As is far too often the case, legal issues prevented Stone from receiving a proper home video release in America. Thankfully, the matter has been cleared up (for a bit at least — you never know these days), and the twisted minds at Severin Films present Stone via a wonderful transfer and in an anamorphic 1.85:1 ratio. The picture (while grainy, occasionally soft, and having a bit of debris) looks great, and the film’s English Mono Stereo soundtrack comes through without a hitch.
Severin has also opted to release Stone in two different versions: a single-disc edition sporting a theatrical trailer (3:21) as the only special feature, and a two-disc special edition that contains additional goodies. The bonus material on the Special Edition starts out with Stone Forever (1999) (62:57), a making-of documentary from Richard Kuiper featuring cast and crew interviews, locations then-and-now, and footage of the Stone 25th Anniversary celebration in Sydney (which featured 35,000 bikers). Next up is the vintage featurette The Making Of Stone (22:48); a collection of silent make-up tests (8:10); and a Director’s Slideshow (21:23), narrated by Harbutt.
Even if you find it difficult to sometimes sit through a biker flick, Stone deserves a look.
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