MAD MAX 2: THE ROAD WARRIOR (Apr 1982)
Director: George Miller.
Writers: George Miller, Terry Hayes, Brian Hannant.
Starring: Mel Gibson, Mike Preston, Bruce Spence, Virginia Hey, Vernon Wells, Emil Minty, Max Phipps, Kjell Nilsson, William Zappa, Arkie Whiteley.
Sometimes a movie just has IT. All the punch and bravado and sheer acid testosterone
such a pure concept,
such a visceral compelling viewing
There's no way to describe why it has a perfect rating, except that it is compeRemember that orc in LORD OF THE RINGS: THE TWO TOWERS who said, "I smell man-flesh!"? Well, that's what this movie all ALL ABOUT.
Music by Brian May - no, not Queen's legend guitarist, the Aussie composer. But I remember well in that 1984 cinema, my clique of Queen fanatics cheering in ecstacy when we knew no better, thinking it was he of the Red Special responsible for those dynamic, tension-dripping horn stabs.
Mike PReston (the Australian Mick Jagger) Aussie supernodel, Virginia Hey
homoerotic
man-butt highways.
[SAME STYLE AS PASSION?]
ass-less chaps
australian film, filmed in the deserts of Broken Hill
Brian May music (NOT Queen's guitarist, although my little clique of Queen-ophiles didn't know that then and we loved the music even more for it)
production team of Kennedy-Miller
George Miller and Byron Kennedy.
the juice, the precious juice.
simple techniques, holding cameras in cars, holding cameras close to the road - no green screen, no CGI, all stunts were real - injuries on set.
these simple techniques gave it grit.
Kennedy-Miller made gasoline the coin of the realm - the raison d'etre for existence - even thoguh gasoline has nothing to do with existence. food shelter, sex prima facie of existence.
very artfully disguise the major conceptual flaw with action:
the flaw of gasoline being the currency,
You need gasoline to power an INDUSTRIAL society - but this post-apocalyptic society has gone back to AGRARIAN existence - agriculture, goats and crops and chickens, not conveyor belts and factories belching smoke.
yet it's
made with such conviction - we never question the utility of gasoline - refined gasoline is a luxury and is necessary for the efficient running of Industrial Age machinery, not Agrarian-age farmers. no need to travel far, no need for refined gaoline - all these road wariors are travelling for the pupose of finding more gasoline - but if they just stayed in one location, they wouoldn't NEED the gasoline.
There's a simple ingredient to explain this paradox: Just add action.
proves there doesn't have to be a chicky romance at the base of every movie - Virginia Hey apologizes to Max "I was wrong bout you, I'm sorry. Max gives her a look up and down. and there is a moment between them, a definiete spark - but it is neglected entirely - as she is taken out horribly on the back of the tanker.
filmed in the wide open desolate expanses of Broken Hill, New South Wales
road chase scenes some of the best filmed to this day - done in those old-school methods of holding cameras near road. no CGI, the urgency of the road scenes
Mike PReston the Australian Mick Jagger, Virginia Hey, the Australian Cindy Crawford.
When Fereal Kid boomerags WEs's blond pussyboy...
when his lover dies he needs another bigman-hug from the 'roider
in the hockey mask.
Wes on a chain
does he call himself the the Lord High Humungus.
??
the ending chase scene with the loaded tanker: one wonders how that loaded tanker could get up enoughtorque to ascned the hill fast enough to avoid someone just running along beside it and mounting the running boards; one wonders why the gyro captain wasn't more effective in creating dirstaractions and protecting the tanker from above.
this film proves that to make a classic film - if it's done well enough, you don't need continuity -every cutaway and closeup, etc. the weather is differetn - sunny, or coulopudy or morning or evening, it doesn't matter - the action is continuous and unrelenting, so we don't question the utility of filming this almsot-independnet rpduction on a low bidget with no time to wait for weather to remain constant.
MAD MAX 2: THE ROAD WARRIOR (Apr 1982) Director: George Miller.
Writers: George Miller, Terry Hayes, Brian Hannant.
Starring: Mel Gibson, Mike Preston, Bruce Spence, Virginia Hey, Vernon Wells, Emil Minty, Max Phipps, Kjell Nilsson, William Zappa, Arkie Whiteley.
