MAD MAX II
Written by
Terry Hayes, George Miller & Brian Hannant
April 13, 1981
THE MONTAGE
BLACK AND WHITE ACADEMY FORMAT
THE WASTELAND. DAY.
Flurries of dust and sand swirl around us as we move
through an eerie, barren land. The only sound is the
howl of a rising wind.
Ahead something looms out of the storm. As we approach
we see that it is the rusting remains of a massive oil
pump.
The wind drops to be replaced by the voice of a very
old man. This is the Narrator:
NARRATOR v/o
The vision dims and all that
remains are memories. ._
They take me back - back to
the place where the black
pump sucked guzzolene from
the earth...
DISSOLVE.
lb. ANOTHER PART OF THE WASTELAND. DAY. lb.
Out of the dust storm emerges the ancient wreck of
a prime mover and fuel tanker. It is partly
charred, its wheels and sides studded with metal
crossbow bolts.
NARRATOR v/a
And I remember the terrible
battle we fought - the day
we left that place forever...
DISSOLVE.
A HILLTOP IN THE WASTELAND. DAY.
A warrior, dressed in leather and steel, stands on
a hillcrest. This is MAX. Behind him is a strange
road vehicle: two engines and a seat mounted on a
chassis.
NARRATOR v/o
But, most of all, I remember
the courage of a stranger, a
road warrior called Max.
To understand who he was you
must go back to the last days
of the old world...
FADE TO BLACK.
A MOB OF ARAB STUDENTS storm a heavily-fortified embassy
and raise the Iranian flag.
U.S. SOLDIERS LAND... If.
on a beach in the Persian Gulf and fight their
way across the sand.
NARRATOR v/o
.when, for reasons long
forgotten, two mighty warrior
nations went to war...
AN OIL WELL ERUPTS.
and then another... and another.
Plumes of flame burst across the skyline.
NARRATOR
and touched off a blaze
which engulfed them all.
Ih. A LINE OF CARS... lh.
stretches for blocks until it finally reaches
a gas station.
An attendant pulls down a sign which reads:
$7/GALLON
and replaces it with another sign:
AUTHORISED VEHICLES ONLY
A group of angry motorists gather around, yelling
and pushing.
The attendant produces a gun motioning them back...
NARRATOR
for without fuel they were
nothing. They had built a
house of straw...
ii. BUSINESSMEN AT A STOCK EXCHANGE... li.
are yelling and shoving.
BUSINESSMEN
Sell! Sell! Sell!
Torn up scrip litters the floor...
Ij. THE FOYER OF A HUGE CORPORATION lj.
The company's crest is chiselled on the wall. it
is accompanied by the words:
SEVEN SISTERS PETROLEUM
"Fuelling The World"
on the floor below, beyond the marble pillars, we see
the building is abandoned - littered with broken
furniture and piles of documents.
DISSOLVE. 4
lk. A CORRIDOR. 1k.
We pass through a door designated:
• CHIEF EXECUTIVE
At the other end of the imposing room we see a
businessman clearing out his vast desk. His name is
PAPPAGALLO. On the wall behind him we see photo-
graphs and paintings of oil wells and refineries.
PAPPAGALLO takes a wad of maps and puts them in his
briefcase, followed by a copy of 'Whole Earth
Catalogue" and another book. The cover reads:
TEACH YOURSELF SOLAR ENERGY
I.l. LIVING ROOM. ii.
An ANXIOUS FAMILY is gathered in front of a
television set. A politican addresses the nation.
POLITICIAN
Stage three of the national
emergency is effective
immediately. Citizens are
warned...
The speech is cut short as static fills the screen.
The family looks up at the lights as they flicker...
Im. IN A FACTORY... lm.
.a giant machine grinds to a halt.
In. IN A CITY STREET... In.
.anxious faces look up as the street lights
flick off.
9
1D
lo. AN INDUSTRIAL CITY SCAPE. lo.
It is dark, decaying, silent...
NARRATOR v/o
People stopped in the stmeets
and listened: for the first
time they heard the sound of
silence.
ip. A CITY LANE - DARK AND DESERTED. NIGHT. lp.
A terrible scream... a YOUNG MAN runs down the
street... a shot is fired.
The YOUNG MAN falls dead... crushing the meat and
eggs he has been clutching to his chest...
NARRATOR v/o
Their world crumbled...
DISSOLVE.
lq. IN A DESERTED CITY STREET. lq.
Bank notes, blown by the wind, flutter towards a
store dummy, lying smashed on the road...
A rat emerges from the back of the mannequin's skull
and scurries away as we hear the roar of a big
engine.
The wide wheels of a big car crush the dummy. As the
vehicle roars down the street it is followed by two
big bikes...
NARRATOR v/o
And only those mobile enough
to scavenge, brutal enough to
pillage would survive.
DISSOLVE.
1
1
(THE FOLLOWING IS ALL FOOTAGE FROM MAD MAX I)
2r.. A GROUP OF OUTLAW BIKERS...
.heap from a hillside onto the roof of a moving
fuel tanker. They pass a hose into the tank...
NARRATOR v/o
At last, the vermin had
inherited the earth.
DISSOLVE.
2s. A PACK OF BIKERS... is.
.swarm around a car and start to back it to
pieces.
DISSOLVE.
it. A SERIES OF RAPIDLY DISSOLVING IMAGES.
Speeding cars, speeding bikes, crashing vans,
crashing police cars, crashing bikes, brawls,
smashed windows, explosions.
NARRATOR v/o
And in this maelstrom of decay,
ordinary men were
battered and crushed...
lu. MAX IN POLICE UNIFORM. lu.
.turns and smiles.
NARRATOR v/o
.`.men like the Warrior Max...
DISSOLVE.
lv. MAX PLAYS. lv.
.with a woman - JESSIE and their child.
DISSOLVE.
.through a wheat field. He catches her. They
tumble on the ground laughing.
lx. MAX EMBRACES JESSIE. 1x-
NARRATOR v/o
.whointhe roar of an engine,
lost everything...
DISSOLVE,
1y. ON A HIGHWAY... ly.
JESSIE carrying the child, scrambles from her van
and runs down the road. A GANG OF OUTLAW BIKERS
run them down... the child's ball bounces down the
road.
MAX runs towards their bodies...
Iz. SILHOUETTED ON A HILLSID r GRAVEYARD. lz.
(PRODUCTION FOOTAGE)
MAX stands looking down at two headstones...
DISSOLVE.
laa. IN FRONT OF A ROARING FIRE. laa.
MAX fuels the blaze with the remnants of his past
life: children's toys; photo albums; his police
badge.
lbb. MAX WITH HIS SHOTGUN. 2bb.
.turns to camera, wild-eyed...
NARRATOR v/o
And became a shell of a man.
A burnt out, desolate man, a
dead man, running from the
demons of his past.
A man who wandered far away...
out into the wasteland... DISSOLVE.
icc. MAX DRIVING. lcc.
The supercharger on the front of the vehicle
dominates the foreground.
NARRATOR v/a
And it was out here, in this
blighted place, that he
learned to live again...
FADE UP COLOUR.
THE SCREEN WIDENS TO ANAMORPHIC RATIO.
2
2. HELICOPTER AERIAL TRANSITION. DAWN,
We soar along the empty highway, up and down its
rises and around its curves until we are out in
the vast wasteland.
3.
3. WASTELAND HIGHWAY. DAY.
The black hole of the supercharger dominates the
frame. Behind the wheel we see MAX looking about
- his leathers
3 years older. He is gaunt, unkempt
tattered and torn.
The black-on-black pursuit car, bearing the scars of
numerous road duels, cruises down the roller coaster
highway.
As MAX crests a hill he hits the brakes. His companion,
a mongrel DOG, sitting in a baby's auto seat, lifts
its bead to look.
The black-on-black slides to a stop.
4.
4. RURAL SHACK ON HIGHWAY. DAY.
On a ridge close to the road, silhouetted in a dust-blown
LIKE MEN.
field, is a strange assortment of WARRIO1
They are cannibalising a farm vehicle: siphoning its
fuel and loading food and other loot into their
bizarre vehicles.
The DOG growls. MAX looks further along the ridge.
On the bor:.zon we see a burning wooden s:iack and
three bodies strung from a gnarled, dead tree.
MAX looks back to the MEN. Several of then, having seen
him, are running to their vehicles.
The first of them is a muscular man with a red mohawk
haircut. He is heavily protected by a leather and
metal chest plate, shoulder pads and leggings. This
is WEZ.
Sc. 4. Cont..
2
4. Gont. 11 .
He runs to where a GOLDEN YOUTH sits on the pillion
seat of a huge bike.
WEZ is followed by TWO MORE MOHAWKERS on bikes, THREE
GAYBOY BERSERKERS in road racers and FOUR SMEGMA
CRAZIES in bizarre dune buggies.
MAX guns the big motor. The black-on-black takes off.
MAX hits the supercharger - surging away.
Through the rear window we see WEZ lead the other nine
vehicles down the hill, giving chase...
WIPE.
5. ELSEWHERE ON THE HIGHWAY. --(A LITTLE LATER). DAY. 5.
High angle helicopter shot of the chase. The
Marauders' vehicles are strung down the highway.
Only the fastest, led by Wee, can keep up with
the black-on-black.
WIPE.
6, THE WRECKS ON THE HIGHWAY. (STILL LATER). DAY. 6
The black-oD-black surges around a wide curve,
revealing only three vehicles still in pursuit.
The first machine is Wez's big road bike, the
GOLDEN YOUTH riding pillion. It is followed by a
bizarre road racer and a strange dune buggy.
As the black-on-black crests a rise MAX is confronted
by a tangle of wrecked vehicles on the road ahead.
He swerves, slaloms through the wrecks and accelerates
into a sweeping right hand curve.
WEZ ramps his bike over the first wreck and corrects,
avoiding the other wrecks.
The road racer ramps two wheels over the first wreck
but cannot correct. It clips the second wreck, sends
it spinning, then continues after the black-on-black.
The dune buggy decides to avoid the wrecks altogether
and veers off the road to the right. It,.heads across
open terrain aiming to intercept the black-on-black 1
on the curve,
3�
7
7. THE MARAUDERS CATCH UP - HIGHWAY. DAY.
A light flashes on Max's dashboard, an alarm whoops,
MAX looks down at the fuel gauge: close to empty,
He curses and flicks a switch, cutting off the
supercharger.
The black-on-black slows...
The DOG whimpers, crawls off its chair and under Max's
seat.
WEZ overhauls MAX on the passenger side: He raises his
forearm, aiming his gauntlet-style crossbow at MAX'S
head.
MAX barely has time to glimpse the road racer drawing
alongside the driver's door.
The passenger - a GAYBOY BERSERKER - wields a brutal,
gas-powered 'gun': the heads of six metal arrows
protrude from a big barrel. This weapon is the
"porta-pak".
MAX hits the brakes,
The road racer and the bike surge past the black car...
just as the porta-pak fires.
Two arrows thud into the black car, three go astray
and one hits WEZ in the arm.
MAX throws the black car in behind the road racer...
WEZ, fighting to control the bike, leaves the road...
MAX changes down and hits the supercharger...
The black car leaps forward, ramming into the back of
the road racer, bullying it along.
Wheels and metal screaming, the two cars approach an
intersection littered with furniture and other debris.
A road rig lies abandoned on the roadside.
MAX eases back for a moment then flattens the
accelerator...
The black car slams into the back of the road racer...
hurling it forward, just as the dune buggy regains the
highway...
4
p . 1aL a. a+ t aruua.:.. a 1 VL\ . Ld 1
The driver of the road racer screams as his vehicle
hits the dune buggy, spinning it like a top, sending
it crashing into the side of the road rig.
The road racer slides through a 180 degrees, rolls,
smashes through a road sign and hits a power pole.
The pole thuds to the road as MAX throws a handbrake
"U" turn and skids to a halt in the middle of the
intersection.
MAX, carrying a jerry can, gets out of the black car.
He looks down the highway.
9. A RISE OVERLOOKING THE INTERSECTION. DAY. 9.
WEZ is stopped on the crest of the road, looking down
on the intersection. The arrow is still in his arm.
We see the GOLDEN YOUTH clearly for the first time:
he is strikingly beautiful,.
10. THE INTERSECTION. 10.
MAX, unfazed , hurries to the wreck of the dune buggy,
crushed beneath the road rig. Fuel streams from its
ruptured tank.
From inside the wreck we hear the moans of the injured
driver.
MAX puts the jerry can under the escaping fuel and
tearing a bandana from his neck - mops up the gasolene
lying on the bitumen.
Suddenly, there is a shrill whistle.
MAX looks up at the crest of the road.
11. THE RISE OVERLOOKING THE INTERSECTION. DAY. 11.
WEZ grins as he pulls the arrow slowly out of his
arm. His eyes never leave MAX.
He holds up the arrow and mouths the words:
I
WEZ
For you.
With that he puts the arrow back into his quiver and
guns the motor. He rea.; the front wheel, hangs there
a moment, then spins th,: bike around and roars back
1L. irit. 111. 1 AI%Jill Ln+ .
MAX, examines the road rig:
most of the tyres have been punctured with arrows, the
rear doors torn off and its contents pillaged.
MAX taps the fuel tank - empty.
He reaches up to open the door of the cabin...
There is an anguished scream, MAX turns.
The hand of the dying driver emerges from the twisted
metal of the dune buggy.
The fingernails score deeply into the paint-work, a
rush of dark blood pours out of the wreck. Then, silence.
MAX opens the cabin door...
A figure drops down, crashing onto his shoulders. As
MAX struggles from its grasp we see that it is the
bloated putrifying corpse of the rig's driver. Two
crossbow bolts are buried in its neck...-
MAX stoops and picks up a toy hurdy-gurdy which has
fallen from the dead man's hand.
As he walks back towards the black-on-black he turns
the handle, playing the first few notes of "Happy
Birthday".
He stops next to the vehicle, in the middle of the
intersection. He looks from one direction to another.
undecided... and then sees the smashed road sign.
He picks up a fragment which reads:
ONE TREE HILL
And throws it into the air.
It lands at h:_s feet, pointing north.
He gets into the car and drives off in that direction.
FADE TO BLACK.
13,
13. DESERT ROAD, NEXT MORNING.
The black-on-black travels slowly through the
shimmering desert. The only sounds are the rumble of
the engine and the whistle of the wind.
Sc. 13. Cont..
13. Cont. 13,
As the car crests a rise MAX looks ahead and sees a
large kite - in the shape of a man's grinning face -
hovering above a dune.
MAX leaves the DOG to guard the car .nd, carrying a
jerry can and a tyre iron, cautiously makes his way
across the sand.
14. ON THE DUNES. DAY. 14.
From the,top of the dune MAX sees that the kite is
tethered to an abandoned vehicle: a primitive
version of a gyrocopter - little more than a motor,
a seat and a rotor mounted on a chassis.
A set of footprints leads from the gyrocopter,
dune and disappears into the distance.
Slowly MAX approaches the vehicle, skirting around it,
looking for a trap. Nothing moves except for the
flurries of sand whirling across the dunes.
15. THE GYROCOPTER. DAY. 15.
Carefully, MAX reaches up and taps the gas tank: empty.
