Stunt Rock (1978) - full transcript

In this movie based on 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. He uses his spare time to lend his expertise to rock band Sorcery (real life band played by themselves), whose act features dangerous stunts and a fantasy storyline focused on duels between the King of the Wizards and the Prince of Darkness, with his cousin playing the Prince. Page helps the duo develop pyrotechnic magic tricks for their shows, and also finds himself in a budding romance with a magazine writer as he recounts to her his own exploits as a stuntman and daredevil as well as various stunts by other greats. The movie also features Grant's stunts from other movies as a showcase of his amazing but dangerous work.

(Waves crashing)

(Seagulls squawking)

(Waves crashing)

(Waves crashing)

(Helicopter rotors whirring)

(Truck engine rumbles)

- [Man] Here she comes, Grant.

- [Barbra] This is Barbra
Paskin, reporting from Sydney.

It's the last fling today

for Australia's favourite
stunt man, Grant page.

Fans here won't
forget Grant's scenes



in "the man from Hong Kong“,

and the stunts he made
famous in “danger freaks".

The stunts he's doing today

for the new Australian
stunt record he's setting up

begin with the
thrilling death slide.

(Rope buzzing)

(Water splashes)

(Audience clapping)

Grant, would you tell
us about the next stunt

you're going to do?

- Certainly Barbra, the next
stunt is a human catapult,

in which I'm attached
between two headlands,

200 feet high on
1000 feet of rope.

And the Centre of
it is dragged back,



much like a bow and arrow,

and I'm the arrow,

attached in the Centre
of the rope hanging on.

That gets released,
and the idea is

that the tension on
the rope will take me out

faster than gravity will
take me down to the bottom.

We worked a long time
on the theory on this one,

and 100% confident it'll work.

We're about to try the
practise for the first time.

It's never been done before.

- [Barbra] If Grant
succeeds with this one,

he'll have something
to talk about

when he arrives in Hollywood.

He leaves us tomorrow
to perform stunts

in the new television
series, "undercover girl".

It sounds like fun.

- [Director] Stand by
everybody, this is it.

Ready, Grant?

Here we go.

Release.

(Crowd applauds)

(Upbeat rock music)

♪ To climb the highest heights ♪

♪ to fly the farthest flights ♪

♪ living on borrowed time I

♪ life is on the line ♪

♪ you have to have the knack ♪

♪ when the wind
is at your back ♪

♪ you must survive the test ♪

♪ to be better than the best ♪

(explosion)

♪ you're a stunt rocker ♪

♪ everybody looks at you ♪

♪ we know you're
something special ♪

♪ by the things you do ♪

(Curtis cackles)

♪ you cannot make a mistake ♪

♪ every duel your
life might take ♪

♪ you just might wind up dead ♪

♪ when you're
living by a thread ♪

♪ you know you have the knack ♪

♪ when the wind
is at your back ♪

♪ you must survive the test ♪

♪ to be better than the best ♪

♪ you're a stunt rocker ♪

♪ everybody looks at you ♪

♪ we know you're
something special ♪

♪ by the things you do ♪

♪ you're a stunt rocker ♪

♪ everybody looks at you ♪

♪ we know thank you're
something special ♪

♪ by the things you do ♪

♪ stunt rocker, stunt
rocker, stunt rocker yeah ♪

♪ stunt rocker, stunt
rocker, stunt rocker yeah ♪

♪ stunt rocker, stunt
rocker, stunt rocker, yeah ♪

♪ stunt rocker, stunt
rocker, stunt rocker, yeah ♪

- [Grant] So tell me, Curtis,
how's the band doing?

- Great, after five
years, we're starting

to make some money.

I just got this.

- Not bad.

Can't wait to see
you guys perform.

- Well, we're in the
recording studio right now.

Tomorrow we start
three nights at the forum.

- Hey, can we go
by the studio later?

- Sure, it's not too
far from your hotel.

(Rock music)

- [Curtis] How can we be
related? I get dizzy looking up.

- [Grant] That's all
right. I'm tone deaf.

-So am I.

(Man laughs)

♪ see the wizard
looking at the town ♪

♪ he's just deciding on
the parts to burn down ♪

♪ in a wicked city ♪

♪ it really is a pity ♪

♪ law and order
doesn't matter a bit ♪

♪ the pigs are
roasting over a spit ♪

♪ in a wicked city ♪

♪ mad, bad scene ♪

♪ people running ♪

♪ Satan's coming ♪

♪ wicked city's falling ♪

♪ all of the people
are crawling ♪

♪ spirits and souls ♪

♪ all out of control ♪

♪ wicked city's falling ♪

♪ all of the people
are crawling ♪

♪ people running
as fire must climb ♪

♪ they know it's
their turn to die ♪

♪ in a wicked city ♪

♪ oh, sad, sad scene ♪

♪ they turn to Christ but
he saw through their lies ♪

♪ he wasn't about
to be hypnotised ♪

♪ by a wicked city ♪

♪ supernatural pity ♪

♪ people running ♪

♪ Satan's coming ♪

♪ wicked city's falling ♪

♪ the people are crawling ♪

♪ spirits and souls ♪

♪ all out of control, oh ♪

♪ wicked city's falling ♪

♪ all the people are crawling ♪

♪ in a wicked, wicked,
wicked, wicked, wicked city ♪

♪ Chicago ♪

♪ Sydney ♪

♪ Washington ♪

- Gentlemen.

