I must have seen bits and pieces of "Stunt Rock" footage in the downright fantastic documentary "Not Quite Hollywood", probably found it instantly cool, promptly added it to my never-ending watchlist, and then subsequently forgot about it for the next ten years or so. They obviously only showed the awesome stunt parts in "Not Quite Hollywood", and from the documentary I couldn't derive that this really isn't the type of "film" I usually seek for. "Stunt Rock" isn't a film, in fact, because there aren't any real characters and there isn't a plot. It's a mixture of impressively performed stunts by Grant Page, integrally sung rock anthems by a band named Sorcery and inventive magical tricks shown by a Merlin lookalike wizard and a sort of devil named Prince of Darkness. It's original, exhilarating and entertaining for about half an hour, but then it becomes rather tedious and repetitive. I don't want to talk too negatively about "Stunt Rock", because I have tremendous respect for its director Brian Trenchard-Smith. After all, he's the Ozploitation pioneer who created cult hits like "Blood Camp Thatcher" and "Dead End Drive-In". He's clearly fascinated by the world of stuntmen and wanted to bring an ode to their business; good for him! Some of the Sorcery songs are quite catchy, for example the one that has a similar beginning as "Psycho Killer" by Talking Heads.
23 Reviews
A marriage of 70's stunt work and 70's theatrical rock
Wuchakk19 September 2022
Popular Australian stuntman Grant Page travels to Los Angeles to work on a TV series and helps a fantasy-themed rock group with special effects & stunts for their live show. Meanwhile he develops a relationship with a journalist (Margaret Gerard).
"Stunt Rock" (1978) contains interesting info on stunt work and its history with several entertaining stunt sequences, including myriad flashbacks to Grant's last several movies, but it gives equal time to the real-life band Sorcery (not the group from Chicago), their songs and concerts.
The story that links these two is given short shrift and the band members are clearly musicians/entertainers, not actors (in other words, they're noticeably wooden). Page does fine as long as he's working with real actors as opposed to the band members.
Sorcery's music is a meshing of 70's bands like Alice Cooper, Sweet, Zeppelin, Styx and Boston, just hampered by vestiges of Woodstock, if you know what I mean. They later did the soundtrack for the heavy metal slasher "Rocktober Blood" (1984) in which they adapted their style to the early 80's metal scene, improving their sound with songs like "I'm Back" and "Killer on the Loose" (check 'em out on Youtube).
Monique van de Ven from the Netherlands joins statuesque Margaret on the female front as an actress on the show Grant is working on.
As a documentary on 70's stunt work, this is entertaining enough, but I had enough of Sorcery's music & performances by about the 55-minute mark. They're no slouches, they're just not on the level of Alice Cooper or Kiss to maintain the viewer's attention, as far as 70's concerts go.
The film runs 1 hour, 31 minutes, and was shot in Los Angeles and Sydney.
GRADE: B-
"Stunt Rock" (1978) contains interesting info on stunt work and its history with several entertaining stunt sequences, including myriad flashbacks to Grant's last several movies, but it gives equal time to the real-life band Sorcery (not the group from Chicago), their songs and concerts.
The story that links these two is given short shrift and the band members are clearly musicians/entertainers, not actors (in other words, they're noticeably wooden). Page does fine as long as he's working with real actors as opposed to the band members.
Sorcery's music is a meshing of 70's bands like Alice Cooper, Sweet, Zeppelin, Styx and Boston, just hampered by vestiges of Woodstock, if you know what I mean. They later did the soundtrack for the heavy metal slasher "Rocktober Blood" (1984) in which they adapted their style to the early 80's metal scene, improving their sound with songs like "I'm Back" and "Killer on the Loose" (check 'em out on Youtube).
Monique van de Ven from the Netherlands joins statuesque Margaret on the female front as an actress on the show Grant is working on.
As a documentary on 70's stunt work, this is entertaining enough, but I had enough of Sorcery's music & performances by about the 55-minute mark. They're no slouches, they're just not on the level of Alice Cooper or Kiss to maintain the viewer's attention, as far as 70's concerts go.
The film runs 1 hour, 31 minutes, and was shot in Los Angeles and Sydney.
GRADE: B-
Great music and an enjoyable movie too!
ORFNES17 April 2003
Alright, this movie is from the late 70's. Putting that aside, the movie is quite entertaining. My kids must have watched it 20 times so far. The music is surprisingly good. I liked the music so much after I bought the movie I found the soundtrack and bought that too, and it is even better on CD than in the movie. It really rocks. I remember the rock band Sorcery, and I'm glad to see they still have a web site and are active. I bought my CD from their web site. If you want to be entertained without sex or violence, give it a try.
come for the dumb, stay for the crazy
tristanavakian28 September 2009
Warning: Spoilers
I picked this up at the video store because of Tarantino's recommendation ("If you don't like (this), go f&^% yourself!") on the box... seemed like a ringing endorsement.... I was expecting something a bit more like "Death Proof"... not much actual violence in this one tho, or plot, of character, or dialogue.
Look at the poster. It's all there. Stunts, and rock. It goes back and forth. A week or so in the life of an LA band that does a crappy magic show, at a level that you'd maybe see in one of the lesser casinos off the Strip, and an Aussie stuntman new in town finding his feet... They work, they meet girls, they party. End of story.
The band obviously needed all that stuff because they are frankly second-tier, and playing a style that was already dated in 1978. It has to be said that the stunt bits in the film are genuinely spinetingling - that Aussie fellow really is something, and the film seems largely motivated by love and respect for the "art". I hung it there to see what crazy thing he'd do next. Just wish he could have found a better vehicle.
Look at the poster. It's all there. Stunts, and rock. It goes back and forth. A week or so in the life of an LA band that does a crappy magic show, at a level that you'd maybe see in one of the lesser casinos off the Strip, and an Aussie stuntman new in town finding his feet... They work, they meet girls, they party. End of story.
The band obviously needed all that stuff because they are frankly second-tier, and playing a style that was already dated in 1978. It has to be said that the stunt bits in the film are genuinely spinetingling - that Aussie fellow really is something, and the film seems largely motivated by love and respect for the "art". I hung it there to see what crazy thing he'd do next. Just wish he could have found a better vehicle.
Classic Ozploitation of the 70's, also a homage to 1970's stuntmen
samxxxul12 August 2020
Part drama, part stunts showreel, part rock concert film featuring Grant Page, the famous real life Australian master stuntman best known for his work on Mad Max, Grant, who plays himself, goes to Los Angeles to work on a television series. In this 1978 mocumentary page helps a band (Sorcery) to develop pyrotechnic magic tricks for their shows, and also recounts his exploits as a stuntman and daredevil, as well as a very informative movie about stunt work for movies and what goes on behind the scenes. The acting is superb as page plays himself and he fits in this movie better than Deathcheaters (1976), the script wild and unconstrained and the direction is wild. In total this gives you an experience of what cinema really should be, bereft of CGI and special effects and crazy budgets it just rides along free as a bird. And then there's the music. To be fair, there are so many tunes that ranges good to out-and-out classic. The music in this film is a spectacular array of AOR, Heavy metal and classic rock something you won't hear in a film's soundtrack nowadays. A downright Ozploitation classic.
