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Mad Max

Mad Max

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Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Finally - the way it was meant to be seen (and heard)
Review: I won't go into the story. We all know the tale of Max Rockatansky.

What many in the USA do NOT know is, how great this film really is and how the actors themselves are excellent. Why? Because, those of us who have been so unlucky as to have been stuck with the version where the actor's voices have been redubbed with American actors have had to suffer through what appears to be a very campy-acted film.

With this special edition DVD (which I purchased at Borders on January 3rd, 2002), the real emotions of the characters come through and put this film in a whole other light.

What was lost when the USA decided to redub Mad Max, for fear of Americans apparently not understanding what the characters were saying, was the actual feelings of the characters. They seemed lifeless if not souless. All of that has changed now.

I wanted to see this movie with the original Aussie soundtrack, not thinking it would make THAT much of a difference. Boy, was I wrong!

With the real actor's voices now back where they belong, the characters are much more real to me. I actually can connect with them and feel for them. And, the campiness of the film is actually gone, making this a MUCH more serious action/drama. Yes, drama!

One part of the movie which stood out before but really sticks in my mind now and actually made me realize once and for all how much this made a difference was when Jessie and Sprock are heartlessly mowed down by the Toe Cutter's gang. At that point, I was extremely mad, ticked off, sad, all at the same time. My feelings at that point were of such contempt for these criminals. I was angry because I had made a very real connection with Max and his family. They were real, they actually existed to me, they had feelings that didn't feel fake, which was the feeling I got when watching the American dubbed version. In fact, I had just seen Mad Max on regular cable TV just a few weeks ago, and even though I felt a twinge of sadness for Max, it was NOTHING compared to watching it tonight with the Aussie soundtrack.

It is amazing how such a simple thing as dubbing can destroy the atmosphere and the characters in a film, degrading them to nothing but campy, over-the-top fluff.

I went so far as to go and switch back and forth between the Aussie and American dubbed versions right in the middle of the movie. No contest. The Aussie version beats the American dubbed version hands down. It should be a crime for that version to be shown anymore now that this movie is available in it's original format.

The features on the DVD itself are not the greatest, but the documentaries on the movie as well as Mel Gibson's rise to fame are excellent.

The TV spots and other trailers are nostalgia in the making. However, the movie trailer states that it is for Australia, yet when you hear the actors talk, it's in the ... American-dubbed voices, so I'm not sure why this is labled as the Australian movie trailers.

As for the American dubbed version, I'm still glad they included it. If anything, it's how I first saw this film and to have the opportunity to listen to that version (which I doubt I EVER will again) is great.

The sound in the 5.1 is pretty good. It does seem that the car engine effects have lost some things in the transition, and sometimes, it was difficult to hear the dialog over the effects, but overall, excellent.

The picture in letterbox format is clear and sharp. It seemed like this movie was just filmed not too long ago. A BIG difference from seeing the older VHS versions. I don't remember seeing spots and other anamolies that crop up on older films. Excellent transition to DVD.

Avoid all other version of this movie, on DVD and VHS. THIS, the Special Edition, is the one to own and add to your Mad Max collection. Get rid of the older versions (if you can - I can't imagine they fetch much) and keep this one. To keep the others or even think of purchasing them should be enough to send out the MFP on you.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: See it for the first time America!!!!!!!!!!!
Review: This is a true low budget classic. But unlike earlier releases of this film you get such a clear picture that you can see the rope used to pull one of the bikers off his bike. You can even hear Mel Gibson's voice coming from Mel Gibson's mouth. Who knew that they spoke in English is Austrailia? This was like watching the film for the first time. Finally the REAL version for all Mad Max fans out there.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: The Special Edition has arrived - BUY IT NOW!
Review: This review refers to the new Special Edition DVD that has just been released.

Both widescreen and full screen versions are included, but more importantly, the original Australian dialogue has finally been restored. The difference between that and the clunky, awkward American-dubbed audio most of us are familiar with is like night and day (and if you want to find out for yourself, both are included on the disc, so feel free to compare).

