cool
to know that, you know, this
316
00:24:00.279 --> 00:24:04.079
is kind of funded by helping to
save people's lives. Yeah. Absolutely,
317
00:24:04.519 --> 00:24:07.240
So let's look through the lens of
this film, Scott. One of the
318
00:24:07.240 --> 00:24:14.559
things I found very interesting about this
was this is the perfect movie when you're
319
00:24:14.599 --> 00:24:21.319
thinking about gorilla filmmaking. This movie
took it to the extreme of that process
320
00:24:21.480 --> 00:24:26.279
because they would close down roads and
had no film permit to do that.
321
00:24:27.400 --> 00:24:33.160
The stunts that they were doing were
so dangerous they had to do them quickly
322
00:24:33.200 --> 00:24:37.240
before they got caught by the police. Is that not taking gorilla filmmaking to
323
00:24:37.279 --> 00:24:44.400
an extreme or what? Absolutely?
Yeah, I mean considering you know,
324
00:24:44.519 --> 00:24:51.400
the extent of the damage, like
the road is painted in parts. Yeah,
325
00:24:51.799 --> 00:24:53.680
not body parts necessarily all the time, but you know, car parts,
326
00:24:53.680 --> 00:24:59.319
shrapnel, knowing that they would have
to quickly clean that up. And
327
00:24:59.400 --> 00:25:02.400
I'm not a exactly sure how,
Like did they just drive around a dump
328
00:25:02.400 --> 00:25:07.519
truck all day and collect things?
Yeah? And crazy to think that Miller
329
00:25:07.559 --> 00:25:11.440
was out there doing the same thing. When there was time for the cleanup,
330
00:25:11.480 --> 00:25:15.559
he got right into the trenches,
was as was cleaning up himself.
331
00:25:15.599 --> 00:25:19.319
I know what I feel like.
Eventually they got some permits and they got
332
00:25:19.319 --> 00:25:23.359
some permission to do it, but
it takes the stones to get out there
333
00:25:23.400 --> 00:25:27.400
and do what they did. I
couldn't imagine being a film like myself of
334
00:25:27.440 --> 00:25:33.920
doing something of this caliber without any
permits or anything like that. Today.
335
00:25:33.960 --> 00:25:36.519
I mean, you've got a lot
of legal issues obviously, so if somebody
336
00:25:36.559 --> 00:25:40.440
was getting hurt making this film,
you're probably gonna find yourself in court in
337
00:25:40.440 --> 00:25:41.880
in a position you don't want to
be in. So things were obviously,
338
00:25:42.000 --> 00:25:45.000
you know, different back then.
But still, man, this was a
339
00:25:45.079 --> 00:25:49.400
major risk for George Miller to do. Absolutely yeah, but well worth it.
340
00:25:49.480 --> 00:25:52.519
And I mean, oh yeah,
speaking of risk, like, you
341
00:25:52.559 --> 00:25:55.240
know, you get caught in your
first scene, it shuts it down.
342
00:25:56.039 --> 00:26:00.119
Now what do you do? Or
even of course you're at the end and
343
00:26:00.160 --> 00:26:04.960
you can't film the you know,
the important sequences that would crush it.
344
00:26:06.480 --> 00:26:08.119
Yeah, so I'm glad they were
able to get away with it. Oh
345
00:26:08.200 --> 00:26:15.039
yeah, absolutely, Speaking of damage
and gorilla filmmaking, the fact that Miller
346
00:26:15.079 --> 00:26:19.759
gave up his own little blue van
when the crash sequences. Which one was
347
00:26:19.759 --> 00:26:27.039
that? That's dedication. So there
is a chase scene. I don't remember
348
00:26:27.079 --> 00:26:30.880
if it's with Toe Cutter or a
little bit later in the movie, but
349
00:26:32.039 --> 00:26:37.880
there's there's a little blue van that
somebody recks into and it just wipes it
350
00:26:37.920 --> 00:26:44.079
out. Like you see it.
