PeterMitchell-506-564364
There will never be another bikie film quite like Stone. That highway funeral scene will live on forever in my mind-that all so sad music theme attached. That theme haunts me so, I almost feel reluctant from viewing that scene, every time I watch this great film. The plot is great. A stoned biker, (Hugh Keays Byrne) a true Aussie acting talent, witnesses a political assassination, in the lush green park lands of Sydney. He's spotted by the assassinating party-a mob type figure, who misses his chance at taking him out. That means he's gonna tells his biker friends, The Gravediggers, and they can't have that. We get to view these mob figures, up close, chicken s***ts as they are, in a few sufficient scenes, which for us, as the viewer are greatly appreciated. Heartless scum like these mob guys are, they know the Gravies must all be sacrificed. So one by one they're bumped off. Enter unconventional cop, Stone, (Ken Shorter-a Ted Mulray sort of looking guy) a long haired hippie type guy who looks nothing like a cop. His girlfiend hangs out with her rich socialite friends at this lavish house where the guys play tennis and the women take long sunbathing sessions. Even on his way to meet the Gravies, he's wearing a white coat and pants as if he's off to work at the bakery. He joins forces with The Gravies, who at first show instant animosity to him, but when he prevents the attempted murder of another one of their own, he gets on their good side, and believe me, it's the best side to be on with these terrifying bikers. You wouldn't even want to look the wrong way, mistakingly at this mob, cause that's what it would be, a mistake. They make bikers I've seen in a lot of other bikie films, look like pussies. Even the bikies in Mad Max look tame compared to these. This movie outclasses Mad Max too, one, obviously in terms of realism. I prefer this over Mad Max, two fine actors here who went on to star in that cult classic. I loved the scene where two businessmen, are at a watering hole, the Gravies frequent, as seen a few times in the film are just minding their own business, when they start to become objects of intimidation by Byrne, and are scared off, all because one of them won't answer a weird request, which his bikie is more happy to do. Byrne ends up finishing their drinks, with the bartender (a very young Bill Hunter) saying to The Gravies "You blokes are not really good at public relations, are ya". I'd love to know this bar's locale, as I would the one of their dive, a fortress type place of tunnels by the sea. I have a good idea, but I feel divided in my guesses here. Another funny scene that always cracks me up, is the manager of an Italian restaurant, a victim of the protection rackets praising the Gravies for scaring away the mob, disregarding the little bit of grief these bikies cause him. The film's five letter title, that springs out from the exhaust of a motorcycle, and dominates the screen is great, as is the way the title has been formatted. The creepy awry music at the start is a winner. There's another slightly haunting score when they all go swimming nude. The actors are so believable here as bikers, bringing calm and natural performances, worthy of an ensemble award, and this includes Harbutt, balancing as writer, director, actor, his official signature on it's video cover. The 98 minute running time of this movie so quickly passes, you don't want it to end. It's that good a movie. Some heavy bits of gore, but only when needed, the one at it's finale, the most shocking, where The Gravies exact their own version of swift bloody justice. And believe me it's bloody. This film is a treat for the bikie fan. A goof I noticed in the film is when Stone's in the fish and chip shop, a burger patties unwrapped, thrown onto the grill, but we never see the cook flip the burger over before he hands it to Stone. But who cares, it's just a movie, but a bloody good one at that.
Peter Dawson
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!
ksaelagnulraon
Apparently a "cult favourite" all over the world, STONE is a low-budget crime-thriller centred around a bikie gang whose members are being murdered one-by-one by a political assassin (that's not a spoiler because we're told this during the opening sequences). Before seeing this film, I expected this to be a true bikie cult classic - instead it's rather soft, with very few expletives, sex scenes, and not much violence, particularly given that it's rated "R". Unfortunately, the film became more of a "let's make the bikies accessible to everyone else" film, as they were portrayed as misunderstood alternatives (thank goodness for the climax!!). The film COULD have been a "cult favourite" but somehow I find it hard to believe that it is... Rating: 5/10
uds3
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!
