Mad Max: Special Edition

Reviewed by:
Eric Alt

The little-seen first chapter of what would become the biggest thing to happen to automotive violence since the L.A. freeway system, Mad Max finally gets its due in this new special edition DVD. For fans of the movie, let’s jump right to the best part: It’s presented in its original Aussie language track (anyone who’s seen the godawful American dubbed version knows what we’re talking about here). The rest of this two-sided disc is suped up like an Interceptor. Click on the “Trivia Track” to get some Pop-Up Video-style factoids, covering everything from the technical aspects of filmmaking (like explaining what “anamorphic format” is) to Australian slang. For some information overload, you can even play the trivia track and the creators’ commentary at the same time. Side two has two documentaries—one a lame piece of Mel Gibson ego-polishing, the other an informative look at the phenomenon the movies went on to become. Finally, while on the main menu screen of side one, move the cursor up and highlight the hidden words “MAD MAX,” you’ll get some additional information on the types of cars used throughout the movie. Above all, Mad Max proves that, pre-Tina Turner, this high-octane series kicked some major ass.

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