Stuntrock
pmr12313 February 2008
This film has a minor cult following and it's easy to see why. The story is about Australian stuntman Grant Page (playing himself) traveling to Hollywood to handle the stunts for the new TV series "Undercover Girl". Grant hooks up with his cousin, who is a member of a rock band called Sorcery. Sorcery uses real "magic" on stage with their music and their entire stage show is a rock opera that tells the story about a duel between the King of the Wizards (Paul Haynes) and the Prince of Darkness (Curtis Hyde). They go see Sorcery rehearse in the studio and then to an actual stage performance, where the band uses fire, and some pretty awesome prog-rock tunes to tell their story about good versus evil. That's about the entire plot of the film, as Grant performs a series of dangerous stunts (along with footage of other stunt men and women) and Sorcery performs a series of original tunes and magic to an appreciative audience. Director Brian Trenchard-Smith treads a fine line between fiction and reality and, by all accounts, he should have failed miserably. Surprisingly, though, this film is a total blast from beginning to end, thanks in no small part to Grant Page's on-screen charisma and devil-may-care stuntwork and Sorcery's kick-ass music and stage show. But none of this would have mattered if it didn't gel with the concert footage. Luckily, Trenchard-Smith chose SORCERY, a big-haired prog-rock Los Angeles band (the keyboard player wears a hood over his head and his voice is electronically altered) with a loyal cult following.
I must confess that I never heard of them or their music before this film, but their songs and stage show won me over pretty quickly. They are kind of like Emerson, Lake and Palmer mixed with an Arthurian Legend stage show, complete with a Merlin-like wizard (who at one point is spun on the tip of a sword and then impaled!) that performs many magic tricks. It's like watching a David Henning magic show with fist-pumping rock music, but without the extreme overbite. It's a feast for the eyes and the ears.
I must confess that I never heard of them or their music before this film, but their songs and stage show won me over pretty quickly. They are kind of like Emerson, Lake and Palmer mixed with an Arthurian Legend stage show, complete with a Merlin-like wizard (who at one point is spun on the tip of a sword and then impaled!) that performs many magic tricks. It's like watching a David Henning magic show with fist-pumping rock music, but without the extreme overbite. It's a feast for the eyes and the ears.
What a treasure this is!
rthinaz25 November 2009
What a treasure from the 70's this film is. I recently watched this film and it was a true joy for me. I worked in the film industry as a camera man in L.A. back in the 70's and 80's when this was being made. I remember the buzz in Hollywood/L.A. about this picture about stunt work in the movies. The filming in part,took place in Hollywood Ca. and at the MGM studio's in Culver City Ca. I enjoyed the insight of the Director,Brian Trenchard Smith, in presenting the contribution stuntmen made in making motion pictures back then. Keep in mind, no CGI in 78', and most of the stuntmen working then took some pretty incredible risks to get the shot called for by the directors, to make scenes look as real as possible for the films they worked in. The stuntman,Grant Page, was excellent in the lead roll as he talks about the business of stuntwork in film, and what it took to be a stuntman back then. It is a inside look from the stuntman who made it look real. I also want to say something about the music. This band "SORCERY" from L.A. was a well respected band in Hollywood. They had a huge following as I remember. On one occasion I remember there was a line around the block to see them at the "Whiskey" on Sunset Blvd, when they were performing there. Sometime after that, I also had the pleasure of seeing Sorcery perform, playing with Van Halen (SORCERY was the headliner)and I never forgot them either. They had the most amazing live stage show I ever saw. They were unforgettable, and very accomplished musicians as well. A true a one of a kind group. Sorcery presented the battle of "good vs. evil" as Merlin against Satan played out live on stage. You really had to see this show live to appreciate it! They blended magic and music together like no one had ever done,or seen before. Very entertaining and they were years ahead of their time. It was Brians T. Smith's, masterstroke bringing these two entities together,for his vision for the film Stuntrock. Sorcery and Grant Page were perfect for this project. The movie showed only a small part of SORCERY's live stage show. I also think Sorcery is responsible for a large amount of the success now seen for the picture some 30 years after being made in 1978, and they are a major contributer to it's present day underground cult status. The musicianship Sorcery showed in concert was second to none! I know the musicians from Sorcery played on other movies,did TV music work, records and did Dick Clark specials as well from that period. Brian's vision to make this film was somewhat limited,with a small budget and short time to complete, however he was smart to put Sorcery and Grant Page together for this unique look at stuntwork and music together. I will watch this again and again,for it's entertainment value and Sorcery's great music.
Sorcery!
NoCarGarciaparra24 August 2018
Stunt. Rock.
MeanYOB645 July 2015
I had an epiphany during this movie, for my whole life I naively thought Citizen Kane had no equal, but now I can say with complete confidence that Stunt Rock is unequivocally it.
The similarities are subtle but many, there are moving pictures & sound - so far so good, plenty of thoughtful mugging is going on just like what Orson Welles did and lastly while you are watching twelve monkeys don't encroach around you hurling their feces in your general direction.
One of the reasons I discovered this movie is I found the soundtrack to Rocktober Blood, which I listened to hundreds of times before finally deciding to watch the actual movie and of course Sorcery (not Sorcery of Chicago) does the music and they Rock! I feel the movie (Rocktober Blood) is underrated, the plot is more interesting than you may initially think, but then again you get great music as well!
I feel many parallels can be drawn between Rocktober Blood and Stunt Rock, which can only bode well for you, the viewer, since you could have a great night with friends, make it a double-bill!
The similarities are subtle but many, there are moving pictures & sound - so far so good, plenty of thoughtful mugging is going on just like what Orson Welles did and lastly while you are watching twelve monkeys don't encroach around you hurling their feces in your general direction.
One of the reasons I discovered this movie is I found the soundtrack to Rocktober Blood, which I listened to hundreds of times before finally deciding to watch the actual movie and of course Sorcery (not Sorcery of Chicago) does the music and they Rock! I feel the movie (Rocktober Blood) is underrated, the plot is more interesting than you may initially think, but then again you get great music as well!
I feel many parallels can be drawn between Rocktober Blood and Stunt Rock, which can only bode well for you, the viewer, since you could have a great night with friends, make it a double-bill!
Good stuff.