It doesn't flip as the cars usually do
351
00:26:44.079 --> 00:26:48.000
when they get hit. It spins
and you could see that thing just got
352
00:26:48.279 --> 00:26:52.359
caved in. I think that was
the police chase at the beginning. I
353
00:26:52.400 --> 00:26:55.359
remember blue van is kind of like
getting hit and spinning around. Yeah,
354
00:26:55.359 --> 00:26:59.839
that's exactly it. Yeah, that
was okay. So aside from cleaning up
355
00:26:59.880 --> 00:27:03.519
the trapped on the road, risking
getting arrested and having to provide the beer,
356
00:27:03.680 --> 00:27:10.079
I assumed that they were paying the
crew with Yeah, that's that's that's
357
00:27:10.240 --> 00:27:14.839
dedication. That is Oh my goodness, that's again. As a filmmaker,
358
00:27:14.839 --> 00:27:18.640
I could not imagine going to that
level, you know, to create your
359
00:27:18.680 --> 00:27:23.400
film using my own vehicle to be
destroyed. No, no way. So
360
00:27:23.559 --> 00:27:26.400
this movie had a three hundred and
fifty thousand dollars budget, of course,
361
00:27:26.440 --> 00:27:32.319
all done by George Miller, you
know, working as a doctor. This
362
00:27:32.400 --> 00:27:37.640
movie ended up making I think,
like what one point five million or something.
363
00:27:37.720 --> 00:27:41.440
Ridiculous. Okay, it made It
made a lot of money. This
364
00:27:41.640 --> 00:27:47.599
was actually the first independent movie and
it was the biggest independent movie of making
365
00:27:47.680 --> 00:27:51.519
the most money in Hollywood until Blair
Witch came along. Yeah, it held
366
00:27:51.519 --> 00:27:55.599
the record. Yeah, it held
the right right, which I mean it
367
00:27:55.640 --> 00:28:00.000
didn't seem like it made I mean, in contrast, it made a little
368
00:28:00.039 --> 00:28:04.200
lot of money. Yeah, but
it's that small budget, like it's it's
369
00:28:04.440 --> 00:28:11.240
Robert Rodriguez, you know, El
Mariachi kind of start to exactly. Yes,
370
00:28:11.559 --> 00:28:15.279
yeah, same kind of thing.
And I think that approach aspired a
371
00:28:15.279 --> 00:28:21.799
lot of indie filmmakers to take these
risks and to see what kind of vision
372
00:28:21.839 --> 00:28:26.119
they could bring about without having to
seek a lot of money into it and
373
00:28:26.279 --> 00:28:30.640
going to desperate measures to make it
happen. Yeah, and I was incorrect,
374
00:28:30.720 --> 00:28:34.039
is that he Actually it made eight
point eight million dollars, so it
375
00:28:34.119 --> 00:28:38.160
made a lot of money, especially
in seventy nine money. Yeah, I
376
00:28:38.160 --> 00:28:44.319
mean today's I wouldn't mind that,
but yeah, I wouldn't anything else do
377
00:28:44.319 --> 00:28:51.559
you find interesting for look through the
lens? Just the last thing, you
378
00:28:51.559 --> 00:28:57.079
know, speaking of how they made
certain sequences happened the toe cutter death.
379
00:28:59.440 --> 00:29:03.759
I was interest to learn that the
the big rig that eventually crashes into him
380
00:29:04.440 --> 00:29:11.920
that optimist looking truck. The owner
of the truck I wanted to be able
381
00:29:11.920 --> 00:29:17.720
to do the scene, but didn't
want the motorcycle wreck to, you know,
382
00:29:17.839 --> 00:29:22.759
to damage his truck too much,
So they built a steel painted false
383
00:29:22.799 --> 00:29:26.359
front on the truck so that it's
like a false face that you see there
384
00:29:26.440 --> 00:29:30.680
that actually hits the motorcycle. If
you pause it just the right way,
385
00:29:30.720 --> 00:29:36.319
you can see a gap between that
face and the face of the actual truck.
386
00:29:36.880 --> 00:29:41.559
It doesn't take you out of the
movie, but that that takes a
387
00:29:41.599 --> 00:29:45.480
lot of effort, and it's a
genius move to make sure that they get
388
00:29:45.640 --> 00:29:51.240
just the right shot, but you
know, keeping it intact, basically doing
389
00:29:51.279 --> 00:29:53.559
that doing that person a favor.
