The Mad Max Universe
Mad Max Furiosa opens in movie theaters this Friday, after a stellar premiere in Hollywood (where some Wasteland warriors took over the streets with their vehicles, escorting the stars Anya Taylor-Joy and Chris Hemsworth via motochariot). The overall look and feel of this film is wild and unfettered, completely immersing the viewer into a rugged, post-apocalyptic world. And, as a costume designer/maker/cosplayer, this aesthetic is one of my favorites to experiment with, and will probably inspire me to create some more distressed, weathered costume pieces and requisite accessories.
As I mentioned in my previous blog, this genre has existed for a long time and the medium of film and video gaming has given these stories authentic and creative visuals. The first Mad Max film from 1979 made use of several locations throughout Australia and created a cult film with a very small budget. It quickly became a top grossing movie in Australia, and was followed by 2 sequels, including Mad Max: Beyond Thunderdome (which was my personal favorite until the 2016 release of Fury Road).
Other films and shows in this genre have garnered critical success or cult-like status. Some of these movies are available here at San Jose Public Library.
Note: certain selections are more within the realm of the scifi/futurism genre, but all take place after some type of apocalyptic event (whether it is war, nuclear annihilation, climate crisis, or pandemic).
Movie Suggestions:
Fun Facts:
- The director of Mad Max Furiosa, George Miller, also directed Happy Feet and Babe: Pig in the City.
- In my humble opinion, there needs to be a crossover movie between Mad Max and Happy Feet. I want to see wild, post-apocalyptic penguins.
- It didn't make the list above (due to limitations), but the newest version of Stephen King's The Stand (2020), needs to be re-cut in such a way that it actually makes sense. One or two flashbacks for the purpose of character development is fine.....but 25 flashbacks throughout the entire miniseries is a bit much. "There was a flashback, a flash forward, and even a flash sideways.".
- The Last of Us was fantastic! I'm looking forward to Season Two....but the show did make me paranoid about fungus for an entire month. I couldn't even look at a mushroom.
- There's an immersive event that takes place each year, based upon the game/series Fallout and other post-apocalyptic movies/games called Wasteland Weekend at the end of September. I still haven't attended, but I want to.
Add a comment to: Getting Ready for Mad Max Furiosa? Try these Post-Apocalyptic Movies!