It was outside these very shops that the Toecutter’s bikie gang assembled when they first arrived in Wee Jerusalem, to claim the body of their recently deceased friend, the Nightrider.
As they disembark outside 61-65 Fraser St, a biker can be seen romping with a dog on the ground, while two bikers tango across the wide historic, deserted street. Johnny the Boy (actor Tim Burns) attends to Toecutter (Hugh Keays-Byrne), smoothing his hair as he walks.
At the 30th anniversary, Mad Max: The Reunion, Tim Burn relates how Keyes-Byrne contributed to his character development through directing this gesture:
In the first scene I was in with him, …we just about roll camera and he said “it’s very important John in this scene John that you fix my hair” and then I suddenly realised that that’s on film now, so now my character is one-part sort of psychotic, one-part Toecutter’s rent boy, one part…prince…
Meanwhile, Bubba Zanetti (actor Geoff Parry) approaches a local garage owner (played by Reg Evans) …
Bubba Zanetti: “Afternoon”
Garage Owner: “Good afternoon”
Bubba Zanetti: “We’re here to meet a friend, come in on the train….
Garage Owner: “Nothing come in on the train except a couple of crates and a…(hee)…coffin?
Bubba Zanetti: “Our friend”
Garage Owner: “You’ll have to see the agent and sign the papers”
Bubba Zanetti: “And where do we find this agent?”
As the garage owner’s double role as Agent/Station Master is exposed, he is seen walking towards the Garage presumably to collect the paperwork.
At this point, some may be reminded of a tribute to this famous scene from a late 90’s Yellow Pages advertisement, featuring the Central Garage and actor Reg Evans:
(Phone rings)
Garage Owner: “Central Garage”
Car Owner: “Yeah, I need someone to look at me ute”
Garage Owner: “When can you drop it in?”
(Ute crashes through door)
Car Owner: “Pretty soon?”
The Central Garage scene also serves to highlight another element Mad Max is renowned for – biker culture. In this scene, the membership of the Toecutter Gang, also known as The Zed Runners or The Acolytes, is enlarged through members of real-life motorcycle club the Victorian Four Owners Club. According to Madmaxmovies another club, the Vigilantes were also called upon, performing stunt work in the film. The Toecutter gang reputedly stayed in character throughout the filming, and due to budget constraints, were even asked to ride their bikes to and from each scene. Ten Kawasaki Z1000 bikes were infamously negotiated from Japan, with bike designer Bertrand Cadard, also playing the character “Clunk”, dramatically modifying them. Cadard later returned only three full bikes to Kawasaki at the end of filming.