Mad Max, Buster Keaton and Silent Films

[Brooksie]

What does Mad Max: Fury Road have to do with silent film? Everything, according to the director, George Miller, who is quoted in numerous reviews as considering The General a major influence.

Not only has a lot of commentary begun to focus on this (http://www.norvillerogers.com/mad-max-f ... film-ever/, for example), but it's been announced in the past few days that the Blu Ray will feature two alternative cuts of the film: one in black and white, and another in a silent (i.e. music-only) version. Very interesting!

[Frederica]

What does Mad Max: Fury Road have to do with silent film? Everything, according to the director, George Miller, who is quoted in numerous reviews as considering The General a major influence.

Not only has a lot of commentary begun to focus on this (http://www.norvillerogers.com/mad-max-f ... film-ever/, for example), but it's been announced in the past few days that the Blu Ray will feature two alternative cuts of the film: one in black and white, and another in a silent (i.e. music-only) version. Very interesting!

I haven't seen it yet, but a friend did. She (like Daniel) said it is almost completely silent, in the speech sense, and had the loudest soundtrack she'd ever enjoyed the heck out of.

[Mike Gebert]

Personally, my touchstone for the movie was closer to Ken Russell's Lisztomania, notably the scene in which Rick Wakeman as Richard Wagner chases Roger Daltrey's Franz Liszt on a flying Nazi pipe organ, but you know, same thing.

[Donald Binks]

Due to the popularity of the first "Mad Max" film, I thought I would take a look at it and see what all the fuss was about. I think I lasted about 10 minutes before I wrenched the tape from the machine. There is no accounting for taste I suppose, but it was definitely not my cup of tea. In the 10 minutes I did see, I was not reminded in any way of Buster Keaton - perhaps those scenes come later? If the new film does have a silent version - then I am sure that those of us who got a headache from the sound version would welcome it. Nevertheless, despite my negativity here, I think it a wonderful idea to release a silent version in that it may cross-pollinate as it were, and thus lead to the young 'uns venturing into the world of silent cinema. One can only live in hope.

[telical]

Due to the popularity of the first "Mad Max" film, I thought I would take a look at it and see what all the fuss was about. I think I lasted about 10 minutes before I wrenched the tape from the machine. There is no accounting for taste I suppose, but it was definitely not my cup of tea. In the 10 minutes I did see, I was not reminded in any way of Buster Keaton - perhaps those scenes come later?

I believe the Keaton reference is for the film released in 2015, not the original one. There are three so far in the series.

[Daniel Eagan]

I believe the Keaton reference is for the film released in 2015, not the original one. There are three so far in the series.

Three in the original series. The new film, Mad Max: Fury Road, has nothing to do with those other than a shared premise and lead character.

Mad Max: Fury Road is basically a chase. The movie pauses at times to fill in some exposition, but as director George Miller said he's really only interested in the chase elements of the story.

You could say the same about a lot of Keaton's efforts. Yes, there are great gags and grace notes in movies like Seven Chances, but he devoted most of his attention in that one to the climactic chase. And the chase doesn't get much more elemental than in The General.

If you're afraid it's too loud, just wear ear plugs. Otherwise there isn't a good excuse to pass up what is some of the most accomplished and dynamic moviemaking you can see on the screen these days.

[Brooksie]

I haven't had a chance to see it yet either, but everyone I know who has seen it thought it was a rip-roaring treat, so I'm looking forward to it.

Checking back through interviews, Miller has been citing silent film since long before the current film. I don't think anyone is suggesting that Harold Lloyd might have made a film about a post-apocalyptic renegade, but he clearly has respect for the idea of silent storytelling.

This comes from Fliks.com.au:

Dr George Miller, the film’s writer and director and the creator of the Mad Max universe, is the first to acknowledge that this is an action film, but he is a filmmaker who is true to his medical background, takes a scalpel to surgically remove the word “mindless” from “action.”

“This one I wanted to be an extended chase,” he tells Fliks. “From the get go when I first started making movies I was always interested in the action movie. That’s where film language was forged: In the silent era with Harold Lloyd and Buster Keaton and Max Linder and everyone. That’s really where the language which differentiates cinema from theatre evolved. That was one of the things that drove the first Mad Max movies.”

[Frederica]

I haven't had a chance to see it yet either, but everyone I know who has seen it thought it was a rip-roaring treat, so I'm looking forward to it.

