Stone is a 1974 Ozploitation film, directed by and starring Sandy Harbutt. The film tells the story of the eponymous detective going undercover in a gang of bikers after several members are mysteriously murdered. The Gravediggers are slow to accept him, and as a conspiracy is revealed behind the murders, Stone is left with a difficult choice. Considered by some to be an unofficial prequel to Mad Max, the film was a surprise hit and has a loyal fanbase to this day.
This film provides examples of:
- Abandoned Area: The Gravediggers live in an abandoned WW2 fortress.
- All Bikers are Hells Angels: Played with; the Gravediggers are indeed violent, take drugs and commit crimes, but Stone learns to respect them anyway. Ironically the Sydney chapter of the Hells Angels helped with the production.
- Bar Brawl: With the rival gang the Black Hawks.
- Becoming the Mask: The Gravediggers inflict a brutal beating on Stone for stopping them from killing the murderer. But when his girlfriend rushes to the phone, he stops her. "No police..."
- Death Montage: The deaths of the three outlaw bikers that cause Stone to be put on the case—one by decapitation by high-tension wire stretched across the road, one by a bomb wired to his motorbike's ignition, and the last one who's run off the edge of a cliff by a car, followed by the iconic scene of his funeral procession on the F3 freeway, with his coffin carried on a sidecar while the other bikers act as escort.
- Due to the Dead: During his funeral the deceased Go Down is buried standing up, so he won't have to take anything from Satan lying down.
- Spiteful Spit: Dr Death is dying and comes across an angel statue, only to spit blood at it instead of experiencing a religious epiphany.
- Large Ham: Dr. Death. "SAAAATAAAAAAAAAANNN!!"
- Leave No Witnesses: A hitman is witnessed carrying out a political assassination by one of the Gravediggers. The hitman realises this and decides to kill the witness, but as he didn't see the man's face (only the Gravedigger insignia on his jacket as he left the scene) has decided to kill them. Ironically the Gravedigger concerned was high on drugs and didn't realise what he was witnessing.
- Meaningful Name:
- Many of the Gravediggers are Vietnam vets. "Digger" is Australian Slang for a soldier.
- The biker blown up by a bomb was called Blooey.
- Motorcycle on the Coast Road: Several instances, including the murder of Go Down when the killer runs him off a cliff into the ocean. However the most badass scene isn't one of these, but the iconic shot of the outlaw biker funeral escort on the F3 freeway.
- Off with His Head!: The first Gravedigger is killed by a high tension wire stretched across the road, that sends his motorcycle helmet rolling down the road with his head still in it.
- Pirates Who Don't Do Anything: The Gravediggers don't seem to do much with their time except drink, get high and have sex.
