# Classic movies you don't get (Mad Max)

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/classic-movies-you-dont-get-mad-max/26655>\
**Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\
**Created:** [July 24, 2000, 4:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/classic-movies-you-dont-get-mad-max/26655 "2000-07-24T16:44:04Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 20\
**Page:** 2

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**Author:** ![Moe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/moe/32/2972_2.png) [@Moe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Moe)\
**Post date:** [July 24, 2000, 7:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/classic-movies-you-dont-get-mad-max/26655/21 "2000-07-24T19:18:15Z")

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Sure Jeff, keep ‘um coming. I’ll let you know if somethin’ strikes a chord.

In the meantime, am I the only one who likes **Rollerball**?

Oh, and as a Bukowski fan, I can’t let a discussion of cult movies continue without at least making mention of **Barfly**. For those who like the darker side of life. What the heck ever happened to Mickey Rourke anyway? He was going good for awhile with that and **Rumble Fish** among others.

**Yellow Submarine** - maybe the greatest psychedelic cult movie ever.

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**Author:** ![Moe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/moe/32/2972_2.png) [@Moe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Moe)\
**Post date:** [July 24, 2000, 7:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/classic-movies-you-dont-get-mad-max/26655/22 "2000-07-24T19:20:40Z")

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> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by FarrisGoldstein \*  
> \*\*Yeah, Troma movies are great. My favorite line from “The Toxic Avenger”: “Hell yeah, I ain’t never cornholed me a blind bitch!” \*\*

I never knew that was a troma movie. You mean the same guys who did “Tromio and Juliet” and “Teenage Catgirls in Heat”?

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**Author:** ![FarrisGoldstein](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/f17d59/32.png) [@FarrisGoldstein](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FarrisGoldstein)\
**Post date:** [July 24, 2000, 7:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/classic-movies-you-dont-get-mad-max/26655/23 "2000-07-24T19:35:50Z")

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> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by Moe \*  
> \*\*
> 
> > [@](#):
> >
> > \*Originally posted by FarrisGoldstein \*  
> > \*\*Yeah, Troma movies are great. My favorite line from “The Toxic Avenger”: “Hell yeah, I ain’t never cornholed me a blind bitch!” \*\*
> 
> I never knew that was a troma movie. You mean the same guys who did “Tromio and Juliet” and “Teenage Catgirls in Heat”?  
> \*\*

Yup.

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**Author:** ![Needs2know](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/b5e925/32.png) [@Needs2know](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Needs2know)\
**Post date:** [July 24, 2000, 8:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/classic-movies-you-dont-get-mad-max/26655/24 "2000-07-24T20:01:43Z")

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Ok then…speaking of Evil Dead…didn’t George Romero direct those…didn’t he also direct Mad Max? One reason I suspect Mad Max became a cult classic is because of Mel Gibson and George Romero. I can remember going to see Galipoli and thinking that one day the dark haired guy with the blue eyes was going to end up a star, and no I’m not psychic just got a good eye for movie hunks I guess.

One reason Dark Star gained popularity is because it was written by Dan O’Bannon and Bob Balaban. I think it was a student film they did. Well Dan O’Bannon went on to write Alien I believe. And Bob Balaban did a few other things…including acting, he was in Altered States and a couple of Speilberg films, titles escape me right now. (He’s a short fellow with glasses. That’s right Close Encounters I think.)

Back in the day… I was a big fan of John Carpenter and DAMN! what’s his name…brain fart…He directed Blowout, Carrie, and Body Double, used a lot of Hitckock techniques. It’ll come to me…that’s it Brian DePalma! What the heck ever happened to him anyway?

Well wait I just thought of another couple of weirdo hard to follow movies…The Tin Drum…Death in Venice…I know there’s more give me time I’ll think of them.

Oh and then there are the dirty cult movies, I almost forgot about them…Like…Two Moon Junction, My Tutor, Porky’s, Stealing Heaven…

I’m not sure I’d lump 2001 in as a cult film, maybe I guess. Clockwork Orange sure does fit the bill though. Apocalypse Now, no I would not call that cult. By the time Coppola made that he had already done the Godfather and was considered big time. As much as I love that movie, Apocalypse it was I believe considered a box office flop at the time. Just like Blade Runner, which I also do not consider cult.

Needs2know

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**Author:** ![Needs2know](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/b5e925/32.png) [@Needs2know](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Needs2know)\
**Post date:** [July 24, 2000, 8:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/classic-movies-you-dont-get-mad-max/26655/25 "2000-07-24T20:07:09Z")

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Oh yeah and sorry for the highjack.

Also on the subject of Mad Max…Guess you just have to like looking at Mel (Which I would imagine most women do. Don’t think he offends many guys either, he’s kinda macho.) and not mind watching a bunch of bad sound editing.

