George Miller‘s relentless, pulse-pounding, “Mad Max: Fury Road” is hailed as one of the best action films of the 21st century. Taking audiences on a wild ride to an insane, sand-scape of post-apocalyptic proportions, the ‘Fury Road’ narrative is succinct and straightforward but is still jampacked with layers and meaning. This has prompted some to postulate on the writing behind the film. Ostensibly, what audiences see in the narrative is a highly constructed, incredibly detailed world. But what they don’t see consciously is the story building that took place behind the camera.
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In a video essay from Just Write, fans of the film are given a considered look behind the scenes of a movie without a traditional script. What audiences get from just a few seconds of footage is a long, descriptive passage as to what is happening on screen. Remember, a two-hour film could be well over a hundred pages of screenplay. With a film as detailed as ‘Fury Road,’ the purposeful language used to describe even the seemingly minimalist elements like Immortan Joe’s belt and medals is never given short shrift.
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With a film as visual as “Fury Road,” the detail and meaningful nature of object exchange add to the story. These choreographed movements highlight the boundaries and the bonds formed between characters. Even the minimalist exchange about the rifle from Max to Furiosa inspires the seeds of what becomes a deep trust between the two. While the audience may have been able to eventually gage this through dialogue and body language, the passing of an element simplistically demonstrates the exchange in the relationship. “Mad Max: Fury Road” is a film fans, and critics are still thinking about, an intense lesson on meaningful world building, depth of detail, and character development. But the greatest lesson is the pages translated to the screen.