"Mad Max", accented English, and same-language dubbing

Returning to the origins of the Mad Max franchise, this chapter focuses on the distinctly regional, Australian voice of the first Mad Max in 1979 in order to pave the way for broader scrutiny of the role that language and accent play in the series as a whole. Specifically, it deploys the notion of ‘accented filmmaking’ developed by Hamid Naficy to explore the limitations and connotations of the dubbed version of this film prepared by distributor American InternationalPictures (AIP) for North American audiences. Despite switching accents to mask Mad Max’s Australian origins, AIP’s dub created multiple moments of cultural dissonance that served to emphasise rather than eradicate the film’s accented address.