Grant page. Cousin,
stuntman, horrible actor,

but hell of a nice guy.

- Curtis tells me you
guys do magic tricks.

- Magic tricks?

Grant, we do magic.

- Nice. Can I borrow that?

- You ain't seen nothing yet.

We're even doing
some things like you do.

Needs a little tightening,

but now we've got
you to help us with that.

- Slow down.

You're talking to a man that's
going to be knocked down

by a car tomorrow.

- So? We'll work
on it tomorrow night.

- That's a nice hood.

- What hood?

- So when this car
actually comes at you,

it's going to be 60, is that it?

- If anything goes wrong,
everyone stand clear

apart from Grant.

- Okay. All right, fellas, well-

- [Lois] You want an article
shortened, just tell me.

It really irks me to
read something I wrote

off the rack and
barely recognise it.

How can I deliver my best prose

if I know you're going to
cut it up behind my back?

Well, you damn well better
promise. I mean it, all right?

- [Reporter] The
southlands... asshole.

- [Reporter]
- Another notch today,

when a recent
arrival from Australia

stepped in front of a
fast-moving vehicle.

Nothing unusual: La boasts
20 serious accidents a day.

But the twist in today's story
is that stuntman Grant page

stepped in front of this two-ton
hunk of metal on purpose.

(Car motor roaring)

- [Reporter] Hey,
is he all right?

Jeepers, is he really
hurt? Oh my goodness.

- [Reporter]
- Grant told us later,

"I've done this 100
times in Australia,

but this time, it went wrong."

As you can see, the
impact completely

shattered the windshield.

- [Reporter] Oh, he's
in shock. All right.

Yeah, listen, just leave him
there, we'll get an ambulance.

- Grant page.

- [Reporter] It'll be all right.

- [Reporter] Stuntman
page seems to have suffered

only a mild concussion,

but doctors at memorial
hospital are refusing

to release him until
further tests are made.

- I don't believe it.

Crazy guy.

(Bush rustles)

New therapy programme?

- Yes; As a matter of fact,

I usually finish
up a bit of driving.

I'm in a hell of a
hurry. Would you mind?

- Be my guest.

- Thanks.
- I love your outfit.

- I left my suit in a phone box.

- Really?

(Car engine starts)

(Tyres screeching)

- [Lois] Hey, take it easy.

- Sorry, but I've got to be
in the studio in 15 minutes

or I'll lose my job.

- Okay, okay, just mind my car.

- It's nice.

Makes you want to see
the one I got back home.

(Upbeat rock music)

(Motors roaring)

(Psychedelic synth music)

- Where the hell have you been?

- I've been in hospital.

- Well, you're
late, god damn it.

Get into wardrobe and hurry up.

- I really appreciate this.

Look, if you want
to hang about the set

for a little bit to see what's
happening, you're welcome.

Look, a cup of coffee
or a green card, please.

- Sure, look, I'm doing an
article for tempo magazine

on how people
relate to their work.

I'd like to talk to you
about what you do.

- Great. Just keep your eye
on the water tower up there.

- [Man] Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa.

- [Monique] Hey, I really
can do it myself, okay?

- You're really not
supposed to be doing that.

- It's for your own protection.

- Your agent insisted.

- You've gone too far
with this ridiculousness.

(Monique speaking
foreign language)

(Men shouting)

- [Man] Bob.

(Machine whirring)

- Do you have a problem?

- I'm being chopped
to pieces, Peter.

Every time there's
any action going on,

this guy in drag does it for me.

There's no continuity
to the character.

- Look, sweetheart, we're
building an image here.

Now the producers are
just going to have to realise

what a very valuable
little property you are.

- How valuable can
I be if an audience

doesn't believe me, huh?

- [Man] No, that spot,
the other was oval.

This is oval.

(Intense psychedelic music)

- [Ron] Come on, hurry
up. Get your ass up there.

We haven't got all day.

- Quiet, everybody,
we're going for a take.

Right everybody, roll them.

- [Man] (Indistinct)
- Down, rolling.

- [Man] Rolling camera.
- [Man] Camera rolling.

- Scene 37, take one, marker.

- Action.

(Gunshot)

(Grant hits mat)

- Great stuff, huh?

- Why do they do it?

- Stunt men? Gee, I don't
know. I never thought about it.

Exhibitionism?

You know, this business
draws every crazy in the world.

- [Ron] Where's the blood?

Sent you up there a load of
blood. We don't see any of it.

- Only one went off. What
do you want me to do?

Bleed? You want
me to slit my wrists?

- These guys don't last long.

A lot of them get smashed,
cut, bruised, crushed.

They lose a leg.
They lose their nerve.

- [Ron] We'll do it
over. Rig him up again.

Get it right. I want
to see that blood fly.

- How on earth are they going
to get that past the censor?

- Oh, the foreign
markets love the blood.

And the more they do, of course,

the more I can
charge for my clients.

- Oh, do you represent
the stunt man?

- No, I mean, you know,
there's no money in that.

I represent Monique Van de ven.

She's the star of the show.

- [Ron] Action.

(Gunfire)

(Dramatic ominous music)

- [Man] The
pressure of that bed.

