Curator’s clip description
Birdman (Tony Allyn) and the Black Hawks arrive at the GraveDiggers hangout. Birdman pushes over Stone’s new motorcycle. Stone (Ken Shorter) punches Birdman, inciting an all-in brawl. The Undertaker (Sandy Harbutt) produces a shotgun.
Curator’s notes
Stone proves his loyalty in this action scene. Birdman, leader of rival gang the Black Hawks, has insulted the GraveDiggers by calling Stone’s motorcycle ‘Jap crap’. By now Stone has crossed the line from undercover cop to loyal GraveDigger. His instinct is to apply the law as it is understood in the bikie world. Most of the extras in this scene were recruited from real outlaw motorcycle clubs and received 36 cases of beer and marijuana for the day’s work. Although choreographer and stuntman Peter Armstrong (seen behind Birdman as the Black Hawks depart) trained the actors and extras in how to stage a convincing fight, many punches still connected during the scene. Actor Hugh Keays-Byrne described it as ‘one of those days’. ‘I felt as an actor I’m never going to pull this off and look tough enough’, he recalled in 1995.
Birdman calling Stone’s bike ‘Jap crap’ was a direct reference to divisions within the motorcycle community at the time. It was considered controversial by some purists for the GraveDiggers to be riding the Kawasaki Z-900 and not the classic American models favoured by most real life outlaw clubs. The success of Stone helped Japanese motorcycles achieve much wider acceptance in Australia.