Yeah, that's a smart move because it
390
00:29:53.559 --> 00:29:56.400
would have done some major damage to
that vehicle. But that was a really
391
00:29:56.440 --> 00:30:00.839
cool scene too, you know,
the bug eyes coming out. You know,
392
00:30:02.839 --> 00:30:06.039
I'm a umanitated by that. Yeah, that's one of the things I
393
00:30:06.039 --> 00:30:08.599
know. There's a documentary what is
it called The Madness of Maas Yep,
394
00:30:10.759 --> 00:30:14.640
I haven't watched it. I have
needs something I want to go see pretty
395
00:30:14.640 --> 00:30:18.799
immediately after this to see how they
did things like that, because it's so
396
00:30:19.000 --> 00:30:22.880
grotesque, that buggy thing, and
I'm just kind of like, did they
397
00:30:22.960 --> 00:30:27.599
just create a false face and then
just pushed the eyes through or did they
398
00:30:27.640 --> 00:30:30.640
find somebody that could do that trick? I hope it's the former out of
399
00:30:30.640 --> 00:30:33.920
the ladder, but it will doo
yeah, but yeah, I guess we'll
400
00:30:33.920 --> 00:30:40.160
see all right, Well, moving
on Let's score the film. The score
401
00:30:40.319 --> 00:30:47.880
was done by Brian May. Apparently
George Miller wanted a gothic sound, kind
402
00:30:47.880 --> 00:30:52.960
of like a Bernard Herman, and
apparently Brian May, who scored Patrick in
403
00:30:52.039 --> 00:30:57.720
nineteen seventy eight, George Miller loved
that work, so he actually hired Brian
404
00:30:57.799 --> 00:31:03.000
May to do this film. Some
people would Nobrien made by some of his
405
00:31:03.079 --> 00:31:07.039
other films. He did Steal Down
with Patrick Swayze, he did The Quest
406
00:31:07.480 --> 00:31:11.839
with Henry Thomas, Doctor Giggles,
and of course Cloak and Dagger, which
407
00:31:11.880 --> 00:31:17.680
I know Jeff our producer loves,
and for Nightmare and Elm Street fans,
408
00:31:17.720 --> 00:31:21.640
he did Freddy's Dead Final Nightmare.
That's right. Yeah, Yeah, So
409
00:31:21.680 --> 00:31:23.440
you're done quite a lot of work
that a lot of us would have heard
410
00:31:23.480 --> 00:31:27.240
for sure. Yeah. And when
I find interesting to the score wasn't like
411
00:31:29.000 --> 00:31:32.920
overpowering a lot. It suited the
scenes of what was going on quite well
412
00:31:32.920 --> 00:31:36.680
in my opinion, I agree,
Yeah, I think it fit right into
413
00:31:36.720 --> 00:31:40.960
it. And considering you know what
we had said before about this goes from
414
00:31:41.039 --> 00:31:45.640
being high action to a drama to
kind of a romance kind of thing to
415
00:31:45.920 --> 00:31:51.640
yeah, a horror movie, back
to an action movie. It never takes
416
00:31:51.640 --> 00:31:53.039
you out of it. No,
it keeps you right in the mood for
417
00:31:53.559 --> 00:31:57.319
what's happening on the screen. Yeah. When I for sad that it was
418
00:31:57.359 --> 00:32:00.720
Brian made that composed it, I
was like, oh my god from Queen
419
00:32:01.440 --> 00:32:08.480
Right. No, but still impressive
resume for Brian. Absolutely. Yeah,
420
00:32:08.960 --> 00:32:13.519
a good choice by Miller two to
getting for this film. All right,
421
00:32:14.039 --> 00:32:17.839
quote this, I actually found a
couple quotes, both of them from Miller
422
00:32:17.960 --> 00:32:23.599
himself. The first one I have
is about the character of Max. He
423
00:32:23.720 --> 00:32:28.640
says he is all of us amplified, each of us in our own way,
424
00:32:29.200 --> 00:32:32.640
is looking for meaning in a chaotic
world. He's got that one instinct
425
00:32:32.640 --> 00:32:37.119
to survive. And he says after
the first Mad Max seven nine, we
426
00:32:37.119 --> 00:32:39.720
went to Japan and they said,
we know this character. He's a ronin
427
00:32:40.200 --> 00:32:45.160
like a samurai. In Scandinavia they
called him alone wondering Viking. To others,
428
00:32:45.440 --> 00:32:50.720
he's a classic American Western figure.
When you think about that, it's
429
00:32:50.839 --> 00:32:53.200
really unique and it makes sense,
especially when you watch all the Mad Max
430
00:32:53.240 --> 00:32:57.240
It's like, wow, that all
of that makes sense. That's pretty neat
431
00:32:57.319 --> 00:33:00.599
all in one character. Yeah,
and I think it would be interesting,
432
00:33:00.680 --> 00:33:02.279
you know, we always talk about
why we do this kind of series.