- Well, is that enough for you?

- Not the st Valentine's
day massacre, but it'll do.

- Doesn't anybody
care if they get hurt?

- No, not really.

Stunt men are breakables.

- Print it.

- [Man] Move the cameras.

- Know why they're
using this guy?

Because he doesn't
know when to quit.

They're going to get a
lot of mileage out of him.

- Really?
- Oh yeah.

He's quite well known.

I first heard of him when
he did this movie called

mad dog Morgan.

And in this particular film,

there was a dream sequence.

Grant had to fall backwards
70 feet off a cliff on fire

into a pool 12 feet deep.

It was a very dangerous stunt,

and somehow
something went wrong.

He got a couple of bad burns.

(Fire crackling)

(Ambulance siren)

Anyway, most
people would have left.

Walked off the set,
"goodbye, Charlie.

Forget it. I'm
never coming back."

This guy is back in
three days, in bandages,

and he's coming
onto the director with,

"let me try it again."

You know? Oh, he's crazy.

(Ominous psychedelic music)

- Turned out fine.

They used it as one
of Morgan's nightmares.

The director reversed the film,

and had me coming
out of this burning pond.

(Man whimpering)

- [Monique] Listen, I want to
drive the car tomorrow, okay?

(Grant laughs)

I mean it.

I mean, all people
see for half of the show

is the back of my head, right?

So I want you to teach
me how to do things, okay?

- It's not in my contract, lady.

- Hey, this isn't funny
anymore. I'm serious, really.

- Driving isn't so
difficult. It takes a feel.

I can't just tell
you standing here.

- So show me.

- All right.

(Upbeat rock music)

(Car engine roaring)

(Cars smashing)

(Water splashing)

♪ in this world of magic ♪

♪ you will (indistinct) ♪

♪ in this world of magic ♪

♪ (indistinct) ♪

(car explodes)

(Upbeat rock music)

- Hi.

♪ There she was ♪

♪ what a witch ♪

- They're good.

♪ Woman, woman ♪

♪ take me away ♪

♪ woman, woman ♪

♪ take me away ♪

♪ please, woman ♪

♪ you got to come, baby ♪

♪ come on down ♪

♪ come and make sweet ♪

♪ sweet love ♪

♪ every night, woman ♪

♪ all through the day ♪

(intense guitar solo)

♪ woman, woman ♪

♪ take me away ♪

♪ woman, woman, woman, woman ♪

♪ woman, woman, take me away ♪

♪ woman, woman, woman, woman ♪

♪ woman, woman, woman ♪

♪ please feel it ♪

- Hey, that was great.
- Yeah.

- [Curtis] Hey
Grant. You all right?

That car really wiped you out.

- I'm fine, man. But
you ought to see the car.

(All laugh)

Lois Wells, Monique Van de ven.

- Haven't I seen
you on the tube?

- Yeah, possible.

- Undercover girl.

- Yeah.

- Meet Perry, smokey, Paul,
Greg, Doug, Curtis, and Richie.

- How are you?

- Better known to
the FBI as sorcery.

- Oh wow.

- Why do you wear a hood?

- Why does anyone wear a hood?

- Oh, how does it feel?

- Uncomfortable.

- [Rick] Grant, we've got
to get going to the concert.

- Hey, can I come too?

- Sure, we'll have a little
snack before the show.

- Terrific.

- And the next course is-

- voila.

- Well, what is it?

- We're having duck.

- Oh.
- Oops.

(Monique gasps)

- There you go.

- I think I turn
into a vegetarian.

- Tell you what,

I'll take him back to the chef

and tell him it's
a little too rare.

(Crowd cheering and whistling)

(Mysterious whooshing)

- [VOICEOVER] Since the
days of Merlin, the magician,

the power of good has
challenged the forces of evil.

Prepare yourselves for
a night of cosmic combat,

a duel to the death to
decide the fate of mankind.

The king of the wizards
against the prince of darkness.

Ladies and gentlemen, sorcery.

(Upbeat rock music)

(Explosion)

♪ he's by your side ♪

♪ you've been
lurking with a demon ♪

♪ no use trying to hide it ♪

♪ well, my friends
told me about you ♪

♪ said you was a trip ♪

♪ but they did not know ♪

♪ what you were itching to do ♪

♪ you've been
talking with the devil ♪

♪ he's by your side ♪

♪ you've been bad, baby ♪

♪ you've been
lurking with a demon ♪

♪ lurking with a demon, yeah ♪

♪ well, how could I know,
with a face like an angel, ♪

♪ that you'd be this way? ♪

♪ You took my heart and soul ♪

♪ and you threw it away ♪

♪ but my friends
told me about you ♪

♪ said you was a (indistinct) ♪

♪ but I did not
know (indistinct) ♪

♪ you've been
talking with the devil ♪

♪ he's by your side ♪

♪ you've been bad, baby ♪

♪ you've been
lurking with a demon ♪

♪ lurking with a demon, yeah ♪

(guitar solo)

(Crowd cheering)

(Fire crackling)

(Curtis cackles)

♪ you've been
talking with the devil ♪

♪ he's by your side ♪

♪ baby, baby,
lurking with a demon ♪

♪ but you're trying to hide it ♪

♪ my friends told me about you ♪

♪ said you was a trip ♪

♪ but they did not know
you were into (indistinct) ♪

(crowd cheering)

♪ by your side ♪

♪ you've been bad, baby ♪

♪ oh ♪

♪ you've been
lurking with a demon ♪

♪ lurking with a demon ♪

♪ oh yeah ♪

♪ lurking, lurking,
lurking with a demon ♪

♪ lurking with a demon ♪

(Crowd applauding)

- [Monique] Hey, Paul, it
was a great show, man.

