Magna DVD Code O Australia
Reviewed By-David Zuzelo
Directed by Sandy Harbutt
Stars Ken Shorter, Sandy Harbutt, Hugh Keays-Byrne, Roger Ward, Helen Morse, Rebecca Gilling
Let's take a moment to get very...Film Comment-ezque if you will. Yes, let us wax rhapsodic about the coolest bike movie out of Australia (alright, Mad Max counts as well...so it's the second coolest). Let's give the FILM of which I speak it's rightful due.
STONE FUCKING ROCKS.
This flick is easily one of the coolest biker films ever shot, and it's got all the credentials to be a bonafide cult classic...IF it ever becomes more available to the world. Available on a region free PAL DVD from Australia, the presentation is a beautiful thing. But first, lemme introduce Stone to you the way it seems all reviews go...
Yes, it's time for "plot." One of Stone's greatest assets is it's real desire to use that little four letter word as simply an afterthought, only there to introduce our copper into the clutches of the Gravediggers! The Gravediggers are the most righteous Satan worshipping, burying the dead standing up type of guys and molls you'll ever meet. After a trippy opening sequence (that reminded me of the hallucinatory opening of Takashi Miike's Dead or Alive)-it appears the Gravediggers are going to have some trouble. Using a Point of Distorted View setup from the tripping biker Toad, a wacked out member of the gang witnesses a political assasination. Not that he can properly express it as he is zoned somewhere between Mars and Hell due to a potent drug nightmare that he is experiencing, though he somehow manages to continue to navigate his bike. The hitman sees his Gravediggers jacket, and (offscreen) decides that the whole bunch of rogue wheeliemen need to be eliminated. SO, it's time to take em out by chopping heads and running them off the road!
Then...that all goes away until the end of the movie! The police see fit to let pretty boy, model dating cop STONE (who has such a good fictional cop name) go undercover with the gang in order to smoke out the baddies. It's such a silly task that even Stone forgets why he is there. He may be tough but he isn't exactly a free spirit as we see early on. Afew flopping titties and bike races take care of that however! He's got his earring, and he's gonna throw some punches at rival gangs-JUST FOR THE HELL OF IT! But he better keep his spanners of the molls, or it's time to feel the code of honor...Gravediggers style.
And you don't want that.
Stone plays it to the hilt and when you think it's all wrapped up, you let your guard down...it would seem to be Gravediggers rule #1...DON'T think it's over til it's over.
A few things certainly bear mentioning on this one. First off, this is a biker movie with some seriously cool style. Aussie bikers seem to favor faster bikes than the US counterparts...and they like to race 'em around. Visually director (and star) Sandy Harbutt really takes advantage of camera placement to suck the viewer into the experience of the riding scenes, and one "the cop has to prove himself" race scene stands out as a real highlight for anyone who enjoys watching guys ride hard and take spills. Ouch. Also, the life of the bikers is presented as flat out medieval...living by a code that the modern world has thrown off almost, while still managing to worship Satan and of course have the girls with the jugs out. Some things don't change I guess. Then we have the soundtrack.
The score by Billy Green (who also plays 69) is a cross between Steppenwolf and Texas Chainsaw Massacre! One minute you are tapping your toes to the heavy heavy sounds, and the next it's way out and spacey groovy scary. Harbutt uses the music to it's best, and fits the visuals around the score quite a bit, and you'll want to own it after you watch the movie...trust me. Soundtrack enthusiasts, this may be a good reason on it's own to get STONEd.
The cast plays things to the hilt, with Ken Shorter as the titular cop-who comes off more of an everyman than a tough guy. He carries the role well-though much of it is really him looking kind of befuddled and worried. Director Harbut is perfect as Undertaker, the head of the bikers. He commands your attention both with his conviction in every "hey maaaan." I didn't realize 'til after the film this was the writer/director, but it makes sense. Also, Mad Max fans can look for The Toecutter himself...Hugh Keays-Byrne as Toad, the tripadelic psycho who makes nasty and overt homosexual advances on those uptights who want to peek in on the what the hepcats are doing. You gotta see that to appreciate it, but if you've seen Mad Max, you know this guy is great at what he does. Also stars some great looking women who don't mind skinnydipping, a prerequisite for any exploitation movie in my humble black book. To quote my review already...STONE FUCKING ROCKS.
The DVD of Stone is presented full frame, and is the 98 minute Director's Cut. Previous versions ran over 2 hours, but when the chance arose, Sandy Harbutt recut the film and keeps the pace fast and interesting. The picture is very solid and respectable looking. While looking a bit...uh...cheap...with the packaging (which is actually way cool) the disc itself appears to be a real labor of love. A strong Mono track puts it all across nicely. You also get the trailer, The Making of Stone and a slideshow of rare stills broken down into subsections like actors and bikes and more. Hosted by Sandy Harbutt, it's one of the best narration jobs I've heard on DVD. DVD Producers take note...THIS is the kind of thing I think works properly on an extras package. Harbutt is free and easy and makes not only the film interesting, but all of the aspects of production.
A first class exploitation film topped with a great presentation...get Stone now if you enjoy Bike films, or just want to watch something different that has a flair that stands apart from the rest of the pack. Join the Gravediggers and ride with Stinkfinger, Undertaker, 69, Skrag, Stone and the molls right now!
RATINGS!
FILM: 4 STONY SLAPS!
PICTURE: 3 STONY SMACKS!
SOUND: 3 STONY WHACKS!
EXTRAS: 4 STONY CRACKS!
OVERALL: 4 STONY BRICKBATS!!!
Take the plunge and order now at XPLOITED CINEMA!
