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NOTE to NON-MEMBERS: Confused about what's going on in here? See the following thread:
http://forums.sherdog.com/threads/could-a-sherdog-movie-watching-club-work.3237221/
We've done it, guys: Four movies chosen, four weeks of discussion. When I first proposed the idea for SMC, I wasn't sure at all that it would get off the ground. And once it did, I had no idea if it would crash and burn after a couple of weeks. I think at this point we can finally say that we're legit!
And for this week's discussion, we're going to focus on the 1979 Aussie film Mad Max.
And now, for the backstory.
In 2007, Miller was on tap to direct a Justice League film, but due to a variety of reasons the film was put on hold and Miller moved onto other projects. He also worked on pre-production for the Jodie Foster sci-fi vehicle Contact with the intention to direct, but this also fell apart and he stepped aside so that Robert Zemeckis could come on board to helm the film.
Since the release of Fury Road, he has stated his intention to direct more Mad Max movies.
Okay, well I guess I'll say a little more. Mel Gibson was born in 1956 in Peekskill, NY. At the age of 12, his father relocated the family to Sydney, Australia, which lead to Gibson enrolling in, and eventually graduating from, Sydney's National Institute of Dramatic Art. I'm not sure when he relocated back to the US, but my guess is that it would be sometime in the early to mid-80s, when he first began appearing in American productions. Beyond his abilities as an actor, Gibson has also shown enormous talent behind the camera, having directed The Man Without a Face, Bravehart, The Passion of the Christ and Apocalypto.
Currently, he is in post-production for his WWII drama Hacksaw Ridge.
If you want to read a better biography than you're going to find on Wikipedia, here you go: http://www.biography.com/people/mel-gibson-9310680
Budget: ~ $375,000
Box Office (worldwide): $100M
Trivia
(courtesy of IMDB)
* The "get-out-of-jail-free card" that Goose gives the triker was an on-set joke. Because of the limited budget, the biker gang was an actual biker gang (the Vigilantes), and they had to ride to the set each day in-costume; often with their prop weapons displayed. Since the production company expected them to be pulled over by the local police, each was given a letter explaining the film's peculiar requirements, and asking for law-enforcement's understanding and cooperation.
* George Miller raised the money for Mad Max by working as an emergency room doctor.
* Tim Burns (Johnny the Boy) was so into character that he annoyed everyone on set, and was abandoned one day during lunch while handcuffed to the wreck.
* Mel Gibson didn't go to the audition for this film to read for a part, he actually went along with his sister who was auditioning. But because he had been in a bar fight the night before and his head looked like "a black and blue pumpkin" (his words), he was told he could come back and audition in three week's time because "we need freaks!" He did return in three weeks' time, wasn't recognized (because his injuries had healed well), and was asked to read for a part.
* Because he was relatively unknown in the US, trailers and previews did not feature Mel Gibson, instead focusing on the car crashes and action scenes.
* George Miller paid a truck driver $50 to run over the bike at the final scene. However, the truck driver didn't want to damage his rig; thus the crew had to install a shield painted to look like the front of the rig.
* Because of the tight budget, actual decommissioned police cars were used in the film. Only Steve Bisley (Goose) was wearing real leathers. All the other police officers were wearing vinyl costumes. The motorcycles, all late model demonstration units, were donated by Kawasaki. Many of the bikers kept them after the shooting was completed.
* The first scene shot was that of Johnny breaking the chain on the overpass phone. He appears hurried not only because of the storyline, but also because the film company didn't have permission to shoot on that overpass.
* At the time of the film's release, the American audience had virtually no experience with and therefore very great difficulty understanding dialogue with an Australian accent. That's why Mel Gibson's voice was overdubbed by another actor - to prevent otherwise-certain commercial failure of Mad Max in the US due to Americans' rejection of "unintelligible" characters.
* The film's post-production was done at Byron Kennedy's house, with Wilson and Kennedy editing the film in Kennedy's bedroom on a home-built editing machine that Kennedy's father, an engineer, had designed for them. Wilson and Kennedy also edited the sound there.
* In a 2015 interview with The Q&A with Jeff Goldsmith podcast George Miller said that it was not the intention when the script was written to set it in a post-apocalyptic world. This was done because they didn't have the money for extras and properly maintained buildings. In order to cover for this production value limitation the title card was added to the beginning explaining the story was set after a world war. This also accounts for why there is generally more of an established society in this film then any of the sequels.
* The original cover art actually depicts Jim Goose, as "Mad" Max Rockatansky never wears a helmet with a mouthguard nor shin and forearm shields in the entire film.
* In The Madness of Max (2015), it was revealed the actors who played the bikies were sometimes treated like they were actual delinquents. Geoff Parry (Bubba Zanetti) walked into a bank with bleached hair to cash a check and they refused him service.David Bracks (Mudguts) walked into a restaurant in his gear and was told to leave because they 'didn't serve his kind.'
* Most of the extras used in the film were paid in beer.
* George Miller described the whole experience as "guerrilla filmmaking", where the crew would close roads without filming permits, not use walkie-talkies because their frequency coincided with the police radio, and after filming was done Miller and Byron Kennedy would even sweep down the roads. Still, as filming progressed the Victoria Police became interested in the production, helping the crew by closing down roads and escorting the vehicles.
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http://forums.sherdog.com/threads/could-a-sherdog-movie-watching-club-work.3237221/
We've done it, guys: Four movies chosen, four weeks of discussion. When I first proposed the idea for SMC, I wasn't sure at all that it would get off the ground. And once it did, I had no idea if it would crash and burn after a couple of weeks. I think at this point we can finally say that we're legit!
