Trailer Analysis - Mad Max (1979)

MAD MAX


I have chosen to analyse this trailer as it is set in a post apocalyptic setting. It also has a different atmosphere to the trailers that I have analysed prior to this, and has a lot of action.


Camera angles, shots and movement

• Near to the start of the trailer, there is a shot that zooms in to the side of a car. This represents an oncoming threat which gives a sense of danger.
• Soon after, we see a shot of the protagonist (Max) in his car. The camera is behind him and we can not see his face. The camera tracks forward and but his face is still not revealed. This creates mystery as to who this man is, which builds suspense and anticipation.
• The next shot of Max is framed so that we only see the bottom of his face in his car's wing-mirror. This again builds the anticipation that the audience has about this character.
• Shortly after this there are extreme close-ups of different parts of the car as Max turns it on. This again builds anticipation as we know that action is about to happen.
• The 'reveal' of Max is an extreme close-up of his face meaning that the viewer can only see his sunglasses. This again, builds anticipation for action.
• Soon after, there is a close up of the villain's face which fills the entire frame. This is discomforting and allows the audience to understand the villain's fear. The fact that the villain is scared shows Max as a hero, which is attractive to action fans.
• After the antagonist is involved in a large explosion, we see a close up of Max's face which is shot from a low angle. This shows that he in unfazed by killing, which is a convention of action movie protagonists.
• The fact that he is unfazed also helps to establish the film's post-apocalyptic setting as being 'lawless' and uncivilised.
• Later on in the trailer there is a POV shot of Max driving, showing the speed and the danger of it. This helps to establish the lawless atmosphere but is also attractive to action fans, as the audience can feel as if they are in his position.
• Later on there is a handheld shot that zooms in to an extreme close-up of Max's eyes. This connotes danger.
• Toward the end of the trailer there is a long shot where Max is walking away from the camera and he is framed in the centre of the shot. This connotes purpose, and means that he is going to take action, which is attractive to action movie fans.
• Near to the end of the trailer there is a shot that zooms in on the front of a car that is driving toward the camera. This gives a sense of danger.

Mise-en-scene

• Near the start of the trailer, there is a shot of a gun pointing at a car, and the gun takes up most of the shot. This shows the violence of the world and also shows, quite simply, that there will be guns in this movie, which is attractive to action fans.
• Following this, there is a shot of a bare foot slamming on a brake pedal. The bare foot is symbolic of an uncivilised world.
• Soon after, there is a shot where a van gets smashed into by a car. This car crash is a clear sign of action and excitement and also denotes the lawless setting.
• Following shortly after, we see a car flipping which is again a clear sign of action and excitement and also denotes the lawless setting.
• Following this, there is a shot of a car smashing through a caravan. Once more, this is a clear sign of action and excitement and also denotes the lawless setting.
• The clothing that many of the characters wear in the trailer seems to be improvised. This is a stereotype of post-apocalyptic fiction.
• Max is wearing sunglasses in many shots in the trailer. This makes him seem more intimidating, which is attractive to action fans.
• At the end of the starting 'car chase section' of the trailer there is a big explosion. This is a satisfying conclusion to the build up of anticipation and is attractive to action movie fans.
• Later we see an antagonistic character break a car windscreen with a machete. This establishes the lawless setting.
• After this we see another antagonistic character doing a wheelie on a motorbike through a town. This again is a denotation of the lawless world.
• Directly after this we see a shot of a man hanging off of a post on a building. This once more expresses the lawless and uncivilised nature of the world.
• Later on we see a shot of a mannequin getting shot in the face. This is a very PG-13 way to connote serious violence and, once again, conveys the lawless nature of the film's setting.
• We later see a shot of the antagonist hissing. This animalistic behavior shows how uncivilised the world is.
• Throughout the trailer there are many shots that are just of parts of cars. This shows that cars will be a big focus of the film, which is attractive to action fans.

Editing

• The very first shot of the trailer is of a car. This simply shows that cars will be a big focus of the film.
• Throughout the trailer there is narration that matches with the images on screen, and we only see something if the narrator mentions it. (e.g. The narrator says "A crack interceptor for the main force patrol" and we see the word 'interceptor' on the back of Max's car.) This makes the story accessible for the audience.
• The entire first 'section' of the trailer consists of an action-packed car chase. This conveys that the film will be exciting and full of action.
• Towards the end of the first section there is an eyeline match between max and the back of the antagonist's car. This suggests that he is going to dispatch of the antagonist, which builds anticipation.
• When the antagonist crashes, there is a very fast sequence of shots that consist  of the crash itself and shots of the antagonist's face. This denotes danger which shows how formidable the protagonist is.
• Later on in the trailer there is a shot of bikes flying off of a bridge that has been put into slow motion. This serves to emphasise the action.
• Toward the end of the trailer, the shots follow an order of focusing on the protagonist's car, and then the antagonist's bike, the protagonist's car, and then the antagonist's bike again. This gives the impression of a duel and is a sign of action.
• We are not shown what happens at the end of this 'duel' which makes people want to watch the film to find out what happens at the end.

Sound

• At the start of the trailer, the narrator says "On the abandoned highways of tomorrow". This instantly establishes the film's setting as being in a futuristic post-apocalyptic world.
• There is a stab of string instruments that occurs here to emphasise this.
• When the narrator reveals the protagonist's name as 'Max', there are heroic sounding trumpets in the background. This portrays Max as being a hero, which is attractive to action fans.
• Soon after this, we hear the antagonist shouting violently. This shows him as being uncivilised, but also establishes him as a villain.
• Toward the end of the first section, the music builds up in a rising crescendo which builds up anticipation for action. The music ends with a deep bass note when the antagonist crashes, creating a satisfying conclusion.
• Later on in the trailer, we see shots of antagonistic characters screaming and shouting, giving the impression of an uncivilised world.
• At the very end of the trailer, the narrator says: "Pray that he's out there, somewhere." This emphasises the protagonist's heroic qualities by suggesting that the audience need his help too.