433
00:33:04.559 --> 00:33:08.359
Knowing that Furiosa is coming out pretty
soon, I think what you just said
434
00:33:08.960 --> 00:33:14.319
is a great reason to crack this
one open again. Yeah, especially with
435
00:33:14.400 --> 00:33:21.240
that timing, because I think Furiosa
is probably going to continue the same kind
436
00:33:21.240 --> 00:33:25.039
of tone from the franchise and that
same kind of feeling that you're just describing.
437
00:33:25.599 --> 00:33:29.279
I think it's very much going to
come across in Furiosa. So to
438
00:33:29.319 --> 00:33:30.880
see where that kind of begins with
this movie, I think it's a perfect
439
00:33:30.920 --> 00:33:35.720
time. Yeah. And then the
second quote that I found with Miller on
440
00:33:35.839 --> 00:33:39.559
basically filmmaking itself. He says,
the way I think of filmmaking, it's
441
00:33:39.599 --> 00:33:45.519
such a seductive thing. It encompasses
every human discipline you can imagine, composition,
442
00:33:45.839 --> 00:33:52.160
art, technology, music, movement, and choreography. It encompasses all
443
00:33:52.200 --> 00:33:55.279
of life. We are the servants
of the Zegist and we live in a
444
00:33:55.319 --> 00:33:59.839
chaotic world. There is so much
information coming at you. We are trying
445
00:33:59.880 --> 00:34:04.119
to find residents out there to create
some kind of meaning. Stories are a
446
00:34:04.119 --> 00:34:08.039
way of distilling something out of all
that bompardment. They're a way of finding
447
00:34:08.079 --> 00:34:16.920
signal in the noise. That's very
seductive. Very George Miller's is brilliant.
448
00:34:17.119 --> 00:34:21.960
All of his films that he's done
has been really well done. I would
449
00:34:22.000 --> 00:34:27.360
go back to Babe, which is
kind of a completely different film for George
450
00:34:27.360 --> 00:34:31.320
Miller. What the Witches of Eastwick
I believe a happy feat even for crying
451
00:34:31.360 --> 00:34:37.760
out loud, some very odd things
for George Miller. But hey, they
452
00:34:37.760 --> 00:34:43.000
were all really good films. And
you know, let's talk a little bit
453
00:34:43.039 --> 00:34:45.000
about the impact of this film since
we're talking about it, and we'll go
454
00:34:45.079 --> 00:34:49.159
back to the rewind and what if, but let's talk about the impact of
455
00:34:49.159 --> 00:34:52.079
this film, Scott. We know
what's going to come down the road.
456
00:34:52.119 --> 00:34:57.960
Here we get mad Max to the
Road Warrior. We know we're going to
457
00:34:58.000 --> 00:35:01.559
get mad Max Fury Road, and
here in this year we're getting for Firosa
458
00:35:01.800 --> 00:35:09.519
a Mad Max saga. Well,
Fury Road was incredible. Yeah, that
459
00:35:09.679 --> 00:35:19.360
movie because it when when was Beyond
thunderdone? Was that eighty five? I
460
00:35:19.519 --> 00:35:28.000
believe that was eighty five? Yeah, okay, so think about that.
461
00:35:28.039 --> 00:35:30.840
The last time we saw Mad Max
was in nineteen eighty five. So basically
462
00:35:30.920 --> 00:35:35.519
what the rest of the world kind
of forgot about Mad Max, George Miller
463
00:35:35.559 --> 00:35:39.039
did not he wanted to bring them
back in such a big epic way,
464
00:35:40.039 --> 00:35:46.079
and he did that in Fury Road, the cinematography, the special effects,
465
00:35:46.360 --> 00:35:51.679
and then he gave us a new
character with Firosa, and now we're getting
466
00:35:51.760 --> 00:35:55.039
her saga coming up in this movie
this year. Just the impact of those
467
00:35:55.079 --> 00:36:01.480
films says so much about George Miller
and what his impact is on the film
468
00:36:01.480 --> 00:36:07.199
industry. Yeah, for sure.
