Mad Max (1979)

Though I had only seen the previous installment, 'Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome', which I enjoyed whilst a great many people didn't, with the present sequel earning ten (!?) Oscar nominations, I wanted to catch up on things before seeing the new film at the Cineplex. I was very pleased with this early film in the post-apocalyptic movie category, and can see how and why both it and star Mel Gibson became so successful. Other than Kenneth Anger's experimental film, 'Scorpio Rising', I have never seen a work that so fetishes both cars and the ritual of dressing, either for driving or for war. It's very well directed and suspenseful for a first-timer in Miller, and I'm so glad he's still helming the films of the series 36 years later! All that one has to do to see How To and How Not To Continue a Fine Franchise is compare how both George Miller and George Lucas have done this century. It's sad that they were so short on funds that only Gibson could be fitted with real leather in the film--I think I can rightly assume that money isn't a problem anymore...

It's not often that these dystopian scenarios ever leave the USA, so it's interesting that this one introduces us to the massive expanse of the Australian desert and to the young policeman "Max" (Mel Gibson). His job is pretty thankless - and perilous. He must patrol the remote countryside trying to protect what is left of civilisation from marauding motor cycle gangs who are constantly on the search for fuel - for themselves and for their machines. Things start to boil over when ruthless biker "Toe-cutter" (Hugh Keays-Byrne) avenges the death of his leader by killing just about everyone he can find - including the wife and child of the now incandescent "Max". What now ensues is a grittily told, quickly paced, tale of violence and vengeance with the erstwhile law officer abandoning any sense of decency he had clung onto and going all out to destroy his enemy. This film ought to be remembered for what it spawned, rather than what it offers by itself. Most of the acting is mediocre, as is the dialogue and after a while the brutality started, for me anyway, to lose potency and become almost comedic. This is certainly ninety minutes of cinema history, but it's really not very good.