This Antipodean cult favourite gets a welcome HD release thanks to Umbrella Entertainment with an abundance of bonus features.

Real-life Australian stuntman Grant Page heads out to LA to work on a new project and meets up with his cousin who works with a rock band that incorporate magic and effects in their act. Grant also becomes the subject of attention for a young reporter (Margaret Gerard), who sees a great story for her paper.

While the reporter may have seen a story, there certainly isn’t one in Ozploitation legend Brian Trenchard-Smith’s movie. By his own admission, Stunt Rock is a 90-minute trailer. Footage from other films from the director (as well as licenced clips from the original Gone in 60 Seconds) pad out the impressive new stunts and the Spın̈al Tap-esque musical excursions featuring the never-hot band Sorcery. Accompanied by an on-stage battle between good and evil – a wizard and a flame-throwing devil – these concert segments should be terrible but are surprisingly fun (particularly if you’re fond of a bit of theatrical rock). It’s Grant Page’s film, however, and he makes an affable leading man in what is essentially a mockumentary to showcase his daredevil talents. It’s interesting that is was made at around the same time as Burt Reynolds was suiting up in Hooper, and several years before Lee Majors embodied Colt Seavers in The Fall Guy on TV, putting Trenchard-Smith at the forefront of hailing the art of the stunt man. He just failed to concoct a plot for the daring-do to revolve around.

Umbrella’s release offers more than enough extras to keep even the passingly curious happy. A new, feature-length interview with the director and his wife (Stunt Rock co-star Margaret Garard) is incredibly entertaining. Trenchard-Smith has a great self-effacing attitude to his work and is always watchable. This is good, as there are plenty more chances to see him in the numerous bonus segments. It’s surprising that there are not as many repeated anecdotes as you’d expect. As well as the director, we hear from the producer, Marty Fink, and actor Richard Blackburn, as well as the drummer from the band Sorcery, who split up pretty much once the film was released. Topping off the extras is a 16-page comic book adaptation of the film.

For a film that has no hook other than the stunts and the rock, it’s an entertaining piece of cult cinema.

Stunt Rock is available on Blu-ray from Umbrella Entertainment in Australia.