A Little Bit of Everything All Rolled Into One

Read Time:2 Minute, 51 Second

MOVIE REVIEW
Stunt Rock
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Genre: Action, Drama, Music
Year Released: 1978, 2022 (New 4K Restoration)
Runtime: 1h 31m
Director: Brian Trenchard-Smith
Writer(s): Paul-Michel Mielche Jr., Brian Trenchard-Smith
Cast: Grant Page, Monique van de Ven, Margaret Gerard
Where To Watch: In select theaters across the US. Visit kinomarguee.com to see the location nearest you.

What do you get when you combine SPINAL TAP, Evel Knievel, and all the pyrotechnics you can imagine? You get this beast of a movie; somehow, this remained in the cult classic territory for 40+ years; that’s truly a shame! I went into this completely blind other than seeing that incredible poster (cars, explosions, rocking guitar, skulls, what’s not to like!)

This film is truly a love letter to the incredible career of Australian stuntman Grant Page. Moving from the world of Hollywood films such as MAD MAX, he heads to L.A. to help work with legendary hard rock band Sorcery. Upon arrival, he lends his daredevil lifestyle to help create the band's fantasy-filled show of fire, explosions, and more.

The film takes an interesting approach as a mix between fantasy, documentary, and real-life live-action spectacular. There’s something for everyone in the movie, from over-the-top late 70s acting, costumes, and makeup to the nonstop fun action that the band pushes from one scene to the next. Not to mention that we haven’t even talked about the documentary-style romance within the film when Page begins a romance with a local writer interested in his past as a stuntman.

The film includes various clips from Page’s actual time as a stuntman, including some memorable scenes from the original GONE IN 60 SECONDS. Many of the original stunts were filmed on 16mm, so they creatively edited them as split-screen moments to utilize the widescreen format. The lengths these artists went to create scenes that would be done in a flash are awe-inspiring. To think that these fantastic scenes were all filmed without CGI is mind-blowing.

This is a must-see if you’re looking for a fun-filled ride that will keep you glued to the screen for 90 minutes. Especially if you want to run it as a late-night party movie, it will make a fun film for a group to watch. Although the ultimate experience would be getting to see this as a drive-in, this is a fun movie that doesn’t apologize for being fun. The new restoration doesn’t take away from the “feel” of the late 70s; however, it adds a clean look to the entire film without sacrificing the grain that is so important in these classic films. Restoration isn’t about making a film look flawless; it’s about giving the best possible viewing experience while staying true to the original movie.

Huge thanks to Kino Cult (Kino Lorber) for doing this fantastic restoration of a film that deserves all the love!

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