Varese Sarabande is releasing a special limited package collecting the soundtracks to George Miller's original Mad Max trilogy on vinyl.
Miller's dystopian sci-fi tales followed the rogue cop Max Rockatansky (Mel Gibson, in his first breakout role) as he navigated the scorching Australian outback after an energy crisis and nuclear war has thrown society into chaos. In 1979's Mad Max, Miller's first film, Max fought a gang of motorbiking thugs led by the vicious Toecutter (Hugh Keays-Byrne) at cost of his wife and child. Follow-up Mad Max 2: The Road Warrior (1981) found an emotionally scarred Max aiding a band of surviving settlers from a different gang, while the big-budget Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome (1985) found Max fighting to survive against the ruler of Bartertown, the cunning Aunty Entity (Tina Turner).
Australian composer Brian May scored the first two films, winning an AACTA (Australia's equivalent of an Oscar) for its first score. Maurice Jarre composed the score to Beyond Thunderdome, with 25 minutes of music sharing an LP with two songs by Turner, the No. 2 hit "We Don't Need Another Hero (Thunderdome)" and "One of the Living," continuing her incredible comeback from the album Private Dancer.
Miller revived the franchise in 2015 with the stunning Mad Max: Fury Road, featuring Tom Hardy as Max, Charlize Theron as the heroic Imperator Furiosa and Keays-Byrne as the villainous Immortan Joe. While not included in this package, it's a must-see movie, nominated for 10 Oscars (including Best Picture and Best Director) and winning six.
This special 3LP set, pressed on gray, black and sand-colored vinyl and packed in a new serve with original artwork designed by illustrator Tim Bradstreet, is limited to 2,000 copies. It's out April 14, but you can pre-order it now at the link below!
The Mad Max Trilogy (Varese Sarabande, 2017)
Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada TBD
LP 1: Brian May, Mad Max: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack (Varese Sarabande STV-81144, 1980)
- Main Title
- Max the Hunter
- Max Decides on Vengeance
- The Final Chase
- The Terrible Death of Jim Goose
- We'll Give 'Em Back Their Heroes
- Pain and Triumph
- Dazed Goose
- Foreboding in the Vast Landscape
- Declaration of War
- Flight from the Evil Toecutter
- Pursuit and Tragedy
- Jesse Alone, Uneasy and Exhausted
- The Beach House
- The Nightriders Rave
- Jesse Searches for Her Child
- Rampage of the Toecutter
- The Crazing of Johnny the Boy
- Outtakes Suite (in Five Parts) (CD bonus track from Varese Sarabande VCD-47144, 1993 - previously unreleased on LP)
LP 2: Brian May, Mad Max 2: The Road Warrior - Original Soundtrack (Varese Sarabande STV-81155, 1982)
- Montage/Main Title
- Confrontation
- Marauder's Massacre
- Max Enters Compound
- Gyro Saves Max
- Break Out
- Finale and Largo
- End Title
- SFX Suite: Boomerang Attack, Gyro Flight/The Big Rig Starts, Break Out/The Refinery Explodes/Reprise
LP 3: Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack (Capitol Records SWAV-12429, 1985)
- We Don't Need Another Hero (Thunderdome) - Tina Turner
- One of the Living - Tina Turner
- We Don't Need Another Hero (Thunderdome) (Instrumental)
- Bartertown - Maurice Jarre
- The Children - Maurice Jarre
- Coming Home - Maurice Jarre
Leave a Reply