As he straightens up, he hears a low hiss.
MAX freezes. Only inches away a snake, coiled around
the vertical shaft of the gyro, is poised to strike..
They stare at each other.
The snake strikes... MAX springs... hand flashing...
catching it by the neck.
He holds up the snake, grinning, about to kill, it.
The head and shaft of an arrow emerge from the sand
behind him. It is followed by the frame of a crossbow
and a man's face, spitting sand, a length of rubber
hose clenched in his teeth. This is the GYRO CAPTAIN.
GYRO CAPTAIN
Don't hurt that snake!
7
15, Cont. 15,
MAX turns. The CAPTAIN emerges from his shallow grave,
motioning with the crossbow.
GYRO CAPTAIN
Put him back... gently!
MAX lays the snake on the rotor.
GYRO CAPTAIN
Sounded like a big V-8 to me.
I guess I got myself some
guzzolene.
He raises his bow, aiming at MAX'S head, preparing
to fire.
MAX
The car's booby-trapped.
Touch those tanks and
BOOM! You'll blow yourself
apart.
The CAPTAIN looks quickly in the direction of the
black-on-black, and back to MAX. He gestures with
the crossbow.
GYRO CAPTAIN
Drop the weapons...
Now back up.
MAX throws down the tyre iron and unhitches a bolster
which contains a sawn-off shotgun.
The CAPTAIN slings the gunbelt over his stoulder.
1.6. THE DESERT ROAD - MAX'S CAR.DAY. 16.
MAX walks backwards towards his car. The CAPTAIN
tense, crossbow trained on MAX, follows him across
the dune.
Sc, 1.6. Cont..
0
16.
16. Cont.
GYRO CAPTAIN
You're quick, I'll give you
that. Never seen a man beat
a snake. Never. Reflexes,
that's what you've got.
Me? I've got brains.
He taps his head as they arrive at the black-on-black.
GYRO CAPTAIN
Now, where's this booby-trap?
MAX reaches under the car. His hand groping for a
machete clipped to the chassis. His fingers wrap
around the handle.
GYRO CAPTAIN
A fella - a quick fella - might
keep a weapon under there.
He nuzzles,the bow against the back of MAX'S head.
GYRO CAPTAIN
Then I'd have to pin his
head to the panel.
MAX slides his hand away, disconnects a series of
mechanical fuses and shows them to the CAPTAIN. He
moves to open the driver's door. The CAPTAIN
reacts quickly, raising his bow, motioning MAX back.
MAX
There's one more.
GYRO CAPTAIN
Oh no! You don't play me the
fool.
The CAPTAIN, keeping the crossbow trained on MAX'S
head, opens the door.
The DOG flies out, leaping for the CAPTAIN'S throat.
The crossbow discharges, narrowly missing MAX as he
hurls himself at the CAPTAIN. The steel arrow buries r
itself in the car door.
MAX pins the CAPTAIN to the ground and recovers his
shotgun.
Sc, 16. Cont...
16.
16. Cont.
MAX cocks the gun next to the CAPTAIN'S head.
GYRO CAPTAIN
Gas! Petrol! Guzzolene! Listen!
Hundreds... thousands of `gallons...
as much as you want...
MAX eases off the trigger.
MAX
Where?
GYRO CAPTAIN
Not far. Ten... maybe twenty
miles. Pumping it they are.
Refining it. Kachunk...
kachunk... kachunk...
Day and night. A huge tanker
full.
MAX
Balls!
GYRO CAPTAIN
It's there, you betcha...
I'll. tell you straight
though - it's not self service.
It's under guard. Too hard for
me. But a man with your
ingenuity... Jesus I reckon...
MAX rams the barrel against the CAPTAIN'S head.
MAX
Where?
GYRO CAPTAIN
Kill. me, and you'll never find
out.
MAX drags him to his feet and pushes him towards the
black-on-black.
41 f 1 Al 1 -a1"1 �... .n V �.Att ._ awn ..
MAX is driving the black-on-black while the CAPTAIN
sits rigid in the passenger's seat. The muzzle of
the shotgun is strapped to the back of his bead and
the stock fastened to the top of the seat.
A length of wire runs from the triggers across to the
DOG sitting in the rear of the car. The end of the
wire is clasped firmly in its mouth.
The CAPTAIN, not daring to take his eyes off the DOG
directs MAX along back roads to an area of high
country.
The DOG'S eyes dart out the window. He whimpers, body
twitching.
The CAPTAIN stares in horror at a rabbit bounding through
the scrub.
MAX smiles t') himself.
The DOG settles back.
i8. A CLIFFTOP OVERLOOKING THE COMPOUND. DAY.
MAX moves towards the cliff edge. A column of smoke
rises into the sky, accompanied by a garble of distant
sounds: police sirens; car horns; men screaming;
war-whoops; and revving motors.
The GYRO CAPTAIN - manacled and guarded by the DOG -
hobbles along behind MAX.
From the top of the cliff MAX looks down On a battle
raging on the plain below.
A fortified encampment, surrounded by a wide ditch
and coils of barbed wire, is under attack by a large
gang of MARAUDERS: MOHAWK BIKERS, SMEGMA CRAZIES in
dune buggies, and GAYBOY BERSERKERS in road racers.
They attack along a road which passes through an area -
outside the fortifications - which is under cultivation.
Three wooden work huts, a small barn and a corral
containing several cows and a horse are dotted around a
newly-ploughed field.
As the Marauders' vehicles come within range of the
compound, they stream around the perimeter, firing
crossbows at the DEFENDERS ranged along the battlements.
GYRO CAPTAIN I
Well.,. I never said it'd
be easy.
MAX unhooks an old pair of binoculars from the
equipment belt around his,waist.
19
19, THE COMPOUND. POV BINOCULARS. DAY.
Through the binoculars MAX sees a weird dune buggy
charging towards the camp. He recognises the two
bizarre occupants as members of the gang be
encountered sacking the farmiet the day before.
The dune buggy races along a causeway which spans the which blocks
ditch, heading for a yellowPAschool SSENGERuin buggy
the gate of the camp.
fires a string of arrows from a multi-barrel gas-gun.
A WARRIOR WOMAN on the battlement, armed with a flame-
thrower, hits the buggy with a stream of liquid fire.
The blazing vehicle plunges into the ditch. It tumbles - its
into another wreck which met a similar fate
tyres still smouldering.
MAX pans his binoculars to the interior of the compound.
He sees a large mechanical pump drawing the oil. from
the ground and a primitive fractionating column used to
refine it.
A DEFENDER firing from the refinery tower is struck by
an arrow. He falls over the guard rail, where a
dead companion hangs over the edge, suspended by his
foot.
The sound of an amplified voice draws MAX'S attention,
He swings the binoculars around:
20.
20. THE HILLSIDE ACROSS FROM TH.E COMPOUND. DAB .
A huge, muscular man - his face covered by a metal
mask - sits in a bizarre six-wheeled vehicle. He
uses a microphone to shout orders to the MARAUDERS,
directing the course of the battle. This man is
the HUMUNGUS.
Beside him, is the Mohawk Biker called WEZ. He sits
astride his bike, the GOLDEN YOUTH clinging to his
waist. He speaks with HUMUNGUS, pointing, sweeping
his hand.
21.
21. CLIFFTOP. DAY.
The GYRO CAPTAIN is becoming more agitated.
I
GYRO CAPTAIN
Okay, there it is. If anyone
can get in, I know it's gonna
be you. Me,.. I've gotta
feed the snakes.
Sc. 21, Cont -
21,. Cont.
MAX drops the binoculars.
The CAPTAIN offers his wrists to be unmanacled.
GYRO CAPTAIN
A man lives by his word, I
reckon. And I've kept mine...
MAX gets to his feet and hauls the GYRO CAPTAIN to
a nearby tree stump.
GYRO CAPTAIN
Look! We had a deal: I show
you the gas - You let me go.
MAX starts to chain him to the stump.
MAX
The contract was:
wouldn't kill you.
The GYRO CAPTAIN turns angry, protesting.
MAX pushes the shotgun close to his face.
MAX
I reckon you got a bargain...
Don't you?
The CAPTAIN shuts up.
MAX tests the chain. The sounds of the battle continue.
DISSOLVE.
22.
22. CLIFFTOP. LATER THE SAME DAY.
MAX has settled in. He sits under a small camouflage
canopy. His binoculars are fixed on a tripod
fashioned from sticks.
The DOG lies nearby. Further away the GYRO CAPTAIN
is tethered to the tree stump, on a short leash.
The black car is covered by a camouflage net.
MAX leans back from his binoculars, takes a can of
dog food from a pack and begins to open it.
Sc. 22. Cont..
The DOG pricks up his ears.
• The GYRO CAPTAIN watches as MAX unwraps a velvet cloth
to reveal a beautiful silver fork.
The revving of engines wafts up from below,
MAX, spooning the food into his mouth, leans forward
to his binoculars.
23. THE COMPOUND. DAY. 23.
The MARAUDERS have formed a bridge of car wrecks across
the ditch near aless defended section of the compound.
At WETS signal three bikes ride at the bridge of
wrecks. Two of them are hit almost immediately but the
third rides over the wrecks and attempts to ramp into
the compound.
The bike flies through the air... and bounces into the
wire. The RIDER sails over the fence into the compound
where he is set upon by THREE DEFENDERS.
24. CLIFFTOP. DAY. 24,
MAX wolfs down his meal.
The GYRO CAPTAIN and the DOG lick their lips in unison.
MAX tosses the can and its remains to the DOG.
The CAPTAIN groans as the DOG buries its muzzle into
the can. The CAPTAIN inches over towards the DOG.
The DOG snarls...
WIPE.
25. CLIFFTOP. (MAGIC HOUR). 25.
From the clifftop, we see the lights in the compound
come on. A searchlight weaves across the wasteland.
The only sound is the "kachunk! kachunk!" of the
huge oil pump.
The battle has reached a stalemate. The DEFENDERS
and the ATTACKERS watch each other across "no man's
land".
Sc. 25. Cant.
14.
25, Cont. 25.
Smouldering wrecks and dead bodies litter the ditch.
• The animals in the corral have been slaughtered.
26. CLIFFTOP. ANGLE ON MAX. MAGIC HOUR. 26.
MAX is slumped against a rock.
The DOG is asleep.
The GYRO CAPTAIN rings his finger around the dog food
can and licks it clean.
MAX sits up at the sound of a bugle.
He looks down.
27. THE COMPOUND. MAGIC HOUR, 27.
The MARAUDERS kick over their engines, fanning across
the area under cultivation, tearing up the ploughed
field.
As they pull back to the high ground surrounding the
camp, they set fire to the farm huts and drag off the
carcasses of the dead animals.
The fires blaze fiercely on the darkening plain.
FADE TO BLACK.
28. CLIFFTOP. DAWN. 28.
Tracking close on MAX as he sleeps.
The DOG sitting next to him is on his feet growling
at the sound of vehicles from the plain below.
MAX wakes, alert', looking down.
Below, three compound vehicles are fanning out across
the plain.
The MARAUDERS camped on the rise rouse themselves...
climbing aboard their vehicles.
The GYRO CAPTAIN, tethered to the stump, strains at
his chain but cannot get close enough to the edge to
see...
4b, c;Ont.
GYRO CAPTAIN
What's up!!
MAX ignores him, concentrating on the situation below.
' The bulk of the MARAUDERS have split into three groups
each chasing a camp vehicle off into the wasteland.
The HUMUNGUS leads one of the groups. Four MARAUDERS,
camped on a pinnacle, keep watch on the camp,
Suddenly another vehicle bursts out of the camp and
speeds across the plain towards MAX'S clifftop. It
passes out-of sight around the back of the hill,
MAX hurries from his canopy across the other side of
the hilltop.
29. REAR OF CLIFFTOP LOOKOUT. MORNING. 29.
MAX looks past the black-on-black, to where the lone
compound vehicle has achieved the bitumen.
Suddenly, three Mohawk bikes and a tow truck emerge
from behind a rocky outcrop. Led by WEZ, they fire
arrows into the tyres and smash the windscreen.
The compound vehicle leaves the road, rolling...
As the GYRO CAPTAIN crawls to his side, MAX raises his
binoculars...
30. MAX'S POV BINOCULARS. MORNING. 30.
The bloodied driver is being dragged from the wreck
by TWO MOHAWKERS. The others cannibalise the vehicle
and siphon off its fuel. Another occupant emerges
from the twisted metal and tries to crawl away...
I t is a YOUNG WOMAN.
31, REAR OF CLIFFTOP LOOKOUT. MORNING. 31.
The GYRO CAPTAIN sees her and fumbles urgently for
something deep in the pockets of his great-coat.
He produces a large telescope which is attached to
his waist by a leather cord.
.1 C
32. GYRO CAPTAIN'S POV. TELESCOPE. MORNING. 32.
Through the cracked lens of the telescope we see
two of the MOHAWIMRS dragging the woman to the
roadside.
33. REAR OF CLIFFTOP LOOKOUT. MORNING. 33.
MAX looks around to see the GYRO CAPTAIN'S telescope
and grabs it. The GYRO CAPTAIN, protesting, picks up
the less-powerful binoculars.
MAX lifts tae telescope.
34. MAX'S POV. TELESCOPE. MORNING. 34,
The GOLDEN YOUTH is sitting on one of the bikes. The
POV whip pans across the wreck where two MOHAWKERS
have pushed the badly injured driver up to the car
panel, WEZ fires an arrow into the man's shoulder,
pinning it to the panel..
Methodically, he reloads and fires another pin into the
man's other shoulder.
MAX pans the telescope to where the three MOHAWKERS
hold the STRUGGLING WOMAN. At WEZ'S signal they start
to tear the woman's clothes away...
35. REAR OF CLIFFTOP LOOKOUT. MORNING. 35,
Track in as the GYRO CAPTAIN and MAX watch through
the binoculars and telescope.
Camera tightens further to the GYRO CAPTAIN. His
face reacts to the horror below.
MAX drops his head... his eyes closing momentarily.
The noise of vehicles starting below breaks the
moment.
He lifts the telescope and pans to one side.
I
-1 W
36, MAX'S POV. TELESCOPE. MORNING. 36,
The zelescope lens finds all the MOHAWKERS except one
back on their vehicles. They ride off led by WEZ...
37.
37. REAR OF CLIFFTOP LOOKOUT. MORNING.
While MAX has the telescope trained on the departing
vehicles the GYRO CAPTAIN has the binoculars on the
WOMAN.
GYRO CAPTAIN
Jesus! He's gonna kill her.
MAX whips his telescope around...
38,
38. MAX'S POV. TELESCOPE. MORNING.
The lens finds the remaining MOHAWKER now standing
back from the prostrate girl. He is loading his
crossbow...
The image blurrs...
39.
39. REAR OF CLIFFTOP LOOKOUT.MORNING,
MAX has dropped the telescope and is on his feet
running down to the black-on-black. The DOG is at his
heels.
GYRO CAPTAIN
Hey! What about me?!!
The black-on-black roars off...
40.
