Test audience screenings 7/30 & 12/8 (Spoilers)

[biolumen]

blackmocco, I have a question about the level of violence in FR. I've often said that RW would be PG-13 if about 20 seconds were cut from it, and there are violent scenes in it that imo would remain in a PG-13 movie. Examples from the final chase in RW...

Motorcycle and rider fall beneath the truck
Mechanic and Warrior Woman fall between the vehicles
Max shoots two guys through window and roof, who presumably fall off truck
Wez gets crushed between vehicles

To me, these moments are quite violent because they DONT show gore. Its left to the imagination, which imo gives it far more impact. So my question is, is the violence in FR at that level and/or does it have similar impact that those scenes in RW have? If not, what movie would best be compared to it (violence-wise). Thanks.

[blackmocco]

I can't think of every example off the top of my head in regards to RW but I would say if you chop out the rape, you're probably very close to scraping through to a PG-13 by modern standards. Violence in movie ratings is all about context as well as explicitness. Lots of people die horrible deaths in Beyond Thunderdome but because the tone of the movie is more over-the-top and theatrical, it doesn't come across as nasty as some of the deaths in RW. I would say to put everyone's minds at ease that Fury Road contains a lot of carnage, violence and mayhem but that the tone of the movie is quite over-the-top. There was nothing in there, for me anyway, that comes close to Warrior Woman's demise or Max shooting through a windshield - and presumably, a driver's head - during RW's final chase. Wez getting smushed at the end has always seemed pretty cartoonish.

But the thing is, you got to know enough about Warrior Woman during Road Warrior that it hurts when she dies and that's why it seems so nasty. There's not much dignity to how she goes out. I'd make the case that I didn't really care about the characters as much with FR and maybe that's why it didn't have the same kind of resonance. The characters seem a bit secondary to the concept of the movie. That aside, it's simply not as explicit. I guess you could compare the level and style of violence and how it's portrayed to the latest Bond movies maybe...? That seems a fair comparison.

[MWFV8]

I can't think of every example off the top of my head in regards to RW but I would say if you chop out the rape, you're probably very close to scraping through to a PG-13 by modern standards. Violence in movie ratings is all about context as well as explicitness. Lots of people die horrible deaths in Beyond Thunderdome but because the tone of the movie is more over-the-top and theatrical, it doesn't come across as nasty as some of the deaths in RW. I would say to put everyone's minds at ease that Fury Road contains a lot of carnage, violence and mayhem but that the tone of the movie is quite over-the-top. There was nothing in there, for me anyway, that comes close to Warrior Woman's demise or Max shooting through a windshield - and presumably, a driver's head - during RW's final chase. Wez getting smushed at the end has always seemed pretty cartoonish.

But the thing is, you got to know enough about Warrior Woman during Road Warrior that it hurts when she dies and that's why it seems so nasty. There's not much dignity to how she goes out. I'd make the case that I didn't really care about the characters as much with FR and maybe that's why it didn't have the same kind of resonance. The characters seem a bit secondary to the concept of the movie. That aside, it's simply not as explicit. I guess you could compare the level and style of violence and how it's portrayed to the latest Bond movies maybe...? That seems a fair comparison.

Excellent post which really gets to the heart of the emotional impact created by good movie making.

[Randy of AFTimes]

When it comes to American movies and the MPAA, I think the movie will be a PG-13

YES, there is violence in Mad Max Fury Road. Both physical & automotive, and people die.
But that's OK in American cinema.
What it doesn't have is excessive gore and sexualized nudity.

The MPAA has always had less of a problem with violence than sex and nudity. I also agree that, with some slight cuts, Mad Max 2/The Road Warrior would easily by a PG-13 movie.

There was a brief part of a scene involving a desperate woman trying to survive offering herself that is the closest to a sex scene in the movie. And it only appeared in the first version of the film I saw.
It's gone, to the best of my knowledge.

So, I think PG-13 is the goal of Warner Brothers.
I think the movie was designed to be a Miller movie that could get a PG-13, without compromising his vision.

That's my two cents...

[Uncle Entity]

Simply, this is because they have had too much time to form a deep set expectation, and when nothing in their mind is met, it's not them who got it wrong, it is Miller.


.

Same thing happened with Thunderdome, which is a masterpiece.

[biolumen]

Thanks again for your input Randy.

What I don't get is that production still of Immortan Joe's mangled face. Why go through the trouble and expense of making him up like that if there was no intent of ever showing it on screen? The only thing I can think of is either a). with so much money to throw around they just did it for fun, or b). WB asked or allowed Miller to film a harder version of the movie to be released on Bluray.

[Ol' Coyote]

b). WB asked or allowed Miller to film a harder version of the movie to be released on Bluray.

Please let this happen, please let this happen..

[Nightwalker]

Indeed!!!
Let the Blu-ray version be rougher and unrated.

[biolumen]

In answer to a question asked for the latest episode of "Ask Drew", HitFix's Drew McWeeny says that the reason for the many screenings of Fury Road is that WB is trying to find the most audience friendly version of an "aggressively weird" film. Sounds like the movie we'll be seeing in May will basically be Miller's vision, just a slightly compromised version of it. Again, I hope his uncompromised version makes it to bluray.

http://www.hitfix.com/motion-captured/a ... -fury-road

[biolumen]

Apparently on Friday there was a MMFR "press day" held in West Hollywood, and Theron and Hoult were present. Anyone know what this was about?