Tag: mad max

How to get your apocalyptic fix

By Sarah Hughes

You went to Wasteland Weekend, you loved it and now you’re wishing there were more apocalyptic activities to do during the rest of the year. Here are a few ideas!

skirt, elbow pads, tank top
In imaging a dark future, clothes can be destroyed, rather than created carefully. Photo by Sarah Hughes

Go to War-Mart, a car show or a Jugger game – The consensus seems to be it’s a bit of a drive for some, but fun if you make a day of it.

“SAVE THE DATE!” says Wasteland Weekend’s Facebook page, “The first ever Wasteland car show! Sat. May 21st, 2016 in Torrance, CA.” More details coming soon.

Host a themed dinner – Just pick something garish for the main course. Mmm…Goat heart!

Ryan Berry, known as Grav in the desert, is a San Diego Local leather worker who sometimes hosts fundraiser dinners. He says of an apocalyptic pig BBQ he hosted, “I choose to go with a Wasteland theme because it is my favorite theme. From short films to games to movies to stories, I like the wasteland and the themes it allows you to play with.”

Watch a dystopian movie – Netflix and chill? See our reviews. Some cult classics include Mad Max (1979) and Death Race 2000 (1975).

Check out the online fandom – whether it be Fan Fic, How-to Videos or the Gallery on an apocalyptic website.

Nuclear Snail Studios on YouTube has how-to videos that will make you doubt the quality of your distressing skills, while also revealing some top-notch tips. Watch this video: https://youtu.be/4pmVEvLuvEU

Work on an outfit or an accessory – Invite your friends and make a day of it! Start with a base from something torn you have laying around or a thrift store piece. Wastelanding is one type of crafting that can be inexpensive.

Hit up a Goth club in your distressed gear – Sabbat in San Diego is quite fun!

“Join us every 2nd, 4th and 5th Saturdays at Numb3rs, 3811 Park Boulevard, San Diego, CA 92103” says clubsabbat.net.

Buy your tickets early! – They’re cheaper that way. Wasteland Weekend 2016 is Sept. 22 through 25.

“Tickets for Wasteland Weekend 2016 will go on sale on Saturday, March 12th, at 9am Pacific Time” says wastelandweekend.com. “There will be a limited number of discounted early bird tickets available at $85. Once those are sold out, tickets will be available at their full price of $135”

Plan a photo shoot – either behind the camera or in front of. A little vanity never hurt anyone except maybe Pavi from Repo: The Genetic Opera.

Attend a convention – Comic Con in leather!

Join a Meetup – Read apocalyptic books, dress up like zombies or just find people with similar interests.

Attend a costumed premier – Mad Max: Fury Road was a blast for this!

Pick a day of another festival to go with a group in gear – This way your friends can look more scary.

Go camping with a few Wasteland-minded friends – Dress silly and have a ton of fun, in a more intimate gathering than a large event.

Post on social media about your grungy habit – you may find you have friends who love it too.

Write an article – Submit it here!

May these ideas sustain and inspire you to creatively destroy in your quest to re-imagine the Waste before you.

Turbo Kid: Updating the end of the world

 

by Sarah Hughes

Turbo Kid (2015) presents a cheesy skater-disco patina-ed version of an apocalyptic wasteland – and it’s a delight.

Set in 1997, protagonist “the Kid” (Munro Chambers) aspires to be as tough as a hero in a leftover comic book – Turbo Man. He makes friends as he learns to be brave when scared. The film has won 8 awards and 3 nominations according to IMDb. Turbo-kid.com reports it an Official Selection at Sundance 2015.

(Spoiler alert:) All the major problems that plague the apocalyptic hero are relevant in directors François Simard, Anouk Whissell and Yoann-Karl Whissell’s world. The inhabitants in this rough landscape struggle to scavenge for sundry items, water and personal safety. There are merchant traders trying to rip people off. Aspiring overlord Zeus (Michael Ironside) forms a gang controlling the area with resources and violence. Yet the setting is a reconsidered, modern wasteland.

For a moment, it seems the Kid’s biggest challenge yet is dealing with (gasp) girls! It’s probably hard to trust someone who puts a tracking-device slap-bracelet on you, even if she does seem like she wants to be best friends. But in reimagined ’97, other themes quickly arise, such as what makes a soul, the nature of friendship, good vs. evil and fears of a robot uprising.

Girls face
Laurence Leboeuf as Apple in Turbo Kid.

Apple, played by Laurence Leboeuf, performs with quirky intensity in a role that’s part exuberant adventurer, part chaos elemental and all heart-warmingly tweaky. Her love for a gnome-stick weapon, combined with a style that seems reminiscent of Roller Baby dolls of the 1990s gives the film its particular flavor. The newly considered angle of setting might make for some interesting costume inspiration for any apocalyptic imagine-er. Right alongside this more material aesthetic is a deeper philosophical question; does it matter that the Kid’s friendship is with a robot in terms of it being less valuable and meaningful to him? Is Apple real or not? Does that matter in context of how she causes him to grow? How vigilantly is one to measure the depth and truthfulness of other’s relationships with themselves, when the feelings caused by that relationship are personal and felt alone?

The story fits together nicely, while giving its nod to other media – Apple’s name is cutely telling, as she’s a gadget herself. Zeus fits more into the mold of Chinatown’s (1974) Hollis Mulwray than Mad Max: Fury Road’s (2015) Immortan Joe. The Kid’s parents were murdered violently like many other heroes, but the comic book quest for greatness and a boy’s coming of age story serve the nostalgia angle well. Yet there is some gore and sadism.

According to whats-on-netflix.com (an “Unofficial Netflix Fansite”) and digitaltrends.com this title does not look to be leaving Netflix Streaming in March 2016, but it is worth checking out sooner rather than later.

4 out of 5 bottle-caps