Episode 168: Visions of the Wasteland: On George Miller's 'Mad Max' Films

There are artists who express the vision of a place, person, or thing so vividly and originally that it sets the bar for all future imaginings. With his four Mad Max films, this is what George Miller did with the image of the Wasteland. No one has been able to capture the stark, raw energy and chaotic beauty of a post-apocalyptic desert quite like Miller. His portrayal not only defines the aesthetic of a cinematic world but also prompts us to think about the meaning of civilization, technology, humanity, and how they intertwine. In this episode, Phil and JF discuss how Mad Max challenges our perception of civilization, and our conception of the human. Support us on Patreon (https://www.patreon.com/weirdstudies). Buy the Weird Studies soundtrack, volumes 1 (https://pierre-yvesmartel.bandcamp.com/album/weird-studies-music-from-the-podcast-vol-1) and 2 (https://pierre-yvesmartel.bandcamp.com/album/weird-studies-music-from-the-podcast-vol-2), on Pierre-Yves Martel's Bandcamp (https://pierre-yvesmartel.bandcamp.com) page. Listen to Meredith Michael and Gabriel Lubell's podcast, Cosmophonia (https://cosmophonia.podbean.com/). Visit the Weird Studies Bookshop (https://bookshop.org/shop/weirdstudies) Find us on Discord (https://discord.com/invite/Jw22CHfGwp) Get the T-shirt design from Cotton Bureau (https://cottonbureau.com/products/can-o-content#/13435958/tee-men-standard-tee-vintage-black-tri-blend-s)! REFERENCES George Miller (dir.), Mad Max (https://imdb.com/title/tt0079501/) George Miller (dir.), Mad Max: The Road Warrior (https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0082694//) George Miller (dir.), Mad Max: Beyond Thunderdrome (https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0089530/) George Miller (dir.), Mad Max: Fury Road (https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1392190/) Jaroslav Hašek, The Good Soldier Švejk (https://bookshop.org/a/18799/9780062835444) Stanley Kubrick (dir.), A Clockwork Orange (https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0066921) Sam Raimi (dir), The Quick and the Dead (https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0114214/) Joe Bob Briggs (https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/AnyoneCanDie/Film), movie critic Phil Ford, “The Wanderer” (https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/01411896.2023.2287422) Felix Guattari and Gilles Deleuze, Nomadology (https://bookshop.org/a/18799/9780936756097) Our Known Friend, Meditations on the Tarot (https://bookshop.org/a/18799/9781585421619)