- Really terrific.
- Thanks a lot.

Why don't you stick
around for the second half?

- Sure. Yeah.

Hey, you have a
cigarette for me?

- As a matter of fact,
I do. Right over there.

Now, watch.

- Where did it go?

- Right over there.

(All laughing)

- [Curtis] Would
you like a light?

- Oh yeah.

(Upbeat rock music)

(Greg howling)

♪ black leather, black heart ♪

♪ wench in chains ♪

♪ the virgin
walked to the cliff ♪

♪ she screamed at me ♪

♪ well it was a
night like any other ♪

♪ but there'd be sacrifice
to Satan, our brother ♪

♪ help me sacrifice ♪

♪ help me ♪

♪ yeah ♪

♪ help me sacrifice ♪

♪ help me tonight ♪

♪ help me sacrifice ♪

♪ help me tonight ♪

♪ she wept, she screamed ♪

♪ ooh, she cried ♪

♪ she knew she was ♪

♪ about to die ♪

♪ law down this slab of stone ♪

♪ but now, ever more ♪

♪ she will never be alone ♪

♪ help me sacrifice ♪

♪ help me tonight ♪

♪ help me sacrifice ♪

♪ help me tonight ♪

♪ help me sacrifice ♪

♪ help me tonight ♪

♪ help me sacrifice ♪

♪ help me tonight ♪

(Curtis cackling)

♪ (indistinct) Sacrifice ♪

♪ (indistinct chanting) ♪

(Intense guitar solo)

♪ she wept, she screamed ♪

♪ ooh, she cried ♪

♪ she knew she was ♪

♪ about to die ♪

♪ lay me down on
this slab of stone ♪

♪ from now, ever more,
she would never be alone ♪

♪ help me sacrifice ♪

♪ help me tonight ♪

♪ help me sacrifice ♪

♪ help me tonight ♪

♪ help me sacrifice ♪

♪ help me, ooh ♪

♪ help me sacrifice ♪

♪ help me sacrifice ♪

♪ help me ooh tonight ♪

♪ tonight ♪

(crowd cheering)

(Indistinct conversation)

- There he goes.

- She does like it.

I knew she'd eat this stuff.

- Have some more.

- Oh, good boy.

- Come on. You're
a grotty eater.

- Here, have a little water.

- Watch out for your Greens,
see how they're good for you.

- I know what we'll do.

We're going to give
her the whole plate.

- Look at you go.

- Dance, dance, dance.

- Grant. It's after midnight.

- What happens? You
turn into a pumpkin?

I thought you wanted
to interview me.

- Hey, Grant, let's dance, okay?

(Monique singing a tune)

Hey, why don't we
stay up all night?

We have a seven
o'clock call in the morning.

- Not me, I've got to go home

and add all this to my outline.

- What is this article
you're doing, anyway?

- Now he asks.

- Well?

- Hey, listen.

Lois wants to go home,
so let her go home, okay?

- I'm doing an article about
how people in our society

can get so caught
up in their work

that it becomes
their whole life.

Sometimes it even kills them.

- People like me?

- You're the best
example I've found so far.

- And that's bad?

- I think it's sad.

- Hang on for just a
minute. I'll be right back.

- Hi.

I don't know why journalists
ever bother themselves

to interview people.

You're going to write what
you want to anyway, right?

You should see some of
the things they write about me.

Sometimes I read it and
it sounds like so much fun,

I go and do it.

Listen, it's not just Grant.

It's all these guys.

They're real craftsmen,

and you could do
them a real injustice.

- Monique, it's
not my intention-

- Lois, if you get a chance,
take a look through this.

It'll give you a
little background.

I've been collecting
pictures and clippings

about other people's work.

Someday I'm going to
put together a manual

about the techniques
of stunt work.

- It looks interesting.
- Yeah.

- [Lois] What drives
a man like Grant page

to risk his life so casually
on a daily working basis?

Is it the same kind of devotion
to professional excellence

that sent men like
73-year-old Carl Walinda

plunging to his death?

Are we dealing with the
demands of the profession,

or a man's attempt to
prove something to himself?

Apparently, this whole
stunt business had its roots

in the circus.

The advent of silent movies,

and the zany '203 opened up

a whole new field
of opportunities

for the ambitious acrobat.

(Upbeat jaunty music)

(Explosion)

- Grant page is one
of many stuntmen

in the developing
Australian film industry.

What they lack in
expensive technology,

they seem to make
up for in sheer nerve.

(Motorbike motor buzzing)

(Upbeat rock music)

(Fire crackling)

- [Lois] Warren
Campbell is a veteran

of more than 50 fire stunts.

When he's not burning,

he runs a company that
makes swimming pools.

Quite understandable
under the circumstances.

Tom Slavin's kempo
karate team once

did a TV show with Grant.