Needs2know

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**Author:** ![Mr.Cynical](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ee59a6/32.png) [@Mr.Cynical](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Cynical)\
**Post date:** [July 24, 2000, 8:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/classic-movies-you-dont-get-mad-max/26655/26 "2000-07-24T20:09:26Z")

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But I sure would appreciate someone explaining _ **Blue Velvet** _ to me. That’s one seriously fucked up movie!

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**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\
**Post date:** [July 24, 2000, 8:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/classic-movies-you-dont-get-mad-max/26655/27 "2000-07-24T20:21:56Z")

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Re: Dark Star

Anybody notice that the sub-plot to Dark Star (which was added to “pad out” what was essentially a short “student film” to feature length) about the “beach ball” running amok on board was basically the plot of Alien? And that Dan O’Bannon wrote the screenplay for both (and was also the actor who played “Pinback”, the guy attacked by the Beachball)?

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**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\
**Post date:** [July 24, 2000, 8:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/classic-movies-you-dont-get-mad-max/26655/28 "2000-07-24T20:26:58Z")

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> [@](#):
>
> Dark Star – One of the stupidest movies ever made. A GREAT movie if you like really bad movies. Talk about low budget…the alien attacking them was a beach ball with feet glued to it. They also must talk to a smart bomb capable of destroying a planet out of blowing them all up (they do this by posing philosophical connundrums(sp?) so the bomb stops its countdown while pondering this new thought).

Actually, the _point_ was that it’s cheesy. Come one, they have muffin tins on their space suits and one guy surfs on a bit of debris! It’s a hilarious bit of filmmaking!

> [@](#):
>
> Ok then…speaking of Evil Dead…didn’t George Romero direct those…didn’t he also direct Mad Max? One reason I suspect Mad Max became a cult classic is because of Mel Gibson and George Romero.

No, **Sam Raimi** directed _The Evil Dead_. **George Miller** directed _Mad Max_. George Romero directed _Night of the Living Dead_, _Dawn of the Dead_ and _Day of the Dead_. **Dan O’Bannon** , who co-wrote and acted in _Dark Star_, directed _Return of the Living Dead_, which was a comedy.

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**Author:** ![jayron\_32](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/41988e/32.png) [@jayron\_32](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jayron_32)\
**Post date:** [July 24, 2000, 8:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/classic-movies-you-dont-get-mad-max/26655/29 "2000-07-24T20:35:54Z")

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> [@](#):
>
> Ok then…speaking of Evil Dead…didn’t George Romero direct those…

No, George Romero directed _Night of the Living Dead_. Sam Raimi (_Darkman_, _A Simple Plan_, _For Love of The Game_ (yes THAT baseball movie), sometimes collaberator with The Coen Brothers) directed the Evil Dead movies. Strictly speaking, Evil Dead II is not a sequel of Evil Dead I, it’s more of a remake with a bigger budget. As such, it loses much of its charm. Army of Darkness is a good film, but its deliberate camp doesn’t compare with the sheer and utter craziness of Evil Dead I.

FTR, I \*\* LOVED\*\* Brazil, but then again, I would…

And as for the popular film I never understood, _Pret a Porter_ by Robert Altman made NO sense to me. None whatsoever.

That, and anything David Lynch has ever done. Dennis Hopper was GREAT in Blue Velvet, but Isabella Rosalini and Kyle McLaughlin seemed to be reading off of cue cards.

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**Author:** ![Gunslinger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/4491bb/32.png) [@Gunslinger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gunslinger)\
**Post date:** [July 24, 2000, 9:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/classic-movies-you-dont-get-mad-max/26655/30 "2000-07-24T21:26:32Z")

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I want one of those blowers with a clutch.

[nit]When one of the bad guys’ cars with straight pipes sticking out the side flips over in _Road Warrior_, you can see the real exhaust pipes and mufflers underneath[/nit]

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**Author:** ![irish\_bill](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/ac91a4/32.png) [@irish\_bill](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/irish_bill)\
**Post date:** [July 24, 2000, 9:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/classic-movies-you-dont-get-mad-max/26655/31 "2000-07-24T21:47:40Z")

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Since the discussion has veered slightly off course… Have people here seen any of the following…

Buckaroo Banzai, Trancers, The Quiet Earth, Phase IV,Bliss

how do they rate?

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**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\
**Post date:** [July 24, 2000, 10:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/classic-movies-you-dont-get-mad-max/26655/32 "2000-07-24T22:01:13Z")

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[quote]  
Since the discussion has veered slightly off course… Have people here seen any of the following…

Buckaroo Banzai, Trancers, The Quiet Earth, Phase IV,Bliss

how do they rate?

[quote]

**_Buckaroo Banzai_:** Great little film. I still enjoy watching it from time to time. “Hey, Monkey-boy!”

**_The Quiet Earth_:** I also liked this one. Nothing like a little apocalypse to give one perspective.

**_Phase IV_:** I couldn’t get into this one. A bit long and drawn out, given the material. Good shots of the ants though.

I didn’t see _Trancers_ or _Bliss_.

