Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome (1985)

A former Australian policeman is rescued by a tribe of children when he is banished from a desert town and sent into the desert to die by the desert town's evil queen.

Directors:

George Miller, George Ogilvie

Writers:

Terry Hayes, George Miller

Stars:

Mel Gibson, Bruce Spence, Adam Cockburn

Nominated for 1 Golden Globe. Another 1 win & 5 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Mel Gibson	...	Mad Max Rockatansky
Bruce Spence	...	Jedediah the Pilot
Adam Cockburn	...	Jedediah Jr.
Tina Turner	...	Aunty Entity
Frank Thring	...	The Collector
Angelo Rossitto	...	The Master
Paul Larsson	...	The Blaster
Angry Anderson	...	Ironbar
Robert Grubb	...	Pig Killer
George Spartels	...	Blackfinger
Edwin Hodgeman	...	Dr. Dealgood
Bob Hornery	...	Waterseller
Andrew Oh	...	Ton Ton Tattoo
Ollie Hall	...	Aunty's Guard
Lee Rice	...	Aunty's Guard

Storyline

Bartertown is a city on the edge of a desert that has managed to retain some technology if no civilization. Max has his supplies stolen and must seek shelter there in a post apocalyptic world where all machines have begun to break down and barbarians hold what is left. He becomes involved in a power struggle in this third Mad Max film where he must first survive the town, survive the desert and then rescue the innocent children he has discovered.

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Plot Keywords:

desert | fight | gladiator | arena | australian outback | 

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Taglines:

Max is back...and Tina's got him!

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Genres:

Action | Adventure | Thriller

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Certificate:

PG-13

Details

Country:

Australia

Language:

English

Release Date:

10 July 1985 (USA)

Also Known As:

Mad Max 3

Filming Locations:

Coober Pedy, South Australia, Australia

Box Office

Budget:

$12,305,523 (estimated)

Gross:

$36,200,000 (USA)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Kennedy Miller Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

107 min

Sound Mix:

70 mm 6-Track (70 mm prints) Dolby (35 mm prints)

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

In interviews about Mad Max 2: The Road Warrior (a.k.a. "The Road Warrior"), George Miller said that while Max's world was after the collapse of the social/political/economic system we know, it was not post-World War III. However, "Beyond Thunderdome" explicitly contradicts this.

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Goofs

During Max and the children's attempt to rescue Master, they sneak into the underground in order to free him from the pigpen. At one point, as the escape is put into play, Ironbar arrives and hits Max in the face with a shovel. The problem is that in order to establish the shot and weapon used, the shovel stops abruptly in front of the camera as Max falls backwards, where, unfortunately, the rubber that forms the shovel's fake blade continues to jiggle from the motion.

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Quotes

Max: You!
Jedediah the Pilot: Me?
Max: You've got a plane!
Jedediah the Pilot: I have?
Max: It just might save your life!
Jedediah the Pilot: It will?

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Crazy Credits

Mel Gibson, who plays Mad Max, is listed again among the Stunt Crew in the End Credits.

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Connections

Referenced in Parks and Recreation: Ron & Tammys (2011)

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Soundtracks

"We Don't Need Another Hero (Thunderdome)"
Written by Terry Britten and Graham Lyle
Performed by Tina Turner
Produced by Terry Britten
Copyright (c) 1985 Good Single Music Ltd. & My Axe Music Ltd.

User Reviews

Underrated

When I first saw Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome, I felt disappointed. It was a letdown from its amazing predecessor. I knew its reputation as an unworthy sequel, but I still realized there was something good about it, something I had never heard from other people's points of view.

It wasn't until some time later when I watched the series a second time that I noticed what it was.

Those who think MMBT is not as exciting as The Road Warrior would be right. But those that think MMBT sucks because it is not as exciting as The Road Warrior would be missing the point. What makes MMBT a worthy sequel is its way of establishing a greater scope of the setting the series takes place in. The dredges of civilization were what set the stage for the series in the original Mad Max. The barren world of desert wastelands and sparse outposts take the idea of a post-apocalyptic world one step further in The Road Warrior. A squalid setting such as Bartertown and an oasis where the tribe of children lived in MMBT once again builds on the elaborate fantasy that makes the series as popular as it is. The final, chilling realization of just what became of civilization in the closing moments of the movie are more than enough explanation as to why the the world the viewer sees in the trilogy is the way it is.

I was too young when I first saw MMBT to understand this. It wouldn't be until I saw it again some time later, with more movie-viewing experience under my belt that I realized that what makes Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome tick is not action set pieces, but a far more subtle approach of atmospheric setting.