40. THE WRECK OF THE COMPOUND VEHICLE. DAY.
We track low past the dead girl's face towards the back
of the MOHAWKER. He is sitting on a wheel pulling on
his trousers,
Close to his back, the camera stops.
He turns, looking up.
MAX, carrying a pair of bolt cutters is hurrying towards
him.
'fu. l,.UUI..
The MOHAWKER grabs for his crossbow.
MAX'S foot stamps down, pinning his wrist...
Ssswish? the bolt cutters swing down... onto the
Mohawker's head.
Tears stream down the COMPOUND MAN'S face.
As MAX walks up to him we see that he is bleeding
badly. His name is NATHAN.
NATHAN
Thank you. Thank you...
I.
MAX
Let's get this straight.
I'm doing it 'cos I need
fuel.
NATHAN
As much as you want. Take
me back... Don't let me die.
MAX takes the bolt cutters and inserts them between the
man and the panel. He cuts away the first arrow, then
the second.
WIPE,
41.
41. INT. BLACK-ON-BLACK.DAY
The supercharger screams as MAX races towards the
compound.
NATHAN is slipping into unconsciousness.
MAX grabs him by the shoulder, shaking him.
MAX
Stay alive!
Stay alive!
I
1Q.
4'L, UN XAtl n1LL1Ur. Phum hAMAU1Jtn"_11 LUUrL UU1 . VAX . 4G
Angle down on the plain.
The black-on-black approaches the burnt out huts.
A GAYBOY BERSERKER stands up into frame in the extreme
foreground.
He is joined by TWO OTHER MARAUDERS.
The GAYBOY BERSERKER grabs a hand-mirror and flashes a
signal across the wasteland.
From a far hill, we see the answering flash.
43. THE PLOUGHED FIELD. DAY. 43.
Crane down from a high angle on the black-on-black
as it approaches the camp. As the camera achieves a
smouldering but we see a small animal-like
figure stalking the vehicle.
Tracking closer we see that it is a wild-looking
child, about 8 years old. He is dressed in dog skins
and carries a chrome boomerang. On one hand he wears
what looks like a catcher's mitt: a leather glove
reinforced with steel plates. This is the FERAL KID.
Before we get too close the boy scurries into a large
rabbit warren.
44. THE CAUSEWAY LEADING TO THE COMPOUND. DAY. 44.
Long low angle on the compound. Its defenders wait
on the barricades, the cracking tower and the
catwalk.
The black car stops just outside crossbow range - about
twenty yards short of the compound.
In extreme foreground, the FERAL BOY'S head pops up
from another rabbit hole closer to the compound.
He ducks down out of sight when the car door opens.
High angle on MAX as he steps out of the car with
NATHAN across his shoulders.
MAX carries no weapons and as he steps up to camera,
he raises his arms high...
A woman on the barricade begins screaming. Her name
is BIG REBECCA,
Sc-44, Cont.
44, Cont. 44.
BIG REBECCA
Nathan! Nathan! It's Nathan.
A man on the catwalk orders the gate to be opene•3..
MAX hurries along the causeway...
The FERAL KID comes out of the rabbit warren and
begins to follow MAX.
A trail of blood drips from the injured man onto the
causeway...
As MAX approaches the camp the old �ello'.v school bus
is pulled aside.
The I A3IRI011 WOMAN emerges, crossbow read., , keeping it
trained on MAX.
She is followed by another defender the MECHANIC'S
ASSISTANT - pulling a strange mechanised crane.
Suspended from the front of this machine is a paraplegic,
He is the MECHANIC.
Thny MAX, heading for the car, revealing
BIG RLU,CC.A, distraught, running towards him,
BIG REBECCA
Nathan! God have mercy.,
What a waste.
Si,F wipe the man's face, caressing him., as MAX
walks on.
She turns and looks straight at the camp's leader,
PAPPAGALLO. He"is standing at the gate, surrounded
by anxious defenders.
BIG REBECCA
Look at your handiwork!
They didn't have a chance...
One of the group at the gate -- a nuggety old man
called the CURMUDGEON - plays to the crowd, pointing
AT PAPPAGALLO:
THE CURMUDGEON
You all heard me, I warned
him didn't I? Madness, I said.
45. THE COMPOUNL. DAY. 45.
As the DEFENDERS part to let MAX through we see the
group includes: a teenage couple - PISMO and ANGIE
- holding each other tight; a woman BUTCHER, holding
a knife and a rabbit; a middle aged man who looks
like a FARMER; and a LUSTY young girl chewing her
finger nails.
WARRIOR WOMAN
Pity your name wasn't pulled
out the hat.
CURMUDGEON
We can escape, take our petrol,
he said.
How? I said.
Get a prime mover, he said...
He points to NATHAN who is being carried to an old
bread van. The rear door is open, revealing two
hospital-style beds, drip stands and shelves of medical
supplies. An injured camp member occupies one of the
beds.
CURMUDGECN
.And there's the result!
Madness I said!
PAPPAGALLO ignores him, addressing MAX:
PAPPAGALLO
Where did you find him?
MAX
Two, three miles away.,, left
for dead.,, next to his car.
We made a deal.
In the background the FARMER starts to work the first
arrow out of NATHAN'S chest.
BIG REBECCA comforts him.
Sc. 45. Cont...
YJ. i t .lJ _ Ya.
PAPPAGALLO
Three other vehicles.
Did you see them?
MAX
Running hard to the south
west. In heaps of trouble.
Listen: he said if I brought
him in, you'd give me gas.
There's no time...
An anxious young man pushes through the crowd, talking
over MAX. This is the QUIET MAN.
QUIET MAN
There was a woman...
in the car...
MAX looks straight at him.
MAX
She's dead.
The man struggles to keep hold of his emotions.
QUIET MAN
How? What did they do?
MAX
It was quick.
The QUIET MAN bows his head and turns away.
NATHAN groans, ANGIE has the clear plastic mask of
an air viva device over NATHAN'S face, PISMO pumps
air into his lungs.
MAX turns to PAPPAGALLO:
MAX
I saw a man in trouble. I
brought him in. And now I
just want to get out of here.
Give me my gas.
Sc. 45. Cont.
21.
-alp . vlJU b.
WARRIOR WOMAN
For all we know, he's one of
them.
Give him nothing.
There's an ugly murmur of agreement.
MAX, keeping his temper, talks to PAPPAGALLO:
MAX
We had a contract...
The FARMER succeeds in removing the first arrow.
BIG REBECCA relaxes
NATHAN sputters. Blood sprays into the plastic mask.
BIG REBECCA screams. The FERAL KID looks on as the
FARMER feels for a pulse: nothing.
PAPPAGALLO turns to MAX:
PAPPAGALLO
I don't know who you are,
or what happened.
But if you had a contract,
it was with him. And it
died with him.
PAPPAGALLO t'.trns on his heel and walks through the
crowd, back towards his tent.
The WARRIOR WOMAN puts a bow to MAX'S temple and
shoves him towards the gate.
46. COMPOUND. MAX IS MARCHED TO THE GATE. DAY. 46.
THE FERAL KID, following MAX, laughs.
The DOG snarls at the boy.
As the crowd parts, MAX sees that the black-on-black
is being winched through the gate.
Sc. 46. Cont...
24.
-1b. t;OIIt.
The MECHANIC supervises the work.
LIAX stiffens, furious.. .
WARRIOR WOMAN prods him with the bow:
WARRIOR WOMAN
Be thankful, you're still
alive.
She pushes him past the car.
The DOG trained to protect the vehicle begins to
grow]. The MECHIANIC turns to MAX:
MECHANIC
I gotta hand it to you.
Some machine...
He holds up the detonators and fuse wire.
MECHANIC
Would've been a shame to
bloc it:. up.
The last of the pursuit spec-
ials. It's history, that's
what it is. A piece of
history...
The ME, IIA`IC runs an affectionate hand along the bonnet
of the car.
The DOG flies at him as he tour.hes the car. The DOG'S
ja.:s champ onto his u6elessIt-sthreatening to topple him
from t. is mechanical. "crane".
The MECIiANIC'S ASSISTANT turn, wielding a tyre iron,
about to batter the DOC to death...
MAX grabs his arm, wrenching the tyre iron from his hand,
other men raise their weapons..,.
The head of a crossbow arrow cuts into MAX'S neck.
The DOG, MAX and the camp people are frozen, waiting
for the next move,
WARRIOR WOMAN, holding the other end of the bow,
motions him forward,
Slowly MAX bends and gathers up the DOG.
Sc. 46. Cont
� 0 R
•to . %+uu 4 . 4b .
MAX
Its OK, Dog. Just do as
they say...
His words are lost in the wail of a siren. A guard
perched in the watch tower shouts a warning.
The yellow school bus roars across, closing the
entrance.
47. THE BATTLEMENTS. DAY, 47.
The compound people run to their positions on the
battlements.
A pair of manacles are locked around MAX'S wrists.
WARRIOR WOMAN climbs to a big crossbow mounted above
the causeway.
The BUTCHER drops her knife and grabs her long bow.
The rabbit on the chopping block leaps for safety.
PAPPAGALLO mans the flame thrower. Others draw their
bows.
The FERAL KID follows the rabbit down a hole at the
foot of the battlement.
As MAX climbs to a position on the battlements near
WARRIOR WOMAN and PAPPAGALLO he sees that the MARAUDER
HORDE has gathered in all its glory.
46. NO MAN'S LAND. DAY. 48,
The MARAUDERS rumble in formation over the rise:
At their head' is the Humungus machine surrounded by a
guard consisting of WEZ and his GOLDEN YOUTH on a
bike, a tow truck with TWO SKIN HEADS, a road racer
with THREE GAY BOY BERSERKERS and a dune buggy with
TWO SMEGMA CRAZIES.
As the advance guard approaches through the dust and
heat haze we see that SIX NEAR NAKED AND BLOODIED
PEOPLE are lashed to the front of the vehicles.
At the big crossbow, the WARRIOR WOMAN aims at the
Humungus machine. One of the TWO VICTIMS, tied to the
front of the Humungus machine, is screaming above the
awesome rumble of machines and sirens...
Sc, 48. Cont.
-2 0 .
THE BROKEN VICTIM
Hold your fire. He wants to
talk... he comes in peace...
for Godsake! Hold your fire..
49. THE BATTLEMENTS. DAY. 49,
The camp people moan as they recognise the victims.
PAPPAGALLO holds up his hand, stopping the WARRIOR
WOMAN from firing.
• The MECHANIC cranes himself up into view next to MAX:
MECHANIC
Poor mongrels... not one
got through.
BIG REBECCA sobs. The QUIET MAN puts a comforting
hand on her shoulder.
PISMO and ANGIE huddle closer together.
50. NO MAN'S LAND, DAY. 50.
The vanguard of 5 vehicles stops on the causeway,
just out of range.
MAX and WEZ look across no man's land, recognising
each other. WEZ grins, a gold tooth flashing.
The TOADIE, a comically dressed Marauder perched on
the top of the Humungus vehicle, waves his arms. The
Marauders cut their motors... Silence.
The TOADIE announces:
TOADIE
Greetings from the Lord Humungus
The Warrior of the Wasteland!
The Ayatollah of Rock and Roller.
Camera cranes up to the HUMUNGUS as he rises in his
seat. His voice is amplified by two loudspeakers
mounted to the roll cage of his vehicle:
Sc. 50, Cont...
HUMUNGUS
I am told you wish to take
the gasolene out of the
wasteland...
The SECOND VICTIM lashed onto the Humungus vehicle
shouts in defiance:
DEFIANT VICTIM
Shoot! Shoot him! While you've
got the chance...
The TOADIE takes the wind out of him with an elbow
to the stomach...
The FERAL KID watches from a rabbit warren near a burnt
out hut.
The HUMUNGUS continues...
HUMUNGUS
You set out this morning to
find a vehicle. A vehicle
strong enough to haul that
fat tank of gas...
Suddently, the escaped rabbit runs from a hole in the
barricade and out into the wasteland. WEZ whirls his
arm around... thud!... the rabbit falls dead from a
crossbow bolt.
The FERAL KID eases back down into his hole.
The TOADIE bellows:
TOADIE
You see! There is no escape.
The Humungus rules the
wasteland...
DEFIANT VICTIM
Don't give them the gas!
Blow it up!
WEZ leaps from his bike and head-butts the man into
unconsciousness, The BROKEN VICTIM sobs uncontrollably.
Sc. 50. Cont...
50. cont. 5Q.
The FERAL BOY runs from his hole, screaming. He
lets fly with the chrome boomerang...
The projectile whistles past WEZ'S head and returns
to the KID.
He reaches up and - clunk! catches it in his steel,
plated mitten.
The MARAUDERS roar with laughter.
The FERAL KID throws the boomerang again...
WEZ ducks and it buries itself into the head of the
GOLDEN YOUTH.
The MARAUDERS are dumbstruck.
51. THE BATTLEMENTS. DAY. 51.
The MECHANIC grimaces.
The rest of the DEFENDERS are silent.
MAX is impressed.
52, NO MAN'S LAND. DAY. 52.
WEZ bends over the GOLDEN'YOUTH and pulls the weapon
from his skull.
He hurls it at the FERAL KID.
The boomerang whistles across the ground... the KID
throws himself down into the hole... the boomerang
arcs and returns to WEZ... out of his reach.
The TOADIE runs forward...
TOADIE
I got it! I got it!
He reaches up to catch it...
Sc. 52. Cont...
Jf.. vv...
Then falls to his knees clutching his bleeding
fingerless hand.
The HUMUNGUS and MARAUDERS roar with laughter.
WEZ, bellowing with rage, leaps up dnto the
HUMUNGUS vehicle. He hits the ignition, yelling:
WEZ
There's been enough talk.
I'm going in!
Powerful arms encircle him from behind. WEZ is lifted
bodily from the seat.
The HUMUNGUS reaches over and cuts the ignition and
the P.A..system.
53.
53. THE BATTLEMENTS. DAY.
The CAMP PEOPLE ease back on their weapons...
MAX is concentrating on his manacles, starting to use
a small, file to pick the lock.
54.
54, THE HUMUNGUS VEHICLE. DAY.
• Maintaining his vicious hold on WEZ the HUMUNGUS
hisses soothingly in his ear.
SUMUNGUS
Be still my dog of war. I
understand your pain. We've
all lost someone we love...
But, we do it my way.
Fear is our ally.
Later, you can have your
revenge.
WEZ tries to break free but still, he cannot move.
The HUMUNGUS reaches over and flicks on the P.A. System.
Sc. 54. Cont.
54 . Cont. 54.
HUMUNGUS
There has been too much violence
too much pain. None here
i s without sin,
But, I have an honourable
compromise.
Give me the gasolene and I'll
spare your lives. Just walk
away. I will give you safe
passage in the wasteland...
Walk away and there will
be an end to the horror...
He hits the ignition, eases WEZ aside and turns the
vehicle around...
HUMUNGUS
You have one full day to decide!!
The TOADIE jumps on board as the HUMUNGUS leads the
HORDE back over the rise.
As the vehicles rumble away, the FERAL BOY retrieves
his bloodied boomerang and scurries back into his
hole.
55. INSIDE THE COMPOUND. DAY. 55.
The QUIET MAN fires his long bow at the departing
MARAUDERS: the arrow falls well short, unnoticed.