Their training methods
leave little to the imagination.

(Glass smashing)

Peter Armstrong is
Australia's top stunt coordinator,

with 20 years' experience
in movies and live shows.

His specialty is jumping
from the top of one car

to another, blindfolded.

His only injury was
losing the tip of his thumb

in a head on crash.

Tying your wife to the
front of your car and

ramming her through a
burning barricade would be

grounds for divorce
in most families,

but for auto stunt specialists
Max and Dale Aspen,

it's all in a day's work.

(Car exploding)

- [Ron] You mothers,
can't you get moving?

We haven't got all
day to sit around here.

Come on, let's
get going on this.

- Felt good when
you were doing it,

but it doesn't feel
good now, does it?

(Monique snarls)

All right.

- Hello, Monique.
- Dance, dance, dance.

(Monique groans)

- Are you here to watch the fun?

- I came to see Grant.
- He never lets up, does he?

- Do you?

(Lois laughs)

- It's not strong enough.

It's unsafe.

I'll have to do all the work
up on this end up here.

(Joint squeaks)

- Hell, it feels
pretty good to me.

- You're not doing it.

- (Indistinct) Stuntman.

- [Lois] Who are you today?

- Professional killer. How's
that for an interview subject?

- Had one of those last week.

- Oh, stay around and
watch a bit of stunt work.

Cup of coffee afterwards?

- Hmm.

This book of yours
is very impressive.

- Thank you.

- [Ron] Okay, let's go.

Come on, there's nothing
moving around here but the sun.

(Intense rock music)

Roll cameras.

Action.

- [Ron] What the
hell are you doing?

- I'm sorry, they slipped.

- If you can't hang onto that
script, shove it up your ass.

- Okay, Ron.

(Tyres screeching)

- [Grant] There's really
very little risk at all.

If there was, I
wouldn't be doing it.

- Then why don't
they let me do it?

- It does require some
experience and training.

You notice they don't
have me out there

doing great long stretches
of motivated dialogue.

- A man of action.

There's more to
this than I thought.

I wonder if you'd let me
keep this a little while longer?

- Of course.

It's all been pioneer
work up until now.

We're only just
developing the art.

- Art?

- Have you seen
gone in 60 seconds?

(Intense rock music)

(Tyres screeching)

(Police siren wailing)

(Cars smashing)

- Look, there's no way
I'm going to have her

fire a flare gun. She
can get a very valuable-

- I want her to fire
the flare herself.

- But she happens to be a
very valuable property. Okay?

- Look guy, I'm the dog.
- You're the tail. I wag you.

She's firing the flair.

- Okay. Okay.
- She firing the flair.

- It's crazy to take
so many risks.

- Risks?

You realise how much
precision and planning

goes into each segment?

- The timing has to be perfect.

- Hey, they're ready
for you, sweetheart.

- Okay.

- How are you doing?

- They'll want me too.

- Listen, I fixed it so you
can shoot the flare yourself.

- Great.

- [Grant] Come watch.

It's going to be a lot of
good work in this one.

- What do you do this time?

- A little stunt driving.

Car catches fire.
I burst into flames.

Come through the
windscreen a human fireball.

- Grant.

I've been observing you
for a couple of days now,

and I know you're going
to kill yourself sometime,

and I just don't want
to be here when you do.

So if you don't
mind, I'm going home.

- Grant, I think she likes you.

(Light sputters)

- [Ron] Okay, you
got this right now?

- [Monique] Yeah, I know. Yeah.

- [Ron] Okay. All right,
we're going for a take.

Let's get it right.

- Roll sound.
- [Crew] Okay.

- Roll camera.
- [Crew] Okay.

- Scene 24, take one marker.

- All right. Action.

(Upbeat rock music)

(Van engine roaring)

(Gunfire)

(Glass smashing)

(Fire crackling)

- Not bad.

- [Monique] You know, Grant,

you're the only guy
in this whole show

who's not always
trying to take me out.

- Hey. What do you call this?

- Well, it's not exactly
lounge seats at the Ritz.

You're very
professional, aren't you?

- Well, I'm not looking
to advance my career

by dating the star of a
series, if that's what you mean.

- No, I was going to
put it in another way.

More like the teacher
not dating the students.

- All right, then. You're on.

- I like you too.

- That's more than I can
say for Lois at the moment.

- Don't let her get to you.

I mean, if she's your
type, she'll come around.

She's got to learn to
accept you for what you are.

- [VOICEOVER] Ladies
and gentlemen, sorcery.

(Bassline)

(Intense electric guitar)

(Upbeat rock music)

♪ darkness fills the night ♪

♪ the moon was shining bright ♪

♪ I became the air ♪

♪ evil everywhere ♪

♪ a demon from below ♪

♪ watched the shadows grow ♪

♪ snuck into your heart ♪

♪ (indistinct) ♪

♪ Mark of the beast ♪

♪ the devil is unleashed ♪

♪ Mark of the beast ♪

♪ it's time for Satan's feast ♪

(Greg howling)

(Guitar solo)

(Crowd cheering)

♪ Mark of the beast ♪

♪ the devil is unleashed ♪

♪ Mark of the beast ♪

♪ it's time for Satan's feast ♪

(Curtis cackling)

(Greg howling)

(Man screaming)

(Curtis cackling)

(Crowd applauding)

- Hi there.

