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Highlander (film)
Encyclopedia
Highlander is a 1986 fantasy
action film
directed by Russell Mulcahy
and based on a story by Gregory Widen
. It stars Christopher Lambert
, Sean Connery
, Clancy Brown
, and Roxanne Hart
. The film depicts the climax of an ages-old battle between immortal warriors, depicted through interwoven past and present day storylines. Despite having enjoyed little success in its initial U.S. release, the cult film launched Lambert to stardom and inspired a franchise that included film sequels, television spin-offs
, and an upcoming remake. The film's tagline, "There can be only one," has carried on throughout the franchise, as have the songs provided for the film by Queen
.
) decapitates Iman Fasil (Peter Diamond) during a sword fight in a Madison Square Garden
parking garage. Nash hides his sword, an ivory-handled katana
, and the police foil Nash's escape attempt from the garage. In 1536, Connor MacLeod
(Lambert
) and his clansmen, including his cousins Dugal MacLeod (Billy Hartman
) and Angus MacLeod (James Cosmo
), leave to confront Clan Fraser
in a battle. During the battle, MacLeod is fatally wounded by the Kurgan
(Clancy Brown
), an Immortal ally of the Fraser Clan. The Kurgan prepares to decapitate Connor, but Dugal and Angus stop him. Connor's kinsmen and lover Kate MacLeod (Celia Imrie
) mourn for him over his deathbed, but the next day, MacLeod has fully recovered, much to the confusion — and rising fear — of his clan. Dugal and Kate believe Connor is in league with the devil, and the clan prepares to burn him at the stake, but Angus saves him by banishing him instead.
In 1985, the police, led by Lieutenant Frank Moran (Alan North
), investigate the Madison Square Garden crime scene. Forensics
expert Brenda Wyatt (Roxanne Hart
) discovers a shard of MacLeod's sword in an I-beam, and takes it away for analysis. When she recognizes the sword steel to be older than any sword-smithing techniques known from medieval Japan, she becomes all the more interested in the mystery weapon. Moran returns to the Police Headquarters, where he tries in vain to interrogate Nash, while elsewhere, The Kurgan checks into a seedy hotel. Nash confronts Brenda at a local bar. When he leaves, she follows. The Kurgan confronts them, and he and MacLeod engage in a sword fight, but a police helicopter causes the two men to separate.
In the 16th century, Connor has married a woman named Heather MacLeod
(Beatie Edney
). One day, a stranger named Juan Sánchez Villa-Lobos Ramírez
(Sean Connery
) arrives at their home, and MacLeod is hit by a sudden, painful sensation, which Ramirez calls the Quickening
. Later on, Ramirez and MacLeod are out on a loch
in a rowboat, and Ramirez throws MacLeod into the water. Unable to swim, MacLeod panics and begins to sink, but he finds himself still alive. Ramirez finally reveals that they are part of a select group born as Immortals
, who are destined to fight and kill each other (by decapitation
) until only one survives; this last Immortal will come to wield a prize which will give him supreme power over all mankind. Ramirez begins to train Connor in the use of the Quickening and the ways of the sword.
Later, Ramirez tells MacLeod that immortality can be a curse as well; Ramirez reveals he has been married three times, including to the daughter of a Japanese swordsmith who made Ramirez's katana, and watched all his wives grow old and die. He then begs MacLeod to let Heather go, but MacLeod refuses. Later one night, while MacLeod is out, Ramirez and Heather are having dinner when the Kurgan storms in. Ramirez and the Kurgan battle, and Ramirez almost wins, but is overpowered and decapitated by the Kurgan, who takes Ramirez's power and then rapes Heather. Connor returns to find his house in ruins, keeps Ramirez's sword, and remains by his wife's side all her life. Following her demise, MacLeod wanders around the world, with only his memories and Ramirez's sword to keep him company.
In 1985, Nash/MacLeod returns to his apartment and meets up with his adopted daughter, Rachel Ellenstein
(Sheila Gish
). He also encounters fellow Immortal Sunda Kastagir (Hugh Quarshie
) and shares a brief and friendly reunion and their memories of old times. Later that night, a paranoid ex-Marine
Kirk Matunas (Christopher Malcolm
) spots the Kurgan and Kastagir duelling. Kastagir is decapitated and Matunas open fires on the Kurgan, but the Kurgan recovers quickly and impales Matunas on his sword and leaves. Lt. Moran visits Matunas in the hospital, but Matunas' description does not match that of MacLeod, so the Kurgan becomes Moran's prime suspect. MacLeod visits Brenda after being invited to dinner and confronts her with his knowledge that she works for the police, but Brenda declares that all she really cares about is examining MacLeod's sword. As she later begins to delve into MacLeod's past life, she finds to her incredulity that he has assumed the identity of a child which had died at birth and that he has walked the earth for several centuries. She confronts MacLeod with her findings, who tells her, cornered, that he is immortal, which he proves by plunging a dagger into his body. Connor and Brenda share an emotional kiss and have sex.
The Kurgan notices this new intimacy in Connor's life, however, and when Brenda returns to her apartment, he captures her and takes her hostage. MacLeod decides to kill the Kurgan once and for all and rushes off to confront the Kurgan at Silvercup Studios
. After a long and difficult battle, MacLeod finally manages to decapitate the Kurgan and receives the Immortals' collected powers. Later, back in Scotland, MacLeod reveals to Brenda he is now not only mortal and is finally able to have children, but has also been bestowed with the gift of telepathy
, which he decides, remembering Ramirez's teachings, to use for the benefit of mankind.
wrote the script to Highlander, which he then titled Shadow Clan, as a class assignment while he was an undergraduate in the screenwriting program at UCLA. Widen sold the script for US$200,000.
According to William Panzer, joint producer with Peter S. Davis of the Highlander franchise:
Widen's original draft differed significantly from the movie version. It's darker and more violent. Connor is born in 1408 rather than 1518. He lives with his mother and father. Heather doesn't exist; Connor is promised to a girl named Mara, who rejects him when she learns he's immortal. Connor leaves his village instead of being banished. His alias is Richard Tupin and his weapon is a custom broadsword
. Ramirez is a Spaniard born in 1100 instead of an ancient Egyptian born more than two thousand years earlier. The Kurgan is known as the Knight, using the alias Carl William Smith. He is not a savage, but a cold-blooded killer. Brenda is Brenna Cartwright.
Other elements were changed during the rewrite. Initially, immortals could have children; in the draft Connor is said to have had 37. In a flashback in the first draft, Connor attends the funeral of one of his sons. His wife (in her 70s) and his two sons, who are in their mid 50s, see him revealed as an immortal. Also, there are no quickenings in the first draft. When an immortal kills another, nothing special occurs. Nor is there mention of a "prize". When Connor finally kills the Knight, he feels a sharp burning pain. We are not told if he remains immortal.