Hey_Sweden1 July 2018
"Stunt Rock" is cult filmmaker Brian Trenchard-Smiths' tribute to one of the legends in the stunt department, Aussie icon Grant Page. Page essentially plays himself as he embarks upon many daredevil acts, often getting by on not just his athleticism, but his sheer bravado. There's not much of a "story" in this movie, but its basic set-up has Grant travelling to America to work on a TV series with film star Monique van de Ven (also playing herself). He also begins work on stage shows for a highly theatrical rock band dubbed "Sorcery", who come complete with a "wizard" style magician (Paul Haynes) and a "Prince of Darkness" (Curtis Hyde). Meanwhile, a journalist (Margaret Gerard) doing a piece on job dedication becomes fascinated with Grant.
It does become apparent early on that "Stunt Rock" is not so much telling a story as it is detailing (documentary style, with use of split screen) the art of stunt coordination, and the "shock rock" genre that had been in style for a number of years. As such, it does go heavy on the musical numbers. It's never more interesting than when it follows Grant and his exploits, but at least the music is pretty catchy. (Also, the keyboardist in the band is a weirdo who never takes off his hood. There's one good gag when somebody asks him to take it off.)
Grants' death-defying ambitions form a great basis for the movie, and there is some breathtaking action to behold. For example, we are shown the preparation that went into a stunt that Grant performed for Philippe Moras' 1976 picture "Mad Dog Morgan". Grant is a charismatic, easygoing guy, and you do enjoy watching him ply his trade and interact with other people. Some people could argue that TOO much screen time is devoted to the band, but it does ultimately lead into the possible development of entertainment that Gerard dubs "stunt rock".
Overall, quite engaging, and relatively brief in run time (96 minutes). Director Trenchard-Smith clearly has a great respect for people like Grant, and had previously made a documentary in 1973 called "The Stuntmen".
Look for Richard Blackburn (director of "Lemora: A Child's Tale of the Supernatural" and co-writer of "Eating Raoul") in a supporting role as the agent; comedy legend Phil Hartman is apparently also in here somewhere.
Seven out of 10.
It does become apparent early on that "Stunt Rock" is not so much telling a story as it is detailing (documentary style, with use of split screen) the art of stunt coordination, and the "shock rock" genre that had been in style for a number of years. As such, it does go heavy on the musical numbers. It's never more interesting than when it follows Grant and his exploits, but at least the music is pretty catchy. (Also, the keyboardist in the band is a weirdo who never takes off his hood. There's one good gag when somebody asks him to take it off.)
Grants' death-defying ambitions form a great basis for the movie, and there is some breathtaking action to behold. For example, we are shown the preparation that went into a stunt that Grant performed for Philippe Moras' 1976 picture "Mad Dog Morgan". Grant is a charismatic, easygoing guy, and you do enjoy watching him ply his trade and interact with other people. Some people could argue that TOO much screen time is devoted to the band, but it does ultimately lead into the possible development of entertainment that Gerard dubs "stunt rock".
Overall, quite engaging, and relatively brief in run time (96 minutes). Director Trenchard-Smith clearly has a great respect for people like Grant, and had previously made a documentary in 1973 called "The Stuntmen".
Look for Richard Blackburn (director of "Lemora: A Child's Tale of the Supernatural" and co-writer of "Eating Raoul") in a supporting role as the agent; comedy legend Phil Hartman is apparently also in here somewhere.
Seven out of 10.
great fun even if it's barely a movie
Quinoa198431 March 2022
I mean... you certainly don't get any false advertising with this thing there's a lot of stunts and there's a lot of rock! It's also barely a movie(?)
Don't get me wrong, director Brian Trenchard-Smith has enough shall we describe them as scenes and musical numbers and stunts, several of them footage taken from other movies and real-life scenarios I'll venture to guess didn't involve this filmmaker (one clip is referenced directly as a Man on Fire bit from the underrated Ozsploitation Mad Dog Morgan), and he has a game star in Grant Page as a real-life daredevil who does things like slide across a rope dangling over two different rocks many, many feet apart across a bay in Sydney simply because.... he can, and he has no fear (or so he says). But is there a story? Or real stakes or even much of a conflict? Eh! ::shrug emoji::
I think that perhaps it was for the best; I can picture another timeline where someone who was less creative or imaginative (or a full on capital H Hack) tried to fit Page into a cockamanie plot where we have to see him like but heads with a director and maybe there's a deeper romance with the journalist who is writing a profile on him and where does that go and OMG what if Sorcery loses their magic(?)
None of that is here and I'm glad we are getting what the Trenchard-Smith knows we want to see: mind-boggling, even for today death (and depth) defying stunts that sometimes look like they were done - like the one where Page is set on fire and is sent cascading off a cliff - because he was bored and wanted something to so. And he is an affable and captivating screen presence, whether he's having a simple conversation trying to explain his process (and maybe not succeeding so well but what the heck) or doing a gag like, say, making a phone call to the aforementioned woman journalist character... while hanging off of a different wire between Los Angeles apartment buildings(!)
All of this is well and good as far as a pseudo-kinda-not-really documentary about Page and his life in movies, with a mix of non-professional actors and real crew people. What is both equally exciting and less impressive is the rock group Sorcery. They are... entertaining. To a point. Putting aside the fact that I clearly should've known who they were before through a few appearances on Beavis and Butt-Head music video segments (how do we not have those butt-munches extolling their virtue of rocking while also damning them with sucking so hard?), an issue for me is so many of their songs sound so similar.
Every time we see them on stage with their requisite magic performers they kind of blend together (and they are pretty incredible if tacky acts, like a sword going through someone's body at one point).
They're fun for these little bursts, and I found the one keyboardist who insists on wearing super tight masks very funny (at one point in hilarious Airplane movie fashion he takes one off for another to be right there), but it's all second-rate Black Sabbath and Alice Cooper and Thin Lizzy and even Kiss theatrics (ok they're better than Kiss, minority opinion j know) and it reminds me why those acts were unique and innovative in their ways. And the filmmakers are trying to combine the two elements they got, Page and Sorcery, but only near the end so the acts converge on stage and so there's this dissonance between the two sides and without a throughline you're seeing a lot of... stuff happening, and that's that.
I sound like I'm complaining about a damn movie called Stunt Rock, what's wrong, should I get my head checked etc. I think that it manages to be a spectacular time capsule to a world that isn't really so far removed from today- the difference is the stuntman now *is* a Rockstar, see Jackass for proof of that as the more ribald and X rated version of this- and Trenchard-Smith has the kind of keen sense of humor that makes it so you are far from ever bored and know something else will come along that will make you jolt up and even grip your seat. Stunt Rock is a Testament to the astronomical fortitude of Grant Page and the B minus appeal of a rock band that I could see probably opened for AC/DC a few times.
