I recently attended a talk with David Mamet at the LA Times Festival of Books and at one point he asked rhetorically of the audience: “When was the last time you saw a movie that knocked your socks off?” I almost shouted, “Fury Road!” because that was my answer. I’m glad I didn’t because no one else shouted anything and I don’t know if I want to be the kind of person who shouts at book talks, but George Miller’s 2015, unexpected masterpiece totally knocked my socks off. Then yesterday, in a company meeting no less, someone said, “Two men enter, one man leave” and I thought, this franchise has done nothing but give, and give, and give over the last half century and you know what? Maybe it’s time we gave a little back. So here goes.
Critical Mush in conjunction with The Society for the Preservation of Weird Cinema presents:
A Mad Max Retrospective Part 1
Mad Max – 1979
A quick word from the reviewer: I forced myself to watch this extremely Australian movie with no subtitles so full scenes passed where I did not understand a word of dialogue. There may have been some character development or important exposition that I missed, but I assure you, total comprehension is not critical to one’s enjoyment of the film.
Because Mad Max is a blast from the first frame. It opens on a guy watching a couple having sex through a rifle scope and moves straight into a car chase replete with the impressive stunts and screaming, speed obsessed lunatics us modern Max fans have come to know and love. From the chase we cut straight to Max at home enjoying a beer while his son Sprog plays nearby and his woman Jesse lays down a smooth tenor sax groove. You think I’m kidding? This is George Miller. He does whatever the hell he wants and sets it in a world so fantastic you go for the ride because nothing seems less cool than being left in the dust.
Mad Max takes place “a few years from now” in a society that’s still more or less functioning as a society. It’s pre-apocalyptic but it’s fraying around the edges a bit. The guardrails keeping the world on the road have come off and the first thing we’ve all decided to do with our newfound freedom is ignore the speed limit.
In steps the MFP or Main Force Patrol, a band of leather-clad peacekeepers in modified Ford Falcons who attempt to curtail, whilst participating in, vehicular mayhem. Keep in mind I had to look all that up. It’s not super clear, from the film itself, who the hell these people are or who exactly imbued them with any authority. They’re all maniacs. Except Max, who despite the name, may be the sanest of the bunch.
In the opening scene, the MFP is attempting to slow down Nightrider, a self-described fuel-injected suicide machine, who’s maybe running from something and maybe just out for a Sunday drive with his girlfriend and doing a little too much cackling. Whichever it is, Max puts a stop to it by running Nightrider into a pile of road garbage killing him and his girl instantly.
Unbeknownst to Max, Nightrider was friendly with a guy named Toecutter, the leader of a flambouant biker gang known for aggressive face-touching and dancing the tango when they roll into town. When Toecutter and the gang learn about the death of Nightrider they vow revenge, but while they’re waiting on their revenge, they attack a couple and trash their car and maybe rape a guy and when Max and his partner, Jim Goose, show up to assess the scene, they find I think a rookie biker who got left behind at the crime scene? Or maybe he was too fucked up to leave? I don’t know he’s just sitting there and Max and Goose take him to jail and I think that pisses the gang off too? So they’re out for double revenge? I was never very clear on Toecutter’s motivation and I’m still not sure what pissed off the gang. I don’t think they like people looking at them.
That basically covers the first 45 minutes of the film. It’s energetic and funny and nuts. But then, since shit is too thick, Max quits the MFP, packs up his family and they go on vacation. He just fucks off to the country, and quite frankly the movie suffers. It starts to drag, and there are a couple slice of life scenes that feel extremely out of place, especially sitting here in 2024 having seen all 4 of these movies.
There’s a half hour that’s just kind of ok, still profoundly odd, but ok. But they bring it all back in the last 15 minutes with another great series of stunts that still seem wild even today. All I could think about was these 20 something knuckleheads out in the bush testing the boundaries of what can be legally accomplished in a stunt sequence. Grant Page was the stunt coordinator for Mad Max and Miller would work with him again on Beyond Thunderdome, but Guy Norris would coordinate The Road Warrior and Fury Road so I guess I have to give George credit for the consistent audacity of these effects. The man knows how to crash cars.
Mel Gibson is pretty bad. He’s young and reasonably attractive but his performance is, let’s call it unrefined. His wife Jesse is played by Joanne Samuel and she’s cute and real. Steve Bisley does a great job as Jim Goose, but the award for best actor in the movie goes to Hugh Keayes-Byrne as Toecutter. He’s fantastic and might as well be Chris Hemsworth’s father. You can draw a straight line from Toecutter to Dr. Dementus.
Ok. Y’all. I wrote that last paragraph before realizing that Hugh Keayes-Byrne IS IMMORTAN JOE! I can’t. I’m so happy. He may actually be Chris Hemsworth’s father!
There’s so much great, weird shit in this movie. It’s the kind of film you have to pause because the frame is packed with interesting detail, and you need extra time to look at it all. The action is great, that 70’s film stock makes everything look incredibly cool, I mean what can you say about George Miller. He has a vision, and he executes. Full SFPWC seal of approval.
If you haven’t seen it, you definitely need to, and if it’s been a while, watch it again. It’s the OG, the foundation for everything to come, and fun as all apocalyptic hell.
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