Stone (1974)

A cult Australian-made drama about a hip young undercover drug squad detective called Stone (Ken Shorter) who infiltrates the Sydney biker scene to investigate a number of gangland murders.

The action begins in the Domain (a Sydney park) where a crowd, including the tough Gravediggers motorcycle gang, is gathered to listen to one of the country’s political figures speak against corrupt big business polluting the beaches.

The speaker is assassinated and the only witness is ‘Toad’ (Hugh Keays-Byrne) – one of the bikers who is wandering around tripping on LSD.

One by one the bike gang are killed by the assassins in peculiar and bloodthirsty ways: one has his head cut off by a wire stretched across the road, another is blown up, and most spectacularly of all legendary Aussie stuntman Peter Armstrong rides his bike off a huge cliff, which still looks absolutely stunning.

Stone joins the gang undercover to track down the killers.  He learns their way of life, their motives for ‘dropping out’ and witnesses their indisputable loyalty to their own people. In the process, he also finds he has a certain sympathy for them.

Stone was the sole directorial feature for Sandy Harbutt. It was a project he threw himself into wholeheartedly, covering the roles of producer, co-writer (with Michael Robinson), star (he plays the gang boss, Undertaker) and even production designer.

The soundtrack is particularly powerful, containing everything from a Moog synthesizer to a didgeridoo.  It also includes Doug Parkinson singing Dylan Thomas’s Do Not Go Gentle Into That Good Night.

Stone
Ken Shorter
Undertaker
Sandy Harbutt
Dr Townes
Deryck Barnes
Toad
Hugh Keays-Byrne
Hooks
Roger Ward
Dr Death
Vincent Gil
Septic
Dewey Hungerford
Stinkfinger
James Bowles
Captain Midnight
Bindi Williams
Zonk
John Ifkovitch
Ballini
Lex Mitchell
Chairman
Rhod Walker
Adler
Owen Weingott
Hannigan
Slim DeGrey
Larsen
Ray Bennett
Amanda
Helen Morse
Vanessa
Rebecca Gilling
Sunshine
Rosalind Talamini
Flossie
Victoria Anoux
Euridyce
Jane Gilling
Tiger
Eva Ifkovitch
Birdman
Tony Allyn
Hanburger
Terry Bader
Boots
David Bracks
Buzzard
Barry Butler
Lola
Leonora Cornall
Karma
Julie Edwards
Bud
Deborah Foreman
Fred
Drew Forsythe
69
Billy Green
Hip
Lachlan Jamieson
Chappie
Michael Kent
Ferret
Peter King
Skunk
Karyn Love
Blue
Jude Matthews
Go Down
Bruce McPherson
Scrag
Neville Overall
Pinball
Michael Robinson
Biggie
Ron Ross
Jay
Margaret Ure
Bad Max
Jim Walsh
Alistair
Patrick Ward

Director
Sandy Harbutt

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