Vince, I know you’re not a pro wrestling guy but there is not a single pop culture item that has had a bigger impact on pro wrestling than Mad Max.
One of the most famous tag teams ever was the Road Warriors who debuted in black leather and chains (before eventually moving to spiked shoulder pads), there was a Thunderdome cage match in WCW, there was a tag team called the Master Blasters, Sycho Sid Vicious debuted in Memphis as Lord Humongous wearing the hockey mask, and WCW also did a “spin the wheel, make the deal” match.
It’s a marriage that makes sense when you think about it
This is where I bring up the anecdote that my parents took me to the theater to see the original Mad Max when I was waaay too young. Good times. I'm fine now btw.
For whatever it's worth, even though they're both pilots of weird aerial vehicles played by Bruce Spence, I've always read those as two separate characters. Why did George Miller cast the same actor as two different characters whose gimmicks are so similar they're almost indistinguishable? Who knows, there are so many mind boggling decisions in that movie, that is far from the weirdest.
Chris Hemsworth’s actual wife Elsa Pataky was doubled up in just Furiosa. I think he made a deal with Miller and he probably lived with his whole family while they shot this movie
The Road Warrior has been a part of my DNA for so long that I wrestled with it vs. Furiosa violently. But in the end, I think I have to give the edge to Furiosa.
Loved the way you structured and wrote this list. I would give the original a slot over Thunderdome because I just love its rapscallion upstart energy. They’re all great movies in some way. Just an incredible series.
I agree RE: ranking of Thunderdome. It's a watering down/cheapening of the series in a corporate-esque attempt to make it more... I guess family friendly? Palatable to an American audience? Tonally it's so far off the mark.
And the first Mad Max is essentially one extended 90 minute first act - feels like George Miller getting his feet wet and figuring out how to be a director. And Mel Gibson. What a fucking find. Jesus. Imagine lucking into that.
Pretty spot-on Vince. If I were discussing this over beers with friends I probably would have said they are all equally good for different reasons with the exception of Thunderdome. Your description of underdeveloped/overproduced works for so many 80s films (looking at you Temple of Doom).
Mad Max is an odd revisit if you’ve just watched Furiosa or Fury Road, but when I did a rewatch during 2020 I was shocked by the visual throughline. Mad Max definitely feels cheap, but Miller’s vision of an action sequence between chase vehicles was already there. And the subsequent movies, like you alluded to, are really an articulation and expansion of that viscerality in ways that somehow never feel like repeating. These movies are sick.
I haven't watched either in ages but that clip of 'Mad Max' feels like something out of 'the Vanishing Point'. Classic nihilistic 70s car cinema I guess.
On a personal note: i love how most of these movies are dedicated to praising and showcasing vehicular ingenuity but my own dad, who worked as a mechanic for a decade and has driven tractor-trailers for decades, thinks theyre all too weird despite being able to identify at a glance some of the work they did. I was excited to see Furiosa a second time with him this past weekend but i probably lost him somewhere between a garroted character drawing a map with his own blood and the introduction of a dickheaded character named Scrotus
Vince, I know you’re not a pro wrestling guy but there is not a single pop culture item that has had a bigger impact on pro wrestling than Mad Max.
One of the most famous tag teams ever was the Road Warriors who debuted in black leather and chains (before eventually moving to spiked shoulder pads), there was a Thunderdome cage match in WCW, there was a tag team called the Master Blasters, Sycho Sid Vicious debuted in Memphis as Lord Humongous wearing the hockey mask, and WCW also did a “spin the wheel, make the deal” match.
It’s a marriage that makes sense when you think about it
Vince, your explanation of listicles reminded me of this tweet: https://x.com/roryisconfused/status/1795770265525473408?s=46&t=5gCBRLC5E0cR3wE_VphRRw
This is where I bring up the anecdote that my parents took me to the theater to see the original Mad Max when I was waaay too young. Good times. I'm fine now btw.
For whatever it's worth, even though they're both pilots of weird aerial vehicles played by Bruce Spence, I've always read those as two separate characters. Why did George Miller cast the same actor as two different characters whose gimmicks are so similar they're almost indistinguishable? Who knows, there are so many mind boggling decisions in that movie, that is far from the weirdest.
Chris Hemsworth’s actual wife Elsa Pataky was doubled up in just Furiosa. I think he made a deal with Miller and he probably lived with his whole family while they shot this movie
Less noticeable, but there are other doubled-up actors, like Hugh Keays-Byrne (Toecutter, Immortan Joe) and Josh Helman (Slit, Scrotus).
Holy crap, I did not realize Scrotus was the same actor as Slit
I always thought that was the same character? Interesting interpretation.
The Road Warrior has been a part of my DNA for so long that I wrestled with it vs. Furiosa violently. But in the end, I think I have to give the edge to Furiosa.
Loved the way you structured and wrote this list. I would give the original a slot over Thunderdome because I just love its rapscallion upstart energy. They’re all great movies in some way. Just an incredible series.
I agree RE: ranking of Thunderdome. It's a watering down/cheapening of the series in a corporate-esque attempt to make it more... I guess family friendly? Palatable to an American audience? Tonally it's so far off the mark.
And the first Mad Max is essentially one extended 90 minute first act - feels like George Miller getting his feet wet and figuring out how to be a director. And Mel Gibson. What a fucking find. Jesus. Imagine lucking into that.
Pretty spot-on Vince. If I were discussing this over beers with friends I probably would have said they are all equally good for different reasons with the exception of Thunderdome. Your description of underdeveloped/overproduced works for so many 80s films (looking at you Temple of Doom).
Mad Max is an odd revisit if you’ve just watched Furiosa or Fury Road, but when I did a rewatch during 2020 I was shocked by the visual throughline. Mad Max definitely feels cheap, but Miller’s vision of an action sequence between chase vehicles was already there. And the subsequent movies, like you alluded to, are really an articulation and expansion of that viscerality in ways that somehow never feel like repeating. These movies are sick.
I haven't watched either in ages but that clip of 'Mad Max' feels like something out of 'the Vanishing Point'. Classic nihilistic 70s car cinema I guess.
On a personal note: i love how most of these movies are dedicated to praising and showcasing vehicular ingenuity but my own dad, who worked as a mechanic for a decade and has driven tractor-trailers for decades, thinks theyre all too weird despite being able to identify at a glance some of the work they did. I was excited to see Furiosa a second time with him this past weekend but i probably lost him somewhere between a garroted character drawing a map with his own blood and the introduction of a dickheaded character named Scrotus
My dad hated Fury Road despite liking the original films and I never did understand it.
It’s like that thing with the medieval peasant dying from eating a dorito
Too zesty
Which one has Max leaving the guy next to a lit fuse with a saw with the choice of dying or hacking his leg off?
That and the scene in Beyond Thunderdome where he takes like 2 full minutes to pull out all his weapons are enduring memories from the series.
That is the first one. Great ending, and I think the first bit of Mad Max I ever saw, randomly flipping channels on cable.
Vince, I didn’t catch this until Blank Check mentioned it but Dementus is basically Wasteland Guru Pitka
Just a note that Mad Max was indeed in Furiosa. Had no lines, but he was in there for a scene.
And, aside from that, Praetorian Jack is awfully similar to Max. (And one of my favorite characters in it, not coincidentally.)
He’s a nice blend of Furiosa and Max