Mad Max (1979)

Director:

George Miller

Writers:

George Miller (story) and
Byron Kennedy (story) ...
(more)

Release Date:

12 April 1979 (Australia)

Genre:

Action | Adventure | Sci-Fi | Thriller

Tagline:

The Maximum Force of the Future.

Plot:

In a dystopic future Australia, a vicious biker gang murder a cop's family and make his fight with them personal.

Plot Keywords:

Biker | Mad Max | Road | Police | Highway

Awards:

4 wins & 4 nominations

Cast

Mel Gibson	...	Max
Joanne Samuel	...	Jessie
Hugh Keays-Byrne	...	Toecutter
Steve Bisley	...	Jim Goose
Tim Burns	...	Johnny the Boy
Roger Ward	...	Fifi
Lisa Aldenhoven	...	Nurse
David Bracks	...	Mudguts
Bertrand Cadart	...	Clunk
David Cameron	...	Underground Mechanic
Robina Chaffey	...	Singer
Stephen Clark	...	Sarse
Mathew Constantine	...	Toddler
Jerry Day	...	Ziggy
Reg Evans	...	Station Master
Howard Eynon	...	Diabando
Max Fairchild	...	Benno
John Farndale	...	Grinner
Peter Felmingham	...	Senior Doctor
Sheila Florance	...	May Swaisey (as Sheila Florence)
Nic Gazzana	...	Starbuck
Hunter Gibb	...	Lair
Vincent Gil	...	Nightrider (as Vince Gil)
Andrew Gilmore	...	Silvertongue
Jonathan Hardy	...	Labatouche (as Jonathon Hardy)
Brendan Heath	...	Sprog
Paul Johnstone	...	Cundalini
Nick Lathouris	...	Grease Rat
John Ley	...	Charlie
Steve Millichamp	...	Roop
Phil Motherwell	...	Junior Doctor
George Novak	...	Scuttle
Geoff Parry	...	Bubba Zanetti
Lulu Pinkus	...	Nightrider's Girl
Neil Thompson	...	TV Newsreader
Billy Tisdall	...	Midge
Gil Tucker	...	People's Observer
John Arnold
Tom Broadbridge
Peter Culpan
Peter Ford
Clive Hearne
Telford Jackson
Kristine Kaman
Joan Letch
Kerry Miller
Janine Ogden
Di Trelour
Vernon Weaver
Paul Young
Brendan Young
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Amanda Muggleton	...	Biker's moll (uncredited)
Kim Sullivan	...	Girl in Chevvy (uncredited)

Directed by
George Miller

Writing credits
George Miller		(story) and
Byron Kennedy		(story)
James McCausland		(screenplay) and
George Miller		(screenplay)

Produced by
Byron Kennedy	....	producer
Bill Miller	....	associate producer

Original Music by
Brian May

Cinematography by
David Eggby

Film Editing by
Cliff Hayes
Tony Paterson

Casting by
Mitch Consultancy

Art Direction by
Jon Dowding

Costume Design by
Clare Griffin

Makeup Department
Vivien Mepham	....	makeup artist (as Viv Mephan)
Ben Taylor	....	hair stylist

Production Management
John Hipwell	....	unit manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Steve Connard	....	second assistant director
Ian Goddard	....	first assistant director
Des Sheridan	....	third assistant director

Art Department
Steve Amezdroz	....	assistant art director
Richard Francis	....	props
Frank Matich	....	helmets

Sound Department
Ned Dawson	....	sound effects
Roger Savage	....	post-production sound
Mark J. Wasiutak	....	boom operator (as Mark Wasiutak)
Gary Wilkins	....	sound recordist

Special Effects by
Chris Murray	....	special effects

Visual Effects by
Richard Wilmot	....	optical effects operator (uncredited)

Stunts
Chris Anderson	....	stunts
Dale Bensch	....	stunts
David Bracks	....	stunts
Phil Brock	....	stunts
Michael Daniels	....	stunts
Gerry Gauslaa	....	stunts
Terry Gibson	....	stunts
George Novak	....	stunts
Grant Page	....	stunt coordinator
Grant Page	....	stunts

Camera and Electrical Department
David Cassar	....	grip
Lindsay Foote	....	gaffer
Harry Glynatsis	....	assistant camera
Noel McDonald	....	grip
Garry Plunkett	....	best boy
Tim Smart	....	clapper loader
Tim Smart	....	photographer: second unit
Chic Stringer	....	still photographer

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Merran Kingsford-Smith	....	wardrobe

Editorial Department
Margaret Cardin	....	negative cutter

Music Department
Nic Gazzana	....	cabaret music
Brian May	....	conductor

Other crew
Shirley Ballard	....	script supervisor
Stuart Beatty	....	traffic supervisor
Ray Beckerley	....	vehicle designer
Tom Broadbridge	....	production assistant
Jenny Day	....	production coordinator
Bill Gooley	....	laboratory consultant
Noel L. Harman	....	financial consultant
Andrew Jones	....	traffic supervisor
Stephen O'Hare	....	truck coordinator
Robert Orchard	....	mechanic
Bill Owen	....	titler
Clive Rowell	....	mechanic
Murray Smith	....	mechanic
Lex Glouchewera	....	engineer (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Kennedy Miller Productions
• Crossroads
• Mad Max Films

