Not my Bongo!

Here's a look at one of the amazing stunt sequences from the first Mad Max film that I like to call the Bongo slam! In a recent "how much is a pint of milk?" type interview from Empire magazine a question was posed to Dr. Miller about the ill fated vehicle which led to the revelation that the destroyed van was a stand-in and not his own actual Bongo contrary to that which had been reported before at various sources.

You get a great sense of speed as the cars lean into the bend in this scene.

Apparently the cinematographer David Eggby was positioned a mere few inches above the blacktop to be able to capture this shot.

So, this is Miller's own personal Mazda Bongo doing it's set-up shot.

Charlie (played by John Ley) is having something of a traumatic day and it's only gonna get worse for him!

BONGO!

Look at the gravity shifting those rosary beads.

Stunt supervisor Grant Page seen here setting up for the stunt. That text on his shirt reads CUNNING STUNTS which was the name the company his character worked for in Brian Trenchard-Smith's Death Cheaters.

This looks like a test run past the disposable Bongo with it's engine stripped to make it lighter.

 Notice an object under the front wheel of the van to stop it from rolling.

The Big Bopper makes it's impact.

Going by their budget I'm guessing that this was a one-shot deal. Could anyone have gotten a more spectacularly choreographed piece of carnage than this? Nope.

Thanks to Dale Bensch and other members of the forums at madmaxmovies.com for sharing their behind the scenes photos.