Product: Mad Max (1979)
Rating: 4.0
The Original Australian Cult Classic
For more than 20 years, American audiences were saddled with an inferior version of the 1979 action-thriller from Down Under. A worldwide hit upon its initial release, director George Miller's "Mad Max" had the misfortune of receiving U.S. distribution from American-International Pictures (AIP), which trimmed five minutes and redubbed the film with American voices - thus eliminating its Australian flavor. Adding insult to injury, AIP buried the movie in drive-ins and grindhouses as a second feature. Happily, the original 95-minute version can be found on this DVD release. Fueled by Mel Gibson's effective performance as a vengeful highway cop and David Eggby's stunning photography, the futuristic "Mad Max" boasts some extraordinary stunt work and offbeat characterizations. Miller gains tremendous mileage from his limited budget and the Australian locations provide an ideal visual counterpart to the desolate cops-vs.-bikers atmosphere. Not surprisingly, this independent cult classic helped put Australia on the cinematic map.