Distributors

• Roadshow Entertainment (1979) (Australia) (theatrical)
• Columbia-EMI-Warner (1979) (UK) (theatrical)
• Warner-Columbia Filmverleih (1980) (West Germany) (theatrical)
• American International Pictures (AIP) (1980) (USA) (theatrical) (dubbed)
• Ambassador Film Distributors (1980) (Canada) (theatrical) (dubbed)
• ELKE (19??) (Greece) (theatrical) (re-release)
• Victor Michailides (1981) (Greece) (theatrical)
• Argentina Video Home (1999) (Argentina) (DVD)
• Argentina Video Home (1999) (Argentina) (VHS) (re-release)
• Audio Visual Enterprises (19??) (Greece) (VHS)
• GoodTimes Home Video (1998) (USA) (VHS)
• HGV Video Productions (1988) (Canada) (VHS)
• Image Entertainment (1997) (USA) (DVD)
• MGM Home Entertainment (2002) (USA) (DVD)
• MGM Home Entertainment (2002) (USA) (DVD) (special edition)
• Roadshow Entertainment Video (1985) (Australia) (VHS)
• Vestron Video (1983) (USA) (VHS)
• Vestron Video (1984) (USA) (video) (laserdisc)
• Warner Bros. (1999) (Argentina) (all media) (re-release)
• Warner Home Video (19??) (Netherlands) (VHS)
• Warner Home Video (2002) (Netherlands) (DVD)
• Warner Home Vídeo (1982) (Brazil) (VHS)

Other Companies

• B.F. Goodrich Co.  grateful acknowledgements
• BNB Freighters  grateful acknowledgements
• Bell Helmets  grateful acknowledgements
• Ben Taylor Hair Workshop  grateful acknowledgements
• Bunge  grateful acknowledgements
• Duhig Ford  grateful acknowledgements
• Dunlop  grateful acknowledgements
• Footscray Cranes  grateful acknowledgements
• Kawasaki Motors  grateful acknowledgements
• Knights Transport  grateful acknowledgements
• Kodak Australasia  grateful acknowledgements
• L. J. Wellam & Son  grateful acknowledgements
• Macau Light Film Corporation  grateful acknowledgements
• Modern Towing and Salvage  grateful acknowledgements
• Nissan Australia  grateful acknowledgements
• Pykes Transport  grateful acknowledgements
• Ritmeester Cigars  grateful acknowledgements
• Sony Australia  grateful acknowledgements
• Suburban Towing  grateful acknowledgements
• Town Auto Wholesalers  grateful acknowledgements
• West Gate Bridge Authority  grateful acknowledgements
• Windscreens O'Brien  grateful acknowledgements

Runtime:

88 min

Country:

Australia

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Eastmancolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

UK:X (theatrical rating) | Singapore:NC-16 | Netherlands:16 | UK:18 (cut) (1986) | Ireland:18 | Brazil:16 | Italy:VM18 | Argentina:16 (re-rating) (1999) (uncut) | Argentina:X (original rating) | Argentina:18 (re-rating) (1982) (cut) | USA:TV-MA (cable rating) | Australia:R | Canada:18+ (Quebec) | Canada:18A (special edition) | Canada:R | France:-16 (re-rating) | France:X (original rating) | New Zealand:(Banned) (original rating) | New Zealand:R18 (re-rating) | Norway:18 | South Korea:18 | Spain:18 | Sweden:(Banned) | UK:18 | USA:R | West Germany:18 | Finland:K-18 | Germany:BPjM Restricted

Filming Locations:

Anakie Rd, Geelong, Victoria, Australia

Company:

Kennedy Miller Productions

Trivia:

The van that is smashed in the opening chase was George Miller's own vehicle, as the production was running out of money. About 20% of the chase scenes scheduled were not shot due to lack of money.

Goofs:

Revealing mistakes: Wire visible when Max shoots biker about to run him over.

Quotes:

[a car that the bikers demolished earlier has been towed to the Halls of Justice]
Kid: Hey Mister! What happened to the car?
Bubba Zanetti: What do you think happened?
Kid: Looks like it's been chewed up and spat out.
Bubba Zanetti: Perhaps it was a result of anxiety.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Hot Fuzz (2007)

Well Aged!

Not many low budget flicks age very well but Mad Max certainly has.

I watched it again recently, as I only had vague memories of watching it years ago, but I found it to hold up well. Only by reading the other user comments did I discover that it had been dubbed! What a load of crap. Why would a movie in English be dubbed in English! If you cant understand Aussie accents, you dont deserve the pleasure of seeing this movie. I cant imagine this movie having the same effect without the Australian accents.

What George Miller did with this fairly simple script is remakable. The camera angles and speeds with which this film moves along at times were thrilling, Not to mention the great stunts and even the barbaric humour (the ripped off arm!).

The car which Mel Gibson eventually gets revenge in (an Aussie Ford coupe) looked as menacing as a car could! built for the movie for A$35 Grand, a replica was used for the final crash 'n burn scenes of Mad Max 2. The original car was salvaged and is still around somewhere, appearing at car shows in the late 80's.