March 30, 2011

Horse 1166 - Mad Max 4: The Missed Point

These are the two designs competing in this month's edition of Top Gear Australia magazine to be the next "Mad Max Interceptor" in Mad Max 4: Fury Road.




Does anyone else notice a distinct problem here?

Now stop me if I'm wrong but I thought that one of the premises of the very world in which Mad Max is set is that it's some sort of post apocalyptic place. I completely understand that the producers what something edgey and "cool" but that kind of isn't the point.
The "V8 Interceptor" in Mad Max was a 1974 Ford Falcon XB sedan. In 1979 there wouldn't have been much special about an XB Falcon. In a 2011 context, it would be like a 2006 Ford Falcon BF, which is a pretty normal; humble sort of car.

In a post apocalyptic world, there probably wouldn't be any "cool" cars left. That is kind of sort of the point isn't it?

The first "Mad Max Interceptor" was a yellow Falcon sedan. The most common place that you see yellow Falcons in in Melbourne wher they're employed as taxis. Yes TAXIS! There's nothing cool about taxis of themselves at all is there? Unless you actually happen to enjoy the vinyl seat covers and the plastic shield separating you from the driver.

I haven't seen any of the Mad Max films, so I can't say anything of the plot at all but these two designs look like they'd be cool enough for Batman to be driving around in. They have sleekish lines with edgey sort of meanness about them. Whereas I remember the XA Falcon as having a brown interior with a big fan style speedo and smelling vaugely of wee from when the neighbour's Pekingese got over excited.

A friend of mine used to have a 1980 VB Commodore which had obviously seen better days. To heighten the experience he had a Mercedes-Benz badge on the front which was made from corrugated cardboard and obviously inspired by the Area-7 song "Bogan", the car was fitted "with a home made spoiler made from crappy steel". That's what your post apocalyptic world should look like Mel, not something from an International Motor Show.

If I was Mr Gibson, the next Mad Max car would have been an ex-tradie's ute that had been flogged to bits. Real genuine piston ring smoke and blown gaskets would do the job. Or heck, just get a Lada Niva because when the real apocalypse comes, those cars will be the only ones still working, even if the elements melt by fire and everything on the earth is burned... but Ladas aren't "cool" are they?

1 comment:

Rollo said...

To the people following at http://forums.gtrcanada.com/gtrc-ot-pit/49997-mad-max-4-a.html
The photos were tagged as such by Wheels magazine and by Fox Studios in Sydney.
Apparently I DID do the research.