If I ever do watch this again... I'm getting really really high.
Don't get me wrong, director Brian Trenchard-Smith has enough shall we describe them as scenes and musical numbers and stunts, several of them footage taken from other movies and real-life scenarios I'll venture to guess didn't involve this filmmaker (one clip is referenced directly as a Man on Fire bit from the underrated Ozsploitation Mad Dog Morgan), and he has a game star in Grant Page as a real-life daredevil who does things like slide across a rope dangling over two different rocks many, many feet apart across a bay in Sydney simply because.... he can, and he has no fear (or so he says). But is there a story? Or real stakes or even much of a conflict? Eh! ::shrug emoji::
I think that perhaps it was for the best; I can picture another timeline where someone who was less creative or imaginative (or a full on capital H Hack) tried to fit Page into a cockamanie plot where we have to see him like but heads with a director and maybe there's a deeper romance with the journalist who is writing a profile on him and where does that go and OMG what if Sorcery loses their magic(?)
None of that is here and I'm glad we are getting what the Trenchard-Smith knows we want to see: mind-boggling, even for today death (and depth) defying stunts that sometimes look like they were done - like the one where Page is set on fire and is sent cascading off a cliff - because he was bored and wanted something to so. And he is an affable and captivating screen presence, whether he's having a simple conversation trying to explain his process (and maybe not succeeding so well but what the heck) or doing a gag like, say, making a phone call to the aforementioned woman journalist character... while hanging off of a different wire between Los Angeles apartment buildings(!)
All of this is well and good as far as a pseudo-kinda-not-really documentary about Page and his life in movies, with a mix of non-professional actors and real crew people. What is both equally exciting and less impressive is the rock group Sorcery. They are... entertaining. To a point. Putting aside the fact that I clearly should've known who they were before through a few appearances on Beavis and Butt-Head music video segments (how do we not have those butt-munches extolling their virtue of rocking while also damning them with sucking so hard?), an issue for me is so many of their songs sound so similar.
Every time we see them on stage with their requisite magic performers they kind of blend together (and they are pretty incredible if tacky acts, like a sword going through someone's body at one point).
They're fun for these little bursts, and I found the one keyboardist who insists on wearing super tight masks very funny (at one point in hilarious Airplane movie fashion he takes one off for another to be right there), but it's all second-rate Black Sabbath and Alice Cooper and Thin Lizzy and even Kiss theatrics (ok they're better than Kiss, minority opinion j know) and it reminds me why those acts were unique and innovative in their ways. And the filmmakers are trying to combine the two elements they got, Page and Sorcery, but only near the end so the acts converge on stage and so there's this dissonance between the two sides and without a throughline you're seeing a lot of... stuff happening, and that's that.
I sound like I'm complaining about a damn movie called Stunt Rock, what's wrong, should I get my head checked etc. I think that it manages to be a spectacular time capsule to a world that isn't really so far removed from today- the difference is the stuntman now *is* a Rockstar, see Jackass for proof of that as the more ribald and X rated version of this- and Trenchard-Smith has the kind of keen sense of humor that makes it so you are far from ever bored and know something else will come along that will make you jolt up and even grip your seat. Stunt Rock is a Testament to the astronomical fortitude of Grant Page and the B minus appeal of a rock band that I could see probably opened for AC/DC a few times.
If I ever do watch this again... I'm getting really really high.
best action/musical I have ever seen!
lthseldy16 May 2003
This ones a classic, all it has is a man doing these awesome stunts that make me cringe just watching him burn himself up, hanging over cliffs and all kinds of stuff and the band Sorcery reminds me of a cross between KISS and Uriah Heep and I loved it! I loved the theatrics, the music, the stunts pulling together with the music, man this guy is awesome. Hated the ditzy girlfriend though he should have gotten somebody more wilder and adventurous than her. I liked the song "Woman" the best.
love the stunts
SnoopyStyle31 March 2023
Australian stuntman Grant Page goes to Hollywood to work on a TV show. His cousin Curtis Hyde is a member of the fantasy metal band Sorcery and they are playing in Los Angeles. Monique van de Ven is the star of the TV show. Reporter Lois Wills is doing a story on her.
Love the stunts. Less the rock. Apparently, Sorcery was a real band, but more a movie band with some Dick Clark work. It's all entertainment anyways and it's not a big distinction. I just don't remember them. I didn't see their movies and I didn't watch Dick Clark. They don't seem to have a hit and they sound like a middling rock band. The wizard thing is silly. I almost laughed out loud at the magic tricks. The movie barely has a plot. The actors are mostly non-actors. None of that matters because the stunts are great. They are old time dangerous physical stunts and I love them. They should cut out most of this movie and leave this as a series of stunts.
Love the stunts. Less the rock. Apparently, Sorcery was a real band, but more a movie band with some Dick Clark work. It's all entertainment anyways and it's not a big distinction. I just don't remember them. I didn't see their movies and I didn't watch Dick Clark. They don't seem to have a hit and they sound like a middling rock band. The wizard thing is silly. I almost laughed out loud at the magic tricks. The movie barely has a plot. The actors are mostly non-actors. None of that matters because the stunts are great. They are old time dangerous physical stunts and I love them. They should cut out most of this movie and leave this as a series of stunts.
No spoilers ahead, just opinion :-D
geonymous201321 August 2014
This film will not appeal to all, but what movie ever does. I first saw this as a kid and bought it on VHS second hand from the video shop.... somewhere along the way I lost it, BUT, I've just managed to secure a copy and I'm eagerly awaiting watching it again. I have always been into the art of stunt work and this portrays it in a way that wouldn't get passed most TV censorship now, coupled with an epic soundtrack by rock band Sorcery this film makes for an awesome viewing experience. If you don't like stunt work or rock music you'll hate this movie, but if you do lend an interest to the aforementioned you'll find this an enjoyable and memorable production..... that's if you can find a copy to watch.
Watch the movie to see the rock band Sorcery.
DbOD29 September 1998
Although this movie is somewhat dated, the rock band Sorcery makes it worth watching. I saw Sorcery live in LA at a concert where non-other than Van Halen opened for them. The movie showcases their music and their spectacular stage show. Not too much bad language so its OK for even little kids.
Sorcery: STUNTROCK/see: Sorcerymusic.com!
peremorris@hotmail.com3 April 2003
"Sorcery"....(Polygram records/Sorcery music 1978) A U.S. band in the late 70's from Hollywood, California.
They combined Music and Magic, in a live stage show. The theme of the show was of good vs. evil... as the Sorcerer(Merlin) takes on the Devil. Quite good actually. A true one of a kind group with great magicians and world class musicians gave an excellent live show. It was a great time for anyone seeing them LIVE! It seems they also can do tricks with time as well. They turned an hour and a half into what seems like 15 minutes!!