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**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\
**Post date:** [July 24, 2000, 10:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/classic-movies-you-dont-get-mad-max/26655/33 "2000-07-24T22:05:48Z")

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> [@](#):
>
> Since the discussion has veered slightly off course… Have people here seen any of the following…
> 
> Buckaroo Banzai, Trancers, The Quiet Earth, Phase IV,Bliss
> 
> how do they rate?

**_Buckaroo Banzai_:** Great little film. I still enjoy watching it from time to time. “Hey, Monkey-boy!”

**_The Quiet Earth_:** I also liked this one. Nothing like a little apocalypse to give one perspective.

**_Phase IV_:** I couldn’t get into this one. A bit long and drawn out, given the material. Good shots of the ants though.

I didn’t see _Trancers_ or _Bliss_.

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**Author:** ![Spartacus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/dc4da7/32.png) [@Spartacus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spartacus)\
**Post date:** [July 24, 2000, 11:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/classic-movies-you-dont-get-mad-max/26655/34 "2000-07-24T23:46:09Z")

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The best thing about Mad Max is his car: “The last of the V-8 Interceptors…” It’s really a Ford XB Falcon Hardtop. These were quite popular in Australia in the seventies.

Anyway, how can you not mention any of John Waters’ films? “Pink Flamingos” was the most disgustingly hilarious movie I’ve ever seen. “Female Trouble” and “Mondo Trasho” were vile too.

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**Author:** ![silent\_rob](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e9a140/32.png) [@silent\_rob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silent_rob)\
**Post date:** [July 25, 2000, 12:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/classic-movies-you-dont-get-mad-max/26655/35 "2000-07-25T00:19:36Z")

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One that I don’t get why it’s a cult classic:

**Polyester** : did not like this movie at all. Pretty much everything about this movie just put me off. Okay, the smell-o-rama might have gotten me to see it once when it first came out, but why are there so many people obsessed with it?

Also, _The Gods Must Be Crazy_, I don’t understand why it’s a cult classic. I mean, it’s a funny viewing once, but I don’t think I would watch it again. Needs2Know, I think most of the cult classics that you listed became that because they’re just fun movies that hit a cord with people. The only reason they’re cult classics is because they didn’t catch on with the general population.

No offence meant, obfusciatrist, but your list is the only list that I don’t understand. While the movies you listed aren’t on my favourites list, I can completely understand while people like them. Especially Forrest Gump and It’s a Wonderful Life, both feel good movies. The others were just really well done. Though, I must admit, 2001 pails in comparison to the book.

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**Author:** ![Lumpy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lumpy/32/446_2.png) [@Lumpy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lumpy)\
**Post date:** [July 25, 2000, 1:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/classic-movies-you-dont-get-mad-max/26655/36 "2000-07-25T01:34:08Z")

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_BRAZIL_ can be summed up as “Franz Kafka meets Walter Mitty”. It also can be taken as a dark satire of Britain during the 1970’s Labor government.

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**Author:** ![Spartacus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/dc4da7/32.png) [@Spartacus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spartacus)\
**Post date:** [July 25, 2000, 1:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/classic-movies-you-dont-get-mad-max/26655/37 "2000-07-25T01:49:11Z")

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Anybody see “Happiness”? My God, I didn’t know if I was allowed to laugh…

```
 "Why, oh why couldn't I have been raped as a child!"
```

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**Author:** ![divemaster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/divemaster/32/78_2.png) [@divemaster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/divemaster)\
**Post date:** [July 25, 2000, 2:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/classic-movies-you-dont-get-mad-max/26655/38 "2000-07-25T02:15:24Z")

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**Jeff 42** , I didn’t think anyone else had ever seen _Street Trash_. What a bad movie. Although the derelicts playing ‘keep-away’ with that dude’s severed pecker was kindof funny.

**needs2know** , DePalma did _Snake Eyes_ within the last year or so.

I liked _Dark Star_! Interesting to see John Carpenter’s first effort.

And speaking of David Lynch, what about _Wild at Heart_? I liked it, but what was all the Wizard of Oz allegory about?

I think _Kalifornia_ would qualify as a cult film. Certainly not mainstream Brad Pitt.

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**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\
**Post date:** [July 25, 2000, 2:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/classic-movies-you-dont-get-mad-max/26655/39 "2000-07-25T02:21:01Z")

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> [@](#):
>
> Although the derelicts playing ‘keep-away’ with that dude’s severed pecker was kind of funny.

That scene sounds familiar, but the title doesn’t. Was it ever released under another name?

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**Author:** ![Merlot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/3e96dc/32.png) [@Merlot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Merlot)\
**Post date:** [July 25, 2000, 2:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/classic-movies-you-dont-get-mad-max/26655/40 "2000-07-25T02:27:35Z")

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in Mad Max are called The Humongous! 😃 Yes, at one time I knew the dialog for both Mad Max and Road Warrior. 😉

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