The “DR” stands for doctor not director
Did you know that a person could move you to point where you have no idea what to write? Ok, well I’m having a serious brain malfunction as we speak and you may need to call an ambulance, because it’s more likely I’m having some kind of stroke then an overload on inspiration!
Fun Fact #1: George Miller was originally studying to be a doctor when he took part in a summer film school in 1971 and made a short film, then met his filmmaking soul mate Byron Kennedy and nec-minute he’s making a block buster that is so massive it becomes the highest grossing film for it’s era to come out of this sunburnt country. The F*&% bro???? The good dr. and his buddy created what is now known as “Kennedy Miller Mitchell” a kick arse production company that has worked with the likes of Warner Bros and Channel Ten.
(You know you’re good when these guys see what you’re about and be all “Sick Nuts lets give them some cash and some international license to make more stuff n junk”.)
For this reason the boys have made some incredible work. All the way from talking pigs, and penguins that can’t sing yet but can move like Savion Glover (yeah he did the motion capture… derrr!), then you’ve got old mate Mendlesohn trying to kiss people and get laid in his youth, not to mention a man turned so cray that he is all like taking names for the death of his wife and kid. But what threw me was Lorenzo’s Oil. (HOLLY crap balls!!!! You want to be moved…? THIS is an epic film.)
So as you can imagine, I have been sitting here for quite some time in shock by this mans life, and the films he’s made. I mean even as simple as using the focus of a shot to lure the audience to watch certain areas of the screen thus heightening their experience of the action happening (aka Mad Max- Fury Road), or the deafening sound of shoes walking down a corridor to your son who is sick and doesn’t know it yet. How the hell do you find a common thread with someone who can make you root for a pig wrangling sheep?!
Last week I got to watch Mad Max- Fury Road for the first time with one of my favourite people. I was blown away! Only Miller could find a way to add in some of the most unique objects and car parts I’ve ever seen including a blind-guitar flame-throwing-dude-instead-of-a-car-radio… WHILST GIVING THEM ALL A F$%^ING PURPOSE!!! Then I saw that the good Dr has ANOTHER Mad Max coming out after that (Hey George, see my contact info for my agents details!), and I was like damn… I need to get a part in this, SHIT I MEAN, educated on this cult classic as I feel I have suddenly been missing out on something pretty friggin awesome.
I was right, now I need to find a time machine and go back to write some wrongs in my life- not following Mad Max is one of them (another is not buying Hollywood Barbie when I had the chance)- but I will say this “George, you do not put Megan Gale on a steel tower naked only to kill her off 4 scenes later! Cruel, I literally yelled at my TV… Well played Dr. Miller, well played!”
I uncovered even more depth to this human… So… I have no idea how many of you know this, but Byron died in an accident with a helicopter back in 1983. Now I don’t know if many of you have had the pure pleasure that is working with your filmmaking soul mate but it’s like having a Tim Tam Slam! To have that taken away from you would be such a massive shock to the system. Having a sounding board with a human who you can trust with what’s moving you creatively is such a special bond. I’ll come back to this point in a bit cause I’m pretty sure it’s the key to what inspires the good Doctors work.
I just want to tell you that the best thing you’ll ever see Mel Gibson do is handcuff a man to a car that is about to explode and make him choose between trying to cut through hand cuffs or his own leg. What a concept! What direction! What a way to start the true mayhem of what would be Mad Max the series! A series that this little starting out filmmaker feels in ways is better than the Bond series, as somehow the first film, has moments being answered in the newest film (does that make sense?)… What the actual f*&% you talented jerks! You walk away from that first MM wondering, who really starts the new world mayhem of crazy behavior? (The bad guys or the righteous system that can no longer protect its people.) Ugh, so my fellow 2015 people get yourself some Malteasers, a 6 pack and settle in this is a ride you want to go on!
Just when you think you have Miller pegged as an action hero junkie, you remember the guy has made some of the most incredible animations/ heart felt family flicks you’ll see, but nothing prepared me for Lorenzo’s Oil. So just an FYI: On a flight from Syd to the UK in 1992 George met the Adone family, who’s son had been diagnosed with ALD a hideous disease that passes from Mother to Son.
It’s a piece of shit illness which back in the late 70’s had no cure or way to combat the illness. Little boys we’re horrifically sick, and Doctors had no idea what to do. But the father and mother of this little boy decided to take matters into their own hands. They started to cure their boy themselves. Making a special oil that made a massive difference in the world of medicine to date. Yeah… F%$&ing oil bro!!! I was trying to fold my washing when I put this film on, and I am pretty certain I sat on my bed holding a bra for a good ten minutes in absolute awe of the struggle this family went through. My god… You guys have to see this film, if you don’t I am telling you it’s a loss on humanity! (If you are not moved by this story you might need to see someone…)
So here it is. What is my diagnosis of Dr. George Miller? What does every film seem to have in common and how has this man’s life affected his filmmaking? Why would you want to make so many vastly different films? (Apart from being a legend-who-is-badass-and-does-what-he-want’s!) Well… Here it is…
Every single film has an unlikely hero. A character that you least expect to pull a rabbit out of the hat. It could be a penguin that saves its people by dancing. A little pig that rounds up sheep better than any dog can. A man who’s lost everything has been turned a little bit mad but somehow always manages to steer towards the light. Or a father who fights for the life of his boy proving to a whole medical trial that they are on the wrong track.
I would venture to guess that Byron was George’s unlikely hero. He was a dude he met at summer camp that together, they were inspired to chase a dream, and look where you are now Doctor? I guarantee Mr Kennedy would be pretty chuffed with how you’ve done, and the kind of stories the company is making. I don’t know if my research was right on this one, and would hate to assume. But I guess at the end of the day all that matters is that George Miller met the right people in this world, at the right time in order to be put on this planet to inspire us with great story telling.
I hope he’s very proud of the work he has accomplished. I know I am a fan.