And I mean just thinking about the the
469
00:36:07.280 --> 00:36:13.320
style of this movie, and I
know that in the movie we're talking about
470
00:36:13.320 --> 00:36:17.679
the first Mad Max, you get
hints of this, but not a lot
471
00:36:17.719 --> 00:36:27.000
of that idea of the surviving the
apocalypse by scavenging, right, a lot
472
00:36:27.000 --> 00:36:32.519
of spare parts. Yep. I
think up until this point, when we
473
00:36:32.559 --> 00:36:39.960
would see apocalyptic predictions of the future, it was more futuristics with like you
474
00:36:40.000 --> 00:36:45.079
know, laser guns and things that
were a little bit more far fetched,
475
00:36:45.119 --> 00:36:51.719
a little bit more kind of toward
the Star Wars end of the sci fi
476
00:36:51.760 --> 00:36:57.519
spectrum, right, whereas this one
is really you know, whatever's left is
477
00:36:57.559 --> 00:37:05.239
what we have. And the way
that they kept ramping that up in subsequent
478
00:37:05.280 --> 00:37:07.760
movies. We kind of get the
start of it with toe Cutter and his
479
00:37:07.800 --> 00:37:13.039
gang and you can see beats of
that start here. They ramp it up
480
00:37:13.119 --> 00:37:16.920
in Road Warrior, because then that
kind of swallows up the vehicles themselves,
481
00:37:17.559 --> 00:37:21.199
whereas now it's kind of like,
oh, I found the station, Mike,
482
00:37:21.239 --> 00:37:23.280
and I'm just going to drive it
down the road. They start kind
483
00:37:23.320 --> 00:37:28.119
of amping it up and giving them
more personality. It starts to look like
484
00:37:28.199 --> 00:37:32.400
the cars that eight Paris, right, and they keep ramping it up with
485
00:37:32.559 --> 00:37:37.400
every future installment. I think it
was a great idea to continue it with
486
00:37:37.559 --> 00:37:44.400
Fury Road, but to take a
break between Thunderdome and Fury Road so that
487
00:37:44.440 --> 00:37:49.400
you had enough time to say,
you're not going to see the same kind
488
00:37:49.440 --> 00:37:52.320
of thing, You're going to see
an evolution of that, and I think
489
00:37:52.360 --> 00:37:58.519
giving it enough time for the special
effects to be able to catch up to
490
00:37:58.719 --> 00:38:01.039
I think the vision that he had
with Fear Road, Yeah, was a
491
00:38:01.199 --> 00:38:05.519
was a brilliant idea, and I'm
glad we're getting it continued with Furiosa.
492
00:38:05.920 --> 00:38:09.440
Oh yeah, absolutely. And I
know George Miller mounted cameras on cars,
493
00:38:10.159 --> 00:38:14.039
uh for Mad Max, which basically
putting the audience, you know, in
494
00:38:14.039 --> 00:38:16.519
the middle of the action, and
it shows that in that film, And
495
00:38:16.559 --> 00:38:20.079
I know a lot of the film
industry would follow suit. I mean,
496
00:38:20.079 --> 00:38:22.920
I'm sure probably some movies had already
done that in the seventies, but George
497
00:38:22.920 --> 00:38:27.840
Miller really did to a further extent, uh with this, with you know,
498
00:38:28.159 --> 00:38:30.039
the craziness that you see with the
crashes and the chasers and stuff like
499
00:38:30.079 --> 00:38:34.239
that in this movie that you will
see a lot more later on in the
500
00:38:34.280 --> 00:38:37.719
film industry that was trying to match
what George Miller did in Man Max.
501
00:38:38.480 --> 00:38:43.400
Yeah. So I want to correct
myself one more time for our listeners.
502
00:38:43.599 --> 00:38:51.760
So the actual what this movie did
worldwide was actually one hundred million dollars Scott.
503
00:38:52.239 --> 00:38:53.719
I mean, it's just earning more
every time you say it is it
504
00:38:53.760 --> 00:38:58.880
is. So it set a new
record for the most profitable obviously independent film.
505
00:38:59.119 --> 00:39:00.840
And again, as we mentioned Blur, which would shadow that you know,
506
00:39:00.880 --> 00:39:05.880
in nineteen ninety nine. But yeah, I have to correct myself on
507
00:39:05.920 --> 00:39:07.639
that because you know, I don't
want to, you know, underestimate what
508
00:39:07.679 --> 00:39:12.880
this movie did, because this movie
took the world by storm. Yeah,
509
00:39:12.960 --> 00:39:15.679
and I mean, you know,
I'm glad you get us back to the
510
00:39:15.719 --> 00:39:21.880
budget because it shows the studios what's
possible. Yeah, And I think that
511
00:39:22.039 --> 00:39:25.760
opens up the door for Miller to
pursue more work, which is fantastic yep.
