Mad Max: George Miller’s contribution to cinema remains unparalleled (2024)

The original 1979 Mad Max film has all the bearings of a riveting, action-packed adventure, but is ultimately a promising dry run, thanks to the dissatisfying circular arc of its titular character Max. As it happens, Mad Max might even seem tame to the modern viewer, especially one who’s already witnessed the bombastic mayhem of Fury Road. But at the time of its release, the film was banned in Sweden and New Zealand due to its unhinged depiction of graphic violence – ironically also a key reason for its cult following. Made with a modest budget of $350,000, the film held the Guinness World Record for being the most profitable film for 20 years – a feat in production that deserves its own masterclass – Miller paid his extras with beer and repurposed music was used for the soundtrack. Even the ruthless Toecutter’s gang members in the film were recruited from a real biker gang called “The Vigilantes” through an ad posted at a local bike shop. Apparently, the biker gang turned out to be method actors, refusing to speak with Mel Gibson on set as he was the “good guy”.

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However, it’s the second instalment that still largely defines the series’ aesthetic, which includes Miller’s love for visuals over dialogue. Between Mad Max 1 being restrained by budgetary constraints and Mad Max 3 being marred by production issues, Mad Max 2 (released in the USA as Road Warrior) stands as the near-flawless realisation of Miller’s original vision. This is also why for newcomers to the franchise, we suggest starting your foray into the Wasteland with Mad Max 2.

It’s remarkable how the franchise has evolved with the same director at the helm. Miller is a true visionary, from being at the forefront of the Australian new wave to his remarkable ability to scout talent. For instance, Terry Hayes, a journalist by profession, novelised Mad Max 1 post its release. He was then brought in by Miller to cowrite, coproduce and novelise the celebrated Mad Max 2 and Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome. Miller also collaborated with Brendan McCarthy from the comic book industry, a key reason for making Fury Road happen.

Miller has taken some great risks along the way, allowing the franchise to change in all the right ways. The evolution from the very first film to Furiosa is evident in the prominence of women as leaders and fighters and the nuanced exploration of their motivations and struggles through rich, rampant subtext. Damsels in distress of the early films are replaced by complex, resilient women like Furiosa, the Vuvalini, and the Five Wives, who challenge traditional gender roles, creating a unique sisterhood in a world dominated by men. Miller’s engagement and crediting of gender activist Eve Ensler’s workshops on its female actors and all the stuntmen on set, is often regarded as a utopian thought, even in contemporary filmmaking practise.

A lot of “fans” of the franchise have been long upset by the principal character Max’s limited screen time and dialogues (63 lines to be precise) in Fury Road. Interestingly, in Mad Max 2, Max only had 16 lines of dialogue – down 75% from Fury Road, and yet it is the most popular film of the franchise. But those who crib about whose story Fury Road is, often miss the bigger picture. Max is a mythical figure and all the stories including Furiosa are retellings of his legend by the storyteller. His origins are found in the original 1979 film and after that only some things have remained: Max himself, his double barrel shotgun, the crazy otherworldly bikes and the dystopic war-ridden Wasteland. Max has always been confident playing sidekick in his own stories. He has been doing that since the 1980s – and now its Furiosa’s turn to take the lead.

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A profound constant in Miller’s films and its novelisation has been their ability to contemplate on war and its place in our collective consciousness. It’s no accident that Mad Max 1’s world in 1979 was built in the background of a looming cold war spurred by the oil crises. Four decades later, the threat of cold war amidst power struggles and territorial claims remains. As American writer Cormac McCarthy puts it, “War was always here. Before man was, war waited for him.” The Mad Max series besides constantly redefining the bar in the action film genre also serves as a provocative reminder of the timeless and universal nature of conflict.