Vitals

Mel Gibson as Max Rockatansky, taciturn Main Force Patrol officer-turned-vigilante

Victoria, Australia, “A few years from now” (early 1980s)

Film: Mad Max
Release Date: April 12, 1979
Director: George Miller
Costume Designer: Clare Griffin

WARNING! Spoilers ahead!

Background

Mad Max, George Miller’s dystopian action thriller set in Australia, celebrates its 45th anniversary today. This film marked the beginning of a series that would include three sequels throughout the ’80s, revived with the highly acclaimed Mad Mad: Fury Road in 2015.

Before the sequels’ increasingly elaborate productions, the original Mad Max was a relatively straightforward road movie-meets-Western. It was made on a modest budget of A$400,000, shot guerrilla-style in the Melbourne area through the last months of 1977. Although met with mixed reviews upon its release in April 1979, Mad Max went on to shatter box office records, grossing over $100 million worldwide. Its success not only opened up the global market for Australian cinema but also catapulted the 23-year-old Mel Gibson to stardom for his portrayal of the titular Max Rockatansky. Continue reading →