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Mad Max (1979)

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3:28 | Clip
In a self-destructing world, a vengeful Australian policeman sets out to stop a violent motorcycle gang.

Director:

George Miller

Writers:

James McCausland (screenplay), George Miller (screenplay) | 2 more credits »
Reviews
Popularity
519 ( 426)
4 wins & 7 nominations. See more awards »

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Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
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 Stephen Clark ... Sarse
Mathew Constantine Mathew Constantine ... Toddler
Jerry Day ... Ziggy
Reg Evans ... Station Master
Learn more

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Storyline

Taking place in a dystopian Australia in the near future, Mad Max tells the story of a highway patrolman cruising the squalid back roads that have become the breeding ground of criminals foraging for gasoline and scraps. After some grisly events at the hands of a motorcycle gang, Max sets out across the barren wastelands in search of revenge. Written by Cole Matthews

Plot Summary | Plot Synopsis

Taglines:

He rules the roads. See more »


Certificate:

18+ | See all certifications »

Parents Guide:

View content advisory »
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Did You Know?

Trivia

The "get-out-of-jail-free card" that Goose gives the triker was an on-set joke. Because of the limited budget, the biker gang was an actual biker gang (the Vigilantes), and they had to ride to the set each day in-costume; often with their prop weapons displayed. Since the production company expected them to be pulled over by the local police, each was given a letter explaining the film's peculiar requirements, and asking for law-enforcement's understanding and cooperation. See more »

Goofs

When Max takes the black interceptor to hunt down the Toecutter and his gang, he first comes up behind them on a road with a dashed white lines in the center and the road is lined with trees on both sides. This continues for as far as the viewer's eyes can see. When he spins up the supercharger in the next scene to run down the bikers, the road has changed to one with no lines in the middle, is narrower, and has open fields on each side. See more »

Quotes

[Cundalini and Mudguts molest a female mannequin]
Bubba Zanetti: [to Toecutter] Joviality is a game of children.
[Toecutter fires shotgun into the air]
Toecutter: Mudguts, get out of there. Cundalini, put her against the post.
[indicating mannequin]
Toecutter: We have a problem here. She... is not... what she seems. Bubba Zanetti has it on good authority. She's sent by the bronze. Full of treachery. The bronze... take our pride.
[Bubba takes aim at the mannequin with a pistol. Suddenly Johnny grabs the Toecutter's shotgun and blasts her]
Johnny the Boy: [...]
See more »

Alternate Versions

TV version is cut for violence and runs 88 minutes. See more »

Connections

Referenced in Taxi 3 (2003) See more »

Soundtracks

Licorice Road
(uncredited)
Written and Produced by Nic Gazzana
Performed by Robina Chaffey
Sung by Creenagh St. Clair
See more »

User Reviews

A sadistically fun movie
30 June 2000 | by coverme6See all my reviews

Mel Gibson is Mad Max in, well, "Mad Max!" This is the film that made Mel an international superstar. In his starring debut, Mel plays Max, a leather-clad cop in the near future who fights to control security on the road from vicious bikers and road thugs. When the thugs lead by the psychotic Toecutter kill Max's wife and baby, our hero is livid with vengeance. Armed with his armor-plated muscle car and a sawed-off shotgun, Max wreaks turbo-powered revenge on the murderous punks.

Though a bit dated compared with the action films we have today, "Mad Max" still stands out as a very impressive movie. For one thing, this film had a tiny budget. Well, as proven in "El Mariachi," a movie doesn't need a $1 million budget if you have a creative story and imagination. "Mad Max" stands out as a classic low-budget flick that made it big without the intense u


30 of 52 people found this review helpful.  Was this review helpful to you? | Report this
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Frequently Asked Questions

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Details

Country:

Australia

Language:

English

Release Date:

12 April 1979 (Australia) See more »

Also Known As:

Mad Max See more »

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Box Office

Budget:

$300,000 (estimated)

Gross USA:

$8,750,000

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$8,771,757
See more on IMDbPro »

Company Credits

Show more on IMDbPro »

Technical Specs

Runtime:

| (special edition)

Sound Mix:

Mono | 4-Track Stereo (Japan theatrical release)

Color:

Color (Eastmancolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1
See full technical specs »

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