Director Russell Mulcahy filmed it using music video
techniques including fast cutting
and pacy music.
Director of Photography Arthur Smith actually filmed the scene where fish fall out of MacLeod's kilt, but Lambert's kilt proved to be too short. Smith said, "I stuck part of a drain pipe above Chris's kilt out of camera range, and fed live trout down the tube." Smith also had difficulties shooting the scene where MacLeod meets the Kurgan. It was raining that day, and the crew had to use umbrellas and hair dryers to prevent the water from hitting the camera lenses and appearing on the film. Smith also remembered that Lambert, who was near-sighted, "kept forgetting to take off his glasses as he came over the hill on his horse."
The filming of the parking garage scene took place in two different places. According to New York location manager Brett Botula, "the garage exterior is Manhattan, across from Madison Square Garden
, and the interior is 'somewhere in London.'"
The scene where the MacLeod clan sets off to battle is supposed to take place "in the village of Glenfinnan
on the shore of Loch Shiel
" in the Lochaber
area, but was actually filmed at Eilean Donan
Castle, which is in the same general area but is really on the shore of Loch Duich
, a sea loch
near Kyle of Lochalsh
and the Isle of Skye.
According to the DVD commentary, the film's climax was originally intended to take place on top of the Statue of Liberty. Then it was changed to an amusement park, and finally changed to the rooftop of the Silvercup Studios building. The opening sequence was originally intended to take place during an NHL hockey game. But the NHL refused to allow the crew to film there because they were intending to emphasize the violence of the match.
The church scene involving The Kurgan (Clancy Brown) was filmed at Augustines C of E in Kilburn, London at night time with the permission of the priests in charge. Still, Brown's lines were ad-libbed, and they were reportedly considered so sacrilegious that the priests off-camera were making the sign of the cross as he said them.
The scene in the alley where The Kurgan (Clancy Brown) beheads Kastagir (Hugh Quarshie) and then stabs the ex-marine, followed by the explosion, was filmed in an alley in England even though it was set in New York. The director was reluctant to set off the explosion in the alley because the windows were full of Victorian glass, but he was given permission to do so because that particular site was going to be destroyed in a few months anyway.
All of Sean Connery's scenes had to be filmed in a single week due to Connery's hectic schedule. Still, during the filming of the movie, Connery and Lambert got along even better than their on screen counterparts, even going as far as to call each other by their characters' names when not filming. The two were (and continue to be) such good friends that Lambert threatened to back out of the sequel unless Connery's character was added to the film. The opening voice over by Sean Connery
has an echo effect because it was recorded in his Spanish Villa bathroom. It was played for the producers over the phone, and they approved of it because they could not discern the quality of the recording that way.
, such as "Hammer to Fall
" and "Princes of the Universe
," which was also used in the Highlander television series title sequence
. Queen wrote many of the songs specifically to match the mood of the scenes when the songs were played, notably Brian May's
"Who Wants to Live Forever
," concerning the doomed love of Connor and his wife Heather.
While no albums specifically tied to the Highlander movie were ever released, Queen's 1986 album A Kind of Magic
features most of the songs from the film, although sometimes in different arrangements. Notably, Queen's version of "Theme from New York, New York
," which plays while The Kurgan drives Brenda through New York, was incompletely recorded, in that Mercury never recorded a full-length version of the song, and thus the band never released it. Part of Michael Kamen's score was played during the New Line Cinema
logo before their movies in the late 1990s and early 2000s.
In the scene following the one in which Connor takes the Kurgan's head, director Russell Mulcahy had originally envisioned an animated dragon with the Kurgan's battle helmet emerging from the Kurgan's decapitated body and challenging Connor again. Only after Connor had defeated this Ghost-Dragon would he have received the final quickening and subsequent Prize. This idea was eventually cut due to budget constraints.
is based upon this version, and it runs eight minutes longer than the US version. The additional scenes include:
There are several changes in dialogue from the theatrical version:
The new release is also missing a short scene of Detective Bedsoe spilling coffee on himself while staking out Brenda's apartment.
The French theatrical version of Highlander is mainly the same version as the US theatrical. It includes the World War II flashback but it removes the interior shot of Detective Bedsoe in his car while on a stakeout. This has been issued on 2-disc and 3-disc DVD sets in France with French dialog only.
film in both domestic and non-domestic markets, leading to four sequels, a television series
, and various other spin-offs.
The movie made $2,453,021 on its opening weekend and ended up making $5,735,847 domestically. Internationally, the movie made $12,885,193.
Highlander currently holds a 67% "fresh" rating on Rotten Tomatoes
based on 30 reviews.
Danél Griffin of Film as Art awarded the film four stars (out of four), saying: "The key to Highlanders success is in its approach to its subject matter. What could have been a premise that breathes cliché is given a fresh approach due to Mulcahy’s unique directing style and a cleverly-written script. [...] Highlander is certainly a classic film that will continue to be cherished and watched as the world of movie making continues to grow and change. It is a triumphant example of the art of cinema, and watching it reminds us all of why we like going to the movies in the first place." Christopher Null
of FilmCritic.com gave the film four and a half stars out of five, writing: "Highlander has no equal among sword-and-sorcery flicks." Null later called Highlander "the greatest action film ever made," saying that it features "awesome swordfights, an awesome score, and a time-bending plotline that only a philistine could dislike."
Matt Ford of the BBC
gave the film three stars out of five, writing: "From the moody, rain-soaked, noir-ish streets of late 20th century America to the wild open spaces of medieval Scotland, Mulcahy plunders movie history to set off his visceral fight scenes with suitably rugged locations. [...] What the film loses through ham acting, weak narrative, and pompous macho posturing it more than compensates with in sheer fiery bravado, pace, and larger than life action." Dean Winkelspecht of DVD Town also gave Highlander three stars out of five, writing: "The film's slow pace and dated look will turn away many a new viewer [...] However, there is a certain appeal to the film that brings back many for a second or third helping. I have learned to appreciate the film over the years, [and] the film's story is unique and entertaining."
Also giving the film three stars out of five, Adam Tyner of DVD Talk wrote, "The screenplay spots a number of intelligent, creative ideas, and I find the very concept of displacing the sword-and-sorcery genre to then-modern-day New York City to be fairly inventive. The dialogue and performances don't quite match many of the film's concepts, though. The tone seems somewhat uneven, as if Highlander is unsure if it wants to be seen as a straight adventure epic or if it's a campy action flick." IGN
, awarding Highlander a score of 8 out of 10, wrote: "This 80s classic has a lot going for it. The hardcore MTV
manner in which it was filmed is common these days, but was groundbreaking then. This movie features some of the best scene transitions committed to celluloid. [...] To this is added some fun performances by Connery and especially Clancy Brown."
