Stone (1974)

So much average

Good start, but then it gets ruined

Absolutely Brilliant!

Although I seem to have had higher expectations than I thought, the movie is super entertaining.

Someone is picking off members of the outlaw biker gang the Grave Diggers after one of their number witnesses the assassination of a politician at an outdoor rally in a public park. Straight-laced undercover cop Stone (stiffly played by Ken Shorter) infiltrates the club in order to protect them and find out who the killer is. Director/co-writer Sandy Harbutt astutely pegs the whole empowering feeling of doing your own thing, refusing to buckle under to the status quo, and the sense of pure unbeatable strength riding a mean machine with your closest mates gives you. Moreover, Harbutt shows the bikers in a positive and sympathetic light without ever exploiting or glamorizing them in the process. In fact, the strong bond of loyalty and camaraderie amongst the Grave Diggers is truly touching and heart-warming. The cast members who portray the Grave Diggers look, act and sound like the genuine gnarly article, with especially stand-out turns by Harbutt as tough, charismatic leader the Undertaker, Hugh Keays-Byrne as the scruffy, yet sensitive Toad, Vincent Gil as the crazed Dr. Death, Rebecca Gilling as the Undertaker's sassy moll Vanessa, James H. Bowles as the grubby Stinkfinger, Bindi Williams as the laid-back Captain Midnight, and Roger Ward as the rowdy Hooks. Helen Morse likewise does well as Stone's fetching, but long-suffering girlfriend Amanda. Only Shorter's bland acting as Stone leaves something to be desired. Graham Lind's gritty, but polished cinematography offers plenty of striking visuals: Toad tripping on acid in the park, an impressively massive biker funeral procession roaring down the highway, and the stunning climax in an empty cemetery. Billy Green's groovy hard-rocking score hits the funky-jammin' bull's eye as well. But what makes this picture so special and resonant is that it has the pungent stench of gritty authenticity about it. So take the trip and check it out, mate.

Although it now looks rather dated, you must remember that when this movie was made, Australia was a very conservative place. This film broke a lot of new ground in the early 70's. Firstly, it was all Australian. Written, Produced, Directed and Starring. Not an American in sight. Secondly, it contained shots of male and female nudity. Thirdly, it was extremely gory and violent for it's day. But, the biggest thing it had going for it was it's incredible bike stunts.(Have you ever seen a Kawasaki Z900 do a wheelstand?) There's some fantastic locations in and around Sydney, and the funeral procession is spectacular, but the opening 10 minutes, or so, will have you on the edge of your seat. For those of you who are interested, 4 of the actors starring in "Stone" (Vincent Gil, Hugh Keays-Byrne, Roger Ward and Reg Evans) would later appear in George Miller's "Mad Max". It must be something about motorbikes!

This movie did become something of a cult classic in the 70's, unlike a lot of people passing comment, I remember it well. Just to clarify something one of your other members had stated.....bikers did like the movie with cinemas in all capital cities being swamped by bikers. I was in Adelaide at the time and clearly recall Rundle Street, before it became a mall, with bikes on both sides of the street from King William Street to Pulteney(?). Some things fade over time, maybe the movie will be one of them but it brings back fond memories of my youth, mispent that it was.

Back in '74 the tag line for STONE was "Take the Trip!" By the time the critics had finished savaging this bikie saga, not that many people DID and STONE was headed for cinematic 'Boot Hill.' A funny thing happened though - somewhere along the line it was never fully erased from the collective public conscience and in due course the "legend of Stone" was created - to such an extent that now it is regarded as the "Bikie's bible" and sits proudly in the "70's Hall of fame" of Aussie film-making. It's not even a GOOD flick, either in script, acting or production values. What it DOES offer is high voltage energy and action sequences, mind you the flick is way overlong and quite tedious at times. The plot, such that it isn't, has cop Ken Shorter (at the time riding high on account of his role in YOU CAN'T SEE AROUND CORNERS) infiltrating a bikie gang to see who is knocking off their members with gay abandon. Now Shorter was about as realistic an underground cop as Mark Wahlberg would be playing Harry Potter. What the film DOES offer now in retrospect, is a cast-list not far short of the who's who of seasoned Aussie actors and actresses, all pretty much unknown then. Strictly 70's film-making it paved the way for such as MAD MAX and must be acknowledged for that. Check out the Funeral scene on the Gosford Freeway! - heady stuff!For me personally, I will always retain a soft spot for this film. I knew Sandy Harbutt and Helen Morse (then his wife) quite well during the making of this film as they purchased my beloved 1952 Riley 2 1/2 litre sedan from me, for the princely sum of $740. (You could add a zero to that today and then DOUBLE it!) Like that beautiful car, the film now remains a classic of its time!