The American Mad Max: The Road Warrior versus the Postman

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

10-1-2017

Publication Title

Science Fiction Film & Television

Volume

10

Issue

3

First page number:

307

Last page number:

327

Abstract

Beginning with the incredible success of The Road Warrior, the Mad Max franchise became a foundational US post-apocalyptic fantasy. That film’s rusted wasteland aesthetics and heroic lone-wolf ethos proved enormously influential, affecting the very possibilities for imagining such future scenarios. This article examines Mad Max’s impact by looking to a post-apocalyptic alternative in The Postman (both David Brin’s novel and Kevin Costner’s screen adaptation). Despite their Australian origins, the Mad Max films have now been long established as iconic American expressions. But The Postman’s awkward, community-driven, patriotic vibe establishes the fulfilling future that George Miller initially sought – yet failed – to create. The harrowing narrative of The Postman both competes with and complements Mad Max’s nightmare world, offering a significantly different account of post-apocalyptic mayhem and renewal.

Keywords

Mad Max; Post-apocalyptic; The Postman; American

Disciplines

English Language and Literature

Language

English

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