Mad Max: Horror, Action or Black Comedy?

In this radio interview with director George Miller from 1979, film critic Tom Ryan (3RRR, Melbourne) initially suggests Mad Max (1979) is a comedy more than a horror film.

Miller sounds understandably bemused at first but concedes there is an element of humour in the film. He considers it 45% suspense-horror and 45% action movie with the leftover 10% being black comedy.

It's also surprising to learn that one of Miller’s models for Mad Max was the 1972 Hollywood romantic screwball comedy, What’s Up, Doc? (directed by Peter Bogdanovich).

Ryan suggests that, like What’s Up, Doc?, Mad Max is crazy and occasionally goes over the top to become funny. Miller agrees his film is stylised and deals with hyperbole, caricature and black comedy.

Image: George Miller, 1979. NFSA title: 446263