If you've been following internet buzz over the past two weeks, you know that Mad Max: Fury Road is getting a lot of it. And while George Miller's post apocalyptic action series has become a cult classic that's had a major impact on film, you may have been sharing my confusion at how a crazy, over the top summer blockbuster is getting 12 Years A Slave type numbers on Rotten Tomatoes. And while we're at it, what episode of Sliders are we living in where we are suddenly in a strange dimension where Joss Whedon is getting called out for sexism and men's rights groups (apparently that's actually a thing) are denouncing a Mad Max film as "feminist propaganda"?
Thankfully, the answer to the first question is really quite simple: it's an amazing piece of filmmaking that manages to pack more bang for it's buck than any other action or science fiction film in recent memory, that manages to do the impossible by telling a compelling, even at times touching story, while still being essentially a two hour car chase. The answer to the second question is a bit more complicated, but comes down to the fact that idiots and reactionaries multiply faster than any animal on earth.
Poster (sold out) by Mondo
As any Fury Road toys have yet to be released (keep your fingers crossed as we are unsure if any will - but one can hope), we're going on a road trip back to the '80's to look at the movie that made us all Mad About Max.
THE ROAD WARRIOR
I'm going to be completely honest . . . I've never made it through the original Mad Max. It's slow moving and extremely unfocused. Some day soon I'll tackle it again, but much like the Terminator series, it's the second one that sparked my interest. A unique and innovative action movie, The Road Warrior is pulp Sci fi classic.
THE ROAD WARRIOR MAD MAX & DOG ACTION FIGURE (by N2)
This vintage, 6" tall figure is rare, but you can find it on Amazon for around $90. This is pretty basic, "Star Wars" or "GI JOE" era stuff, but after all, isn't that what got us interested in collecting in the first place?
At a Toy Fair in 2000, N2 unveiled a new, more elaborate lines of figures.
At 12", these ones are a lot more detailed and spectacular. The strong facial resemblance to Mel Gibson on these Max figures make them endlessly useful to custom builders who really feel like we are overdue a Braveheart or What Women Want figure. Sadly, these were never actually released, and can now only be found on the island of misfit, fighting Charlie in the Box to death for the last AA batteries on earth.
THE ROAD WARRIOR Series 2 Action Figures (by N2)
This lot is somewhere in between, still 6", but more spectacular than the original. The only problem is finding them. They are no longer manufactured, and online stores are sold out. So if you really want them, keep an eye out at conventions.
In the meantime, all we can do is wait with baited breath for Fury Road figures and hope they live up to (and exceed) expectations the way the groundbreaking and unforgettable film does, and rush out to see the film in theaters more than once. We did spy a neat Road Warrior 1973 XB GT Falcon Model Kit that's released this month! You can also check out the new book, "The Art of Mad Max: Fury Road" for an inside look at the production design.
Have a lovely day!