- Nice view.
- Yeah.

- Stay a while.

- No thanks. The devil's
domain is down, not up.

I got an improvement
on your next act.

What about you leap onto
the stage from up here?

- Yeah, sounds nice.

- I'll have to think about that.

- Hey Grant, what's the
most dangerous stunt

you've ever done?

- I'll have to think about that.

- [Lois] Tempo magazine,
September issue.

This is for the
Centre spread section.

In 1975, page attempted
to set a world record,

by combining two
stunts into one:

The human torch
and the flying fox.

At the entrance
to Sydney harbour,

there is a cliff known
as north head.

It was here in front of TV
and press representatives

from all over the world
that Grant planned

to be sprayed with gasoline,

set alight and slide
300 feet down a rope

to the rocks below.

A large safety team
spent four hours

carefully rigging the
equipment for a stunt

that everybody knew
would push Grant

to the outer limits of safety.

But the man himself
answered reporters' questions

with unruffled confidence.

- [Grant] I'm not
worried, Brian,

because we've spent too
much time on the research of it

to be anything
but totally confident

of what's going to happen.

Particularly after the
practise run we've just done.

There was a few
variations of gear

that we've never used before,

but now we've
completely duplicated it,

except for the actual fire.

Now, your only big worry
there is the fire burning

the actual main rope.

We've allowed ourselves
60 seconds of leeway.

The run should
only take about 10.

Maybe five or 10
seconds at the top,

which still gives us
about 40 seconds clear

for any problems
that might crop up.

- [Reporter] Aren't you
just a little bit scared?

- No.

Now if I was,
wouldn't be doing it.

- [Lois] Water gel, a scientifically
prepared fire retardant

was the only protection
Grant used against the flames.

Just before the stunt,

he put on woollen
underwear soaked in it,

and smeared the gel
all over his face and hair.

- Here we go.

10, 9, 8,

7, 6,

Ignition.

(Upbeat rock music)

(Intense guitar solo)

- What happened?

- I burned to a crisp.
- What do you think?

- That can be
arranged, wise guy.

(Curtis growls)

- Wow.

(Grant laughs)

- We are the wizards' council.

Will the sorcerer
survive the sword?

(Crowd cheering)

(Upbeat rock music)

(Crowd clapping)

(Shrill twinkling)

♪ in days of yore they
sacrificed the virgin ♪

♪ but now the sorcerer
will take his turn ♪

♪ in those days, the
world was ruled by magic ♪

♪ there was a white
and there was a black ♪

♪ will he survive? Will he
survive? Will he survive? ♪

♪ Will he survive the sword? ♪

♪ Each 1000 years comes
the day of judgement ♪

♪ wizard council meets
to choose their king ♪

♪ the devil's tongue
is like a blade of steel ♪

♪ in which the sorcerer
must face the test ♪

♪ will he survive? Will he
survive? Will he survive? ♪

♪ Will he survive the sword? ♪

♪ In those days, the
world was ruled by magic ♪

♪ there was the white
and there was the black ♪

♪ the devil's tongue
is like a blade of steel ♪

♪ and which the sorcerer
must face the test ♪

♪ will he survive? Will he
survive? Will he survive? ♪

♪ Will he survive the sword? ♪

(Crowd applauding)

(Greg howling)

(Plane rumbling)

(Dramatic music)

(Phone ringing)

- Hello?

- [Grant] Have a
look out your window.

- Who is this?

- Just have a look
out your window.

- You're crazy.

- I just came by to
invite you to a party.

- No, what are
you talking about?

- I won't leave
until you say yes.

- [Lois] Oh my god, hang on.

(Baby fussing)

What can I do?

- Say yes, so I can
get down from here.

- All right, wise guy, you win.

It's a little early
for a party, isn't it?

- All right, what
about breakfast first?

- You do circus stunts, too?

- Heights I just do for
my own amusement.

(Upbeat rock music)

- [Grant] I would never
do anything like that

if I thought there was
the slightest chance

I was going to fall.

Look, it's funny; Everyone
has a different attitude

about heights.

Heights...

If you're standing here,
standing on, say, there-

- [Lois] Uhuh.

- There's no way
you're going to fall over.

But if you knew that there
was no building on that side

and no building on that
side, you would stand-

- I wouldn't even attempt it.

- You'd fall over, for sure.

But that's the same thing.

Also, it's confidence
in yourself.

You develop your own confidence.

It's, well, say, you know
how strong your hands are.

This sort of thing.

- Oh god. Not again, Grant,
please. I went through this...

Dear god.

- See? All right.

It's easy.

But I'll tell you what,
it's still hard work.

- Yeah, right.

- But it's just the fact that
you know what you can

and can't do.

There's no irrational fear.

Everyone has irrational fear,

but it's an unbased
fear because they-

- with me, it's a based fear.

When I was seven years
old, I climbed a Willow tree.

I was a real tomboy.

I met three branches
on the way down.

- You're lucky you
hit the branches.

I think everyone sort of has
their experiences in trees.

I was one of those
real little show offs.

I was always up
the top of the tree.

Always up there,
always screaming out,

"look at me, look at me."

That's the ego thing.