Leonard Maltin
gave the film one and a half stars: "Interesting premise made silly and boring... Former rock video director Mulcahy's relentlessly showy camera moves may cause you to reach for the Dramamine."
issued the film on Blu-ray with identical releases following in Germany, UK, Holland, Australia and Japan. The U.S. director's cut is currently available on DVD in North America from Lionsgate under license from the film's current owner, StudioCanal
. 20th Century Fox, the theatrical distributor, remains the television rights holder.
known as The Bedouin whom he eventually kills. The novel also reveals how The Kurgan gets his customized broadsword and his battle with an Immortal Mongol before meeting MacLeod in 1536. The novel also expands on Connor's friendship with the Africa
n Immortal Sunda Kastagir. A flashback of them during the Zulu Natal Wars of 1879
describes how Connor was captured by Zulu King Cetewayo's men and how Kastagir helps his friend escape and showing Connor the way to the closest British camp. Rachel, in the novel, poses as Connor's mother.
, published a novel called Laura l'immortelle
. On March 13, 2007 the French-language newspaper La Presse
published an article noting a list of similarities between Laura l'immortelle and Highlander. Côté later admitted that the story was a plagiarized Highlander fan fiction originally written by a Frenchman.
announced that it had bought the film rights to the Highlander franchise and is remaking the 1986 original movie. Originally Iron Man
writers Art Marcum and Matt Holloway were writing the script, but Summit Entertainment turned to Melissa Rosenberg
to write it instead, with release scheduled for 2011. In September 2009, Fast & Furious director Justin Lin
was announced as director of the film while Neal H. Moritz
will co-produce. As of 2011, release has been pushed back to 2014.
Fantasy film
Fantasy films are films with fantastic themes, usually involving magic, supernatural events, make-believe creatures, or exotic fantasy worlds. The genre is considered to be distinct from science fiction film and horror film, although the genres do overlap...
action film
Action film
Action film is a film genre where one or more heroes is thrust into a series of challenges that require physical feats, extended fights and frenetic chases...
directed by Russell Mulcahy
Russell Mulcahy
Russell Mulcahy is an Australian film director. His work is easily recognized by his use of fast cuts, tracking shots and use of glowing lights.- Music videos :...
and based on a story by Gregory Widen
Gregory Widen
Gregory Widen is an American screenwriter and film director.A student in UCLA's screenwriting program, he sold his script for Highlander while still an undergraduate. Before entering the UCLA program, Widen attended Saddleback College in Mission Viejo, California.Widen worked as a firefighter for...
. It stars Christopher Lambert
Christopher Lambert
Christophe Guy Denis "Christopher" Lambert is an American-born French actor who has appeared in French, European and American productions. He is best known for his role as Connor MacLeod, or simply "The Highlander", from the movie and subsequent movie franchise series of the same name...
, Sean Connery
Sean Connery
Sir Thomas Sean Connery , better known as Sean Connery, is a Scottish actor and producer who has won an Academy Award, two BAFTA Awards and three Golden Globes Sir Thomas Sean Connery (born 25 August 1930), better known as Sean Connery, is a Scottish actor and producer who has won an Academy...
, Clancy Brown
Clancy Brown
Clarence J. "Clancy" Brown III is an American actor and voice actor. He is known for his roles in live action as The Kurgan in the cult classic film Highlander, Byron Hadley in the award-winning The Shawshank Redemption, Brother Justin Crowe in HBO's critically acclaimed Carnivàle, and Career...
, and Roxanne Hart
Roxanne Hart
Roxanne Hart is an American television, film and stage actress. She may be best known for her role as Brenda Wyatt in the 1986 film Highlander. She is also known for the role of Nurse Camille Shutt on the Medical drama Chicago Hope....
. The film depicts the climax of an ages-old battle between immortal warriors, depicted through interwoven past and present day storylines. Despite having enjoyed little success in its initial U.S. release, the cult film launched Lambert to stardom and inspired a franchise that included film sequels, television spin-offs
Highlander: The Series
Highlander: The Series is a fantasy-adventure television series featuring Duncan MacLeod of the Scottish Clan MacLeod, as the Highlander. It was an offshoot and another alternate sequel of the 1986 feature film with a twist: Connor MacLeod did not win the prize and Immortals still exist post-1985...
, and an upcoming remake. The film's tagline, "There can be only one," has carried on throughout the franchise, as have the songs provided for the film by Queen
Queen (band)
Queen are a British rock band formed in London in 1971, originally consisting of Freddie Mercury , Brian May , John Deacon , and Roger Taylor...
.
Plot
The film begins with a voiceover establishing the film as the story of the immortals fighting to the death for centuries. In 1985, Russell Nash (Christopher LambertChristopher Lambert
Christophe Guy Denis "Christopher" Lambert is an American-born French actor who has appeared in French, European and American productions. He is best known for his role as Connor MacLeod, or simply "The Highlander", from the movie and subsequent movie franchise series of the same name...
) decapitates Iman Fasil (Peter Diamond) during a sword fight in a Madison Square Garden
Madison Square Garden
Madison Square Garden, often abbreviated as MSG and known colloquially as The Garden, is a multi-purpose indoor arena in the New York City borough of Manhattan and located at 8th Avenue, between 31st and 33rd Streets, situated on top of Pennsylvania Station.Opened on February 11, 1968, it is the...
parking garage. Nash hides his sword, an ivory-handled katana
Katana
A Japanese sword, or , is one of the traditional bladed weapons of Japan. There are several types of Japanese swords, according to size, field of application and method of manufacture.-Description:...
, and the police foil Nash's escape attempt from the garage. In 1536, Connor MacLeod
Connor MacLeod
Connor MacLeod, also known as The Highlander, is a fictional character in the Highlander film series, as well as the television programs Highlander: The Series, and Highlander: The Animated Series...
(Lambert
Christopher Lambert
Christophe Guy Denis "Christopher" Lambert is an American-born French actor who has appeared in French, European and American productions. He is best known for his role as Connor MacLeod, or simply "The Highlander", from the movie and subsequent movie franchise series of the same name...
) and his clansmen, including his cousins Dugal MacLeod (Billy Hartman
Billy Hartman
Billy Hartman is a Scottish actor, well known for playing the part of Terry Woods on ITV's Emmerdale from 1995 until his character was killed off in 2011.He also played a small role in the film Highlander...
) and Angus MacLeod (James Cosmo
James Cosmo
James Cosmo is a prolific Scottish actor, with numerous credits in film and television since the late 1960s and Cosmo is still currently acting. Cosmo was born in Clydebank, Scotland, the son of actor James Copeland...
