Mad Max received a polarized reception upon its release in April 1979, although it won three AACTA Awards and attracted a cult following, while its critical reputation has grown since. Filmed on a budget of A$0.4 million, it earned more than US$100 million worldwide in gross revenue, and held the "Guinness" record for most profitable film. The success of "Mad Max" has been credited for further opening up the global market to Australian New Wave films. The film became the first in the "Mad Max" series, giving rise to three sequels, "Mad Max 2" (1981), "Beyond Thunderdome" (1985), and "" (2015). "A
Mad Max the film polarized critics. In a 1979 review, the Australian social commentator and film producer Phillip Adams condemned "Mad Max", saying that it had "all the emotional uplift of "Mein Kampf" and would be "a special favourite of rapists, sadists, child murderers and incipient [Charles] Mansons". After its United States release, Tom Buckley of "The New York Times" called the film "ugly and incoherent". Stephen King, writing in "Danse Macabre," called the film a "turkey." However, "Variety" magazine praised the directorial debut by Miller. "Mad Max" grossed A$5,355,490 at the box office in Australia and over US$100 million worldwide. It