So this Australian biker flick was made 5 years before MAD MAX and features a couple of actors from that timeless classic. This one is clearly less well known, especially here in America, but I think it deserves to be called a classic in its own right. The plot deals with a gang of Kawasaki riders named The Grave Diggers(one of the members is even named Bad Max(Jim Walsh) which foreshadows where Australian cinema would be heading a few years down the road) led by a dude name The Undertaker(Sandy Harbutt)(not to be confused with that big stupid pro wrestling character) who are getting picked off by an unknown sniper. Enter our title character, Stone(Ken Shorter), who's an undercover cop(who's clearly not very good at the "undercover" part of his job) sent to join the gang and find out who's knocking them off. The whole thing plays like ma sort of blue-print for the crazier Aussie vehicular-based action flicks to come. There are a few crazy stunts, a biker jumps off a cliff into the ocean, Stone takes a nasty spill off his bike etc. and things end up in a pretty bloody downer ending which makes seems fitting. The Nightrider(Vince Gil), Toecutter(Hugh Keays-Byrne) and even the Chief, Fifi(Roger Ward- complete with hair!), from MAX appear as members of the gang. This one makes me want to find more classic Aussie gems that I may have missed.
Japanese poster!:
Norwegian VHS!(which Google assures me translates to STONE- REVENGE OF THE MOTORCYCLE TIRE?):
No comments:
Post a Comment