Mad Max (1979)

Taglines: They murdered his family…… Now he’s going to run them over!

Mad Max movie storyline. Against the backdrop of a perpetual energy crisis in a post-apocalyptic Australia of the near future, only fragments of law, civilisation, and order remain, as the Night Rider’s marauding motorcycle gang of brutal outlaws terrorise the remaining outback communities.

To make matters worse, when the hard-boiled officer of the tough Main Force Patrol, Max Rockatansky, kills the blood-lusting cop-killer, his comrades, led by the sadistic Toe-cutter, embark on a mindless killing spree, murdering his partner. Now, it’s Max’s turn to mourn his beloveds–and as there’s nothing left worth living for in this cruel world–the pained patrolman summons up the courage to take the law into his own hands, and single-handedly exact his sweet retribution. Who can stop the destructive force of “Mad” Max?

Mad Max is a 1979 Australian dystopian action thriller film directed by George Miller, produced by Byron Kennedy, and starring Mel Gibson as “Mad” Max Rockatansky, Joanne Samuel, Hugh Keays-Byrne, Steve Bisley, Tim Burns, and Roger Ward. James McCausland and Miller wrote the screenplay from a story by Miller and Kennedy. Set in a future Australia, the film presents a saga of societal collapse, murder, and revenge in which an unhinged policeman becomes embroiled in a violent feud with a savage motorcycle gang. The first Australian film production to be shot in anamorphic widescreen, principal photography for Mad Max took place in and around Melbourne, and lasted six weeks.

The film initially received a polarized reception upon its release in April 1979, although it won three AACTA Awards and attracted a cult following, while its critical reputation has grown since. Filmed on a budget of A$400,000, it earned more than US$100 million worldwide in gross revenue and held the Guinness record for most profitable film. The success of Mad Max has been credited for further opening up the global market to Australian New Wave films. The film became the first in the Mad Max series, giving rise to three sequels, Mad Max 2 (1981), Beyond Thunderdome (1985), and Fury Road (2015).

Directed by: George Miller
Starring: Mel Gibson, Joanne Samuel, Hugh Keays-Byrne, Steve Bisley, Tim Burns, Roger Ward, Lisa Aldenhoven, Robina Chaffey, Stephen Clark, Mathew Constantine, Reg Evans
Screenplay by: James McCausland, George Miller
Cinematography by: David Eggby
Film Editing by: Cliff Hayes, Tony Paterson
Costume Design by: Clare Griffin
Art Direction by: Jon Dowding
Music by: Brian May
MPAA Rating: None.
Distributed by: Warner Bros. Pictures
Release Date: April 12, 1979