Mad Max (1979)

Hot rod cops do battle with a renegade gang. Wow, am I surprised how bad this movie is.

Back in the day I knew people who were obsessed with Mad Max. I was the lame outsider because I never saw it. Thirty years later I still had not seen it. So, in an attempt to acquaint my sons with the movies of my youth (Die Hard, RoboCop, Total Recall ...) I had them watch Mad Max. We were all in agreement. Dull city.

I like low budget films, and am willing to forgive the grindhouse/exploitation genre for what it is, but there is a large stretch in the middle that could be removed without harming the story, such as it is. Cool explosions at the beginning, better than fair climax, and about a half hour of almost nothing in between. Had they clipped the 90ish minutes down to around 60 this would have been a lot more watchable. Had they the budget to do explosion scenes they planned, all the better.

So, I guess I'm glad I saw it because it's kinda an essential in some circles. This is the movie that made Mel Gibson a star (and back in the day, youngsters, he was a big star). I cannot, however, give it a passing grade with a clear conscience. And I do know that it's the sequel that was great. But the 1979 effort: AMRU 2.5.

RIP Anita Ekberg. I once started watching La Dolce Vita on a work night and had to stop for sleep. The next morning, Netflix removed it from streaming. I always wanted to see it through. Boccaccio '70 is available, and I guess I will settle for that.