Mad Max [Special Edition]

MOVIE DESCRIPTION:

Mel Gibson stars in the futuristic action-thriller gone awry Mad Max. MGM has done a great job on this 2.35:1 anamorphic widescreen transfer, which is easily leaps and bounds over Image Entertainment's initial release of the film a few years back. All aspects of the colors look even and bright with the black levels well-rendered and dark. Aside from a small amount of grain that shows up once in a while, this transfer of Mad Max: Special Edition looks fantastic. Also included on this disc is a cropped pan-and-scan version of the film which is not recommended. The audio is presented in Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround in both the original Australian soundtrack as well as the horrible English-dubbed version fans had to put up with for years. The surround feature kicks in a lot during this soundtrack, and, overall, this is a great-sounding 5.1 mix with all aspects of the dialogue, effects, and composer Brian May's score clear and free of distortion. Also included on this disc is a Dolby 2.0 soundtrack in English and Australian, and subtitles in English, French, and Spanish. This new special edition of Mad Max includes some very exciting and insightful extras. To start with, there is an audio commentary by art director Jon Dowding, director of photography David Eggby, special effects supervisor Chris Murray, and film historian Tom Ridge. All of the participants on this track seem to really enjoy the film and have a lot of stories to share about the production and creation of Mad Max. A "road rants trivia and fun facts" track features info on the film shared through words and sentences appearing on the screen. Two featurettes, "Mad Max: The Film Phenomenon" and "Mel Gibson: The Birth of a Superstar," are both interesting and informative. Each featurette focuses on either superstar Mel Gibson and his role in the movie, or what the movie means now to modern-day audiences, as well as its place in cinematic history. Finally there is a colorful stills gallery, a theatrical trailer for the film, and some TV spots for Mad Max. Road rage should be kept to a minimum after fans get their hands on this great disc. ~ Patrick Naugle, All Movie Guide

DVD FEATURES:

• Region: 1
• Number of Discs: 1
• Aspect Ratio: 1.33:1 (Pre-1954 Standard), 2.35:1 (Cinemascope)
• Audio: PCM Mono, 5.1
• Screen: Enhanced Wide Screen Letterbox for 16x9 TV, Pan and Scan
• Subtitle: Spanish, English, French
• Features:
  • Digitally remastered anamorphic transfer
  • Original Australian "language" version
  • Original mono audio track
  • "Mel Gibson: The Birth of a Superstar" documentary
  • "Mad Max: The Film Phenomenon" documentary
  • Theatrical trailers
  • Audio commentary with Jon Dowding, David Eggby, Chris Murray, and Tim Ridge
  • "Road Rants" trivia and fact track
  • Photo gallery
  • TV sports
  • And more

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:

• Cast:

  
       Mel Gibson - Mad Max
       Joanne Samuel - Jessie
       Hugh Keays-Byrne - Toecutter
       Steve Bisley - Jim Goose
       Roger Ward - Fifi Macaffee

• Director:

  George Miller

• Producer:

  Byron Kennedy

• Screenwriter:

  George Miller

• Cinematographer:

  David Eggby

• Composer (Music Score):

  Brian May

• Editor:

  Clifford Hayes, Tony Paterson

• Art Director:

  Jon Dowding

• Associate Producer:

  Bill Miller

REVIEW:

• Though not as polished and fascinating as its sequel, Mad Max 2 (The Road Warrior), Mad Max features some of the most impressive and intense action sequences ever filmed. The first effort from writer/director George Miller, the film is reminiscent of a low-budget road movie in the style of Roger Corman. It was Mel Gibson's second film, and his Max is a vengeful loner anti-hero out of a Western. Instead of the yet-to-be-tamed Old West, however, the setting is an eerily barren world vaguely of our own time. And the horses have been replaced by roaring, menacing cars and motorcycles. The movie's weird characters and tawdry atmosphere, though, suggest something more culty, perhaps a post-apocalyptic Japanese anime film. Unlike such mainstream sci-fi films of its day as Star Wars or Alien, Mad Max has a homespun quality. At the time of its release in the United States, Mad Max hardly made a splash, and it wasn't until Mad Max 2's release that the film was recognized in America. However, it was very popular in its native Australia and elsewhere around the world. ~ Brendon Hanley, All Movie Guide

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