Really extrodinary,for the viewer and the listener. I also have enjoyed their movie "STUNTROCK" as well, and
think they were an excellent example of the great Live acts
of the 70's and 80's. Rock on SORCERY....Glad to see there still around.
They combined Music and Magic, in a live stage show. The theme of the show was of good vs. evil... as the Sorcerer(Merlin) takes on the Devil. Quite good actually. A true one of a kind group with great magicians and world class musicians gave an excellent live show. It was a great time for anyone seeing them LIVE! It seems they also can do tricks with time as well. They turned an hour and a half into what seems like 15 minutes!!
Really extrodinary,for the viewer and the listener. I also have enjoyed their movie "STUNTROCK" as well, and
think they were an excellent example of the great Live acts
of the 70's and 80's. Rock on SORCERY....Glad to see there still around.
"There's music! There's magic! And stunts!"
udar5527 March 2005
So sums up the female lead of this one of a kind cinematic experience know as STUNT ROCK. A faux documentary about real life Australian stuntman Grant Paige, STUNT ROCK garnered considerable attention in cult film circles earlier this year when a trailer for it appeared on the TRAILER TRASH vol. 1. And, truth be told, the trailer is merely a glimpse of the insanity that dares to combine the reckless and the rocking.
Grant Page (renowned stunt coordinator, probably best know for MAD MAX) packs up his bags and heads to L.A. to visit his "brother," a performer in the heavy metal outfit Sorcery. When his first stunt goes awry in Hollywood, Page attracts the interest of a blonde reporter who is determined to find out what makes this crazy stuntmen tick. Page is more than happy to show her the expressions of his unique knack, all the while making sure to catch a few Sorcery gigs. Yup, that is the plot of STUNT ROCK. But who needs plot when you have stunts! And rock! Filmed in both Australia and Hollywood, STUNT ROCK is a true oddity of cinema. The stunt work is pretty daring, featuring some real fist clenching scenes. Page, a dead ringer for Richard Norton, performs a myriad of dangerous stunts, mostly just to say that he had done them (just performing stunts was cool back then). He flies planes, jumps from cars, drives a dune buggy and dangles over cliffs and high rises alike. A stunt gone wrong from MAD DOG MORGAN is highlighted to show how dedicated Page is to his art (he was severely burned but made it back to the set a few days later). "Art?" asks the naïve reporter to which Grant replies, "Ah! You've never seen GONE IN 60 SECONDS?" Yes, to solidify the idea of stunts as art, the production even includes several of the amazing (and groundbreaking) car chases from the original GONE IN 60 SECONDS.
To counter the outlandish nature of the stunt work, the production features several over the top numbers by the heavy metal outfit Sorcery. In addition to their music, Sorcery presents an elaborate on stage show featuring theatrics that put 70s rivals KISS to shame. The narrative of their show is a battle between good and evil, essayed in a number of magic performances featuring Merlin combating the Devil onstage as the band sings. Given the amount of pyrotechnics used, I guess they qualify as stunts too. The two diverse worlds of stunt and rock finally coincide when Page joins the band on stage for a fire stunt and then Sorcery dedicates a song to Page entitled "Stunt Rocker." Exactly who this combination of music and mayhem was aimed at has never been determined. But in both cases the events captured on film are truly something that astounds. Director Brian Trenchard-Smith is no stranger to the world of stunts, having previously helmed the similar Page vehicle DEATH CHEATERS (1976) and the stunt laced Jimmy Wang Yu film THE MAN FROM HONG KONG (1975).
Grant Page (renowned stunt coordinator, probably best know for MAD MAX) packs up his bags and heads to L.A. to visit his "brother," a performer in the heavy metal outfit Sorcery. When his first stunt goes awry in Hollywood, Page attracts the interest of a blonde reporter who is determined to find out what makes this crazy stuntmen tick. Page is more than happy to show her the expressions of his unique knack, all the while making sure to catch a few Sorcery gigs. Yup, that is the plot of STUNT ROCK. But who needs plot when you have stunts! And rock! Filmed in both Australia and Hollywood, STUNT ROCK is a true oddity of cinema. The stunt work is pretty daring, featuring some real fist clenching scenes. Page, a dead ringer for Richard Norton, performs a myriad of dangerous stunts, mostly just to say that he had done them (just performing stunts was cool back then). He flies planes, jumps from cars, drives a dune buggy and dangles over cliffs and high rises alike. A stunt gone wrong from MAD DOG MORGAN is highlighted to show how dedicated Page is to his art (he was severely burned but made it back to the set a few days later). "Art?" asks the naïve reporter to which Grant replies, "Ah! You've never seen GONE IN 60 SECONDS?" Yes, to solidify the idea of stunts as art, the production even includes several of the amazing (and groundbreaking) car chases from the original GONE IN 60 SECONDS.
To counter the outlandish nature of the stunt work, the production features several over the top numbers by the heavy metal outfit Sorcery. In addition to their music, Sorcery presents an elaborate on stage show featuring theatrics that put 70s rivals KISS to shame. The narrative of their show is a battle between good and evil, essayed in a number of magic performances featuring Merlin combating the Devil onstage as the band sings. Given the amount of pyrotechnics used, I guess they qualify as stunts too. The two diverse worlds of stunt and rock finally coincide when Page joins the band on stage for a fire stunt and then Sorcery dedicates a song to Page entitled "Stunt Rocker." Exactly who this combination of music and mayhem was aimed at has never been determined. But in both cases the events captured on film are truly something that astounds. Director Brian Trenchard-Smith is no stranger to the world of stunts, having previously helmed the similar Page vehicle DEATH CHEATERS (1976) and the stunt laced Jimmy Wang Yu film THE MAN FROM HONG KONG (1975).
"SORCERY"
proplayer29 April 2001
Enjoyed the picture. The band "Sorcery" were amazing as well. Sorcery's stage show was the best presentation of music and magic ever seen!
The good vs. evil theme was never so well played out on any stage before. "Hard rock music/heavy metal magic" was the way to describe this group. They were and continue today to be the only magic/music show of it's kind in the history of ROCK! Not any other group ever came close to this! If you're into hard rock music and/or some of the best magic illusions ever performed live,don't miss this one. See the movie and the band.
The good vs. evil theme was never so well played out on any stage before. "Hard rock music/heavy metal magic" was the way to describe this group. They were and continue today to be the only magic/music show of it's kind in the history of ROCK! Not any other group ever came close to this! If you're into hard rock music and/or some of the best magic illusions ever performed live,don't miss this one. See the movie and the band.