), leave to confront Clan Fraser
Clan Fraser
Clan Fraser is a Scottish clan of French origin. The Clan has been strongly associated with Inverness and the surrounding area since the Clan's founder gained lands there in the 13th century. Since its founding, the Clan has dominated local politics and been active in every major military conflict...
in a battle. During the battle, MacLeod is fatally wounded by the Kurgan
The Kurgan
The Kurgan is a fictional character from the first Highlander film, portrayed by actor Clancy Brown. He is an Immortal and the main antagonist to the character Connor MacLeod in Highlander, and the latter's ultimate opponent in the Gathering....
(Clancy Brown
Clancy Brown
Clarence J. "Clancy" Brown III is an American actor and voice actor. He is known for his roles in live action as The Kurgan in the cult classic film Highlander, Byron Hadley in the award-winning The Shawshank Redemption, Brother Justin Crowe in HBO's critically acclaimed Carnivàle, and Career...
), an Immortal ally of the Fraser Clan. The Kurgan prepares to decapitate Connor, but Dugal and Angus stop him. Connor's kinsmen and lover Kate MacLeod (Celia Imrie
Celia Imrie
Celia Diana Savile Imrie is an English actress. In a career starting in the early 1970s, Imrie has played Marianne Bellshade in Bergerac, Philippa Moorcroft in Dinnerladies, Miss Babs in Acorn Antiques, Diana Neal in After You've Gone and Gloria Millington in Kingdom...
) mourn for him over his deathbed, but the next day, MacLeod has fully recovered, much to the confusion — and rising fear — of his clan. Dugal and Kate believe Connor is in league with the devil, and the clan prepares to burn him at the stake, but Angus saves him by banishing him instead.
In 1985, the police, led by Lieutenant Frank Moran (Alan North
Alan North
Alan North was an American actor.North was born in the Bronx, New York and joined the United States Navy during the Second World War...
), investigate the Madison Square Garden crime scene. Forensics
Forensics
Forensic science is the application of a broad spectrum of sciences to answer questions of interest to a legal system. This may be in relation to a crime or a civil action...
expert Brenda Wyatt (Roxanne Hart
Roxanne Hart
Roxanne Hart is an American television, film and stage actress. She may be best known for her role as Brenda Wyatt in the 1986 film Highlander. She is also known for the role of Nurse Camille Shutt on the Medical drama Chicago Hope....
) discovers a shard of MacLeod's sword in an I-beam, and takes it away for analysis. When she recognizes the sword steel to be older than any sword-smithing techniques known from medieval Japan, she becomes all the more interested in the mystery weapon. Moran returns to the Police Headquarters, where he tries in vain to interrogate Nash, while elsewhere, The Kurgan checks into a seedy hotel. Nash confronts Brenda at a local bar. When he leaves, she follows. The Kurgan confronts them, and he and MacLeod engage in a sword fight, but a police helicopter causes the two men to separate.
In the 16th century, Connor has married a woman named Heather MacLeod
Heather MacLeod
Heather MacLeod is a fictional character from the universe of Highlander movies, portrayed by actress Beatie Edney.Heather MacLeod is one of four characters from the Highlander universe to appear in both movie and television continuity .-History:Daughter to a blacksmith named Angus MacDonald, Heather...
(Beatie Edney
Beatie Edney
Beatrice "Beatie" Edney is an English television actress.Born Beatrice Edney in London, she is the daughter of famous British actress Sylvia Syms and cousin of Nicholas Webb. Edney first came to audiences' attention as Heather MacLeod the 1986 film Highlander, the first film in the Highlander series...
). One day, a stranger named Juan Sánchez Villa-Lobos Ramírez
Juan Sánchez Villa-Lobos Ramírez
Juan Sánchez Villa-Lobos Ramírez is a character from the fictional universe of Highlander movies, portrayed by actor Sean Connery. He is an Immortal....
(Sean Connery
Sean Connery
Sir Thomas Sean Connery , better known as Sean Connery, is a Scottish actor and producer who has won an Academy Award, two BAFTA Awards and three Golden Globes Sir Thomas Sean Connery (born 25 August 1930), better known as Sean Connery, is a Scottish actor and producer who has won an Academy...
) arrives at their home, and MacLeod is hit by a sudden, painful sensation, which Ramirez calls the Quickening
Quickening (Highlander)
The Quickening is a phenomenon in the Highlander films and television series. When an Immortal is beheaded, there is a powerful energy release from their body which is called a Quickening. Lead Highlander: The Series actor Adrian Paul explains, "The Quickening is the receiving of all the power and...
. Later on, Ramirez and MacLeod are out on a loch
Loch
Loch is the Irish and Scottish Gaelic word for a lake or a sea inlet. It has been anglicised as lough, although this is pronounced the same way as loch. Some lochs could also be called a firth, fjord, estuary, strait or bay...
in a rowboat, and Ramirez throws MacLeod into the water. Unable to swim, MacLeod panics and begins to sink, but he finds himself still alive. Ramirez finally reveals that they are part of a select group born as Immortals
Immortal (Highlander)
Immortals are a group of fictional characters seen in the movies and series of the Highlander franchise. Since they are immune to disease and stop aging after becoming Immortal, they can live forever and they only die when they are beheaded....
, who are destined to fight and kill each other (by decapitation
Decapitation
Decapitation is the separation of the head from the body. Beheading typically refers to the act of intentional decapitation, e.g., as a means of murder or execution; it may be accomplished, for example, with an axe, sword, knife, wire, or by other more sophisticated means such as a guillotine...
) until only one survives; this last Immortal will come to wield a prize which will give him supreme power over all mankind. Ramirez begins to train Connor in the use of the Quickening and the ways of the sword.
Later, Ramirez tells MacLeod that immortality can be a curse as well; Ramirez reveals he has been married three times, including to the daughter of a Japanese swordsmith who made Ramirez's katana, and watched all his wives grow old and die. He then begs MacLeod to let Heather go, but MacLeod refuses. Later one night, while MacLeod is out, Ramirez and Heather are having dinner when the Kurgan storms in. Ramirez and the Kurgan battle, and Ramirez almost wins, but is overpowered and decapitated by the Kurgan, who takes Ramirez's power and then rapes Heather. Connor returns to find his house in ruins, keeps Ramirez's sword, and remains by his wife's side all her life. Following her demise, MacLeod wanders around the world, with only his memories and Ramirez's sword to keep him company.
In 1985, Nash/MacLeod returns to his apartment and meets up with his adopted daughter, Rachel Ellenstein
Rachel Ellenstein
Rachel Ellenstein is a fictional character from the universe of Highlander movies, portrayed by actress Sheila Gish.Rachel Ellenstein is one of several characters from the Highlander universe to appear in both movie and television series continuity .-Highlander:Born in 1936 in Amsterdam, Holland...
(Sheila Gish
Sheila Gish
Sheila Gish was a British stage and television actress.She was born Sheila Anne Gash in Lincoln, studied at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art, and made her stage debut with a repertory company....
