Mad Max (1979)
Production Information
Colour, mono, 93 minutes. Original aspect ratio 2.35:1,
filmed in TODD-AO 35
Music by Brian May, winner of AFI award for best soundtrack.
Cost: A$400,000 (Mel Gibson paid A$15,000)
Released: April 12, 1979. First released at the East End One, Melbourne.
View more production details in the Internet Movie Database.
To see some of the original Australian newspaper ads
for Mad Max, visit the Mad Max advertising sub-page.
For a comparison of currently available
releases, check the comparisons page. For
more detailed information on the various releases, see below...
When the gangs take over the highways, remember, he's on your side
Different Releases on VHS and DVD
The MGM Special Edition DVD
 |
A Special
Edition DVD of Mad Max was released in the US on January 4th,
2002. If you want to buy Mad Max on DVD, I would recommend getting this
version. It contains both the original dialogue and the dubbed dialogue,
along with a commentary, trailers, and a couple of newly created
documentaries.
Those of you who already have the DVD might also want
to make sure you check out the Mad
Max Easter Eggs, as listed at www.dvdeastereggs.com.
|
Other Releases...
Mad Max is still readily available on VHS in
most countries, and by the end of 2001 / early 2002, it should also be available everywhere
on DVD. One thing you should be careful of though is that up until 2001, the only version
available in the US and Canada has all of the voices dubbed (for futher
information on this dubbed version, and also where to get an undubbed version
on VHS, see below).
At the start of 2001, there were only two DVD releases of Mad Max: the original US disc
produced by Image / Orion (which again has the dubbed dialogue); and the
Japanese DVD, which has BOTH the original audio track and the dubbed dialogue
track. See the Japanese DVD page for further
info on this release.
There is a new US disc due on January 4th 2002, which
will finally use the original dialogue track. This disc will also be a special
edition, including a commentary track, documentaries, and a range of extras.
Check the Special
Edition DVD listing at Amazon for pictures of the cover (and probably more
details closer to the release date).
There are also DVD releases due for the UK
(region 2) on October 8th (see the Amazon
UK listing), and Australia (region 4) on November 14th. I am
unsure at this point if either of these DVDs will include any extras.
For a side by side comparison of the various
releases that have been made, please see the video
comparison page.
The US Dubbed Release
Mad Max was dubbed when originally released in the United
States, as the distributors felt that the original Australian dialogue was not clear
enough to be easily understood. According to Sam Arkoff's biography, Flying
Through Hollywood By The Seat Of My Pants, "...the exhibitors
would consider anything that isn't 'American English' to be 'limey.' After the
first reel, they'd decide not to book the picture".
All of the actors were dubbed, including Mel Gibson, who
was still a relatively unknown actor in the U.S. at the time. If the
dubbing doesn't bother you, then this version of Mad Max is still relatively available
within the US on DVD and other formats, click the image below to view the
current release available from Amazon
.
The Image / Orion DVD release is out of print now though, so you might need to
try eBay if you really want
it.
It has been rumoured that Mel Gibson was in fact dubbed by
himself, this is unconfirmed. Note that Sam Arkoff's own biography
specifically states that "Mel
Gibson remained Down Under, and didn't participate in the looping".
It has also been rumoured that early releases of the film
contained scene variations or additional scenes, which were not present in later releases.
After spending much time tracking down the various early video releases, I have so far
been unable to locate any such alternate cuts of the film. However, for a list of some
alternate scenes which we at least know were filmed, please check the Mad Max cut scenes page.
If anyone does locate a version with any additional scenes, please contact
me.
In recent years MGM have obtained the
distribution rights to Mad Max in the US, and have re-released Mad Max with a new
audio mix, that finally contains all of the original voices and dialogue.
They created a new 35mm theatrical print using this mix, which played in
cinemas across the US during 1999 and 2000. Work is now under way on a new
special edition DVD, which includes this audio mix, along with some additional
extras. This is due out January 4th, 2002. See Amazon.com
for some further info.
The Censored UK Release
The original UK releases of Mad Max
were censored, cutting out the Chevy Impala attack. The scene was cut from the
point where the meat cleaver hits the windscreen, about 48 seconds I'm told.
Later UK releases now include this scene, and often boast themselves as
"unedited", "uncut" or even "director's cut",
when in fact this version includes nothing more than what the rest of us have
seen for years.
Obtaining the original, undubbed Mad Max
on VHS
Australian Release
Mad Max is still readily available in Australia in PAL video
format (incompatible with the NTSC video format used in the U.S.). The local release is
only available in Pan and Scan. To obtain the Australian VHS version, try Chaos
Music, or The
Video Shift.
