MAD MAX (aka Road Warrior) TRILOGY (1979,1981,1985)

Director: George Miller

Writer: George Miller, Byron Kennedy

Mel Gibson as Max
Steve Bisley as Goose
Also Joanne Samuel, Hugh Keays-Byrne, Tina Turner

The first Mad Max is an absolutely classic Australian film, seminal for its dystopic, post-apocalyptic action thriller style. Dirty, dusty and tough Mel Gibson is a hard-as-nails highway patrolman on the worst beat in the world. Very low budget, and hence inventively original.

The bigger budget (and even better) sequel (Mad Max II) was also more successful - it simply took the original concept and delivered more of the same, but with added style, craft and action. This film was released as 'The Road Warrior' in America and most Americans still refer to the series by that name.

Unfortunately by the third installment (Mad Max III:Beyond Thunderdome, starring Tina Turner) the original grit had faded into Hollywood opera and the magic was lost.