). He also encounters fellow Immortal Sunda Kastagir (Hugh Quarshie
Hugh Quarshie
- Early and Personal Life :Quarshie is of mixed Ghanaian, English and Dutch ancestry and was born in Accra, Ghana, to Emma Wilhelmina and Richard Quarshie, and emigrated with his family to the United Kingdom when he was aged three...
) and shares a brief and friendly reunion and their memories of old times. Later that night, a paranoid ex-Marine
United States Marine Corps
The United States Marine Corps is a branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for providing power projection from the sea, using the mobility of the United States Navy to deliver combined-arms task forces rapidly. It is one of seven uniformed services of the United States...
Kirk Matunas (Christopher Malcolm
Christopher Malcolm
Christopher Malcolm is a Scottish television and film actor, director and producer. He first achieved fame for his role as Brad Majors in the original stage production of The Rocky Horror Show.-Early life and education:...
) spots the Kurgan and Kastagir duelling. Kastagir is decapitated and Matunas open fires on the Kurgan, but the Kurgan recovers quickly and impales Matunas on his sword and leaves. Lt. Moran visits Matunas in the hospital, but Matunas' description does not match that of MacLeod, so the Kurgan becomes Moran's prime suspect. MacLeod visits Brenda after being invited to dinner and confronts her with his knowledge that she works for the police, but Brenda declares that all she really cares about is examining MacLeod's sword. As she later begins to delve into MacLeod's past life, she finds to her incredulity that he has assumed the identity of a child which had died at birth and that he has walked the earth for several centuries. She confronts MacLeod with her findings, who tells her, cornered, that he is immortal, which he proves by plunging a dagger into his body. Connor and Brenda share an emotional kiss and have sex.
The Kurgan notices this new intimacy in Connor's life, however, and when Brenda returns to her apartment, he captures her and takes her hostage. MacLeod decides to kill the Kurgan once and for all and rushes off to confront the Kurgan at Silvercup Studios
Silvercup Studios
Silvercup Studios is the largest film and television production facility in New York City. Located in the neighborhood of Long Island City, in the borough of Queens, the studio complex has been operating since 1983 in the former Silvercup Bakery building...
. After a long and difficult battle, MacLeod finally manages to decapitate the Kurgan and receives the Immortals' collected powers. Later, back in Scotland, MacLeod reveals to Brenda he is now not only mortal and is finally able to have children, but has also been bestowed with the gift of telepathy
Telepathy
Telepathy , is the induction of mental states from one mind to another. The term was coined in 1882 by the classical scholar Fredric W. H. Myers, a founder of the Society for Psychical Research, and has remained more popular than the more-correct expression thought-transference...
, which he decides, remembering Ramirez's teachings, to use for the benefit of mankind.
Cast
| Actor | Role |
|---|---|
| Christopher Lambert Christopher Lambert Christophe Guy Denis "Christopher" Lambert is an American-born French actor who has appeared in French, European and American productions. He is best known for his role as Connor MacLeod, or simply "The Highlander", from the movie and subsequent movie franchise series of the same name... |
Connor MacLeod / Russell Nash Connor MacLeod Connor MacLeod, also known as The Highlander, is a fictional character in the Highlander film series, as well as the television programs Highlander: The Series, and Highlander: The Animated Series... |
| Roxanne Hart Roxanne Hart Roxanne Hart is an American television, film and stage actress. She may be best known for her role as Brenda Wyatt in the 1986 film Highlander. She is also known for the role of Nurse Camille Shutt on the Medical drama Chicago Hope.... |
Brenda Wyatt |
| Clancy Brown Clancy Brown Clarence J. "Clancy" Brown III is an American actor and voice actor. He is known for his roles in live action as The Kurgan in the cult classic film Highlander, Byron Hadley in the award-winning The Shawshank Redemption, Brother Justin Crowe in HBO's critically acclaimed Carnivàle, and Career... |
The Kurgan / Victor Kruger The Kurgan The Kurgan is a fictional character from the first Highlander film, portrayed by actor Clancy Brown. He is an Immortal and the main antagonist to the character Connor MacLeod in Highlander, and the latter's ultimate opponent in the Gathering.... |
| Sean Connery Sean Connery Sir Thomas Sean Connery , better known as Sean Connery, is a Scottish actor and producer who has won an Academy Award, two BAFTA Awards and three Golden Globes Sir Thomas Sean Connery (born 25 August 1930), better known as Sean Connery, is a Scottish actor and producer who has won an Academy... |
Juan Sánchez Villa-Lobos Ramírez Juan Sánchez Villa-Lobos Ramírez Juan Sánchez Villa-Lobos Ramírez is a character from the fictional universe of Highlander movies, portrayed by actor Sean Connery. He is an Immortal.... |
| Beatie Edney Beatie Edney Beatrice "Beatie" Edney is an English television actress.Born Beatrice Edney in London, she is the daughter of famous British actress Sylvia Syms and cousin of Nicholas Webb. Edney first came to audiences' attention as Heather MacLeod the 1986 film Highlander, the first film in the Highlander series... |
Heather MacLeod Heather MacLeod Heather MacLeod is a fictional character from the universe of Highlander movies, portrayed by actress Beatie Edney.Heather MacLeod is one of four characters from the Highlander universe to appear in both movie and television continuity .-History:Daughter to a blacksmith named Angus MacDonald, Heather... |
| Alan North Alan North Alan North was an American actor.North was born in the Bronx, New York and joined the United States Navy during the Second World War... |
Lieutenant Frank Moran |
| Jon Polito Jon Polito Jon Polito is an American actor and voice artist, who is known for working with the Coen Brothers, most notably in the major supporting role of Italian gangster Johnny Caspar in Miller's Crossing. He also appeared in the first two seasons of Homicide: Life on the Street and on the first season of... |
Detective Walter Bedsoe |
| Sheila Gish Sheila Gish Sheila Gish was a British stage and television actress.She was born Sheila Anne Gash in Lincoln, studied at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art, and made her stage debut with a repertory company.... |
Rachel Ellenstein Rachel Ellenstein Rachel Ellenstein is a fictional character from the universe of Highlander movies, portrayed by actress Sheila Gish.Rachel Ellenstein is one of several characters from the Highlander universe to appear in both movie and television series continuity .-Highlander:Born in 1936 in Amsterdam, Holland... |
| Hugh Quarshie Hugh Quarshie - Early and Personal Life :Quarshie is of mixed Ghanaian, English and Dutch ancestry and was born in Accra, Ghana, to Emma Wilhelmina and Richard Quarshie, and emigrated with his family to the United Kingdom when he was aged three... |
Sunda Kastagir |
| Christopher Malcolm Christopher Malcolm Christopher Malcolm is a Scottish television and film actor, director and producer. He first achieved fame for his role as Brad Majors in the original stage production of The Rocky Horror Show.-Early life and education:... |
Kirk Matunas |
| Peter Diamond | Iman Fasil |
| Billy Hartman Billy Hartman Billy Hartman is a Scottish actor, well known for playing the part of Terry Woods on ITV's Emmerdale from 1995 until his character was killed off in 2011.He also played a small role in the film Highlander... |
Dugal MacLeod |
| James Cosmo James Cosmo James Cosmo is a prolific Scottish actor, with numerous credits in film and television since the late 1960s and Cosmo is still currently acting. Cosmo was born in Clydebank, Scotland, the son of actor James Copeland... |
Angus MacLeod |
| Corinne Russell | Candy |
| Celia Imrie Celia Imrie Celia Diana Savile Imrie is an English actress. In a career starting in the early 1970s, Imrie has played Marianne Bellshade in Bergerac, Philippa Moorcroft in Dinnerladies, Miss Babs in Acorn Antiques, Diana Neal in After You've Gone and Gloria Millington in Kingdom... |
Kate MacLeod |
Conception
Gregory WidenGregory Widen
Gregory Widen is an American screenwriter and film director.A student in UCLA's screenwriting program, he sold his script for Highlander while still an undergraduate. Before entering the UCLA program, Widen attended Saddleback College in Mission Viejo, California.Widen worked as a firefighter for...