Checking back through interviews, Miller has been citing silent film since long before the current film. I don't think anyone is suggesting that Harold Lloyd might have made a film about a post-apocalyptic renegade, but he clearly has respect for the idea of silent storytelling.

This comes from Fliks.com.au:

Dr George Miller, the film’s writer and director and the creator of the Mad Max universe, is the first to acknowledge that this is an action film, but he is a filmmaker who is true to his medical background, takes a scalpel to surgically remove the word “mindless” from “action.”

“This one I wanted to be an extended chase,” he tells Fliks. “From the get go when I first started making movies I was always interested in the action movie. That’s where film language was forged: In the silent era with Harold Lloyd and Buster Keaton and Max Linder and everyone. That’s really where the language which differentiates cinema from theatre evolved. That was one of the things that drove the first Mad Max movies.”

The silent thing even shows up in Babe (my favorite film ever about a pig), James Cromwell is almost completely speech-free in it.

[Mitch Farish]

some of the most accomplished and dynamic moviemaking you can see on the screen these days.

Faint praise.

[Rick Lanham]

Here's some music from Mad Max: Fury Road matched up with a scene from The General:

http://www.kottke.org/15/05/mad-max-vs-buster-keaton" target="_blank

Rick

[NotSoSilent]

Here's some music from Mad Max: Fury Road matched up with a scene from The General:

http://www.kottke.org/15/05/mad-max-vs-buster-keaton" target="_blank" target="_blank" target="_blank

Rick

That is amazing! Was there editing on either side or did they happen to align that perfectly?

[Frederica]

Here's some music from Mad Max: Fury Road matched up with a scene from The General:

http://www.kottke.org/15/05/mad-max-vs-buster-keaton" target="_blank" target="_blank" target="_blank" target="_blank" target="_blank" target="_blank

Rick

That is amazing! Was there editing on either side or did they happen to align that perfectly?

Wow, nice. Percussive. I've been talked into it, I'm seeing it tomorrow.

[Rick Lanham]

Here's some music from Mad Max: Fury Road matched up with a scene from The General:

http://www.kottke.org/15/05/mad-max-vs-buster-keaton" target="_blank" target="_blank" target="_blank" target="_blank" target="_blank

Rick

That is amazing! Was there editing on either side or did they happen to align that perfectly?

There is a lot edited out of the video to make it fit. Just two parts are: 1. Where Buster uses a chain from his train to tear up the tracks behind him 2. Where his train stops on the railroad bridge and he starts the fire.

I got my copy out to compare.

Rick

[Matthew White]

What does Mad Max: Fury Road have to do with silent film? Everything, according to the director, George Miller, who is quoted in numerous reviews as considering The General a major influence.

Not only has a lot of commentary begun to focus on this (http://www.norvillerogers.com/mad-max-f ... film-ever/, for example), but it's been announced in the past few days that the Blu Ray will feature two alternative cuts of the film: one in black and white, and another in a silent (i.e. music-only) version. Very interesting!

Ok, I had been thinking about going to see the new Mad Max film but this clinches it! Going!

[wich2]

some of the most accomplished and dynamic moviemaking you can see on the screen these days.

Faint praise.

That kind of comment is common on nostalgia sites; but I'll grab the bait, and take issue with it.

Anyone who thinks there are not truly excellent films being made nowadays is not seeing enough of them - and anyone who thinks there were not plenty of stinkers in the "golden age" has not seen enough of them!

-Craig

[Lonesome Luke]

Anyone who thinks there are not truly excellent films being made nowadays is not seeing enough of them - and anyone who thinks there were not plenty of stinkers in the "golden age" has not seen enough of them!

I agree. (But, I'm not talking about the big blockbusters in general.)

[Frederica]

Wow, nice. Percussive. I've been talked into it, I'm seeing it tomorrow.

Yeeeeeeeeoooooooowwwwwwwwwzzaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhh!!!!

[silentfilm]

More on director George Miller has announced that the BluRay of Mad Max: Fury Road will have a B&W silent version of the film as an extra on the disk.

http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/movies/news ... cI1g49iomm

[Gumlegs]

Personally, my touchstone for the movie was closer to Ken Russell's Lisztomania, notably the scene in which Rick Wakeman as Richard Wagner chases Roger Daltrey's Franz Liszt on a flying Nazi pipe organ, but you know, same thing.

It's always seemed to me that Russell’s Franz Liszt unleashing the machine-gun wielding Nazi Frankenstein monster was a metaphor much the same as Keaton's Johnny Gray piloting his locomotive as an instrument the Civil War slaughter.