512
00:39:25.880 --> 00:39:30.800
But it also shows that these kind
of movies are worth investing in and
513
00:39:31.840 --> 00:39:37.639
not just having. You know,
obviously it did a lot for automotive focused
514
00:39:37.679 --> 00:39:43.159
action, to say the least,
but to show that you could take it
515
00:39:43.159 --> 00:39:46.400
a little bit further, that you
could use that to tell a story visually,
516
00:39:46.800 --> 00:39:52.760
Yeah, I think it did a
lot for not only in the movie
517
00:39:52.760 --> 00:39:55.599
industry, but I mean, we
see his style and his tone emulated anytime.
518
00:39:57.159 --> 00:40:00.880
You know, think about music videos
that you've seen where they emulate that.
519
00:40:00.920 --> 00:40:06.519
There's a Tupac video that used this
same kind of style, right,
520
00:40:06.960 --> 00:40:12.000
Yeah, it is. It's not
the only way that people see the apocalypse,
521
00:40:12.039 --> 00:40:19.079
but it's definitely a definitive style for
an apocalypse. Absolutely absolutely. So
522
00:40:19.159 --> 00:40:22.559
let's backtrack a little bit. Sins, We skipped a couple what ifs.
523
00:40:22.119 --> 00:40:24.599
In doing my research, I didn't
find a lot of what if actors or
524
00:40:24.639 --> 00:40:28.079
anything in that deca is. Come
on, this was an independent film film
525
00:40:28.119 --> 00:40:31.000
in Australia, so you know,
they were basically going after people that they
526
00:40:31.000 --> 00:40:35.400
could get on such a shoestring budget
that they had. But one of the
527
00:40:35.440 --> 00:40:39.480
things that I found interested about this
is Lord Humongus, who was the antagonist
528
00:40:39.559 --> 00:40:43.960
in Mad Max to the Road Warrior. Yeah, that was actually supposed to
529
00:40:44.039 --> 00:40:51.440
be Goose. He was supposedly,
supposedly has survived burning in that car wreck,
530
00:40:52.039 --> 00:40:57.119
and he was come back as the
villain in the next one, basically
531
00:40:57.480 --> 00:41:01.960
seeking his revenge on everybody. Miller
ended up being scrapping that early into production,
532
00:41:02.000 --> 00:41:06.559
which I'm glad he did because I
think that would have taken something from
533
00:41:06.559 --> 00:41:08.840
Goose's character. If they had gone
that route, I think so too.
534
00:41:09.199 --> 00:41:15.840
I think it would have taken Max
a little bit backward into the past as
535
00:41:15.840 --> 00:41:17.679
well, right, absolutely, and
there probably would have been a thread about,
536
00:41:17.760 --> 00:41:22.519
you know, trying to save him
or whatever and have that connection.
537
00:41:23.079 --> 00:41:28.800
I think it's better to see Max
continue on this road where he's becoming more
538
00:41:28.840 --> 00:41:32.679
and more isolated. Yep, he's
becoming more and more separated from the life
539
00:41:32.679 --> 00:41:37.559
that he was living and having this
personal attachments. I don't think it would
540
00:41:37.559 --> 00:41:39.760
have done anything for us. Yeah, I completely agree, Scott. So
541
00:41:39.800 --> 00:41:44.679
I'm glad they scrapped that, which
Miller obviously recognized that too. All right,
542
00:41:44.760 --> 00:41:47.000
let's rewind. Let's talk about some
of our likes and dislikes and he
543
00:41:47.079 --> 00:41:52.280
likes Scott. We've talked about a
lot. I mean, I'm fascinated by
544
00:41:52.320 --> 00:41:58.159
that bug eye effect. All right, I hope we see that explained.
545
00:41:58.239 --> 00:42:04.119
But you know, the chase scene
through the woods we've already talked about.
546
00:42:04.280 --> 00:42:07.400
I thought it was a brilliant addition
of the scene and the fact that I
547
00:42:07.440 --> 00:42:10.599
was afraid we were going to have
to see something terrible happen to the wife.
