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Kyle Buchanan: Blood, Sweat and Chrome (2022, HarperCollins Publishers) 4 stars

A full-speed-ahead oral history of the nearly two-decade making of the cultural phenomenon Mad Max: …

Review of 'Blood, Sweat and Chrome : The Wild and True Story of Mad Max' on 'Goodreads'

5 stars

The Greek version of a hero is somebody who sows the seeds of his own destruction, which ultimately means he has to die in order for wise men to tell his tale, and somebody who keeps surviving at the end of a movie is not really a hero.

Blood, Sweat & Chrome was an unexpected read for me but I loved it. I knew of some challenges for filming Fury Road but I had no idea it covered decades with multiple starts and stops with every imaginable hurdle put in its way.

This book reads like a documentary with many interviews from cast and crew to carefully tell the narrative. All facets of the movie development are covered and it was an incredible look behind the scenes to make this film. It would help to be familiar with Fury Road but you don't need to be a diehard fan to appreciate the challenges that faced everyone involved.

I enjoyed Fury Road but now I adore it and I am going to do a re-watch to appreciate everything. From the realization that the Pole cats were practical effects and that every vehicle shown has a history and any prop visible has a purpose.

I wanted to casually read this book with a chapter here and there but the story was incredibly engaging and I had to know more. Buchanan has done a masterful job tracing the history of the Mad Max series and articulating why this movie is a masterpiece and how it will continue to resonate years from now.