All movies should be more Stunt Rock
BandSAboutMovies16 October 2019
Warning: Spoilers
"It's super human, super music, super magic and super amazing! You'll be compelled over the edge of sight and sound and under the spell of mind-boggling action and music! Pushed to the danger zone! It's a death wish at 120 decibels! Stunt Rock! The ultimate rush!"
If there was ever a movie that can't live up to its trailer, it's Stunt Rock. Upon witnessing it on the Alamo Drafthouse's Trailer War compilation, I fell in love with whatever this movie could be. I even ordered the official DVD of the film but never unwrapped it. Why? Because nothing could be as great as this trailer.
I'm so happy to have been proven wrong.
Stunt Rock - directed by Brian Trenchard-Smith (Dead-End Drive-In, Night of the Demons 2, Turkey Shoot and so many more) - is exactly the type of movie I love: Take a basic concept and let hijinks ensue.
As Trenchard-Smith sais himself, the concept was "Famous stuntman meets famous rock group. Much stunt, much rock. The kids will go bananas." He's also referred to it as "a largely plotless, pseudo-documentary, rocumentary and basically a 90-minute trailer for Grant Page."
Grant Page is an Australian stuntman who pretty much defied death on a daily basis throughout the 70's and 80's, transforming his weekend hobby into a career that would give him international exposure thanks to films like The Man From Hong Kong, Mad Max, Death Cheaters, Mad Dog Morgan, Death Ship and so many more, as well as starring in Road Games and having his own TV series, Danger Freaks.
Basically, Grant comes to America, talks about stunts, does stunts, gets the girl - Trenchard-Smith's future wife Margaret Gerard - and hangs out with a band that combines rock and roll and magic. Monique van den Ven (Amstersdamned, the 1982 version of Breathless, Paul Verhoeven's Turkish Delight) also shows up.
There's also the subplot of a movie being filmed and the ways directors and agents treat their talent. The agent in this film is played by Richard Blackburn, whose career is the kind that draws the laser focus of this website. Would it just be enough if he played Dr. Zaius on the Return to the Planet of the Apes cartoon series? Let me add that he also co-wrote Eating Raoul and appears in that film as James from the Valley. But perhaps what he's most celebrated for - at least around these parts - are for writing, directing and appearing as the Reverend in the absolutely transcendent 1973 film Lemora: A Child's Tale of the Supernatural.
This is less of a film and more of a movie that you can shut off your brain and just savor the stuntwork while hearing Page discuss how and why he did it, interlayed with Sorcery in concert.
While Trenchard-Smith wanted Foreigner for the film, they were on tour and wouldn't be back in time. That's fortunate - no band other than Sorcery could have been in this movie.
A theatrical metal band formed in Los Angeles in 1976, Sorcery's gimmick was that two master magicians would dress as Merlin (Paul Haynes) and Satan (Curtis James Hyde), join them on stage and battle one another in what their press bio referred to as "The King of the Wizards against the Prince of Darkness."
The band was made up of Richard "Smokey" Taylor on guitar, Richie King on bass, Greg MaGie on vocals, Perry Morris on drums and the masked Doug Loch on keys. They'd later play Dick Clark's 1982 A Rockin Halloween and 1983 A Magical Musical Halloween.
But if you really love metal, you probably know them best for a completely different film.
In 1984, Morris, Taylor and King became Headmistress, the band for the seminal metal/horror film Rocktober Blood, a film in which Billy "Eye" Harper wipes out most of his band before they reform a year after his killing spree has been halted.
That's pretty much the movie. It doesn't demand that you invest much more of your brain into it, instead relying on a magical blend of 1978 L.A., behind the scenes movie-making and wizards launching fire across a stage while a masked dude plays keyboards and dudes wail and shred. If this doesn't sound like the most amazing film ever committed to celluloid to you, you're invited to leave this site now and never come back.
The frequent use of split-screen seen in this movie was a necessary editing tool. That's because many of the stunts from Australian films like The Dragon Files, Mad Dog Morgan and Death Cheaters was filmed on 16 mm and needed to be fixed to fit the wide frame. That said, I love how each frame has a different angle. It's MTV three years before that little moon man ever launched.
I'm not the only lover of this film. Quentin Tarantino's Death Proof owes the way it presents stunts - much less a New Zealand stunt icon in Zoe Bell in a starring role - to this film. And Eli Roth wore a shirt of the film while filing Hostel 2 and has featured the Sorcery songs "Talking to the Devil" in Knock Knock and "Sacrifice" in his remake of Death Wish.
Perhaps Stunt Rock has even greater cultural significance. After all, it's Phl Hartman's first movie. And editor Robert Leighton - who was billed as Robery Money as this was a non-union film - would go on to be the supervising editor of This Is Spinal Tap. Hmm - now it's all making sense.
While Trenchard-Smith would at one point state that this was the worst movie he ever made, he's softened on the film in later years. What do you expect from a movie that went from an idea in the shower to in theaters in under 5 months?
Sadly, three months prior to Allied Artists distributing the film, they went bankrupt. The film was sold to Film Ventures International. And then...the movie disappeared for decades until it was rediscovered.
Watch this today. This is a movie begging to be experienced.
If there was ever a movie that can't live up to its trailer, it's Stunt Rock. Upon witnessing it on the Alamo Drafthouse's Trailer War compilation, I fell in love with whatever this movie could be. I even ordered the official DVD of the film but never unwrapped it. Why? Because nothing could be as great as this trailer.
I'm so happy to have been proven wrong.
Stunt Rock - directed by Brian Trenchard-Smith (Dead-End Drive-In, Night of the Demons 2, Turkey Shoot and so many more) - is exactly the type of movie I love: Take a basic concept and let hijinks ensue.
As Trenchard-Smith sais himself, the concept was "Famous stuntman meets famous rock group. Much stunt, much rock. The kids will go bananas." He's also referred to it as "a largely plotless, pseudo-documentary, rocumentary and basically a 90-minute trailer for Grant Page."
Grant Page is an Australian stuntman who pretty much defied death on a daily basis throughout the 70's and 80's, transforming his weekend hobby into a career that would give him international exposure thanks to films like The Man From Hong Kong, Mad Max, Death Cheaters, Mad Dog Morgan, Death Ship and so many more, as well as starring in Road Games and having his own TV series, Danger Freaks.
Basically, Grant comes to America, talks about stunts, does stunts, gets the girl - Trenchard-Smith's future wife Margaret Gerard - and hangs out with a band that combines rock and roll and magic. Monique van den Ven (Amstersdamned, the 1982 version of Breathless, Paul Verhoeven's Turkish Delight) also shows up.