wrote the script to Highlander, which he then titled Shadow Clan, as a class assignment while he was an undergraduate in the screenwriting program at UCLA. Widen sold the script for US$200,000.
According to William Panzer, joint producer with Peter S. Davis of the Highlander franchise:
Widen's original draft differed significantly from the movie version. It's darker and more violent. Connor is born in 1408 rather than 1518. He lives with his mother and father. Heather doesn't exist; Connor is promised to a girl named Mara, who rejects him when she learns he's immortal. Connor leaves his village instead of being banished. His alias is Richard Tupin and his weapon is a custom broadsword
Broadsword
Broadsword may refer to:*Broadsword , a military sword used by heavy cavalry during the 17th to early 19th centuriesIn more modern times, it has also been used to refer to:...
. Ramirez is a Spaniard born in 1100 instead of an ancient Egyptian born more than two thousand years earlier. The Kurgan is known as the Knight, using the alias Carl William Smith. He is not a savage, but a cold-blooded killer. Brenda is Brenna Cartwright.
Other elements were changed during the rewrite. Initially, immortals could have children; in the draft Connor is said to have had 37. In a flashback in the first draft, Connor attends the funeral of one of his sons. His wife (in her 70s) and his two sons, who are in their mid 50s, see him revealed as an immortal. Also, there are no quickenings in the first draft. When an immortal kills another, nothing special occurs. Nor is there mention of a "prize". When Connor finally kills the Knight, he feels a sharp burning pain. We are not told if he remains immortal.
Filming
Filming began in April 1985 and ended August 30, 1985. It took place in Scotland, England, and New York City.Director Russell Mulcahy filmed it using music video
Music video
A music video or song video is a short film integrating a song and imagery, produced for promotional or artistic purposes. Modern music videos are primarily made and used as a marketing device intended to promote the sale of music recordings...
techniques including fast cutting
Fast cutting
Fast cutting is a film editing technique which refers to several consecutive shots of a brief duration . It can be used to convey a lot of information very quickly, or to imply either energy or chaos...
and pacy music.
Director of Photography Arthur Smith actually filmed the scene where fish fall out of MacLeod's kilt, but Lambert's kilt proved to be too short. Smith said, "I stuck part of a drain pipe above Chris's kilt out of camera range, and fed live trout down the tube." Smith also had difficulties shooting the scene where MacLeod meets the Kurgan. It was raining that day, and the crew had to use umbrellas and hair dryers to prevent the water from hitting the camera lenses and appearing on the film. Smith also remembered that Lambert, who was near-sighted, "kept forgetting to take off his glasses as he came over the hill on his horse."
The filming of the parking garage scene took place in two different places. According to New York location manager Brett Botula, "the garage exterior is Manhattan, across from Madison Square Garden
Madison Square Garden
Madison Square Garden, often abbreviated as MSG and known colloquially as The Garden, is a multi-purpose indoor arena in the New York City borough of Manhattan and located at 8th Avenue, between 31st and 33rd Streets, situated on top of Pennsylvania Station.Opened on February 11, 1968, it is the...
, and the interior is 'somewhere in London.'"
The scene where the MacLeod clan sets off to battle is supposed to take place "in the village of Glenfinnan
Glenfinnan
Glenfinnan is a village in Lochaber area of the Highlands of Scotland. It is located at the northern end of Loch Shiel, at the foot of Glenfinnan.- Glenfinnan Monument :...
on the shore of Loch Shiel
Loch Shiel
Loch Shiel is a 19.3 km2 freshwater loch, 120 m deep, situated 20 km west of Fort William in Lochaber, Highland, Scotland...
" in the Lochaber
Lochaber
District of Lochaber 1975 to 1996Highland council area shown as one of the council areas of ScotlandLochaber is one of the 16 ward management areas of the Highland Council of Scotland and one of eight former local government districts of the two-tier Highland region...
area, but was actually filmed at Eilean Donan
Eilean Donan
Eilean Donan is a small island in Loch Duich in the western Highlands of Scotland. It is connected to the mainland by a footbridge and lies about half a mile from the village of Dornie. Eilean Donan is named after Donnán of Eigg, a Celtic saint martyred in 617...
Castle, which is in the same general area but is really on the shore of Loch Duich
Loch Duich
Loch Duich is a sea loch situated on the western coast of Scotland, in the Highlands.-History:In 1719, British forces burned many homesteads along the loch’s shores in the month preceding the Battle of Glen Shiel....
, a sea loch
Loch
Loch is the Irish and Scottish Gaelic word for a lake or a sea inlet. It has been anglicised as lough, although this is pronounced the same way as loch. Some lochs could also be called a firth, fjord, estuary, strait or bay...
near Kyle of Lochalsh
Kyle of Lochalsh
Kyle of Lochalsh is a village on the northwest coast of Scotland, 63 miles west of Inverness. It is located at the entrance to Loch Alsh, opposite the village of Kyleakin on the Isle of Skye...
and the Isle of Skye.
According to the DVD commentary, the film's climax was originally intended to take place on top of the Statue of Liberty. Then it was changed to an amusement park, and finally changed to the rooftop of the Silvercup Studios building. The opening sequence was originally intended to take place during an NHL hockey game. But the NHL refused to allow the crew to film there because they were intending to emphasize the violence of the match.
The church scene involving The Kurgan (Clancy Brown) was filmed at Augustines C of E in Kilburn, London at night time with the permission of the priests in charge. Still, Brown's lines were ad-libbed, and they were reportedly considered so sacrilegious that the priests off-camera were making the sign of the cross as he said them.