548
00:42:12.119 --> 00:42:15.039
Yeah, I think it does a
great job of continuing that tension of
549
00:42:15.079 --> 00:42:21.039
the chase. As they continue on
down the road, it seems like they've
550
00:42:21.079 --> 00:42:24.920
gotten away from the biker gang maybe
until they find a hand chained to the
551
00:42:24.920 --> 00:42:30.480
back of the car. Right,
it's pretty horrific. But that entire sequence,
552
00:42:30.679 --> 00:42:34.760
I think it was the right pace. I think it was the right
553
00:42:34.800 --> 00:42:39.400
amount of time to spend in it, and I think it's just brilliantly constructed.
554
00:42:39.679 --> 00:42:43.679
I agree. You're trying to give
your audience a little bit of catch
555
00:42:43.760 --> 00:42:46.320
their breath, right, just like
the characters are catching their breath here.
556
00:42:47.000 --> 00:42:51.400
You give a little time for that
to happen. They're relaxing with some family,
557
00:42:51.599 --> 00:42:54.039
you know, and then boom,
you know, we're back into the
558
00:42:54.079 --> 00:42:58.440
story. We're back into the chaos
and those kind of things. So,
559
00:42:58.599 --> 00:43:01.239
yeah, no, I agree with
you. I really like that scene.
560
00:43:01.760 --> 00:43:06.079
The one that really stands out to
me is what Max does to Johnny the
561
00:43:06.079 --> 00:43:09.119
Boy at the end of this film. Yeah, you know, he gives
562
00:43:09.159 --> 00:43:12.760
him the option. He doesn't just
go and kill him. You know,
563
00:43:13.800 --> 00:43:17.559
he handcuffs him to the truck which
is leaking gas, and of course Max
564
00:43:17.639 --> 00:43:22.440
sets that little trap with the lighter
and then gives him the hacksaw. So
565
00:43:22.840 --> 00:43:25.679
you know, Max is saying,
hey, okay, you know you should
566
00:43:25.719 --> 00:43:29.679
die here because of what you have
done, but I'm going to give you
567
00:43:29.719 --> 00:43:32.079
the opportunity to choose. You know, are you going to hack off your
568
00:43:32.119 --> 00:43:37.840
foot or are you just gonna blow
up with the truck? Yeah, it
569
00:43:37.880 --> 00:43:40.559
seems like there's kind of a double
meaning to that revenge, right, So
570
00:43:42.000 --> 00:43:44.440
not only am I going to cook
you the way that you did to Goose
571
00:43:44.840 --> 00:43:50.639
yep, So that's one way this
could go, but I'm also going to
572
00:43:50.679 --> 00:43:58.000
take revenge on what he did to
Max. Essentially would feel to Max like
573
00:43:58.079 --> 00:44:00.440
ripping off his own arm. Yeah. Right, It's like we see in
574
00:44:02.000 --> 00:44:06.480
First Contact, there's a scene where
somebody says, well, if you're you
575
00:44:06.480 --> 00:44:07.719
know, if you don't want that, then go ahead and just rip it
576
00:44:07.760 --> 00:44:10.920
off, right. I'm not going
to spoil things because as a future episode,
577
00:44:12.000 --> 00:44:15.880
but knowing that he's giving them him
the ultimatum like you can eat yourself
578
00:44:15.920 --> 00:44:19.960
for the way that my friend did, or you can suffer the way that
579
00:44:20.079 --> 00:44:24.920
I did by you know, going
through this slow, painful process of losing
580
00:44:24.960 --> 00:44:31.719
something that you can't give up.
It obviously has you know, beats that
581
00:44:31.760 --> 00:44:38.880
reminded me of Saw of course,
but and and really effective because then in
582
00:44:38.960 --> 00:44:45.119
terms of practicality like budget and special
effects, you never have to see new
583
00:44:45.199 --> 00:44:50.519
violence happened to the guy. But
you know, he drives off into the
584
00:44:50.559 --> 00:44:53.119
distance, and you don't know whether
he explodes with the car or saw his
585
00:44:53.199 --> 00:44:58.440
own foot off. Use your imagination, right, and you imagine that he
586
00:44:58.559 --> 00:45:01.199
might have gone through both. Maybe
he decided halfway through I'm just going to
587
00:45:01.280 --> 00:45:05.480
give it a shot, but it
was too late. That's yeah, horrific
588
00:45:06.000 --> 00:45:08.559
mm. I like. I like
when directors are able to leave something for
589
00:45:08.599 --> 00:45:15.159
your audience's imagination. I think that
makes your point even stronger as a filmmaker
590
00:45:15.159 --> 00:45:17.199
when you're able to do that stuff. So yeah, and that's why I
591
00:45:17.559 --> 00:45:22.519
appreciate the that there wasn't a lot
of gore right in this one. If
592
00:45:22.519 --> 00:45:25.519
you really really really stop and break
it down, there's not a lot of
593
00:45:25.559 --> 00:45:29.280
gore. You're not seeing parts on
the highway or anything else like that.