He yells after them:
QUIET MAN
We'll never walk away. Never!
BIG REBECCA grabs him by the shoulder.
BIG REBECCA
Don't be a fool! It's our only
chance...
She turns to the other defenders:
BIG REBECCA
It's simple... we trade the
gas for our lives.
DO. wont . 55,
WARRIOR WOMAN
No! We've worked too hard.
FARMER
Walk out there? They'd
slaughter us... run us down
for sport.
BIG REBECCA plays to the crcwd.
BIG REBECCA
Don't listen to them! It's
bad enough the lunatics are
running the asylum. Don't
let 'em throw away the key.
56. THE BATTLEMENTS. MAX AND THE FERAL BOY. DAY. 56.
While the CAMP PEOPLE argue, MAX sits forgotten -
the manacles unlocked now, dangling from one
wrist.
He produces the hurdy-gurdy he found on the bloated
man and plays the first few notes of "Happy Birthday".
From the hole under MAX, the FERAL KID appears wiping
his boomerang. He is attracted by the noise.
MAX plays the next few notes faster.
The FERAL KID grins.
More notes - very fast.
The FERAL KID laughs.
Several people at the back of the CROWD, including
WARRIOR WOMAN, turn around to look. MAX holds the
manacles up so that she can see that he's free.
She glares at him as he goes back to turning the
hurdy-gurdy.
The argument continues.
57. THE CUMPUUNiJ. DAY. 57
PISMO and ANGIE are quietly bickering.
The CURMUDGEON pushes past them heading towards the
gate.
He has a Gladstone bag in his hand and a collection
of car parts and personal effects tucked under his
arm.
CURMUDGEON
it'll be alright. I'll talk to
this Humungus.
He'd never hurt an asthmatic ol.d
man.
The LUSTY GIRL is joining him.., The MECHANIC turns to
her.
MECHANIC
I'm sure they'll find a use
for you.
LUSTY
I'd rather be out there, on my
back alive, than in here, on
my back dead.
BIG REBECCA
Be promised us safe passage. Fe
gave his word.
PAPPAGALLO'S VOICE
And just suppose he keeps it...
The DEFENDERS turn to PAPPAGALLO, standing on the
BATTLEMENT:
PAPPAGALLO
.and we walk out of here with
our lives. What then? Do we
wander the wasteland - scavenging.
Wake up one morning and find we're
just like them - savages.
He points in the direction of the MARAUDERS.
PAPPAGALLO
Is that what you want? I don't.
Sc. 57. Cont.
5!. cont. 57,
PAPPAGALLO Cont.
I came out here and I found that
pump. I built that plant and
ploughed that field, Why?
Because we are human beings.
We must maintain our dignity.
We are not barbarians...
The crowd is silent...
I made one mistake - I waited
too long... thinking we could
survive here. We can't.
But, as frightened as we all are
- let's not forget one thing.
He points to the tanker of fuel, propped up next tc the
cracking plant...
That is more than just a tank
of fuel. It's our lifeline, our
passport to a place beyond the
reach of men on machines.
He talks over several protesting voices...
No! I don't know how we're gonna
get there. But the first step is
to defend that fuel.
I won't surrender it to anyone.
I stay! Alone if I have to...
BIG REBECCA
Words! Just words. You're
going to die, for a pi,pedream.
BIG REBECCA moves over to join the CURMUDGEON and
the LUSTY GIRL.
WARRIOR WOMAN
No! We're going to fight for
a belief - I stay!
LUSTY looks straight at PAPPAGALLO,
Sc. 57, Cont..,
D r . I,UnL .
LUSTY
I really wished it had worked,
I'm sorry.
The MECHANIC'S ASSISTANT starts to push tha
MECHANIC'S contraption tows°ds the CURMUDGEON'S
GROUP, but the.-MECHANIC resists, grabbing onto the
catwalk.
The ASSISTANT leaves him there.
ANGIE takes the ASSISTANT'S place and pushes the
MECHANIC'S contraption over to PAPPAGALLO'S side.
ANGIE
We stay!
PISMO is left hesitating in the middle. After a terrible
moment of indecision he joins ANGIE.
The camp is now divided, mostly against PAPPAGALLO.
The two groups stare across at each other solemnly...
A voice is heard from the battlements,...
MAX
Two days ago I saw a
vehicle that'd haul that
tanker.
All eyes turn to MAX.
MAX
You wanna get out of here.
You talk to me.
58, INT. PAPPAGALLO'S TENT, DUSK. 58.
MAX faces PAPPAGALLO across a desk littered with plans
and equipment.
WARRIOR WOMAN, BIG REBECCA, the FARMER and the MECHANIC
listen in.
Sc. 58,. Cont.
58. Cont. 58.
MAX
So that's my offer. I
deliver a prime mover - in
return you give me my black
car and as much gas'as I
can carry.
All I need right now
is three jerry cans of diesel
and five gallons of petroleum.
They look at him quizzically.
Think of it as a down payment.
WARRIOR WOMAN
That's the last we'll ever
see of him.
BIG REBECCA
What have we got to lose?
PAPPAGALLO nods.
WIPE
59. THE COMPOUND DITCH - THE BRIDGE OF WRECKS. NIGHT. 59,
From the battlement, PAPPAGALLO watches as MAX,
accompanied by the DOG, emerges from a hole in the
wall. MAX has a pole across his shoulders,
supporting four jerry cans of fuel..
MAX'S knee brace"squeaks in the stillness.
The MECHANIC throws him a small can. MAX squirts
a stream of oil onto the metal and then moves off
across the bridge of wrecks, built by the Mohawk
Bikers the day before.
The FERAL KID watches with other camp people as MAX
and the DOG move out into the night.
60, NO MAN'S LAND. NIGHT. 60.
MAX emerges from the ditch, the heavy load weighing
him down. Behind him, the searchlight from the
compound plays over the wilderness. Ahead, he sees
the glow of the Marauders' campfires.
He moves forward silently.
61. NEAR THE MAHAUDL S ' CAM1'k i hLJ . NIGHT. 61,
Picking his way carefully across rugged ground,
MAX skirts close to a large campfire.
Around it, a GROUP OF MARAUDERS are carousing: some
are laughing loudly at a VICTIM strung up to a beam
by his wrists. A bottle passes among the MARAUDERS.
In the shadows, lit by the flickering flame, a MOHAWK
BIKER fondles TWO CAMP FOLLOWERS.
Closest to MAX a GAYBOY BERSERKER hones his machete
on a whetstone.
MAX skirts round him, not taking his eyes off him.
Suddenly MAX'S leg gives way, caught in a rabbit hole.
He pitches forward, the ferry cans thumping together.
The GAYBOY BERSERKER pivots.., listening.., knife ready.
MAX is spread-eagled on the ground. The DOG curls its
lip. The GAYBOY BERSERKER walks towards MAX, his eyes
searching the darkness...
There is a loud barking! MAX looks up...
On a rabbit warren close by, the FERAL KID sits on his
haunches, howling like a wild dog.
The GAYBOY BERSERKER takes a rock and throws it, curs-
ing all howling dogs, and returns to the camp.
The FERAL KID motions for MAX to follow. Keeping low,
MAX limps forward.
62. AN EROSION DITCH. NIGHT. 62.
The FERAL KID stops at the edge of the gully and
indicates the direction for MAX to take. He grins at
MAX and runs off into the night, back the way he came.
MAX drops down into the gully heading away from the
Marauders' camp.
DISSOLVE,
63. THE CLIFFTOP. FIRST LIGHT. 63.
MAX climbs up to the spot where he left the GYRO CAPTAIN.
Gone!... Just the canopy, a dog food can and a freshly-
dug hole where the tree stump used to be. A clear trail,
gouged in the dirt, leads back towards the sand dune
country. The DOG sniffs and lopes off,..
64, A CLAY PAN. DAY.
64..
MAX and the DOG crest a rise at the edge of the
pan.
About a hundred yards ahead, out on the
clay, is the CAPTAIN, still dragging the tree
stump behind him.
T h e DOG growls.
The CAPTAIN turns to see MAX, He picks up the log
and tries to run.
65. THE WASTELAND. DAY.
65.
The sun is much higher in the sky, The CAPTAIN has
been freed from the tree stump and now carries the
ferry cans, coolie-like, across his shoulders.
66. THE DUNES. DAY.
66.
The three travellers stagger over the dune. Tha
gyro copter is intact though the kite now rests
face dawn on the sand, At the crest of the dune
they sue the body of a lone Marauder. Foot and
tyre prints tell the story. Crossing the dunes in
his buggy, he happened across the gyrocopter. He
left his buggy, walked down to the abandoned
gyrocopter and fell victim to the snake, He
staggered around in circles before slumping face
down in the sand.
The CAPTAIN lets out a whoop as he and MAX half
stumble, half run towards the body.
CAPTAIN
I knew it. I knew it'd work.
Lethal, those snakes. Lethal.
Born killers. The snake's
fangs, my brains. Lethal I
TELL YA
The CAPTAIN stops, staring down at the body of the
snake, its head crushed,
Quickly he picks it up and begins to skin it,
muttering,
Sc. 66. Cont.
VU L , % 1 t
60
CAPTAIN
Don't think you're gonna get
any of this. Cos you're not.
It was my snake. I found it.
I trained it. And I'm gonna
eat it.
Keeping the gun trained on the CAPTAIN, MAX
rummages through the MARAUDER'S clothes. He finds
a necklace of spark plugs, bolts, teeth and two old
shotgun cartridges.
MAX removes the two cartridges. One crumbles apart.
The second, although dog-eared, remains intact,
The GYRO CAPTAIN looks up as MAX cracks open the
shotgun - both barrels are empty.
MAX shoves the dog-eared cartridge into the barrel
and snaps the shotgun shut.
The GYRO CAPTAIN gasps:
CAPTAIN
You mean? All this time?
Jesus, that's dishonest!
MAX nudges the CAPTAIN towards the gyrocopter.
The CAPTAIN stands fast, eyeing the shotgun...
CAPTAIN
How do we know that one's
not a dud.
4
MAX
There's only one way to
find out.
He lifts the barrel to the CAPTAIN'S head.
The CAPTAIN moves off towards the gyrocopter.
67. SAND DUNES- GYROCOPTER. DAY. 67.
One jerry can lies discarded by the gyro. MAX,
with the DOG on his lap, is settled on the chassis,
the three remaining cans strapped on beside him.
A flurry of sand whips back from the propellor.
The gyro, unaccustomed to the extra weight, lumbers
across the sand and slowly rises into the sky.
IN WTPF
66 . THE IN'li.:1..LLT1UN . DAY . 68.
The bloated fly-blown corpse of the driver lies
next to the abandoned road rig.
The bonnet of the prime mover is up and MAX is
working on the engine.
A chain passes from the bull bar up into the cabin where
the CAPTAIN sits behind the wheel, muttering into a
handkerchief.
The DOG watches him carefully.
MAX yanks on the chain.
The GYRO CAPTAIN tests the motor: nothing.
After two more attempts it splutters to life.
DISSOLVE.
:R
69 THE PRIME MOVER. LATER THAT DAY. 69.
The prime mover, disconnected from the rest of the
rig, stands in the middle of the road.
MAX is in the cabin with the DOG, the engine running,
The GYRO CAPTAIN looks up at him, rattling his chains.
GYRO CAPTAIN
You can't just dump me!
Think of us as partners.
MAX tosses him a set of keys, shouting over the
engire.
MAX
It's up to you. Fly a kite,
or follow me back. Maybe
they'll throw some gas your
KAY
MAX eases the prime mover down the road:
Sc. 69. Cont.
hn.
69, Cont. 69.
The GYRO CAPTAIN, struggling to unlock his manacles,
yells after him:
GYRO CAPTAIN
What sort of deal's that?!
I'm running on empty!
WIPE.
70, THE LONELY HIGHWAY. DAY. 70.
MAX hurls the prime mover down the long empty
highway, eating up the miles.
WIPE.
71. HILL CREST NEAR PINNACLES. DAY. 71.
The'prime mover crests a bill. In the distance MAX
can see the pinnacles surrounding the camp. He
checks his shotgun on the seat beside him. MAX
tramps the accelerator.
The DOG climbs under the seat. The back wheels burn
rubber as the prime mover thunders down the road...
Suddenly the gyrocopter zooms over the rise behind him
spluttering and coughing like he's running out of
gas.
72. SIDE OF ROAD NEAR THE PINNACLES. DAY. 72.
In the Marauders' camp a MOHAWKER is shaving WEZ'S
head. At the sound of the approaching prime mover,
WEZ leaps to his feet, clambers over a tow truck on
blocks and straddles his bike...
Other MARAUDERS follow as we track to a SKINHEAD
lying under the tow truck making noisy repairs.
IN
73. THE ituiL. DA1.
MAX burls the prime mover towards the rise above
the compound.
A dune buggy comes up alongside the rear passenger
wheel. The SMEGMA CRAZY riding shotgun fires a
crossbow arrow into a tyre... which explodes.
WEZ appears on the road ahead as a road racer rockets
from out of the scrub in front of the prime mover.
MAX shunts it back off the road and into the rear of
the tow truck on blocks.
The tow truck crashes down, pinning the SKINHEAD
beneath it.
74, A RISE ABO'D'E rHE COMPOUND. DAY. 74.
The HUMUNGUS - his vehicle sitting in_the middle of
the road - turns at the sound of the crash.
75, THE GYR000PTER. (HELICOPTER MOUNT). DAY. 75,
The gyrocopter sputters along, staying out of range
of the MARAUDERS.
The CAPTAIN is shouting advice and instructions from
THE SIDELINES:
GYRO CAPTAIN
Watch your tyres! Turn left!
Down over the CAPTAIN'S shoulder we see WEZ'S bike
coming alongside the prime mover's rear wheels on
the driver's side.
76. THE ROAD APPROACHING THE RISE. tAY. 76.
WEZ lifts his feet onto the saddle, steadies himself
and leaps onto the back of the prime mover.
As the vehicle crests the rise, MAX sees the camp
below. He yanks the air horn lanyard...
J , 4 J L LL' 1 111:, , 'J LLL V 41 \ 1J , W n i . I ,
PAPPAGALLO'S people turn at the sound. From the
cracking tower PAPPAGALLO shouts:
PAPPAGALLO
Open the gate!!
The FERAL KID, astride the pump, is on his feet..
BIG REBECCA runs to the yellow school, bus...
78. ON THE RISE ABOVE THE COMPOUND - HUMUNGUS VEHICLE. 78.
DAY.
.The HUMUNGUS raises the magnum .44 aiming directly
at the oncoming prime mover...
79. THE RISE ABOVE THE COMPOUND. DAY. 79,
On seeing this MAX grabs the shotgun, shoves it
through the smashed front window of the truck and
fires,.,
The gun fizzes and pops - the cartridge was a dud.
MAX ducks and yanks down hard on the wheel...
The HUMUNGUS fires. The big gun kicks,,.
The front of the prime mover bursts with steam and
hot oil,
The big machine careers off 'the road, and through
a primitive tent. As the canvas rips away.,. we
glimpse two startled MARAUDERS in the throes of
hetereosexual love.