The scene in the alley where The Kurgan (Clancy Brown) beheads Kastagir (Hugh Quarshie) and then stabs the ex-marine, followed by the explosion, was filmed in an alley in England even though it was set in New York. The director was reluctant to set off the explosion in the alley because the windows were full of Victorian glass, but he was given permission to do so because that particular site was going to be destroyed in a few months anyway.
All of Sean Connery's scenes had to be filmed in a single week due to Connery's hectic schedule. Still, during the filming of the movie, Connery and Lambert got along even better than their on screen counterparts, even going as far as to call each other by their characters' names when not filming. The two were (and continue to be) such good friends that Lambert threatened to back out of the sequel unless Connery's character was added to the film. The opening voice over by Sean Connery
Sean Connery
Sir Thomas Sean Connery , better known as Sean Connery, is a Scottish actor and producer who has won an Academy Award, two BAFTA Awards and three Golden Globes Sir Thomas Sean Connery (born 25 August 1930), better known as Sean Connery, is a Scottish actor and producer who has won an Academy...
has an echo effect because it was recorded in his Spanish Villa bathroom. It was played for the producers over the phone, and they approved of it because they could not discern the quality of the recording that way.
Soundtrack
The original orchestral score was composed by Michael Kamen and the soundtrack includes several songs by QueenQueen (band)
Queen are a British rock band formed in London in 1971, originally consisting of Freddie Mercury , Brian May , John Deacon , and Roger Taylor...
, such as "Hammer to Fall
Hammer to Fall
"Hammer to Fall" is a 1984 song by the British rock group Queen. Written by guitarist Brian May, the song is the eighth track on their 1984 album The Works....
" and "Princes of the Universe
Princes of the Universe
"Princes of the Universe" is a song written by Freddie Mercury and performed by Queen. The song was written for the soundtrack of the movie Highlander and released on the A Kind of Magic album in 1986. This song is the only song which Mercury receives sole credit for on the entire album. Later it...
," which was also used in the Highlander television series title sequence
Title sequence
A Title Sequence is the method by which cinematic films or television programs present their title, key production and cast members, or both, utilizing conceptual visuals and sound...
. Queen wrote many of the songs specifically to match the mood of the scenes when the songs were played, notably Brian May's
Brian May
Brian Harold May, CBE is an English musician and astrophysicist most widely known as the guitarist and a songwriter of the rock band Queen...
"Who Wants to Live Forever
Who Wants to Live Forever
"Who Wants to Live Forever" is a song by the English rock band Queen. The song is the sixth track on the album A Kind of Magic, released in June 1986, and was written by guitarist Brian May for the soundtrack to the film Highlander, directed by Russell Mulcahy...
," concerning the doomed love of Connor and his wife Heather.
While no albums specifically tied to the Highlander movie were ever released, Queen's 1986 album A Kind of Magic
A Kind of Magic
A Kind of Magic is a 1986 album by British rock band Queen. It was the band's twelfth studio album and their first to be recorded digitally, and is based on the soundtrack to the film Highlander, the first in a series directed by Russell Mulcahy....
features most of the songs from the film, although sometimes in different arrangements. Notably, Queen's version of "Theme from New York, New York
Theme from New York, New York
"Theme from New York, New York" is the theme song from the Martin Scorsese film New York, New York , composed by John Kander, with lyrics by Fred Ebb. It was written for and performed in the film by Liza Minnelli...
," which plays while The Kurgan drives Brenda through New York, was incompletely recorded, in that Mercury never recorded a full-length version of the song, and thus the band never released it. Part of Michael Kamen's score was played during the New Line Cinema
New Line Cinema
New Line Cinema, often simply referred to as New Line, is an American film studio. It was founded in 1967 by Robert Shaye and Michael Lynne as a film distributor, later becoming an independent film studio. It became a subsidiary of Time Warner in 1996 and was merged with larger sister studio Warner...
logo before their movies in the late 1990s and early 2000s.
Deleted and abandoned scenes
A duel sequence that introduced an Asian immortal named Yung Dol Kim was cut from the film. The footage for the scene, along with certain other deleted scenes, was later destroyed by fire, although a few stills from the sequence, some in colour and others in black & white, survived. Other deleted, and subsequently lost, moments include a scene of Connor, Kastagir and Bedsoe partying at a bar and one in which Connor shows Brenda his katana after sex.In the scene following the one in which Connor takes the Kurgan's head, director Russell Mulcahy had originally envisioned an animated dragon with the Kurgan's battle helmet emerging from the Kurgan's decapitated body and challenging Connor again. Only after Connor had defeated this Ghost-Dragon would he have received the final quickening and subsequent Prize. This idea was eventually cut due to budget constraints.
Alternative versions
The European version of the film contained scenes not found in the American version. The Director's CutDirector's cut
A director's cut is a specially edited version of a film, and less often TV series, music video, commercials, comic book or video games, that is supposed to represent the director's own approved edit...
is based upon this version, and it runs eight minutes longer than the US version. The additional scenes include:
- MacLeod having a short flashback about his first battle in Scotland during the wrestling match
- A longer fight scene between Connor and Fasil, mainly Fasil doing backflips through the garage
- A scene showing Connor's first love, Kate, bringing him flowers before he goes to battle
- A flashback to World War IIWorld War IIWorld War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
that further develops the character of Rachel EllensteinRachel EllensteinRachel Ellenstein is a fictional character from the universe of Highlander movies, portrayed by actress Sheila Gish.Rachel Ellenstein is one of several characters from the Highlander universe to appear in both movie and television series continuity .-Highlander:Born in 1936 in Amsterdam, Holland... - Longer sex scene between Connor and Brenda
- A scene where the Kurgan can be seen in the background trailing MacLeod and Brenda at the zoo
- Much longer fight scene between MacLeod and the Kurgan at the end of the movie
There are several changes in dialogue from the theatrical version:
- Whooshing sounds whenever one Immortal senses another
- When Connor and Ramirez jump into the water during training, Ramirez (in the theatrical version) shouts, "MacLeod, this is the Quickening!"
- When Connor is talking about the 1783 bottle of wine (in the theatrical version), after he says, "Brandy, bottled in 1783", Brenda's head can be seen moving but she speaks no dialogue. In the new release, she says, "Wow, that's old."
- After Connor wins the Prize and is being comforted by Brenda (in the theatrical version), he looks up and says, "I want to go home." This is missing in the new release.
The new release is also missing a short scene of Detective Bedsoe spilling coffee on himself while staking out Brenda's apartment.
The French theatrical version of Highlander is mainly the same version as the US theatrical. It includes the World War II flashback but it removes the interior shot of Detective Bedsoe in his car while on a stakeout. This has been issued on 2-disc and 3-disc DVD sets in France with French dialog only.