There's also the subplot of a movie being filmed and the ways directors and agents treat their talent. The agent in this film is played by Richard Blackburn, whose career is the kind that draws the laser focus of this website. Would it just be enough if he played Dr. Zaius on the Return to the Planet of the Apes cartoon series? Let me add that he also co-wrote Eating Raoul and appears in that film as James from the Valley. But perhaps what he's most celebrated for - at least around these parts - are for writing, directing and appearing as the Reverend in the absolutely transcendent 1973 film Lemora: A Child's Tale of the Supernatural.
This is less of a film and more of a movie that you can shut off your brain and just savor the stuntwork while hearing Page discuss how and why he did it, interlayed with Sorcery in concert.
While Trenchard-Smith wanted Foreigner for the film, they were on tour and wouldn't be back in time. That's fortunate - no band other than Sorcery could have been in this movie.
A theatrical metal band formed in Los Angeles in 1976, Sorcery's gimmick was that two master magicians would dress as Merlin (Paul Haynes) and Satan (Curtis James Hyde), join them on stage and battle one another in what their press bio referred to as "The King of the Wizards against the Prince of Darkness."
The band was made up of Richard "Smokey" Taylor on guitar, Richie King on bass, Greg MaGie on vocals, Perry Morris on drums and the masked Doug Loch on keys. They'd later play Dick Clark's 1982 A Rockin Halloween and 1983 A Magical Musical Halloween.
But if you really love metal, you probably know them best for a completely different film.
In 1984, Morris, Taylor and King became Headmistress, the band for the seminal metal/horror film Rocktober Blood, a film in which Billy "Eye" Harper wipes out most of his band before they reform a year after his killing spree has been halted.
That's pretty much the movie. It doesn't demand that you invest much more of your brain into it, instead relying on a magical blend of 1978 L.A., behind the scenes movie-making and wizards launching fire across a stage while a masked dude plays keyboards and dudes wail and shred. If this doesn't sound like the most amazing film ever committed to celluloid to you, you're invited to leave this site now and never come back.
The frequent use of split-screen seen in this movie was a necessary editing tool. That's because many of the stunts from Australian films like The Dragon Files, Mad Dog Morgan and Death Cheaters was filmed on 16 mm and needed to be fixed to fit the wide frame. That said, I love how each frame has a different angle. It's MTV three years before that little moon man ever launched.
I'm not the only lover of this film. Quentin Tarantino's Death Proof owes the way it presents stunts - much less a New Zealand stunt icon in Zoe Bell in a starring role - to this film. And Eli Roth wore a shirt of the film while filing Hostel 2 and has featured the Sorcery songs "Talking to the Devil" in Knock Knock and "Sacrifice" in his remake of Death Wish.
Perhaps Stunt Rock has even greater cultural significance. After all, it's Phl Hartman's first movie. And editor Robert Leighton - who was billed as Robery Money as this was a non-union film - would go on to be the supervising editor of This Is Spinal Tap. Hmm - now it's all making sense.
While Trenchard-Smith would at one point state that this was the worst movie he ever made, he's softened on the film in later years. What do you expect from a movie that went from an idea in the shower to in theaters in under 5 months?
Sadly, three months prior to Allied Artists distributing the film, they went bankrupt. The film was sold to Film Ventures International. And then...the movie disappeared for decades until it was rediscovered.
Watch this today. This is a movie begging to be experienced.
Stuntrock Movie
ddr7875925 July 2009
I rate this a 10 because... This movie does exactly what it sets out to do. As I read some reviews, mostly from people with no movie or TV experience but lots of self-promoting opinions take shots at this film let me try to set them straight. If they can handle it! 1) The Plot is simple: Stuntman Grant Page goes to Hollywood Cal. to work on TV series "Undercover Girl" where he garners the interest of his co-star "Monique Van De Ven" and, a the reporter,played by "Margret Gerard" who is writing a story about people who get TO caught up in the work. In this case stuntman like Grant Page. When Grant arrives in Hollywood, he hooks up with his cousin, played by Curtis Hyde, who plays the devil character in "Sorcery" in the bands stage show.
Their show is a magic based stage show of the battle of good vs. evil. It features some great hard rock music of that era.
The band has some roles in the film and Grant does a good job at what he does,stunts. Keep in mind a few things here. The film is from 1978 and the Director,Brian Trenchard Smith is responsible for all we see and hear as the director and editor usually do. 2) Sorcery did a very good job, as I'm sure they followed the directors suggestions and did what was called for at the time. Note, Sorcery went on to do more records after this "gig" and their other CD's, T.V.appearances, Dick Clark shows and other movies they did can be found on you-tube by searching; "Sorcery TV appearances" you'll find them. They were an excellent band and I for one think they considered this picture just another job. It's OK if some people don't care for this film,I know how many I don't like,but this is for many a good time movie about Rock,Stunts, and the backstage requirements of stuntmen and the movie business from a inside look from Grants perspective as a stuntman. And the contribution over time they make to the overall movie. 3) Summary: I would recommend this film to anyone who wants to be entertained! Forget the wanna-be critics who never did anything that requires talent but love to express their jaded points of view. Last word: Sorcery & Stuntrock are well worth watching and if you have the DVD,you'll watch it more than once.
Their show is a magic based stage show of the battle of good vs. evil. It features some great hard rock music of that era.
The band has some roles in the film and Grant does a good job at what he does,stunts. Keep in mind a few things here. The film is from 1978 and the Director,Brian Trenchard Smith is responsible for all we see and hear as the director and editor usually do. 2) Sorcery did a very good job, as I'm sure they followed the directors suggestions and did what was called for at the time. Note, Sorcery went on to do more records after this "gig" and their other CD's, T.V.appearances, Dick Clark shows and other movies they did can be found on you-tube by searching; "Sorcery TV appearances" you'll find them. They were an excellent band and I for one think they considered this picture just another job. It's OK if some people don't care for this film,I know how many I don't like,but this is for many a good time movie about Rock,Stunts, and the backstage requirements of stuntmen and the movie business from a inside look from Grants perspective as a stuntman. And the contribution over time they make to the overall movie. 3) Summary: I would recommend this film to anyone who wants to be entertained! Forget the wanna-be critics who never did anything that requires talent but love to express their jaded points of view. Last word: Sorcery & Stuntrock are well worth watching and if you have the DVD,you'll watch it more than once.
must be seen to be believed!
jason-3718 November 2002
you won't believe your eyes! stunts! rock! it's the new style! these people really thought they were onto something here, and their earnestness, regardless of talent, helps elevate the whole film. there is no plot to speak of, although a few tangental storylines keep things moving more or less ahead. but really it's all an excuse to get from musical sequence to stunt sequence and back again. over and over and over. every moment is unbelievably absurd and surreal. many of the stunt sequences are spliced in from other films the star, Grant Page, has performed stunts in. he plays himself, as do many of the other actors and musicians here, including the amazingly awful sorcery, whose live performances, as shown here, are filled with an audience who seem to all be wondering who the hell these people are. besides this, there's a masked keyboardist! stunts painfully gone awry! chicks in gold spandex with guns! wizards! demons! 10 out of 10! especially good as a double feature with Dolemite or The Song Remains The Same. PS: a few years ago a friend had a bachelor party in which he and his buddies dressed up as Sorcery and actualy learned and played the entire soundtrack to the film. Even better was that the director, Brian Trenchard-Smith showed up and videotaped it!