MAX recovers, the big machine keeps going, rocketing
down the hill 400 yards from the causeway...
Suddenly a powerful arm bursts through the driver's
window.,, and grabs MAX around the throat - its
WEZ!
The DOG attacks WEZ, clamping his jaw around his
gauntlet.
WEZ pulls the DOG out the window and flicks his arm.
The DOG sails through the ai.r...
6 +.
8U. t hIL Ak'Y1tUALii TU 1 1A LAUZ) W A 1 . DAY . SA.
MAX rams his elbow into WEZ'S `ace.
The big biker holds on, tightening his grip.
A dune buggy with a machine gun like crossbow - the
4-pak - fires four bolts into the t y'res. All but one
tyre on the driver's side blow out.
As the prime mover charges past, we track with the
Lone Wolf, who drives a two-engined assault car.
He yells to other Marauders behind:
LONE WOLF
The gate's open!
Follow me in!
A street car and a dune buggy surge up beside him.
In the background we see the DOG, running along
the road, trying to catch up to the tanker.
81. THE AIRBORNE GYROCOPTER. DAY. 81.
The GYRO CAPTAIN curses and screams.
GYRO CAPTAIN
Don't lose it now!
We need the fuel!
The CAPTAIN grabs whatever he can find - the two
ferry cans and his chains and throws -:hem at the
chase below.
82. THI_ APTP!OACf TO THE C.' ?1SEW"L Y . DAY. 8 2 ..
To of th':• objects fall across thr- path of the on-
rushing street car the third smashes into the
vehicleti windscreen - to no avail, the vehicle
continues in the chase to the causeway... converging
on the prime mover
The 4-pak dune buggy surges up to the driver's side
wheels, .. The SMEGMA CRAZ1E h4s reloaded the crossbow
and is taking aim on the critical last tyre.
TIT
83, THE AIRBORNE GYROCOPTER. 83.
The GYRO CAPTAIN is reaching down into a sack...
He pulls out two snakes. Clamping their jaws shut
he kisses them goodbye and hurls them down...
84. THE APPROACH TO THE CAUSEWAY. DAY. 84.
.The snakes land in the 4-pak dune buggy - one of
them between the DRIVER'S legs. Perplexed, he
reaches down for it... pulling it up to look...
He screams.., the snake has its fangs in his hand...
85. THr CAUSEW'.Y. DAY. 85.
The 4-pak dune buggy swerves out of control... up
and over the back of the prime mover,., and onto
the street car. Locked together, both vehicles
tumble down into the ditch.
I n th,! cabin of the truck MAX smashes the butt of the shotgun
into \EZ'S face, again and again. WEZ just grins.
86. THE COMPOUND GATE. DAY. 86.
The prime mover thunders through the gate.
PAPPAGALLO and WARRIOR WOMAN take their positions
on the battlements...
As soon as the prime mover clears the gate BIG
REBECCA plants her foot on the accelerator of the
school bus/gate. The Lone Wolf vehicle and the
dune buggy just make it inside.
The DOG scampers through the rapidly closing gap.
A road racer slides up to the gate.
The DRIVER looks up... to see PAPPAGALLO aiming
the flame thrower down at him... He slams the
vehicle into reverse...
b. r nu..: i hL 6A , i LS:h1Li� 1 `J LVVh l lvla UL, l . bA i . 6
PAPPAGALLO sends the torrent of flames down on the
retreating vehicle... as HUMUNGUS and the OTHER
MARAUDERS hover at the entrance of the causeway...
88., INSIDE THE COMPOUND THE CATWALK AREA. DAY. 88.
The prime mover slides to a halt underneath a
catwalk. -
As SEVERAL CAMP PEOPLE run towards him, WEZ swings
up onto the roof of the prime mover and onto the
catwalk.
The two Marauder vehicles stop in the middle of the
compound.
MAX jumps out of the prime mover assessing the
situation. In addition to WEZ there are FOUR
MARAUDERS inside the compound: the LONE WOLF,
the LONE WOLF'S PASSENGER and TWO SMEGMA CRAZIES.
89, THE BATTLEMENTS. DAY. 89.
Undei the direction of the HUMUNGUS - HALF A DOZEN
MARAUDERS come surging up the causeway on foot.
PAPPAGALLO stands up on the very limit of the battle-
ment and scares them off with a burst of flame.
A MARAUDER fires an arrow..
, .PAPPAGALLO is hit high up in the thigh. He
tumbles backwards, off the parapet and crE.shes to the
ground below.
90, INSIDE THE. COMPOUND - THE CRACKING TOWER. DAY 90.
Up on the catwalk WEZ is shouting at the FOUR
OTHER INVADERS.
WEZ
The gate! The gate! Move!!
MAX looks around as the LONE WOLF, the LONE WOLF
PASSENGER and the TWO SMEGMA CRAZIES start to sprint
across the compound towards the gate...
Thud! The LONE WOLF PASSENGER falls dead - an
arrow in his back...
9u. Cont. 90.
WEZ spins around to see the QUIET MAN, standing
on the cooling tower, reloading his bow.
WEZ starts running towards him.
91. INSIDE THE COMPOUND. DAY. 91.
With the help of the DOG, MAX tackles the-FIRST SMEGMA
CRAZY who is running towards the gate. They land at
the foot of the pump. The FERAL BOY, bouncing up and
down on top of the pump looks down gleefully, as the
FARMER, the BUTCHER and the CURMUDGEON descend on the
MARAUDER.
MAX is on his feet running towards PAPPAGALLO, as the
second SMEGMA CRAZY is hit by the MECHANIC flying on
the end of his lattice-arm contraption. ANGIE and
PISMC, manning the other end, smile with satisfaction.
92. INSIDE THE COMPOUND - THE CRACKING TOWER. DAY. 92.
WEZ confronts the QUIET MAN who has his bow drawn,,,
The QUIET MAN fires - WEZ ducks - missed!
WEZ grins. The QUIET MAN is paralysed by indecision.
WEZ is on him.., head-butts him - once, twice, three
times,
The QUIET MAN'S face is a torrent of blood as WEZ
throws him of the cooling platform.
The QUIET MAIL lands, groaning, badly injured.
93. FROM INSIDE THE BUS. DAY. 93.
The LONE WOLF has made it to the gate and smashes his
way through the window - clawing at BIG REBECCA.
She shoves a boot in his face as WARRIOR WOMAN drops
onto him from the battlement above and buries a knife
blade in his neck.
Z7.
4 . AT 1H. 13A'1"i'L.MEN'1'J . UA . . 94
MAX has picked up PAPPAGALLO'S flame thrower.
PAPPAGALLO watches as he climbs the battlements,
A DOZEN MARAUDERS are charging up the causeway.
MAX appears above them,,, spraying fire. The
MARAUDERS retreat...
95, INSIDE THE COMPOUND. DAY. 95•,
WEZ grabs a cable and swings from the catwalk across
the cracking tower to Pappagallo's 'dinosaur tent'.
He slides down the tent, leaps onto some tyres, onto
a storage tank and then onto the tanker...
He hesitates a moment looking for some way to get to
the gate...
The WHOLE CAMP turns to confront him..-'.:'
He ducks, the gyrocopter swoops down over his head
and lands in the centre of the compound...
An arrow flies past WEZ, then the Feral Kid's boomerang
, , he decides to call it quits.
Running along the top of the tanker, be leaps the
barbed wire fence.
9G THE L-ITCH. DAY. 96.
WEZ lands in the ditch.
He clambers over a wreck out of the ditch and out of
range.
97, INSIDE THE COMPOUND. THE TANKER. DAY.
The GYRO CAPTAIN is up on the tanker, throwing a
stick and shaking his fist at the MARAUDERS - putting
on a show for the jubilant compound people.
Several people shake hands with the GYRO CAPTAIN,
The FERAL KID watches, puzzled, intrigued by this
strange ritual.
Sc. 97. Cont.
The MECHANIC is already examining the damage to the
prime mover,
PAPPAGALLO is propped up against the base of the
battlement. BIG REBECCA and the WARRIOR WOMAN tend
his thigh wound.
PAPPAGALLO
OK! OK! Let's go.
We leave tonight!
The MECHANIC lifts his head out of the engine:
MECHANIC
We got a hole through the
radiator - into the
timing case.
Gonna take at least 24
hours.
PAPPAGALLO
You've got twelve.
The crowd disperses.
The QUIET MAN is carried to the bread van/medical
centre; the bodies are removed; camp members load
vehicles; men are working on the tanker.
WARRIOR WOMAN climbs onto the battlement.
98. THE BATTLEMENTS% DAY, 98.
The MARAUDERS have regrouped on the rise.
MAX is watching them, the flame thrower in his hands,
as the WARRIOR WOMAN approaches him:
WARRIOR WOMAN
I want you to know... that was
a very brave thing you did...
He doesn't reply - just hands her the flame thrower
and descends the ladder.
49.
99. INSIDE THE COMPOUND. DAY. 99.
BIG REBECCA has just pulled the arrow out of
PAPPAGALLO'S leg as MAX moves into view.
PAPPAGALLO watches him walk towards the black-on
-black - its nose poking out of the pyramid workshop,
As MAX passes the gyrocopter we see the GYRO CAPTAIN
in conversation with the CURMUDGEON.
CURMUDGEON
.and tell me, son, this
machine of yours - it takes
two , does it?
The GYRO CAPTAIN glances over the CURMUDGEON'S
shoulder at LUSTY who is admiring the gyrocopter.
GYRO CAPTAIN
er... possibly.
The FERAL KID steps forward, holding his hand out
stiffly to MAX.
MAX hesitates, then shakes it briefly. The KID
laughs - be finds this hand shaking-business hilarious.
As MAX moves on to the pyramid workshop, the FERAL
KID follows in his footsteps, mimicing his squeaky,
stiff-legged gait.
1.00, INT. PYRAMID WORKSHOP. LATE AFTERNOON. 100.
Through the maze of pipes in the peak of the pyramid,
we have a high angle down on MAX working on the
black-on-black below.
The FERAL KID comes into view in the foreground,
climbing along the pipes.
The KID is softly humming a tune - approximating the
first few notes of "Happy Birthday".
On the workshop floor a small siphon pump is transfer-
ring fuel from a 44 gallon drum into the black-on-
black's fuel tanks.
MAX is re-arming the booby traps - connecting a
string of wires and fuses to the gas tank caps. His
utility belt and jacket are off and he has laid his
personal. effects on a nearby work bench.
In the background, through the arched doorway we see
Sc. 100. Cont.
1VU. i„uliL'.
the MECHANIC and his TEAM working on the truck with
arc welders, lights and so on.
MAX looks up:
The CURMUDGEON is leading PAPPAGALLO'into the workshop.
CURMUDGEON
See! I told ya. I said he
was leaving.
High up in the pyramid the FERAL KID starts to swing
down the pipes - towards the bench where MAX has laid
his jacket and utility belt. On the floor, PAPPAGALLO
CONFRONTS MAX:
PAPPAGALLO
I don't have time for thanks.
You know what you did out _
there and what it means to us.
Come with us, MAX. Drive the
tanker.
MA:. continues to work - muffling the four exhausts
by plugging them with rags.
MAX
We had a contract. I did
my job, I got my car and I
got my gas. End of story.
PAPPAGALLO
It doesn't have to be -
we'll make a new contract.
I can offer you a chance to
rebuild your life, I can
offer you a future.
The CURMUDGEON breaks in, excited.
CURMUDGEON
You gotta come. Look!
He produces a grubby souvenir postcard pack which
bears the heading:
GREETINGS FROM THE
SUNSHINE COAST
100. Cont. 100.
The FERAL KID's arm sneaks across the work bench
reaching out for the hurdy-gurdy.
MAX'S hand snaps out and clamps around the KID'S
wrist. The FERAL KID drops the hurdy-gurdy. As
MAX releases his grip the KID retreats into the
shadows.
The CURMUDGEON unravels the postcard pictures in
front of MAX'S face. -
CURMUDGEON
This is where we're going.
Two thousand miles away.
"Bloody paradise. Fresh
water... plenty of sunshine...
nothing to do but breed...
MAX starts to go back to his work.
PAPPAGALLO takes him by the shoulder.
PAPPAGALLO
What are you looking for
out there? How long do
you expect to survive,
scavenging day to day?
You're no different than them.
He points in the direction of the Marauders.,.
..,vultures, maggots.
Don't you see? There is
a better way!
MAX flares at him, angry:
MAX
Yeah. I tried it once!
Now forget it, 'cos I
never get involved.
I'm leaving. I leave
tonight.
PAPPAGALLO is about to reply when a scream echoes
through the camp.
They all turn to look: the men working on the prime
mover are running towards the battlement,
An ominous drumming begins in the Marauders' camp.
3GI.. INSIDE THE COMPOUND. THE CATWALK. DUSK. 101.
PAPPAGALLO climbs onto part of the refinery's cat-
walk which is close to the workshop area.
SEVERAL OTHER CAMP MEMBERS, including the GYRO
CAPTAIN, and LUSTY, are already there - looking
across no-man's land.
The MARAUDERS are raising two tall poles. TWO OF
THE CAMP MEMBERS captured that morning are nailed
to the poles screaming.
PAPPAGALLO turns to MAX, who is still down at the
black-on-black.
PAPPAGALLO
You see! That's the
alternative!
Men feeding on men.
MAX goes back to work.
The GYRO CAPTAIN slips his arm around LUSTY'S
shoulder.
GYRO CAPTAIN
I know you're afraid darlin'.
But I'll let you into a
secret, sweetheart. I'm
afraid too.
He squeezes her tight. She caresses his hand.
DISSOLVE.
1.02. NO MAN'S LAND. NIGHT, 102.
Silhouetted against a large fire, near the two
poles, a group of TWELVE !.MARAUDERS of various
breeds beat out a tattoo on the panels of their
cars. The HUMUNGUS watches as two more victims
are raised on poles. The beat becomes more
frenzied,
FADE TO BLACK.
Pouring with sweat, MAX tears up the first of a
series of metal plates which form the floor of the
workshop area.
He drags it.across the compound, passing the
MECHANIC'S TEAM working in a shower of sparks on
the prime mover.
The MECHANIC looks up:
MECHANIC -
Go on! Go! Just another mercenary!
He spits.
MAX ignores him, dragging the plate past Pappagallo's
tent. It is crowded with CAMP PEOPLE, laying their
plans for escape.
They fall silent, turning to watch MAX.
104, COMPOUND WALL. BRIDGE OF CARS. NIGHT. 104.
The black-on-black waits next to the fence, near the
place where the Mohawkers attempted to build the
"bridge of cars" across the ditch.
MAX has cut a hole in the barbed wire and is
manouevrin6 the metal plate on top of the first car
starting to build a ramp from thw,
compound, over the top of the cars and onto the far
side of the ditch.
DISSOLVE.
105, INSIDE THE COMPOUND. LATER THAT NIGHT. 105
The HUMUNGUS has stepped up his theatrics of terror.
His voice booms across the night - reciting dark
poetic descriptions of death and hell.