Covers for the first two Australian VHS releases of
Mad Max
The Video Shift are actually quite a good source for obtaining many
Australian films on VHS (and the only online mail order company that I know of
who stock many of these films).
According to the Video Shift, an Australian DVD (region 4) is currently
scheduled for November 14th, 2001. There is no listing of possible extras at
this point.
UK Release
Warner Home Video (UK) Ltd released a VHS version of the
film not only containing the original dialogue, but presented in the original aspect ratio
of 2.35:1. This video is PAL also. The catalogue number for the video is PES 12545. This
was re-released around 1995 under the Beyond Vision label, with the product code SO12545.
Warner Home Video in the UK also used to offer Max Max 2 and Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome in
Widescreen VHS, although these may be hard to find at present. Apparently the Warner
versions were deleted, and originally they were due to be re-released under the Beyond
Vision label. However, it now seems that all the widescreen versions of the films are
currently deleted, and will be replaced by widescreen DVD instead, with no further
releases on VHS. The UK P&S releases however should still be available.
To purchase the widescreen tapes in the UK, you might try:
Adrians
59 High Street, Wickford, Essex SS12 9AQ
36-38, High Street, Wickford, Essex SS12 9AZ, U.K.
Phone: +44 1268 733326 or +44 1268 733318/19/20
Fax: +44 1268 764507 or 01268 763261
Web page: http://www.adrians.co.uk/
email: adrians@cableinet.co.uk
They advertise having all 3 Mad Max films available in widescreen. Note that I just
grabbed "Adrians" details at random from an issue of Empire magazine. If anyone
has dealt with them, or has an alternative supplier, please let me know. Sorry for the two
addresses and phone / fax numbers, I found different ones, I guess one is out of date, but
I don't know which!
To purchase the Beyond Vision tapes in Australia, try http://www.madman.com.au/outland
(this is where I purchased my copy, in 1996). If it's not listed in their catalogue, try
asking anyway.
Japanese Releases
Although I have never seen a Japanese VHS release, their old laserdisc
releases contained the dubbed dialogue only, and I suspect it would be the same
with any Japanese VHS releases. I would not bother with a Japanese tape if
you're trying to get the film undubbed.
However, the Japanese DVD of Mad Max
contains both the U.S. dubbed dialogue track (audio track 1) and the original Australian
dialogue (audio track 2). This disc also contains trailers for all 3 films. For more
details on this disc, please refer to the sub-page. If you
have an NTSC region 2, or multi region DVD player, this is the version to get.
USA Releases
There are currently no legitimate undubbed releases of Mad Max
available in the USA. All VHS releases so far have been dubbed, and for the most
part have also been Pan and Scan. In August 1999 the dubbed Mad Max was released
for the first time in Widescreen on VHS in the USA. Below are some scans of the
cover, although I never managed to locate any online stores selling this one, so
I don't know how widely available it is / was.
Thanks to Jason Carlton for these pictures
The following mail order company sells Mad Max with the
original dialogue on VHS for NTSC machines:
On the Edge Video
9792 Edmonds Way
Suite 221
Edmonds, Wash 98020
Phone/Fax: 425-672-1746
web page: http//www.otevideo.com (for
Mad Max click "General Films", then "M", then "Next").
On The Edge Video is a mail order company for hard to find movies on tape.
I have heard back from many people who have successfully ordered copies of Mad Max from
them.
I have heard from people as recently as May 2000 who have successfully
purchased tapes from On The Edge without
any difficulties.
Originally they seemed to be selling
standards converted tapes, although from what I've heard recently it sounds
like these days they are just dubbing copies from the Japanese DVD
(including Japanese subtitles). The current price for the tape is US$20 (plus US$3 shipping
within the US).
Finally, it is worth noting that the 1993 Image /
Orion widescreen laserdisc of Mad Max still contained the
American dubbed dialogue, and NOT the Australian dialogue as had been claimed in their
pre-release publicity at the time. Apparently they found at the last minute that they were unable to
get the legal rights to use the original soundtrack. There are no US
laserdiscs that contain the original dialogue.
Media Promotional Material
- Theatrical trailer: Multiple trailers were made, but
currently the only one available on any format is the one on the Japanese "Mad
Max" DVD release. The upcoming US
Special Edition DVD should also contain a trailer.
- Radio advertising: I have acquired
three original radio ads for the USA release, they can be downloaded
here.
Note: I'm constantly looking for any additional
promotional material, such as TV interviews, radio interviews, printed matter,
etc. Even if you remember an event or article, but don't actually have a copy,
some brief info about what you remember would be just as good. I'm hoping to
compile together a list of all this reference material, and hopefully one day
have it all available online.
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