Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome Review

Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome


Release Date: 8th August 1985 - Australia


Production Companies
Kennedy Miller Productions


Genre: Sci-Fi/Action

Rating: M

Runtime: 102 minutes


Budget: $12,000,000
(estimated)

Box Office Gross: $36,230,219 (USA)


Plot Summary
While travelling through

the Australian outback,

Max gets robbed of his

possessions and stumbles

upon Bartertown, a trading

post for all criminals

under the rule of Aunty

Entity and Master Blaster.

There, he becomes a

gladiator and is left to die

in the desert. Only to be

rescued by a group of

wild orphans, the only

survivors of a plane

crash during the nuclear

war, as they have been

looking for help for years.

Cast
Mel Gibson - Mad Max
Rockatansky
Tina Turner - Aunty Entity
Frank Thring - The Collector
Bruce Spence - Jebediah the Pilot
Adam Cockburn Jr. - Jebediah Jnr.
Angelo Rossitto - The Master
Paul Larrson - The Blaster
Angry Anderson - Ironbar
Robert Grubb - Pig Killer
George Spartels - Blackfinger
Helen Buday - Savannah Nix
Tom Jennings - Slake M'Thirst
Edwin Hodgeman - Dr. Dealgood
Andrew Oh - Ton Ton Tattoo
Rod Zuniac - Scrooloose
Mark Spain - Mr. Skyfish
Mark Kounnas - Gekko
Justine Clarke - Anna Goanna
Shane Tickner - Eddie
Toni Allaylis - Cusha - Pregnant Girl
James Wingrove - Tubba Tintye
Adam Scougall - Finn McCoo
Adam Willits - Mr. Scratch

Crew
Character Creator (Uncredited)/

Writer/Producer/Director - George Miller

Director - George Ogilvie

Character Creator - Byron Kennedy (Uncredited)
Writer/Co-Producer - Terry Hayes

Associate Producers - Steve Amezdroz

and Marcus D'Arcy
Co-Producer - Doug Mitchell

Casting Director - Alison Barrett

Casting Director: USA - Mike Fenton
Production Designer - Graham "Grace" Walker
Visual Design Consultant - Ed Verreaux

Art Director - Anni Browning

Set Decorator - Martin O'Neill
Costume Designer - Norma Moriceau

Special Makeup FX Supervisor - Bob McCarron
Director of Photography - Dean Semler

Camera Operators - David Burr and Louis Irving

Executive in Charge of Production - Su Armstrong

Production Manager - Antonia Barnard

Unit Runner - P.J. Voeten

First Assistant Directors - Steve E. Andrews

and Stuart Freeman

Second Assistant Directors - Ian Kenny

and Chris Webb
Stunt Coordinator - Grant Page

Key Stunts Performer - Glen Boswell
Action Vehicle Coordinator - David Thomas
Special Effects Supervisor - Michael Wood
Special Effects Coordinator - Steve Courtley

Special Effects Technician - Brian Cox

Model Coordinator - Dennis Nicholson

Post-Production Supervisor - Marcus D'Arcy
Editor - Richard Francis-Bruce

First Assistant Editors - Louise Innes

and Claire O'Brien

Sound Supervisor/Mixer - Roger Savage

Sound Design/Mixer - Bruce Lamshed

Additional Sound - Phil Judd

Sound Effects Editors - Frank Lipson,

Craig Carter and Tim Chau

Production Sound Recordist - Lloyd Carrick
Music - Maurice Jarre
Performer: Songs - Tina Turner


Review
I first watched Mad Max 2 in July, and surprisingly, the Aussies have made their original film, which feels similar to Star Wars and is fresh from the creative mind of director George Miller. Mad Max brought everyone closer to the road rage action of road rages in this apocalyptic film. MAD MAX BEYOND THUNDERDOME stepped away from dangerous highways and was not dissimilar to the gladiator epic of battling to the death on a battleground for entertainment. The second half focuses on the tribe of lost children and further develops Mel Gibson's character as the heroic saviour.

Mel still delivers first-class acting as the main character, and the fight scene of the Thunderdome arena is well-choreographed. It's surprising how female pop star Tina Turner portrays the ruthless femme fatale Aunty Entity. She also performs both songs in the intro and closing, like "We Don't Need Another Hero (Thunderdome)".

BEYOND THUNDERDOME barely includes the grittiness or the rough story of the second, whereas this film is simply a visualised atmospheric experience. It's still a worthwhile entertainment extravaganza.

Star rating: (4/5) Good Movie

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