The CAMP PEOPLE, gathered in Pappagallo's tent, watch
as the GYRO CAPTAIN walks towards the spot where MAX
is working. PAPPAGALLO sits at his desk,flicki.ng an
egg timer: the sand trickling from one end to the
other.
E. fs
106. CUMI'OUNU WALL. BRIDGE OF CARS. NIGHT. 106,
MAX, who is locking the last metal plate into
position, looks up at the GYRO CAPTAIN.
GYRO CAPTAIN
I just want you to know that
I don't agree with them,
He indicates the people in Pappagallo's tent.
GYRO CAPTAIN
I don't think you're a coward.
A bit stupid - but not a
coward,
Where else you gonna find
what we 've got here?
Food... fuel... clean women.
MAX goes back to work, putting the finishing touches
to the ramp.
GYRO CAPTAIN
Men, too, if that's your
inclination.
Jesus! All we've got to
do is get away from that
Humungus. With you driving
the tanker we can do it.
I know you can. I saw you
out there. Stay with us
Max. Drive the tanker.
MAX gets up, snaking his head.
MAX
I haven't got time to explain.
Just believe me - I've got
everything I want.
The CAPTAIN starts to interrupt but MAX cuts him
short.
MAX
Good luck tomorrow.
I hope you make it.
Sc. 106. Cont.
106. cont. 106,
MAX puts out his hand.
• The CAPTAIN, a little surprised, shakes hands with
him.
GYRO CAPTAIN
Thanks. Thanks a lot.
The CAPTAIN walks back towards the GROUP watching
from Pappagallo's tent. He shrugs his shoulders.
MAX opens the door of the black-on-black.
107. OUTSIDE THE _OMPOUND. BRIDGE OF CARS. NIGHT. 107.
MAX eases the black car onto the metal plates.
The wide wheels rumble slowly across the makeshift
bridge.
MAX revs the motor to get over the last hump, the
plugs in the exhausts muffling the sound of the big
engine.
The Humungus's bizarre ravings continue to boom across
the wasteland.
108, THE WASTELAND NEAR THE COMPOUND.NIGHT. 108.
The black-on-black eases away from the compound.
The DOG is edgy, growling. MAX takes hold of his
shotgun,
There is a thump! Something lands on the roof.
The DOG flies at the window snarling. MAX jams the
barrel against the roof.
A face appears, leaning over the windscreen, peering
in at MAX. It's the FERAL KID,
He grins and tumbles through the passenger's window.
He grabs hold of MAX'S hand, shaking it.
The FERAL KID laughs, settling in to the seat.
The car continues to roll forward.
Sc, 108, Cont.
108. Cont. 1.08,
MAX
Get out.
Scat! Go back.
The FERAL KID looks at him, puzzled, then throws his
head back, howling.
MAX stops the car, looking round, nervous.
The first light of dawn appears on the horizon.
MAX turns to the FERAL KID:
MAX
You're a fine kid, but you
can't come. You've gotta
learn - don't get close to
people. It can churn you
up...
The KID can't understand a word, so just grins.
MAX thrusts his hand into his back pocket and produces
the hurdy-gurdy.
He shoves it into the FERAL KID'S hands, opens the
door and pushes him out.
109. THE WASTELAND. DAWN.
As the FERAL KID gets to his feet the black-on-black
accelerates away, surging up the rise towards the
Humungus encampment.
The rapid burst of power fires the four plugs out of
the exhausts. The big engine roars.
110. THE RISE ABOVE THE COMPOUND. DAWN. 110.
WEZ springs to his feet. His face covered in a
white war paint. His eyes searching out the
darkness. He starts running,.. towards the
Humungus machine.
Sc. 110. Cont.
11.0 .
no. Cont.
A GAYBOY BERSERKER is running with him. As they climb
into the vehicle, the HUMUNGUS - sitting on a rock near
the VICTIMS on the poles - gets to his feet,
He bellows with rage as WEZ drives the vehicle off in
pursuit of Max. The TWO VICTIMS, still strapped to the
front, lift their heads.
i11.. THE HUMUNGUS MACHINE. DAWN.
From the Humungus machine WEZ sees six other vehicles
stream across the landscape in pursuit of the black-on
-black. (One tow truck, two dune buggies, two street
cars and a bike).
The TOADIE emerges bewildered from where he has been
sleeping under the fuel tanks of the Humungus machine.
112.
112. A ROAD NEAR THE COMPOUND. DAWN.
The black-on-black achieves the road...
The DOG is looking back through the passenger window
as we see the first of the pursuing vehicles rumble
onto the road...
MAX hits the supercharger switch...
The big engine whines up.
Once again, the DOG climbs down under the seat.
The Humungus machine rockets onto the road... and
begins to overtake the other six Marauder vehicles
one by one...
WIPE.
113.
11.3, THE HIGHWAY. EARLY MORNING.
MAX is giving the black-on-black all its got...
In the Humungus machine WEZ, the GAYBOY BERSERKER
and the TOADIE have left the rest of the Marauders
well behind...
The big machine seems to be encroaching on the black-
on-black.
Sc. 1.13. Cont.
58.
♦ 1. ..I i t rv•A a.
WEZ shouts instructions to the GAYBOY BERSERKER who
comes to his side.
The GAYBOY BERSERKER slides behind the wheel as WEZ
clambers forward onto the front of the vehicle.
The GAYBOY BERSERKER reaches down. His hand rests on a
toggle switch next to three gas bottles marked:
NITROUS OXIDE
At the front of the vehicle WEZ grabs a huge exhaust
pipe jutting into the air. In spite of the heat he tears
the pipe off the mounting. He signals to the GAYBOY
BERSERKER.
The GAYBOY BERSERKER flicks down the toggle switch:
there is a mighty roar matched by a massive surge of
power in the Humungus machine...
The TWO VICTIMS on the front scream... MAX is bewildered
by the massive acceleration. ._
The Humungus machine leaps alongside the black-on-black.
WEZ swings the chrome pipe down through the front
windscreen -, into MAX'S face.
114. A CURVE IN THE HIGHWAY. MORNING. 1.14.
The black-on-black takes out a guide post and leases
the road... rolling over and over.
Inside the car MAX - his face bloodied - and the DOG
are slammed around in the cabin of the black-on-black.
It continues rolling, over and over again, into a gully.
115, THE CREEK BED. MORNING. 115.
What is left of the car comes to rest, upside down,
among the boulders of a dry creek bed. MAX is slumped,
dangling in his harness - his face and body bloodied
and broken. Somthing moves... it's the DOG pulling
himself out of the wreckage. He licks and paws at
MAX'S face. One eye flickers open.
AN
l lu . hUAU:,ILL . MORNING . 116.
WEZ stands looking down into the gully. Another vehicle
has arrived. TWO GAYBOY BERSERKERS and the TOADIE
scramble down towards the wreck carrying jerry cans.
WE-
Don't waste him. If he's
alive I want him.
117. THE CREEK BED. MORNING. 117.
By an enormous force of will, MAX frees himself from the
harness and - as the sound of the Marauders approaches -
pulls himself through the window of the wreck.
He falls to the ground, dragging his crippled body into
the shadow of a large boulder, hiding there.
The DOG confronts the MARAUDERS, snarling, standing
between them and the wreck.
One of the GAYBOY BERSERKERS raises his crossbow...
MAX watches, grim-faced, as the DOG falls dead.
The THREE MARAUDERS run to the vehicle.
While the TOADIE prepares to siphon off the gas, the
other two peer into the crushed cabin.
Perplexed, they examine the wreck more closely, looking
for MAX.. .
ONE of them sees the drag marks, leading down the
creek bed.
He signals to the OTHER MARAUDER... MAX prepares to defend
himself... the TOADIE prises the cap off the black car's
fuel tank.
The booby trap explodes... the petrol ignites... the
THREE MARAUDERS are engulfed by a giant fireball.
MAX looks pa3t the flames, staring up at WEZ,
not taking his eyes off him...
118, ROADSIDE. MORNING. 118.
WEZ and the OTHER MARAUDERS watch the great pillar of
smoke rise up into the sky.
They return to their vehicles.
119. INSIDE THE COMPOUND. MORNING. 119.
The GYRO CAPTAIN helps the LUSTY GIRL dismantle one of
the small tents.
In the background we see the camp vehicles standing
ready - fully loaded. The Mechanic's TEAM are still
working on the prime mover.
As PISMO shows from the tower, the GYRO CAPTAIN looks
up to see the smoke from the wreck rising into the sky.
The GYRO.CAPTAIN, mutters an oath and sprints towards
is machine.
120. CREEK BED. DAY. 120,
Foot by foot, MAX drags himself alor:g the creekbed -
heading for the compound. Blood seeps from wounds on
his head and face. His legs are useless, his hands
heavily bandaged with strips from his leather jacket.
Behind him, in the distance, we see the still-
smouldering wreck of the black-on-black.
MAX struggles on, the pain growing, the sun climbing,
the temperature soaring. His mind becomes more feverish:
the wasteland dissolves into the heat haze; the buzz
of the flies around his face becomes the steady drone
of an engine.
The gyrocopter appears above him.
121. ON BOARD THE GYROCOPTER. DAY. 121.
MAX, strapped to the chassis of the gyrocopter, drifts
back to consciousness.
He sees the compound surging towards them as they come
in to land.
He drifts back into unconsciousness, the images
distorting, dissolving,..
122. INSIDE THE COMPOUND. THE BREAD VAN. DAY.- 122.
MAX'S eyes flicker open to a slow, distorted version of
'HAPPY BIRTHDAY"
As he fights to make sense of his surroundings, we see
that his wounds have been stitched and dressed.
He lifts his head, looking through the back door of
the bread van.
...1 - t f T
122. Cont. 122.
is sitting on the roof of the van, playing the hurdy-
GURDY
Then, beyond the KID, coming into clear focus, he sees
the prime mover attached to the tanker.
The tanker now sports a 'cow-catcher' on the front,
armour-plating on the bonnet, steel aprons on the wheels
and a barbed wire net along each side.
MAX'S vision clears. He sees PAPPAGALLO-on the catwalk
addressing the CAMP PEOPLE.
MAX drops his bead back and looks to one side: a bloated
faces stares back at him.
The QUIET MAN, is lying unconscious on a stretcher next
to him.
MAX lifts his head urgently and looks around. He realises
that he is in the bread van. The canopy has been removed
and his stretcher is supported by a collection of 44 gallon
drums.
123. INSIDE THE COMPOUND - THE CATWALK. DAY. 123,
PAPPAGALLO paces the catwalk as he gives final
instructions to the CAMP PEOPLE gathered below.
PAPPAGALLO
We're going to use the tanker
and the two assault vehicles to
punch our way out of here.
If I'm right, they'll all go
after the tanker. That'll give
the rest of you a chance.
124. INT. BREAD VAN. DAY. 12•x.
MAX is sitting up, binding his leg tight with
bandages, clipping on his metal knee brace.
PAPPAGALLO (v/o)
Split up. Go as hard as you
can. Two hundred miles north
there's a bridge. At Powder
River. If we make it, that's
our rendezvous...
As MAX struggles to haul himself out of the bread van,
the FERAL KID hands him his equipment belt.
11412 . 14,4au L � L 411
PAPPAGALLO (v/a)
It's defensible, We can refuel
there.
125. INSIDE THE COMPOUNDDAY 125.
MAX, grim-faced, starts to walk towards the tanker.
Blood seeps through the bandage on his leg.
PAPPAGALLO (v/o)
But! Only give us 'til sunset.
If we haven't made it by then,
keep going!
PAPPAGALLO swings down off the catwalk, heading for the
cabin of the tanker.
The meeting breaks up - the CAMP PEOPLE moving to take
up their positions on the various vehicles.
MAX
I'll drive the tanker...
Everybody stops, turning to look at him.
MAX is staring at PAPPAGALLO, swaying slightly, hands
clenched,
MAX
Until you're clear of
trouble...
The CURMUDGEON breaks in:
CURMUDGEON
He's gotta be joking!
PAPPAGALLO
Look at you.
MAX nods.
Sc. 125. Cont...
c,3
14z) . L.uLLL.
MAX
But I'm still the best
you've got.
PAPPAGALLO thinks for a long moment.,
PAPPAGALLO
You'll, need these...
He tosses MAX his sawn-off shotgun and a bandolier
containing six cartridges.
126. CRACKING TOWER. HIGH ANGLE. WHOLE SCENE.DAY. 126.
The tanker stands at the far end of the compound. Behind
it, the GYRO CAPTAIN is spinning the rotor of his machine.
A dune buggy and the Lone Wolf's car - armour-plated
since being captured by the camp - wait on either side
of the tanker.
Beyond the gate the MARAUDERS have formed an arc of
vehicles just out of crossbow range. The Hiunungus machine
stands at its centre.
127. INS ID THE COMPOUND. DAY. 127.
MAX sits in the tanker, checking out the controls,
familiarising himself with the machine...
WARRIOR WOMAN stands on the running board.
She turns as the MECHANIC clambers on board. He glares
at her, daring her to stop him:
MECHANIC
I sweated blood on this mother.
And no bastard's gonna make me
go in no lousy bread van.
MAX kicks over the big engine...
12£3 . oiY33IDh THE CUM UUNV . LM I .
WEZ stands on the back of a tow truck, beyond him
we see the arc of vehicles, engines gunning, straining
at the leash...
The Humungus vehicle eases forward into frame...
The TWO VICTIMS on the front of his vehicle have
their heads hooded.
129.
129. INSIDE THE COMPOUND. DAY.
MAX is revving the engine higher and higher.
WARRIOR WOMAN climbs up to the top of the tanker...
PAPPAGALLO starts the assault vehicle.
WARRIOR WOMAN finds the FERAL KI.D crouched down in
her position behind the protective plate. Holding
the KID by his arm, she passes him down to MAX who
passes him down to the ground... PAPPAGALLO yells
for someone to come and take him...
The LUSTY GIRL runs forward... the FERAL KID avoids
her. MAX engages the engine. The tanker rumbles
forward, gathering speed as it runs the length of the
compound. BIG REBECCA, at the wheel of the school bus
draws the vehicle aside - revealing the burnt out
wreck of the road racer on the causeway and the
MARAUDERS beyond.
130. OUTSIDE THE COMPOUND.__ DAY. 130.
The HUMUNGUS has opened his gun case and removes the
magnum 44. The remaining 4 bullets have been
placed in the revolving chamber...
131.
131, INSIDE THE COMPOUND. DAY.
The dune buggy and the Lone Wolf machine follow close
behind the tanker.
The FERAL KID leaps onto the back of Pappagallo's
vehicle.
Sc. 131. Cont.
131. Cont. 131,
The WARRIOR WOMAN and the MECHANIC lie low as the
tanker roars out the gate, ploughing through the
burnt out wreck,"knocking it into the ditch.
The HUMUNGUS, raises his gun, calmly taking aim at the
oncoming tanker...
As the tanker accelerates towards him, the gyrocopter
swoops out of the compound and over the MARAUDERS.
The GYRO CAPTAIN drops three burning molotov cocktails.
They fall in and around a road racer at one end of
the arc... the road racer bursts into flames...
The GYRO CAPTAIN whoops with delight.