I think probably any stunt
man that's working today,

if he kids himself that
he hasn't got an ego,

he's in danger,

because I think every
stunt man working

has got the expertise
as a young child,

by being a show off,

because that's what gives
him the drive to get there,

to do all of these things
that teach him what to do.

But the first thing
he's got to learn,

if he's going to
make his living at it

is that it was his ego
that got him there,

and it's his ego
that's going to kill him.

I had a couple of bad
experiences hang gliding,

when I pushed my
luck just a little too far.

When you fly for
movies, inevitably,

you have to take a few risks.

The first time I hit a tree,
which wasn't too bad,

but when I crash
landed in the river,

I was very nearly drowned.

(Water splashing)

The kite went
straight to the bottom

and I got tangled in the
harnesses and couldn't get out.

My friends had just
about given up hope.

I was underwater for nearly
two minutes before I came up.

Didn't put me off
hang gliding, though.

It's too much fun.

If you can imagine
standing on the edge

of a 2000 foot cliff,

just facing out off the cliff,

and all you can see in
front of you is two wires

running up that way,
and a bar like that.

You've got a hold of the bar

and you just run
straight forward.

And that bar is
all your control.

And you just go out,
and you feel a lift,

and lifts you with it.

And then as you
turn, it's just like a bird,

because you're lying flat.

You're flying with your
body in a flying position,

and your body does the movement.

You go like that and you fly.

It's fantastic.

(Upbeat rock music)

- [Lois] Hey, can I bring
you back down to earth

for a minute?

Are you going to take me
to this party, or aren't you?

- No.

(Lois laughs)

(Mellow funk music)

- [Ron] Who are
you supposed to be?

The phantom of the opera?

Why don't you take
that stupid hood off?

Shit.

- [Monique] You want to do
some magic for me? He's my agent.

- Sure.

You don't mind if I borrow
your handkerchief, do you?

- No.

- Now then, what
I want you to do

is watch the
handkerchief very closely,

because if you
don't watch it closely,

you're going to
miss the whole thing.

And we have a bird.

- Isn't he cute? Hi there.

- Monique, this is
a very unusual bird,

and I'll show you why.

Because we take
him and lay him over,

right on his back, like so.

A few passes.

He becomes
hypnotised, just like that.

Unless, of course,
we snap our fingers.

Because then, he's
wide awake again.

Would you like to hold the dove?

- Yeah.

- Here you go. Wear
it in your next movie.

- Thanks, I will.

Peter, the others,
there by the music.

Why don't you go over
there and talk to them?

Maybe they need an agent.

- [Peter] Oh, I'm sure they do.

The only thing is that I
don't represent magicians.

- Too bad.

- Greg.

- Ta-dah.

- I got an act for you.

- What? You're talking to me?

- Yes. I'm Chris Shalan.

For $1,000,000, I'll allow
myself to be buried alive

under 25 feet of
rock and cement.

(Peter laughs)

- Great.

- Check these chains.

Tight, aren't they?

- Yeah, they're tight.

- Well then, watch this.

(Water splashes)

(Intense psychedelic music)

- Is this suicide or what?

- I don't think so.

- Who is he?

- [Man] He says he's
Houdini's reincarnation.

- [Monique] Well, let's hope so.

- He'd better be.

(Onlookers applauding)

- The cement business.
- Are you serious?

- Yes.

- Huh.

♪ We're sublime ♪

♪ summer's here ♪

♪ wish it could last ♪

♪ all of the year ♪

♪ mymymy ♪

- Great.

- Good.

- How does it feel
when you're playing?

- [Rick] Oh, it's incredible.

You know, some people say,

"the show you guys
put on is just incredible,"

and I tell them, "you
ought to see the show

that we're seeing from
where we're standing."

You actually get a feeling of
almost lifting off the ground.

You're not conscious
of things around you.

You could actually
seriously hurt yourself

- and not even feel it.
- [Lois] Really?

- Well, I've had my
hair catch on fire.

- Oh.
- [Rick] Yeah.

- [Greg] The
audience just looked up

with a stark
expression on their face.

I turned, smokey wasn't there.

And as I turned around
to see where he was,

he was putting Rick's hair out.

They didn't miss a note.
They didn't miss a note.

-And I'm playing.

- [Richie] It was falling
down over his face.

-And then after
the song was over,

the people were applauding,
and I was thinking,

“oh my god."

- The music, mind you,
the music never stopped,

because that's one thing
that this group is like.

- The show must go on.

- [Richie] The show must go on.

- [Rick] It's kind of like
picking up an audience

and shaking them violently
for an hour and a half,

and then throwing them down.

And when it's all
over, they're going,

"oh, my."

They don't know what
they've seen, yeah.

- Remember last night,

what you said to me
about diving on the stage?

Could you do that?

- You mean down
from the rafters?

- Yeah.

- Hey, sounds
like the flying fox.

- You better be very careful
how you pronounce that now.

- Oh really?

- Yes, it could be done.

- Is it hard to rig?

- No. No, I've done
it 100 times before.

- Yeah. It's beautiful.
- Really, I like it.

- I'll tell you what. I've got
the rig in the hotel room.

- Hey, listen.

I'd love to do something
like that on the show.

- Your agent
would never allow it.

- Listen, he works for
me. I don't work for him.

- That's not the
way he tells it.

