10 Vital Life Lessons I Learned From Mad Max

I'll admit it, I've tackled the Mad Max franchise a bit backwards. I started off with the incredible Fury Road, jumped to Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome, and then watched the original from 1979. While I have actively disliked Mel Gibson for a long time now (10 years strong!), I was able to drop my bias and take in Australia's new wave hit and learn something from this totally ripper cult classic. 

1. There's no madness like dystopian Australian madness

George Miller truly knows what it means to write insanity. In the opening scene of Mad Max, we have Crawford "Nightrider" Montazano in the midst of a high-speed chase as he eludes Australia's federal police—The MFP. Nightrider speeds down the dirt roads, laughing like a goddamn lunatic as he heads towards freedom. That is, until he loses his shit even further and crashes into a barricade and kinda explodes. Mad Max's Australia is a mostly-lawless desolate landscape that answers few questions, and, based on my knowledge of Australia, is probably not much different than modern-day Melbourne. Crikey!

2. There's no better villain than Toecutter 

Insane fun fact: the actor who plays Toecutter in Mad Max also plays the bad dude from Fury Road. Anyway, not only does Toecutter get absolutely squashed by a truck at the end, but he is the true embodiment of an absolutely batshit crazy villain who deserves what he gets. It's been said that A Clockwork Orange inspired George Miller during the making of Mad Max, which you can totally see with Toecutter's whimsical anarchic character. Plus, I'm pretty sure he's wearing eye shadow through 99.9 percent of the film, which is nice.

3. It's still not the worst option for the future, though

Compared to the dreary landscapes of Blade Runner and Escape From L.A., and the alternate universe where Biff strikes it rich and kills Marty's dad in Back To The Future Part II, Mad Max could be worse. From what we see, there are some nice suburban sections, a couple sweet beaches, and one sweet milk bar. Milk, guys! Yeah!

4. 1970s Mel Gibson > every other Mel Gibson

I've said it once and I'll say it again, Mel Gibson is a goddamn lunatic. If you've ever read the transcripts to his anti-Semitic rant or seen the trailer to The Beaver, I'm sure you'll agree with me that it's hell being Mel. However, 1970s Mel Gibson is just not as awful. I don't know what it is...those ice-blue eyes or his endearing Australian accent, but 1979 Mel Gibson is kinda fine.

5. There's nothing better than having an ice-cold beer with a baby

It's the only way to drink! Crikey! Let it be known that the next shot is Max's wife, Jessie, wailing on a saxophone. I'm not joking.
 
 

6. Mad Max = Xanadu

It has come to my attention that 1979's Mad Max and 1980's masterpiece Xanadu are the exact same movie. Xanadu stars a population of people who exist on roller skates without rhyme or reason, while Mad Max features an entire country of car- or motorcycle-bound protagonists and antagonists who exist solely on wheels, without question. Two movies, two means of transportation, and tons of wheels.

7. Mad Max doesn't get that mad until an hour and 15 minutes into Mad Max

It's true. Sure, Max is peeved as hell when his best friend and partner—Jim Goose—is burned alive, but he doesn't get mad mad until his wife and son are killed by The Acolytes motorcycle gang. This all happens about 15 minutes before the movie ends and makes for a killer setup for The Road Warrior. Still Max from Mad Max? Not as mad as I would've hoped! I'd like to sue the makers of this film for false advertising. 

8. Geese aren't supposed to live until the credits

You can smell the death of Max's partner Jim Goose a thousand miles away—mercilessly set on fire by a gang of wayward Australian dipsticks. This seems to bear a striking similarity to another Goose we're all familiar with—Maverick's from 1986's Top Gun. If you're nice, blonde, somewhat-in-charge, and named Goose, you're as good as dead. 

9. Feminism is rife in the original Mad Max too! 

For those who saw Fury Road and were blown away by the strong-as-hell Imperator Furiosa, you can take comfort in the fact that the original Mad Max contained some seriously badass women. Max's babe, Jessie? Awesome. This old lady with a shotgun? Just look at her.

10. The last 10 minutes of the movie obviously inspired Saw

I mean, come on. It's a dude handcuffed to a car who's given the option to spend 10 minutes sawing through his handcuffs or five minutes hacking off his leg before the car he's attached to explodes. Just pointing out the obvious here.


Jeremy Glass is Supercompressor's prized staff writer who moonlights as Queen Latifah on the weekend. Follow him on twitter or die of lonliness @Candyandpizza.

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