The original: 

Mad Max (1979)

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Directed by: 

George Miller (Furiosa, Babe: Pig in the City, The Witches of Eastwick, Happy Feet)

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Starring: 

Mel Gibson, Joanne Samuel, Hugh Keays-Byrne, Steve Bisley, Tim Burns, Roger Ward, Sheila Florance

 

In a not-too-distant-future, lawlessness on the roads of rural Australia is out of control, with deranged gangs of road-racers terrorising the populace.

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The Police Force is under-equipped and under-manned, with Patrolmen like Max Rockatansky (Gibson) and his partner Jim Goose (Bisley), struggling as keepers of the peace and protectors of the public.

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After events spiral and those he loves most are all but killed, Max, as the title suggests, is pushed beyond his limits, gets mad and seeks revenge.

 

Made on a micro-budget, this film is a marvel. Fast, fun, brutal and shocking, it tells a story of a world gone bad and a hero gone mad.

 

Disregarding their own safety, everyone involved in the making of this labour of love, from writer/directer Miller on down, captured true vehicular warfare with panache, flair and a flagrant disregard for governmental zoning codes.

 

Part Dirty Harry, part Death Race 2000, Mad Max took the world by storm, using familiar elements while introducing movie-goers to the singular voice of George Miller.

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The series of films that followed increased the scale and budget, with astounding results, but the original has that rough-round-the-edges, skin of its teeth, gonzo-guerrilla grit and spit that when done just right, becomes pure cinematic gold.

 

Mad Max is not a perfect film, but remains a sublime feat of passion, bravado and raw talent- much like the titular character himself.

 

An inspiration for us all then, leaving a lasting impression and a mantra to live by-

If you can’t get even, get mad.

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Fifi- “They say people don't believe in heroes anymore. Well damn them! You and me, Max, we're gonna give them back their heroes!”

 

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Max- “I’m scared, Fif. You know why? It's that rat circus out there. I'm beginning to enjoy it.”

 

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Toe-Cutter- “Take your hat off.”

Station Master- “Anything you say.”

Toe-Cutter- “Anything I say. What a wonderful philosophy you have. Take him away.”

 

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Nightrider- “I am the Nightrider. I'm a fuel injected suicide machine. I am a rocker, I am a roller, I am a out-of-controller! I'm the Nightrider, baby…. And we ain’t never coming back!”

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Kid- “Hey Mister! What happened to the car?”

Bubba- “What do you think happened?”

Kid- “Looked like it was chewed up and spat out.”

Bubba- “Perhaps it's the result of an anxiety.”

 

 

Grease Rat- “Like the sign says, ‘Speed's just a question of money.’ 

…How fast you wanna go?"