And for this week's discussion, we're going to focus on the 1979 Aussie film Mad Max.
Director Bio
Mad Max is directed by Australian screenwriter, director and producer GEORGE MILLER. Born in 1945, he is now at the ripe old age of 71. He is best known for the Mad Max series of films, with the franchise's latest entry garnering nominations for both Best Director and Best Picture. But it may surprise many members to learn that he is also the director of Babe: Pig in the City and Happy Feet (WTF???), the latter of which won the 2006 Academy Award for Best Animated Picture.
In 2007, Miller was on tap to direct a Justice League film, but due to a variety of reasons the film was put on hold and Miller moved onto other projects. He also worked on pre-production for the Jodie Foster sci-fi vehicle Contact with the intention to direct, but this also fell apart and he stepped aside so that Robert Zemeckis could come on board to helm the film.
Since the release of Fury Road, he has stated his intention to direct more Mad Max movies.
Our Star
Mad Max stars MEL GIBSON. And c'mon, guys. . . We know, Mel. We fucking know, Mel Gibson. Lethal Weapon, Maverick, Bravehart, The Patriot, Signs, etc. Need I say more?
Okay, well I guess I'll say a little more. Mel Gibson was born in 1956 in Peekskill, NY. At the age of 12, his father relocated the family to Sydney, Australia, which lead to Gibson enrolling in, and eventually graduating from, Sydney's National Institute of Dramatic Art. I'm not sure when he relocated back to the US, but my guess is that it would be sometime in the early to mid-80s, when he first began appearing in American productions. Beyond his abilities as an actor, Gibson has also shown enormous talent behind the camera, having directed The Man Without a Face, Bravehart, The Passion of the Christ and Apocalypto.
Currently, he is in post-production for his WWII drama Hacksaw Ridge.
If you want to read a better biography than you're going to find on Wikipedia, here you go: http://www.biography.com/people/mel-gibson-9310680
Film Overview & YouTube Videos
Premise: In a self-destructing world, a vengeful Australian policeman sets out to stop a violent motorcycle gang.
Budget: ~ $375,000
Box Office (worldwide): $100M
Trivia
(courtesy of IMDB)
* The "get-out-of-jail-free card" that Goose gives the triker was an on-set joke. Because of the limited budget, the biker gang was an actual biker gang (the Vigilantes), and they had to ride to the set each day in-costume; often with their prop weapons displayed. Since the production company expected them to be pulled over by the local police, each was given a letter explaining the film's peculiar requirements, and asking for law-enforcement's understanding and cooperation.
* George Miller raised the money for Mad Max by working as an emergency room doctor.
* Tim Burns (Johnny the Boy) was so into character that he annoyed everyone on set, and was abandoned one day during lunch while handcuffed to the wreck.
* Mel Gibson didn't go to the audition for this film to read for a part, he actually went along with his sister who was auditioning. But because he had been in a bar fight the night before and his head looked like "a black and blue pumpkin" (his words), he was told he could come back and audition in three week's time because "we need freaks!" He did return in three weeks' time, wasn't recognized (because his injuries had healed well), and was asked to read for a part.
* Because he was relatively unknown in the US, trailers and previews did not feature Mel Gibson, instead focusing on the car crashes and action scenes.
* George Miller paid a truck driver $50 to run over the bike at the final scene. However, the truck driver didn't want to damage his rig; thus the crew had to install a shield painted to look like the front of the rig.
* Because of the tight budget, actual decommissioned police cars were used in the film. Only Steve Bisley (Goose) was wearing real leathers. All the other police officers were wearing vinyl costumes. The motorcycles, all late model demonstration units, were donated by Kawasaki. Many of the bikers kept them after the shooting was completed.
* The first scene shot was that of Johnny breaking the chain on the overpass phone. He appears hurried not only because of the storyline, but also because the film company didn't have permission to shoot on that overpass.
* At the time of the film's release, the American audience had virtually no experience with and therefore very great difficulty understanding dialogue with an Australian accent. That's why Mel Gibson's voice was overdubbed by another actor - to prevent otherwise-certain commercial failure of Mad Max in the US due to Americans' rejection of "unintelligible" characters.
* The film's post-production was done at Byron Kennedy's house, with Wilson and Kennedy editing the film in Kennedy's bedroom on a home-built editing machine that Kennedy's father, an engineer, had designed for them. Wilson and Kennedy also edited the sound there.
* In a 2015 interview with The Q&A with Jeff Goldsmith podcast George Miller said that it was not the intention when the script was written to set it in a post-apocalyptic world. This was done because they didn't have the money for extras and properly maintained buildings. In order to cover for this production value limitation the title card was added to the beginning explaining the story was set after a world war. This also accounts for why there is generally more of an established society in this film then any of the sequels.
* The original cover art actually depicts Jim Goose, as "Mad" Max Rockatansky never wears a helmet with a mouthguard nor shin and forearm shields in the entire film.
* In The Madness of Max (2015), it was revealed the actors who played the bikies were sometimes treated like they were actual delinquents. Geoff Parry (Bubba Zanetti) walked into a bank with bleached hair to cash a check and they refused him service.David Bracks (Mudguts) walked into a restaurant in his gear and was told to leave because they 'didn't serve his kind.'
* Most of the extras used in the film were paid in beer.
* George Miller described the whole experience as "guerrilla filmmaking", where the crew would close roads without filming permits, not use walkie-talkies because their frequency coincided with the police radio, and after filming was done Miller and Byron Kennedy would even sweep down the roads. Still, as filming progressed the Victoria Police became interested in the production, helping the crew by closing down roads and escorting the vehicles.
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