"Death Wish At 120 Decibels!"
tarbosh2200029 March 2011
Warning: Spoilers
Grant Page is our personal hero. An Australian stuntman known for his unbelievably dangerous stunt work, here he gets his own movie so he can display his charm to the audience as well. Director Brian Trenchard-Smith fashioned an innovative cross between a documentary, a fictional film and a concert film, and its ahead-of-its-time (even today) nature ensures pure entertainment that will appeal to any generation. What's so cool about Stunt Rock, besides the stunts and music, is that the filmmakers were smart enough not to weigh it down with an involved plot. There's really no time for that, it has to be packed full with stunts and the music of the L.A. rock band Sorcery.
What happens is, Grant comes to Los Angeles to work on a new TV show starring Monique van de Ven, called Undercover Girl. Interestingly, her smarmy agent is played by Richard Blackburn, the director of the great Lemora: A Child's Tale of the Supernatural (1973). The director of the show is played by Ron Raley, whose student film at UCLA was photographed by none other than Jim Morrison of The Doors fame when Morrison, Raley and Blackburn were at UCLA film school together. A very early appearance by Phil Hartman as the assistant director passes in a flash. Anyway, Grant ends up in a relationship with a magazine reporter (Margaret Gerard, wife of Trenchard-Smith) who is doing an article on stunt men. Meanwhile, Grant's cousin is in the stage show for Sorcery, who re-enact cosmic battles between good and evil featuring wizards and demons while the band crank out their rockin' tunes.
This hugely entertaining film is just too awesome for words. The great Trenchard-Smith blasted out a tour-de-force of music and action - a majority of the movie is footage of Page's death-defying stunts while Sorcery music blares on the soundtrack. Page's insane, awe-inspiring work is so eye-popping, Trenchard-Smith puts it on split screens because one screen just isn't enough! The movie also has plenty of humor, as evidenced by the masked keyboard player with the funny voice (Doug Loch). Pure fun, the simplicity of the execution, married with the powerful combination of the music and the action, guarantees Stunt Rock the status of cinematic masterpiece. Trenchard-Smith described this gem as "a love letter to stuntmen in general and Grant Page in particular", and that love comes through in spades, and the overall upbeat, positive vibe is totally winning.
Much of that has to do with the presence, music and magic tricks of Sorcery. If the filmmakers had gone with Foreigner or Van Halen (two other potential choices), it just would not have been the same, and Stunt Rock would have been an entirely different experience.
If you don't like Stunt Rock, please seek psychiatric help immediately. You are a danger to the community.
NOTE: A lot of the information in this review came from the excellent Code Red 2-DVD set. Buy it right now.
For more insanity, please visit: comeuppancereviews.com
What happens is, Grant comes to Los Angeles to work on a new TV show starring Monique van de Ven, called Undercover Girl. Interestingly, her smarmy agent is played by Richard Blackburn, the director of the great Lemora: A Child's Tale of the Supernatural (1973). The director of the show is played by Ron Raley, whose student film at UCLA was photographed by none other than Jim Morrison of The Doors fame when Morrison, Raley and Blackburn were at UCLA film school together. A very early appearance by Phil Hartman as the assistant director passes in a flash. Anyway, Grant ends up in a relationship with a magazine reporter (Margaret Gerard, wife of Trenchard-Smith) who is doing an article on stunt men. Meanwhile, Grant's cousin is in the stage show for Sorcery, who re-enact cosmic battles between good and evil featuring wizards and demons while the band crank out their rockin' tunes.
This hugely entertaining film is just too awesome for words. The great Trenchard-Smith blasted out a tour-de-force of music and action - a majority of the movie is footage of Page's death-defying stunts while Sorcery music blares on the soundtrack. Page's insane, awe-inspiring work is so eye-popping, Trenchard-Smith puts it on split screens because one screen just isn't enough! The movie also has plenty of humor, as evidenced by the masked keyboard player with the funny voice (Doug Loch). Pure fun, the simplicity of the execution, married with the powerful combination of the music and the action, guarantees Stunt Rock the status of cinematic masterpiece. Trenchard-Smith described this gem as "a love letter to stuntmen in general and Grant Page in particular", and that love comes through in spades, and the overall upbeat, positive vibe is totally winning.
Much of that has to do with the presence, music and magic tricks of Sorcery. If the filmmakers had gone with Foreigner or Van Halen (two other potential choices), it just would not have been the same, and Stunt Rock would have been an entirely different experience.
If you don't like Stunt Rock, please seek psychiatric help immediately. You are a danger to the community.
NOTE: A lot of the information in this review came from the excellent Code Red 2-DVD set. Buy it right now.
For more insanity, please visit: comeuppancereviews.com
A stunt that drops like a rock
jrdodson15 October 2011
This movie can't decide if it is a concert film, a stunt documentary, or a love story. Ultimately, it winds up being none of the above.
Choppy editing, wooden-like-a-tree acting, dreadful, repetitive and puerile songs;dialog that beggars description and magic tricks that are either interminable or transparent or both (i've seen better at a child's birthday party)--this is a perfect storm of a bad film. Perhaps it would be tolerable if watched under the influence of intoxicating substances, but any clear-headed viewer with the desire for a coherent story and interesting plot need not linger here.
What baffles me most of all is where the funding came from for such a project. Assuming there was a script prior to shooting, who would bankroll such a dreadful waste of celluloid? This is nothing more than a vanity project for Grant Page, the stuntman who takes up most of the um...plot isn't the word. Ah, i have it--Grant wastes most of the screen time. You watch this, you don't tell me you weren't warned.
Choppy editing, wooden-like-a-tree acting, dreadful, repetitive and puerile songs;dialog that beggars description and magic tricks that are either interminable or transparent or both (i've seen better at a child's birthday party)--this is a perfect storm of a bad film. Perhaps it would be tolerable if watched under the influence of intoxicating substances, but any clear-headed viewer with the desire for a coherent story and interesting plot need not linger here.
What baffles me most of all is where the funding came from for such a project. Assuming there was a script prior to shooting, who would bankroll such a dreadful waste of celluloid? This is nothing more than a vanity project for Grant Page, the stuntman who takes up most of the um...plot isn't the word. Ah, i have it--Grant wastes most of the screen time. You watch this, you don't tell me you weren't warned.
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