Rounding out the package is a making-of featurette, several trailers, and a "pop-up video" style subtitles-option which presents various minutea about the film and its locations while you watch.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: It's about time!
Review: At last! the cult classic masterpiece mad max comes to a special edition dvd remasterd and even has the aussie sound track!It only took 23 years for us yank's to get the version with the aussie track,but hey better late than never.Now you can see max (Gibson)chase down the bad guys with his aussie 1973 ford xb gt falcon like never before!so go out right away and get this dvd and throw away the old versions!

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: It's About Time, Mate
Review: Finally! The original version of "Mad Max"! I had been waiting for this since I first saw "The Road Warrior" in the theatres so long ago.
While the film is still the same, the atmosphere is far different because since the voice aren't as over the top as the dubbed version. The nomad bikers are far more menacing, "the Goose" is more charasmatic and Mel himself more believable. Unfortunately nothing can save that painful "brown shoes" scene, but, hey, that's what the "fast forward" is for.
If I had any problem with this version at all it would be that, since they moved it to 5:1 sound, sometimes the voices get lost in the background over music swells. It's one thing when dialog is drowned out by a roaring motor (that happens in real life), but when the actors are lost to an orchestral punch, it can be annoying.
If you are going to get "Mad Max", this is the version to get. While the US dub is the one we're most familiar with, it also loses something that has finally been re-installed for the States.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: FINALLY THE UNDUBBED VERSION ON DVD
Review: Yes finally the UNDUBBED version on DVD, with more features and CHEAPER than the older DUBBED version. How was ever possible that this classic was DUBBED for American audience I don't know. May be the old DUBBED version will become a classic collectors item because the DUBBING is so bad.
I'm buying this version and selling old junk DUBBED version.

Rating: 1 stars
Summary: Don't buy this version it is DUBBED for the America Market
Review: It is unfortunate that this film was ever DUBBED. It is not as though Aussies speak another language and Yanks aren't intelligent enough to work some the careful crafted slang in this classic.
Fortunate now there is a new UNDUBBED version due for release this mouth, with more features and CHEAPER.
I'm selling my old DUBBED copy and buying the new UNDUBBED version.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Mad Max--First Class DVD Treatment
Review: ...not only do we get all the great features that we associaite with a DVD (Theatrical trailers, TV spots, documentary featurettes, audio commentaries, etc.) but it will also include the original Austrailian soundtrack, something I NEVER thought I would see during my lifetime. (Most people already know that when the film was released theatrically in the United States in 1979, Filmways, the movie's U.S. distributor, dubbed the Australian actors with Mid Atlantic voices). The film was, of course, availabe at one time on DVD from Image Entertainment (it is now out of print); there was also a Japaneese Region 2 NTSC DVD that was released, although I admittedly have not seen that version (I have yet to own an all code DVD player). I've also noticed a legimimate VCD version of the movie put up for auction on Ebay. Now, with MGM / UA Video releasing this version on DVD to North American audiences..., the movie is getting the treatment it so richly deserves.

Rating: 1 stars
Summary: Why dub this!?!
Review: If U have seen this brilliant film before with the original Australian soundtrack, then I do not recommend this video! Only in America will they take a film in perfectly acceptable English, and then go and totally ruin it, by dubbing it into American English. The mind just boggles! The initial reaction is one of disbelief when you first hear one of the characters speak (because U know what he's supposed to sound like). This soon turns into irritation as you try to marry the characters with the new 'foreign' voices, and try to spot dubbing errors (lips moving but no sound & vice versa),and deliberate substitution of words (there R some of these as well), AND, try to watch the story, for the rest of the film.
I knew there was a dubbed version, but i thought it was called 'Road Warrior' or something.
The sad thing is, for me to return it will cost more than the video is worth (had i only been informed in the synopsis)
I shall search for a 2nd hand 'original' copy in England.
Please tell us when a film, in English, has been dubbed for the American market.
If you have not seen it before, or if U R American & can't follow the Ozzy slang anyway, then i suppose this dubbed version can be entertaining, but not to me.
I shall be much more wary in future.
If it ain't broken, don't fix it!!

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Finally!!
Review: Sure, this has been available on DVD in the US before, but this version will finally, thank God, include the original Austrailian dialogue. I have been dying to see it this way for years & I am confident that it will enhance my enjoyment of this film (even though I'm pretty sure Mel did his own dubbing in the American version, it's always been a nuisance to listen to...takes away from the authenticity somehow). Now, if I can just get my hands on some subtitled Godzilla movies...


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