- Oh, I think I better fix that.

- Look, I'm a businessman.

Now I'm going to get
10% of that $1,000,000,

whether you come
up from the cement

or you do not come up
from the cement, you get me?

- [Monique] Peter,
I think you and I

should have a little talk, okay?

- Yeah, fantastic. You want
to excuse us just a second?

Thank you.

- Not now, later,

because Grant is
going to show us

how his flying fox
stunt works, okay?

- Look, don't you see enough
stunts on the set every day?

You know, I think
you're taking this thing

much too seriously.

Look, you got to learn
how to relax a little bit.

Play the game. Now just
let me handle your career.

You know, I can do
you a lot more good

than these stunt people can.

- Really, huh?
- Oh yeah.

- Slime.

(Water splashing)

- My contacts, I
can't find them.

I lost my contacts. I can't see.

- Bye, Peter.

(Women laughing)

- [Grant] Okay, cousin,

the rope is now
attached to the building.

- [Curtis] Right.

- The body rope around
you has a breaking strain

of over two tonnes.

The carabiner has a breaking
strain of 4,000 pounds.

The rope clips in
through the top like this,

and forms one loop
around the back.

That's done up, and now you
are attached to the building.

You're set.

- [Monique] Hey, Grant,
that sounds really easy.

I'm not afraid to do that.

- Fear is a funny
thing, Monique.

If ever you lose respect for
the danger of what we're doing,

you can finish up very dead.

Okay, cousin. See at the bottom.

- See you down there.

- [Grant] Okay.

- Hey Curtis?

- Yeah?

- You want to do me
a real nice favour?

- Monique, you
can talk me into it.

- Okay.

Let's go.

- Okay.

- [Grant] I'd say
about when he gets to

that white ledge there,

Tony, we should start the
heavy braking at that stage.

Hello. What are you
doing down here?

- That's what I wanted
to talk to you about.

- Who the hell is on the rope?

- Monique's up there.

- Jesus.

- Monique, are you sure
you know what you're doing?

- I'm really okay. Don't worry.

Okay, I'm okay.

(Rope buzzing)

I love it.

(Crowd cheering)

- Fantastic.

But you're a very naughty girl.

- I'm not. Hey, not bad
for a first time, right?

- Too bloody good, but
now we've got to get back

and teach you
the theory, I think.

- Oh.

(Grant laughing)

(Upbeat rock music)

♪ come on, baby doll ♪

♪ I'm (indistinct) ♪

♪ I'm going to show
you some tricks ♪

♪ lay your body down ♪

♪ oh, follow me down ♪

♪ into the Centre of the earth ♪

♪ down to the devil's den ♪

♪ come on, lift your curse ♪

♪ burned alive,
protect our souls ♪

♪ burned alive, death below ♪

♪ burned alive,
you've lost control ♪

♪ the devil speaks but
words you do not hear ♪

♪ wicked, wicked woman ♪

♪ I'm going to teach you fear ♪

♪ now that you are here ♪

♪ I'm in control ♪

♪ and you'll never see
the world outside this hole ♪

(Curtis cackling)

(Guitar solo)

(Fire crackling)

♪ put you in a
coffin made of steel ♪

♪ you're scared but it's
excitement that you feel ♪

♪ wicked, wicked woman ♪

♪ now you've lost control ♪

♪ you'll never see the
world outside this hole ♪

♪ burned alive,
protect your soul ♪

♪ burned alive, buried below ♪

- Grant?

♪ You've lost control ♪

(Explosion)

(Crowd cheering)

- [Greg] Ladies and
gentlemen, Mr. Grant Page.

Grant, we'd like to dedicate
this next song to you.

(Upbeat rock music)

(Explosion)

♪ climb the highest heights ♪

♪ and fly the farthest flights ♪

♪ living on borrowed time ♪

♪ your life is one the line ♪

♪ your have to have the knack ♪

♪ when the wind
is at your back ♪

♪ you must survive the test ♪

♪ to be better than the best ♪

(explosions)

♪ you're a stunt rocker ♪

♪ everybody looks at you ♪

♪ we know you're
something special ♪

♪ by the things you do ♪

- how can I be so blind?

This is something
unique you guys are doing.

I think it's going to catch on.

- It already has. It's
called rock and roll.

- Not this combination.

There's music, there's
magic and stunts.

I'm going to write an
article. Let's call it stunt rock.

♪ Never make a mistake ♪

♪ every duel your
life might take ♪

♪ you just might wind up dead ♪

♪ when you're
living by a thread ♪

♪ you know you have the knack ♪

♪ when the wind
is at your back ♪

♪ you must survive the test ♪

♪ to be better than the best ♪

♪ you're a stunt rocker ♪

♪ everybody looks at you ♪

♪ we know you're
something special ♪

♪ by the things you do ♪

♪ you're a stunt rocker ♪

♪ everybody looks at you ♪

♪ we know you're
something special ♪

♪ by the things you do ♪

♪ stunt rocker, stunt
rocker, stunt rocker, yeah ♪

♪ stunt rocker, stunt
rocker, stunt rocker, yeah ♪

♪ stunt rocker, stunt
rocker, stunt rocker, yeah ♪

♪ stunt rocker, stunt
rocker, stunt rocker, yeah ♪