Australian
Screen

Teacher’s notes

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This clip shows Crawford 'the Nightrider’ Montizano (Vincent Gil) and his girlfriend (Lulu Pinkus) on the run from the police. They delight in the damage they have caused, as police officer Max Rockatansky (Mel Gibson) prepares to intercept them. Footage of Max starting his engine, putting the car into gear and fastening his black leather gloves is intercut with the frenzied exultations of the Nightrider. Max waits and eventually the Nightrider appears on the horizon. A dramatic head-on collision is narrowly avoided, followed by a car chase that ends in the spectacular destruction of the Nightrider’s car amid the wreckage of an earlier crash. Max is seen properly for the first time as he leaves his car and removes his sunglasses to assess what has happened.

Educational value points

• This clip introduces Max but withholds details of his appearance to increase suspense. The audience sees the edge of his sunglasses and the back of his head in carefully framed shots, but not his eyes or face. The initial perception of Max as an anonymous threat secures the viewers’ belief in his later transformation into a lethal automaton.

• Colourful and manic characters populate the dystopian world created by director George Miller (1945–). The Nightrider babbles with pseudo-religious fervour to his girlfriend, whose only role is as a willing disciple. Their disregard for human life, delight in suicidal risk-taking and provocation of the police represent the values of the world Max opposes as a police officer, but it is a world he must ultimately join to exact revenge. The Nightrider is the kind of ego-driven, delusional villain who populates all three Mad Max films, a vital component of George Miller’s view of a future world.

• Miller’s skill at creating car chases is vividly exemplified. The raw tension created by throaty engines revving, fast tracking shots and clever editing made Mad Max an enormously popular cult film. The suspense of its chases ending in the catharsis of incendiary carnage has been extensively imitated.

• The clip contains elements of a number of the genres that Miller incorporates into Mad Max. Miller uses elements of 'buddy cop’, science fiction, western and 'road trip’ genres. By drawing from a range of genres in fresh ways, Miller is considered to have revolutionised film and given it new vitality.

• The buddy relationship between Max and his colleague is one of decency, cooperation and justice, which is pitted against the anarchy, nihilism, violence and ego of the Nightrider. This is the central conflict of the Mad Max series and the irony is that both sides glory in the exhilarating and dangerous escapism of speed.

• Women are positioned as helpless victims, even when colluding with villains. In Mad Max women take on traditional roles, as seen in the Nightrider’s girlfriend, whose laughing turns to concern. Miller’s future world is one in which masculine pastimes of car worship and drag racing have taken over.

• The Australian landscape is an integral part of the film’s world view. The barren plains intensify the spiritual desolation and hopelessness of this future society. Victims are even more vulnerable in the emptiness of the desert and help may be far away. The role of the police is elevated in this vacuum, suggesting strong links to the roles of sheriffs and other law enforcers in US westerns.

• Mel Gibson (1956–) is shown in the role that catapulted him to international fame. He went on to even greater success as a result of his participation in the second film in the series, Mad Max 2 (1981), and further action films such as the Lethal Weapon series.

We see Max sitting inside his car watching the road in front of him. His police radio squawks at him as Goose calls him.
Policeman Hey Max!
Max Go ahead.
Policeman We are 100% snafu!
Max Are you OK?

We see Goose talking on his police radio having fallen onto the road.
Policeman Nothing a year in the traffics wouldn’t fix.
Max Much damage?

We see a tow truck overtake a smashed up caravan that is spread across the whole road. Nightrider and his girlfriend are in a stolen police car speeding down an empty road. Max can hear him speaking over the radio.
Nightrider You should see the damage, Bronze huh? Metal damage. Brain damage huh? (Laughs). Are you listening Bronze? I am the Nightrider. (Laughs). I’m a fuel-injected suicide machine.

We see the key ignition of Max’s car, the engine lights turn on and a shot of his muffler as he prepares his car for a chase.

Nightrider I am a rocker! I am a roller! I am a patroller! Ha, ha, ha! I am the Nightrider baby!
Girlfriend Woo!

We see Max put his interceptor into gear.

Nightrider We are going away and we ain’t never coming back. Woo, ha, ha, ha!

Max drives his police car down the road towards the Nightrider. We see the Nightrider and his girlfriend in the car speeding away down the road.
Nightrider The toe-cutter, he knows who I am. I am the Nightrider!

We see Max’s car stop on the side of the road waiting for the Nightrider’s car.

Nightrider I am the chosen one. The mighty hand of vengeance sent down to strike the un-roadworthy! (laughs)

We see Max’s radio inside his car and he looks onto the road in anticipation. He readjusts the gloves on his hands.

Nightrider I’m hotter than a rollin’ dice. Step right up chum and watch the kid lay down a rubber road right to freedom!

The Nightrider’s car speeds away and we see Max in his car waiting for them to come over the hill and meet him. Max revs his engine in anticipation. The Nightrider’s girlfriend is now sitting closer as they both look out onto the road and see Max’s car. The Nightrider pushes his girlfriend’s face away as he speeds up towards Max. Max turns on his police sirens and speeds towards the Nightrider’s car. They both play ‘chicken’ on the road but the Nightrider quickly swerves to miss Max’s car and avoid a collision. Max quickly jams his brakes as he turns around in haste to chase after the Nightrider. The Nightrider quickly turns and looks behind him to see Max following him. His girlfriend turns around and looks behind to see Max catching up with them. The Nightrider starts to break down and cry as his girlfriend watches him and she starts to get emotional as well. Max catches up with the Nightrider and starts honking his horn at them.
Girlfriend What’s wrong?
Nightrider It’s going … (starts to cry)

Max nudges the back of the Nightrider’s car. They head over a slight hill and a man on the side of the road waves a red flag to indicate that a car accident has blocked the road ahead. Max slams on his brakes. The Nightrider tries to swerve to avoid the accident. He misses an overturned truck with barrels but smashes into some overturned cars in the middle of the road. There is a huge explosion. Mad Max gets out of his car and takes his sunglasses off to get a better look.