1.32. THE BREAK OUT. OUTSIDE THE COMPOUND. DAY. 132.
With the Lone Wolf machine and the dune buggy close
alongside, MAX steers the tanker towards the burning
road racer.
The HUMUNGUS fires... once...
The bullet dents the protective plate mounted on the
front of the tanker but does no further damage.
Twice... three times!
Two more dents,
The tanker keeps going crashing through the burning
wreck... breaking the Marauders' cordon...
133. ON BOARD THE BYROCOPTER. DAY. 133,
The GYRO CAPTAIN has banked around and is swooping low.
Having swung around, the GYRO CAPTAIN, swoops down,
taking aim on the Humungus machine with another fistful.
of lighted bottles.
The HUMUNGUS looks up. He swings the revolver up,
taking aim at the approaching gyrocopter.
He fires!
The bullet hits, piercing the right rudder peddle.
Dropping his bottles, the GYRO CAPTAIN screams and
looks down: blood pours from what is left of his
right foot.
i J•x 1111: 411 JL' VV I JILL if1L LUBll'V441L. LNi. 134.
MAX glances up to see the gyrocopter, flying ezaatically,,
swoop over and bank away towards the horizon..
On top of the tanker WARRIOR WOMAN and the MECHANIC
prepare to fire their weapons.
Behind them, the HUMUNGUS and his HORDE power over the
rise, pursuing the tanker.
Suddenly, three of the Marauder vehicles skid to a halt,
They start to turn back towards the compound, where the
remaining camp vehicles are making their bid for freedom.
The bread van and three other vehicles have followed the
yellow school bus out onto the causeway.
They skirt round the back of the compound and head off
across country.
The HUMUNGUS screams at his men through the amplifier:
HUMUNGUS
The tanker! All on the tanker!
As the three Marauder vehicles turn to rejoin the
tanker chase... whoomp! a massive flash fills the
sky. The camp erupts in flame, followed by a series
of rolling explosions.
The camp people have destroyed what they cannot take ...
WIPE.
1.35. DUNE BUGGY INCIDENT. HIGHWAY. DAY. 135,
As the tanker surges towards us, we see the dune
buggy, the Lone Wolf' machine and the pursuing
MARAUDERS, surrounding it.
MAX grimaces as he changes gears. His leg is bleeding
freely now...
He looks to the passenger-side:
The dune buggy, driven by the BLACKSMITH and manned
by PISMO, leaps onto the road in front of=the tanker.
A tow truck, manned by SKINHEADS, converges on it from
the driver's side.
Sc. 135. Cont.
c.,
13S. Cont. 135 ,
On the back of the dune buggy PISMO lifts his crossbow...
unaware that, behind him, Wez's convertible tow truck
• is approaching fast.
The FIRST OF THE TWO SKINHEADS on the back of the tow
truck fires his crossbow.,,
The arrow sails past PISMO'S ear. PISMO fires.., He
hits the FIRST SKINHEAD but the arrow bounces off the
SKINHEAD'S protective armour. The SKINHEAD grins.
PISMO hurries to reload...
The SECOND SKINHEAD raises his bow, aiming at PISMO.
An arrow hits the SECOND SKINHEAD in the back of the
head.
PISMO looks up to see WARRIOR WOMAN reloading her
longbow.
PISMO grins at her... behind him, WETS arm reaches
down and hooks the jib chain around the roll bar of the
dune buggy...
The tow truck accelerates... the chain tightens...
PISMO screams as he is thrown through the air.
WEZ'S tow truck drags the dune buggy askew...
It rolls in front of the tanker... MAX has no choice.
The cow catcher shunts the dune buggy aside, sending it
tumbling off the road.
MAX struggles with the wheel,., managing to keep the
vehicle on the road.,.
He looks down in the side mirror: two road racers and
a dune buggy - followed by the Humungus machine - surge
up behind the tanker.
From behind protective plates on top of the tanker the
MECHANIC hurls a molotov cocktail...
The FARMER, stationed at the rear of the tanker does
the same...
The two bottles smash into the first road racer. It
bursts into flames... swerves in front of the other
road racer, ramps off the road and plunges into a
Marauder's dune buggy.
PAPPAGALLO, who has been forced off the road, narrowly
avoids the wreck.
136. MAX LOSES HIS DOOR. DAY. 136 .
The Skinhead tow truck draws alongside the tanker,
near Max' s door.
The SECOND SKINHEAD, twirling a grappling hook, lets
it fly.
It trails out towards the tanker cabin,.. flies through
the driver's window.., and lands virtually in MAX'S lap...
As the tow truck swerves away from the tanker the cable
tightens.
The grappling hook drags across MAX'S arm, tearing away
part of the sleeve and hooks onto the door...
The tow truck brakes... Max's door is ripped off its
hinges...
137. THE REAR OF THE TANKER INCIDENT. DAY.' 137,
A SMEGMA CRAZY riding in the cabin of the tow truck
is encouraged by this success...
He begins twirling his grappling hook as the vehicle
approaches the back of the tanker...
The FARMER pops up from behind a protective plate and
fires his crossbow...
The arrow-misses the tow truck, flies through the caged
window of a road racer armed with a 4-pak and lodges
in the driver's helmet.
The DRIVER pulls off his helmet... the arrow has barely
creased his scalp.
The S14EGMA CRAZY hurls his grappling hook...
It caches the FARMER by the leg and hooks on to the
lip of the back protective plate.
The cable snaps taut, the FARMER screams.
MAX feels the sudden tug on the tanker, He changes
down...
The tow truck is dragged along, veering out of control.
The strain pops the rivets off the tanker's back plate.
it comes away in one piece... carrying away the FARMER
and the steel aprons protecting the rear wheels...
The tow truck tumbles and rolls...
RN
138, THE MECHANIC DROPS THE BOTTLE. DAY. 138,
On top of the tanker, the MECHANIC has lit another
molotov cocktail...
He swings back to throw...
The road racer, armed with the 4-pak'swings alongside
and fires.
Three arrows rat-a-tat against the protective plates.
the fourth hits the MECHANIC'S upraised arm...
The bottle drops... and smashes on top of the tanker...
spreading flames.
The HUMUNGUS accelerates hard towards the now-undefended
rear of the tanker. He pulls a rope, whipping the hoods
off the heads of the TWO VICTIMS lashed to the front.
They scream as the back of the tanker looms in front of
them.
139. WEZ TAKES OUT THE FIRST TYRE.DAY. 139.
MAX looks in the passenger-side mirror...
Wez's convertible tow truck is drawing alongside the
left rear wheels of the prime mover.
WEZ fires an arrow into the first tyre...
It explodes,,. flailing cable and rubber.,.
As WEZ reloads, another MOHAWKER - wearing two bizarre
bear claws on his crossbow gauntlets - steadies himself
on the back of the tow truck... ready to jump aboard
the tanker.
Pappagallo's Lone Wolf machine appears in the background.
140, WARRIOR WOMAN IS SHOT. DAY. 1,40.
WARRIOR WOMAN turns to see that the MECHANIC is losing
the battle with the flames. In vain he tries to stop
his clothes catching alight,..
Rising to her feet WARRIOR WOMAN fires an arrow at the
BEAR CLAW BIKER... hitting him in his protective pads
throwing him off balance.
As WARRIOR WOMAN scrambles along the top of the tanker
towards the MECHANIC, TWO MARAUDERS fire at her,
Sc. 1,40. Cont.
140. Cont. 140.
She is hit, once in the protective plate around her
kidneys and once in the thigh.,,
From the Lone Wolf vehicle PAPPAGALLO and the FERAL
KID watch as she staggers forward,..
In the tow truck, WEZ has reloaded and fires at WARRIOR
WOMAN. The arrow hits her in the back... she buckles
and falls into the barbed wire.
MAX watches helplessly in the rear vision mirror as
she struggles in the wire.
141. CONVERTIBLE TOW TRUCK. DAY. 141.
As WEZ reloads his crossbow, the Lone Wolf machine
accelerates alongside the tow truck.
The KID throws his steel boomerang... Yiitting Wez's
crossbow gauntlet, preventing him from aiming.
The MASKED MOHAWKER driving the tow truck turns to see...
PAPPAGALLO firing his gauntlet crossbow.
The MASKED MOHAWKER screams as the arrow passes through
his neck...
The convertible tow truck swerves in and bounces off the
tanker.
WEZ is thrown off balance...
The BEAR CLAW BIKER grabs the barbed wire on the side
of the tanker for support...
The tow truck swerves away, out of control, leaving
the BEAR CLAW BIKER clinging to the wire,
WEZ scrambles over into the driver's seat, bringing
the vehicle back under control.
142. WARRIOR WOMAN AND THE MECHANIC. DAY. 1.42.
WARRIOR WOMAN, caught in the wire by her clothing,
struggles to remain conscious as she slips-closer to
the tanker's wheels.
The MECHANIC, who has managed to extinguish the flames,
crawls towards her. Her clothing tearing... his hand
reaches out... further... further... and grabs her.
A road racer draws alongside them.
Sc. 142. Con t ...
MAX yells as he sees the driver - a GAYBOY BERSERKER -
fire another arrow into the MECHANIC.
The MECHANIC shudders, the WARRIOR WOMAN slips - her
weight dragging them both off the tanker.
143, MAX ATTACKS. DAY. 143,
MAX, enraged, tears off the sling which supports his
wrist. He grabs the shotgun off the seat next to him.
He swings the gun around then pumps both barrels into
the road racer: the first blast shatters the windscreen
the second blows off the bonnet...
The GAYBOY BERSERKER is unharmed.
MAX hauls down hard on the wheel...
The tanker swerves into the road racer, taking it
through a guide post and into the 'rough'...
The tanker barrels over the road racer, rolling it,
tumbling it into another Marauder's vehicle.
MAX changes down and hurls the tanker back onto the
highway. The BEAR CLAW BIKER hangs on desperately...
MAX grabs two of the four remaining cartridges and
quickly reloads the shotgun.
143. BOARDING THE TANKER. DAY. 143.
The Humungus machine draws up behind the undefended
tanker.
A GAYBOY BERSERKER clambers to the front of the
Humungus vehicle - between the TWO VICTIMS - and leaps
onto the back of the tanker.
Further along the tanker, a MOHAWK BIKER with PILLION
RIDER has drawn alongside. The PILLION RIDER helps the
BEAR CLAW BIKER swing up above the wire...
Once he is on top, the BEAR CLAW BIKER hauls the PILLION
RIDER on board.
The MOHAWK BIKER accelerates alongside the leading set
of wheels - one of which has already been blown apart.
He raises his bow taking aim...
The flying steel belt of the shreaded tyre lashes around
his arm, dragging him and his bike beneath the rig...
Sc. 143. Cont...
143. Cont. 143.
The giant wheels trample the MAN and machine, spitting
them out the back... beneath the wheels of the Humungus
machine.
144. UNDER THE TANKER. DAY. 144.
On its way through the bike has ruptured a small hose
underneath the tanker. We see something trickling out
of the tank... streaming down the road.
It's sand!
145. THE MARAUDERS ON BOARD. DAY. 145.
On board the tanker, the GAYBOY BERSERKER scrambles
towards the cabin, leaping the gap between the tank
and the prime mover...
MAX looks up at the 'thump' overhead...
The GAYBOY BERSERKER braces himself, taking aim through
the roof... he fires...
The arrow rips through the metal and buries itself in
the seat between MAX'S legs...
The GAYBOY BERSERKER prepares to reload.
MAX brakes...
The HUMUNGUS, tailgating him, isn't quick enough. The
front of his vehicle smacks one corner of the tanker,
crushing the BROKEN MAN strapped to the front.
The GAYBOY BERSERKER on the roof pitches forward,
falling past the windscreen and out of sight over the
front of the tanker...
The PILLION RIDER and BEAR CLAW BIKER scramble and
fall..
The BEAR CLAW BIKER catches hold of an outlet valve
and steadies himself..,
The PILLION RIDER totters... reaches... and grabs
the chromed exhaust stacks.., =
He screams as the pipe scorches his hand..; letting go..
tumbling over the side.
146, THE GYRO CAPTAIN AGAIN. DAY 146.
On the crest of a hill about 400 yards ahead, MAX
sees another vehicle.
The gyrocopter stands in the middle of the road
facing away from the chase...
The GYRO CAPTAIN has bandaged his foot and is trying to
repair the right rudder peddle...
As the chase looms up behind him he turns... we see
that the GAYBOY BERSERKER is clinging to the cow-
catcher on the front of the tanker.
Furiously, the GYRO CAPTAIN starts spinning the rotor
by hand, turning over the motor.
As the tanker bears down on him he takes off - so
steeply that he almost stalls.
Once he is airborne he looks down... assessing, cursing.
Down below we see Pappagallo's Lone Wolf vehicle draw
alongside Wez's convertible tow truck.
147. OFF ROAD. THE FERAL KID FALLS. DAY. 147.
WEZ looks over his shoulder...
PAPPAGALLO comes alongside... the FERAL KID, standing
on the back of the machine, hands him a crossobw.
WEZ wrenches down hard on the wheel... shunting into
the Lone Wolf vehicle... sending Pappagallo's arrow
astray...
The FERAL KID loses his footing, tumbling off the side
of the vehicle.
PAPPAGALLO turns in dismay... as WEZ comes in to
shunt him again...
148. MAX UNDER SIEGE. DAY. 148.
A bike with a side car accelerates alongside the tanker.
The SIDECAR RIDER fires and takes out another tyre...
The BEAR CLAW BIKER signals, calling for a weapon.
The SIDE CAR RIDER throws him a large, powerful
crossbow.
The BEAR CLAW BIKER catches it and starts to haul himself
onto the roof of the cabin.
Sc. 148. Cont.
74.
148. Cont. 1.48.
The SIDE CAR RIDER leaps onto the tanker.
At the rear of the tanker a SMEGMA CRAZY leaps off
the front of the Humungus vehicle and ontc the ladder
which leads to the top of the tanker.
149, OFF ROAD. THE KID ON HIS FEET. DAY. 149.
The FERAL KID staggers to his feet as Wez's tow truck
and Pappagallo's Lone Wolf vehicle continue their
shunting... the KID turns... a street car and a bike
are roaring towards him. The KID starts running..,
150. OFF ROAD. THE EROSION DITCH. DAY. 1,50,
In the scrub ahead - over WEZ'S shoulder - we see an
erosion ditch looming up. WEZ brakes and turns the
wheel...
The tow truck and the Lone Wolf machine go into a
slide...
WEZ manages to avoid the ditch and keep going but the
Lone Wolf machine's wheels plunge into the ditch,
bringing the vehicle to an abrupt halt...
151, MAX STILL UNDER SIEGE. DAY. 151.
As MAX looks back, a hand comes over the front bull bar
of the tanker, followed by the GAYBOY BERSERKER'S bead.
He sees the BEAR CLAW BIKER and signals for the crossbow...
the BEAR CLAW BIKER throws it...
The crossbow lands on the bonnet...
MAX turns, sees him... and raises the shotgun... the
GAYBOY BERSERKER ducks... MAX waits...
The BEAR CLAW BIKER works his way to Max's window...