594
00:45:29.360 --> 00:45:34.639
The worst you see arguably is Goose's
hand, right. But it's that tone
595
00:45:34.679 --> 00:45:37.519
and it's that feeling that you get
from it that exactly really makes it the
596
00:45:37.519 --> 00:45:39.960
difference. Yep. Absolutely, well, we definitely can't, you know,
597
00:45:40.079 --> 00:45:46.480
skip a part that this film launched
Mel Gibson's career and launched George Miller's career,
598
00:45:46.719 --> 00:45:51.440
sent both of them into stardom.
So we definitely cannot go without without
599
00:45:51.480 --> 00:45:53.400
being on set. Yeah, Scott, where'd you watch? Is that?
600
00:45:54.679 --> 00:46:00.760
I found it on Amazon Prime And
what I appreciate at what I appreciate about
601
00:46:00.760 --> 00:46:04.960
seeing things there as it gives you
some of the behind the scenes tidbits if
602
00:46:04.960 --> 00:46:07.039
you can see the trivia and the
X ray that kind of gets you into
603
00:46:07.039 --> 00:46:14.079
it. But it was it was
interesting to watch it on a streaming service
604
00:46:14.159 --> 00:46:21.000
this time because you get that kind
of that new word, that crisper definition.
605
00:46:21.280 --> 00:46:23.320
I would think, yep, and
I would get that with DVD,
606
00:46:23.400 --> 00:46:25.639
I would get that with Blu Ray. So it'll get me wrong, but
607
00:46:28.239 --> 00:46:30.559
I enjoyed watching it on Prime and
it was it was good to know that
608
00:46:32.039 --> 00:46:36.320
if I want to see the madness
of Max, that I could just switch
609
00:46:36.360 --> 00:46:39.199
right over and do so. Right, what about you, I own a
610
00:46:39.239 --> 00:46:44.639
copy of Mad Max. Seeing this
again, it's got me the mood to
611
00:46:44.639 --> 00:46:46.480
go on and watch Mad Max two, and I mean, you know,
612
00:46:46.679 --> 00:46:50.360
just go on and on with watching
the rest of them because I'm in such
613
00:46:50.360 --> 00:46:52.960
a mood mood for it now.
So yeah, definitely something I have in
614
00:46:53.000 --> 00:46:55.880
the library for sure. Well,
and eventually you get to Tina Turner with
615
00:46:55.920 --> 00:47:00.800
the big Things. Yeah, you
know it, you know it all right.
616
00:47:00.840 --> 00:47:04.760
As always, I want to thank
our listeners and hope you're excited as
617
00:47:04.800 --> 00:47:08.320
we continue our journey through the year
nineteen seventy nine. Let us know how
618
00:47:08.400 --> 00:47:12.840
you saw the Mad Max films.
Were you a normal person and watch them
619
00:47:12.840 --> 00:47:15.840
in order as you should have,
or were you like Scott and I and
620
00:47:15.199 --> 00:47:17.920
kind of mix it up a little
bit and watch them out of order?
621
00:47:19.239 --> 00:47:22.159
Either way, let us know how
what you think about Mad Max. If
622
00:47:22.199 --> 00:47:24.760
you want to leave a comment,
discuss what's next, or even has suggestions,
623
00:47:24.800 --> 00:47:29.000
you can find us at a film
by podcast dot com, a film
624
00:47:29.079 --> 00:47:31.400
by podcast at gmail dot com.
You can find us on a film by
625
00:47:31.440 --> 00:47:37.320
podcast at Facebook, Instagram, and
Twitter. Until our film reels start rolling
626
00:47:37.360 --> 00:47:39.760
again, go out, watch something
new, watch something different, and who
627
00:47:39.760 --> 00:47:43.119
knows what you will discover next.
Thanks everyone,
















