16 thoughts on “My Favorite George Miller Films”

1. John, another great roll up! Realizing that today’s audiences require special effects for their entertainment, I went back to the original Mad Max movies to reconnect with them after seeing Mad Max Fury Road. The continuously filmed live action sequences of the 80s stand up beautifully, and of course they look completely different than today’s effect-laden treatments. The lack of effects lends a true terror to the possibility of post apocalyptic life. These movies were really effective in conveying a future that could result from nuclear war. I did not get that from Mad Max Fury Road. I wonder what George Miller‘s opinion is about that.

2. Personally, I think that Mad Max and Mad Max 2: The Road Warrior existed to set up that terrifying view of a post apocalyptic world whereas director George Miller decided to explore it after a while with equal doses of strangeness and equal doses of spectacle considering how he treated the worlds of the last two movies as that of his version of an amusement park. That is by no means an insult, I think it is his way of expanding his ideas for this franchise. Personally, I believe that the worlds still do come off as terrifying, but only 50% in the last two films compared to the first two. Hope that helps 🙂 Thank you for the kind words and thanks for dropping by 🙂

3. Like Russ I also went back to the original Mad Max movies to reconnect with them after seeing Mad Max Fury Road. Road Warrior is still my favourite although I was surprised how much I enjoyed Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome. Even though it’s oft-maligned a lot of it is actually amazing: Bartertown, Master Blaster, Aunty and “Two men enter, one man leaves!” are all crucial entries in the Mad Max canon. The sets, vehicle and costume design aren’t too shabby either.
   I only wish Mel Gibson could have reprised the role one more time and brought the story full circle.

4. All of them are great in my opinion 🙂 Interestingly enough, George Miller was trying to get Fury Road off the ground for a long time with Mel Gibson reprising the role. As time went on though, Gibson moved on to other things and along with it, he got older as well and it was not until earlier in the decade by late 2011 and early 2012 that it was announced that Mad Max: Fury Road was already greenlit. Between 2011/early 2012 and 2013 or 14, it was announced that Tom Hardy would play the role. When Fury Road came out, I saw it four times in the movie theaters 🙂 It was like the action spectacle of my dreams 🙂 Anyway, thanks for dropping by 🙂

5. Thanks for the background, it’s always a pleasure to read your thoughts. In that vein I am sorry I haven’t been around much recently. A combination of the good weather and post-vacation blues have been keeping me away from the computer. Keep up the good work, I’m sure some of your new followers will more than make up for my absence.

6. Yes I really appreciate all the movies here except The Witches of Eastwick.
   My George Miller list: Mad Max Fury Road, 2. Mad Max 3. Mad Max Road Warrior 4. Babe 5. Happy Feet 6. Happy Feet 2 7. The Twilight Zone Movie Nightmare… 8. Mad Max …Thunderdome. MM Fury Rd and Babe I consider cinematic masterpieces.

7. I am so glad you agree with a lot of my choices 🙂 I bet you were happy to see Mad Max: Fury Road at number one? 🙂 When it first opened in 2015, I saw it four times in the theater 🙂 That is how much I loved it 🙂 I love all the Mad Max films equally though 🙂 The overall result of the film played out like the action spectacle of my dreams 🙂 What about you? 🙂 Anyway, thanks for dropping by 🙂

8. I have to say that the Mad Max films are not the cinematic fare that I usually go for. The same with Refn’s Drive and yet I love these films. They are so bold, so stylish and so over the top that they can’t be denied. The spectacle of Fury Road is relentless as is the action, of course, but one would expect that, it is an action film, of course. I was blown away by the technicality of the film. The stunts. The spectacular camera work. The extravagant vehicles. The desert locale. The costuming and the makeup. It really is a film experience. I wish I could have seen it on IMAX–Now THAT would be awesome.

9. The Mad Max films are most certainly bold, stylish and over-the-top as you so eloquently put it 🙂 After Mad Max: Fury Road came out in May of 2015, I literally treated that film as an event. Out of. the four times I saw it in the theater, the first two times were in IMAX and the third and fourth times were standard. Regardless of format, it not only knocked me off the edge of my seat, it had me coming back for more and more. That is literally how awesome Mad Max: Fury Road is 🙂 Anyway, thanks for dropping by and keep those comments coming 🙂

10. I’m jealous of the IMAX experience. I saw it on my 50″ TV. Still great. Thanks for directing me to your post. Enjoyed it.

11. Why thank you for the kind words 🙂

12. Totally forgot he did the remake of the Twilight Zone episode made famous by William Shatner. John Lithgow did a grand job within the nightmare in a tin can!
    New Mad Max was a surprise, well to me anyhow if I’m honest. Never did I think he’d pull it off. I nearly didn’t go to see at the cinema but luckily I saw sense with a chat down the pub. I would of been very gutted if I’d of missed it. Definitely the Charlize Theron show.
    Pig in the City is such a bizarre, brilliant surreal, freaky dream of a film. Dark and twisted but strangely beautiful. Has to be up there as most crazy sequel to a kids movie or maybe any movie come to that?!! LOL.

13. I knew from the start that Mad Max: Fury Road was going to be great simply because George Miller was directing and he also did the first three. I love telling this story to people that I saw Mad Max: Fury Road four times in the theater back in 2015. For me, it was like the action spectacle of my dreams. I mean it had everything: tough and gorgeous females, a strong heroine (courtesy of Charlize Theron’s Furiosa), freaky looking villains, a guy playing a heavy metal guitar while the vehicle he is on is moving. All against a beautiful and grimy looking post-apocalyptic world. Oh yeah and who can forget those action sequences that were only done with a minimum of CGI. I saw it twice on IMAX and the other two times in its regular format, but on all the four times, it had me so far on the edge of my seat that I begged for the excitement to keep up which it did 🙂 As for Babe: Pig in the City, I agree with everything you have just said 🙂 Anyway, thanks for dropping by 🙂

14. …..and also enough milk to give you healthy bones and keep a smile on your face. 🙂

15. “…..and also enough milk to give you healthy bones and keep a smile on your face. 🙂”

    My thoughts exactly 🙂

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