The SMEGMA CRAZY jumps from the tanker onto the cabin
roof. =
MAX looks up as the man's feet thump on t-he metal above
his head.
The passenger's window shatters; the SIDE CAR RIDER
clings there, raising his crossbow...
Sc, 157. Cont...
1J i, <.Vil 6 , l J d..
On the roof, the SMEGMA CRAZY braces himself,
preparing to fire a crossbow bolt through the roof..
MAX raises the shotgun, firing point blank at the
SIDE CAR RIDER, blowing him away.
Immediately he fires the second barrel through the
roo4f. the blast hurls the SMEGMA CRAZY off the back
of the cabin.
MAX breaks open the barrel...
MAX grabs his last two shells as a muscled arm reaches
through the open door. MAX recoils. It is the BEAR
CLAW BIKER. The cartridges fall to the floor.
The BEAR CLAW rips the seat next to MAX'S right shoulder.
MAX zig-zags the tanker down the highway trying to keep
the BEAR CLAW off his balance.
Thud! The BEAR CLAW strikes again - this time - through
the rear window into Max's shoulder padding,..
The BEAR CLAW BIKER'S foot slips, MAX screams with pain
as the claws dig into his left shoulder.
The BEAR CLAW hangs there unable to move.
MAX tries desperately to reach the two cartridge shells
rolling around on the floor,
On the front of the tanker the GAY BOY BERSERKER pokes
his head up for another look...
152. OFF ROAD. THE EROSION DITCH. 152.
PAPPAGALLO spins the back wheels of the Lone Wolf
machine... frantically trying to pull it out of the
DITCH
It begins to move...
153, OFF ROAD, THE FERAL KID IS RESUCED. DAY. 153.
The FERAL KID runs.
WEZ streams in behind the MARAUDERS in the bike and
street car.
They are bearing down fast,..
When a rope drops from above, swinging past the KID,
The KID grabs it and is hauled up just as the
veh= !!s pass under him, The gyrocopter banks away...
1ni. Lont. 153.
The FERAL KID flies through the air,
A GAYBOY BERSERKER in a road racer looks tip to see
the gyrocopter and the KID...
He swings a 4-pak around on its axis and fires.
Three of the four arrows hit the gyrocopter in its
under-belly...
The aircraft makes a terrible noise and dips radically,
dropping down towards the tanker.
The KID clings desperately to the rope... looking up
and then down at the rapidly approaching tanker.
154. THE TANKER CABIN. DAY. 154.
MAX struggles to free himself from the=bear claws and
reload the gun...
The GAYBOY BERSERKER scrambles over the bull. bar
reaching for the crossbow...
MAX, lets go of the wheel and grabs the rear view
mirror, tearing it free and throwing it at the GAYBOY
BERSERKER. He slips back behind the bull bar...
15.5. THE SIDE OF THE TANKER. DAY. 155.
While the GYRO CAPTAIN struggles to keep his machine
in the air, the KID reaches out - trying to grab bold
of the tanker's exhaust stacks.
He can't reach.,.
The gyro drops a.gain...
The KID grabs the barbed wire but can't bold it...
156. THE TANKER CABIN. DAY, 1.56.
MAX is struggling to pull the bear claw out of his
shoulder when he sees the FERAL KID fly past the
missing driver's door.
MAX throws his arm out as far as it will go... grabbing
hold of the KID, hauling him into the tanker.
MAX and the KID look out as the gyrocopter bucks
wildly and crashes into the ground.
1a! AZAA Or 1nr. laitvlUi 116. tl111 .L7!
As the Marauders swarm around the tanker, a SMEGMA
CRAZY shoots out yet another tyre.
A MOHAWK BIKER fires... exploding another tyre.
156, THE TANKER CABIN. DAY. 155.
MAX shouts at the FERAL KID. indicating the cartridges
rolling around on the floor...
The KID recovers the cartridges, MAX hands him the gun...
The GAYBOY BERSERKER has crawled back onto the bonnet
and is reaching for the crossbow.
The KID tries to insert the first cartridge upside down.,.
MAX
No! The other way!!
The KID slips in the first cartridge, then the second...
He snaps the gun shut and tries to aim it at the
GAYBOY BERSERKER... but can't find the trigger.
The GAYBOY BERSERKER raises the crossbow...
MAX grabs the gun and fires...
The GAYBOY BERSERKER disappears over the side...
MAX rams the barrel into the left arm pit of the
BEAR CLAW BIKER.
He fires...
The BEAR CLAW BIKER falls away... leaving his arm and
crossbow gauntlet embedded in MAX'S shoulder.
159. THE REAR OF THE TANKER. DAY. 159,
Bellowing through his loudspeakers, the HUMUNGUS
organises the destruction of the tanker.
The 4-pak street car surges forward and discharges
its arrows..,
Two more tyres shred away..
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1uv. aaaa. . as v... v. .a..r •. ✓.>•
The tanker shudders.
The FERAL KID looks out of the passenger window.
MAX struggles to control the tanker.
The FERAI. KID climbs through the smashed windscreen and
onto the bonnet...
MAX watches as he picks up the crossbow lying on the
bonnet...
MAX
Get back! For Chrissakes!
The KID doesn't understand...
He clambers onto the roof before MAX can grab him.
The tanker shudders again as another tyre is blown out.
MAX watches through the rear window as"the KID jumps
from the cabin to the top of the tanker and then
disappears from view.
161. TOP OF THi TANKER. DAY. 161,
The KID tries to load the crossbow as he clambers
along the top of the tanker...
The bow string is too powerful for him to draw.
162. REAR OF THE TANKER. DAY. 162•
Another tyre is shot...
Then another. One bogie falls down on the wheel
rims,..
163. TOP OF TANKER. DAY. 163.
The tanker lurches... the KID slips down into the
wire... the crossbow clatters onto the road...
164, BEHIND THL TANKER. DAY, 164,
PAPPAGALLO has got the Lone Wolf machine back onto
the road... starting to overhaul the pack, heading for
the rightand side of the tanker.
Up ahead on the left, we see Wez's tow truck drawing
alongside the tanker.
Pieces of tyre are flailing everywhere... the tanker is
down on one side... slowing...
165. THE SIDE OF THE TANKER. DAY, 165.
The KID is trying to climb back onto the top of the
tanker. Wez's tow truck comes into view.
WEZ fires...
The KID is pinned by his dogskins to the side of the
tank...
He tries to free himself... he tears his dogskin off
the arrow and reaches up once more to the top of the
tanker.
WEZ fires again.
The arrow pierces the KID'S arm, pinning him to the
tank . . .
1.66. THE FRONT OF THE TANKER. DAY. 166.
MAX is fighting to bring the crippled tanker under
control... he changes down, wrestling with the wheel.,
stewing across the road.
PAPPAGALLO draws alongside his doorway, yelling:
PAPPAGALLO
Jump! Its finished. Jump!
MAX turns around, looking for the KID...
The tanker leaves the road and ramps up on the embankment,
rolling to a stop.
PAPPAGALLO
Jump!
MAX
The Kid?!
Cr 1AF runt
iou. Lont. 166.
PAPPAGALLO
Forget it! Jump!
MAX hesitates.
As the MARAUDERS swarm on top of the tanker, PAPPAGALLO
guns the engine... spraying dust,
MAX leaps, the arm of the BEAR CLAW BIKER still. embedded in
HIS SHOULDER
He grabs the rear roll bar of the Lone Wolf machine,
fighting to swing his feet clear... and finds a foothold
as the vehicle roars away...
167. THE CRIPPLED TANKER. DAY. 167
The HUMUNGUS draws up to the crippled tanker. WEZ and
a SECOND MOHAWKER are on top.
WEZ pulls open a hatch...
The SECOND MOHAWKER plunges in his hand and lets out an
ANGUISHED CRY-
He H e pulls out a handful of sand.
Below the HTJMUNGUS has opened the outlet hose.
Sand pours out onto the road.
Above him, the KID is hanging by his arm. Despite the
pain... he grins.
SECOND MOHAWKER
All this - and no guzzolene.
WEZ, pale with fury, speaks softly:
WEZ
I know where there's guzzolene,
WEZ whirls around and fires his crossbow,,.
The arrow buries itself in the HUMUNGUS'S mask...
The big man crumbles to the ground, dead.
The rest of the HORDE are arriving. As their vehicles
screech to a halt TWO SMEGMA CRAZIES and TWO GAYBOY
BERSERKERS leap out, waving their Jerry cans in the air.
WEZ, the SECOND MOHAWKER and TWO OTHERS, open fire.
The FOUR MARAUDERS crumple..
168. LU,NL i�oA.r VhHiLLI:. DAB . 168.
MAX makes his way over the back engine of the speeding
vehicle towards PAPPAGALLO, he tears the bear claw
arm out of his shoulder...
Through the screaming motor we hear Pappagallo laughing,
almost hysterical.
As MAX eases himself down into the cockpit.
PAPPAGALLO TURNS:
PAPPAGALLO
We've done it!
I thought it'd be impossible.
But we've done it!!
MAX YELLS:
:R
MAX
What about the Kid?!
PAPPAGALLO
We've won! Don't you see?
The fuel was with the others.
It's already at Powder River.
MAX reaches across and cuts the engine... the vehicle
rolls to a stop...
MAX g-abs PAPPAGALLO.
MAX
What happened to the boy?!
PAPPAGALLO
We've gotta keep going. It's
our only chance.
MAX raises the Bear Claw arm to PAPPAGALLO'S face.
We see that the crossbow strapped to the forearm is
still loaded.
MAX
The Kid?
PAPPAGALLO
I had to leave him... he was
pinned to the rig...
Sc. 168. Conc.
l6b. Cont. 168.
MAX
You left him there?
With them? Alive?
PAPPAGALLC
There was nothing I could do.
MAX throws PAPPAGALLO out of the vehicle and takes
the driver's seat...
PAPPAGALLO is left standing in the dust as MAX swings
the Lone Wolf machine around...
169. THE TANKER WRECK. DAY. 169.
WEZ is sitting at the wheel of the Humungus machine.
He and the THREE OTHER MARAUDERS - all on-.bikes -
accelerate away from the tanker. Dead bodies litter
the ground.
WEZ urges the OTHER THREE on - pursuing the Lone
Wolf machine.
As the Humungus machine winds around the bends, we see,
the Lone Wolf vehicle approaching over a distant hillcrest.
170. UNDULATING HIGHWAY, DAY. 170.
MAX guns the vehicle over the rise...
Over his shoulder we see the Humungus machine, 400 yards
away, approaching at terrific speed...
MAX steels himself... 300 yards.
The two vehicles are on direct collision course... 200
yards...
The two victims have been taken from the front of the
Humungus machine and something else is in their place...
MAX sees that it is the FERAL KID, lashed there - upside
down...
He throws the wheel, sending the vehicle into a slide,
spinning clear of the Humungus machine.
The Lone Wolf vehicle spins around... Thud! into the
bikes of TWO MARAUDERS flanking WEZ.
The third - a MOHAWK BIKER - follows WEZ,
As soon as MAX has the Lone Wolf machine under control,
he guns the two engines un,s is off after WEZ. He hits
171. HUMUNGUS MACHINE. DAY. 171.
As the vehicle approaches we see the KID, his head inches
off the bitumen... WEZ looks back to see MAX overtaking
the MOHAWK BIKER.
172. THE LONE WOLF MACHINE.DAY 172.
As MAX overtakes the MOHAWK BIKER, he twitches the
wheel... the big car swipes the bike.., sending the
MOHAWKER sailing off the road.
The Lone :Wolf surges away, catching up to the Humungus
machine.
173. HU1!UNGUS MACHINE. tAY. 173.
WEZ looks back at the approaching machine. He floors
the accelerator, "red-lining" the engine...
As the Humungus machine surges into camera we do a
track, in zoom, on the FERAL KID'S face, turning the
camera through 180 degrees.
174. THE KID'S UPSIDE DOWN POINT OF VIEW. DAY. 174.
We are upside down as we rocket along the curving,
undulating, highway, through a flock of birds...
towards a puddle of water... as the water splashes on
the lens...
CUT TO:
The Humungus vehicle as it roars through the water,
passing a startled PAPPAGALLO walking along the road,..
SAX rockets past moments later.
175. THE LONE WOLF MACHINE.DAY . 175.
MAX raises the Bear Claw arm as he closes in on WEZ,
drawing alongside the Humungus machine ... I.
ALL
I /b . '1.1 HUNIUNU ,a MACHI.NL. DAY . .176,
WEZ reaches down... to the toggle switch next to the
nitrous oxide bottles... waiting for the right moment, .
He flicks the switch...
He is thrown back by the massive acceleration... the
Humungus machine surges away from camera...
177. THE LONE WOLF MACHINE. DAY, 17Z.
MAX doesn't have time to aim the crossbow still attached
to the bear claw arm.
He fires, the arrow disappearing in a blurr...
The Humungus machine thunders away, rocketing along the
open highway... eating up the white line...
Upside down, the FERAL KID is terror-struck: the
Humungus machine roars straight into a wide curve,
leaving the road, continuing out into the wasteland.
The Humungus machine charges through the salt bush..
178, THE LONE WOLF CAR. DAY. 178.
Over MAX'S shoulder, we see that the vehicle is
slowing . .
MAX follows i- out into the wasteland...
The vehicle comes to a halt...
Cautiously, MAX draws alongside: WEZ sits stock still,
looking out at the desert beyond...
It is not until MAX is alongside his face that we see
the tip of the arrow protruding from his left eye...
On the front of the vehicle the FERAL KID starts to
sob...
FADE TO BLACK.
179. HILLTOP. POWDER RIVER. DUSK. 179.
MAX stands on a hilltop, overlooking Powder River.
• Below him, the convoy - led by the yellow school bus
- moves out across the plain.
A dust trail appears on the horizon,' racing to
intercept the convoy.
MAX lifts his broken binoculars: it's the GYRO CAPTAIN,
bumping along in the twisted, wreck of the gyrocopter -
its rotors gone, engine screaming.
MAX shakes his head and walks back to the Lone Wolf
machine on the top of the hill.
Once again we hear the Old Man's voice:
NARRATOR (v/o)
That was the last we ever saw
of him...
180. INT. SCHOOL BUS. DUSK. 180.
We see PAPPAGALLO, face set with determination, driving
the yellow school bus.
NARRATOR (v/o)
As for the rest of us...
Pappagallo led us north...
to safety - to a place in the
sun...
In the tenth year, nurturing
his vision of a new world,
he died felling timber.
The LUSTY GIRL rolls her eyes and sighs as the GYRO
CAPTAIN draws alongside her window...
NARRATOR (v/o)
The Captain and the Girl waged
war for years... together they
raised eight children...
And as for me...
Sc. 180. Cont...
180. Cont. 180
The FERAL KID, sitting in the back of the bus, turrs
to face us. His bright yellow eyes stare directly
into camera...
NARRATOR (v/o) '
in the fullness of time,
I became the leader - the
chief of the Great Northern
Tribe...
DISSOLVE.
181. THE NARRATOR'S FACE.
181,
For the first time we see the Narrator's eyes - they
are bright yellow.
FADE TO BLACK.
162, END CREDITS. 182.