Release and reception
Upon initial U.S. release, it was not well-received, but it gained wide and persistent popularity in Europe and on other markets, as well as on home video. It has since obtained status as a cult classicCult Classic
Cult Classic is a Blue Öyster Cult studio recording released in 1994, containing remakes of many of the band's previous hits.-Track listing:# " The Reaper" - 5:05# "E.T.I...
film in both domestic and non-domestic markets, leading to four sequels, a television series
Highlander: The Series
Highlander: The Series is a fantasy-adventure television series featuring Duncan MacLeod of the Scottish Clan MacLeod, as the Highlander. It was an offshoot and another alternate sequel of the 1986 feature film with a twist: Connor MacLeod did not win the prize and Immortals still exist post-1985...
, and various other spin-offs.
The movie made $2,453,021 on its opening weekend and ended up making $5,735,847 domestically. Internationally, the movie made $12,885,193.
Highlander currently holds a 67% "fresh" rating on Rotten Tomatoes
Rotten Tomatoes
Rotten Tomatoes is a website devoted to reviews, information, and news of films—widely known as a film review aggregator. Its name derives from the cliché of audiences throwing tomatoes and other vegetables at a poor stage performance...
based on 30 reviews.
Danél Griffin of Film as Art awarded the film four stars (out of four), saying: "The key to Highlanders success is in its approach to its subject matter. What could have been a premise that breathes cliché is given a fresh approach due to Mulcahy’s unique directing style and a cleverly-written script. [...] Highlander is certainly a classic film that will continue to be cherished and watched as the world of movie making continues to grow and change. It is a triumphant example of the art of cinema, and watching it reminds us all of why we like going to the movies in the first place." Christopher Null
Christopher Null
Christopher Null is a film critic, columnist and former blogger for Yahoo! Tech, editor of Drinkhacker.com, and is the founder and editor in chief of Filmcritic.com.-Publications:...
of FilmCritic.com gave the film four and a half stars out of five, writing: "Highlander has no equal among sword-and-sorcery flicks." Null later called Highlander "the greatest action film ever made," saying that it features "awesome swordfights, an awesome score, and a time-bending plotline that only a philistine could dislike."
Matt Ford of the BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
gave the film three stars out of five, writing: "From the moody, rain-soaked, noir-ish streets of late 20th century America to the wild open spaces of medieval Scotland, Mulcahy plunders movie history to set off his visceral fight scenes with suitably rugged locations. [...] What the film loses through ham acting, weak narrative, and pompous macho posturing it more than compensates with in sheer fiery bravado, pace, and larger than life action." Dean Winkelspecht of DVD Town also gave Highlander three stars out of five, writing: "The film's slow pace and dated look will turn away many a new viewer [...] However, there is a certain appeal to the film that brings back many for a second or third helping. I have learned to appreciate the film over the years, [and] the film's story is unique and entertaining."
Also giving the film three stars out of five, Adam Tyner of DVD Talk wrote, "The screenplay spots a number of intelligent, creative ideas, and I find the very concept of displacing the sword-and-sorcery genre to then-modern-day New York City to be fairly inventive. The dialogue and performances don't quite match many of the film's concepts, though. The tone seems somewhat uneven, as if Highlander is unsure if it wants to be seen as a straight adventure epic or if it's a campy action flick." IGN
IGN
IGN is an entertainment website that focuses on video games, films, music and other media. IGN's main website comprises several specialty sites or "channels", each occupying a subdomain and covering a specific area of entertainment...
, awarding Highlander a score of 8 out of 10, wrote: "This 80s classic has a lot going for it. The hardcore MTV
MTV
MTV, formerly an initialism of Music Television, is an American network based in New York City that launched on August 1, 1981. The original purpose of the channel was to play music videos guided by on-air hosts known as VJs....
manner in which it was filmed is common these days, but was groundbreaking then. This movie features some of the best scene transitions committed to celluloid. [...] To this is added some fun performances by Connery and especially Clancy Brown."
Leonard Maltin
Leonard Maltin
Leonard Maltin is an American film and animated film critic and historian, author of several mainstream books on cinema, focusing on nostalgic, celebratory narratives.-Personal life:...
gave the film one and a half stars: "Interesting premise made silly and boring... Former rock video director Mulcahy's relentlessly showy camera moves may cause you to reach for the Dramamine."
Home video
The video was a hit in the United States. The theatrical release of Highlander II: The Quickening in 1991 significantly increased the rental activity on Highlander even though the sequel was not a box-office success. Highlander was first released to DVD in the United States in 1997, in a "10th Anniversary Edition" Director's Cut that contained the international uncut version of the film. A "15th Anniversary" edition was released in Australia in 2001, which also contained the International cut of the film. Highlander was again released in 2002 in two editions: a special edition "Immortal Edition" with several extra features and a standard edition, both of which contain the International uncut version. On the 17 June 2009 French distributor StudioCanalStudioCanal
StudioCanal is a French-based production and distribution company that owns the third-largest film library in the world...
issued the film on Blu-ray with identical releases following in Germany, UK, Holland, Australia and Japan. The U.S. director's cut is currently available on DVD in North America from Lionsgate under license from the film's current owner, StudioCanal
StudioCanal
StudioCanal is a French-based production and distribution company that owns the third-largest film library in the world...
. 20th Century Fox, the theatrical distributor, remains the television rights holder.
Novelization
A novelization of the film was written by Gary Kilworth. It expanded more on the movie by telling how The Kurgan met his first death, his training with an Immortal ArabArab
Arab people, also known as Arabs , are a panethnicity primarily living in the Arab world, which is located in Western Asia and North Africa. They are identified as such on one or more of genealogical, linguistic, or cultural grounds, with tribal affiliations, and intra-tribal relationships playing...
known as The Bedouin whom he eventually kills. The novel also reveals how The Kurgan gets his customized broadsword and his battle with an Immortal Mongol before meeting MacLeod in 1536. The novel also expands on Connor's friendship with the Africa
Africa
Africa is the world's second largest and second most populous continent, after Asia. At about 30.2 million km² including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of the Earth's total surface area and 20.4% of the total land area...
n Immortal Sunda Kastagir. A flashback of them during the Zulu Natal Wars of 1879
Anglo-Zulu War
The Anglo-Zulu War was fought in 1879 between the British Empire and the Zulu Kingdom.Following the imperialist scheme by which Lord Carnarvon had successfully brought about federation in Canada, it was thought that a similar plan might succeed with the various African kingdoms, tribal areas and...
describes how Connor was captured by Zulu King Cetewayo's men and how Kastagir helps his friend escape and showing Connor the way to the closest British camp. Rachel, in the novel, poses as Connor's mother.
Related plagiarism
Marie-Pier Côté, a 12-year old CanadianCanada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
, published a novel called Laura l'immortelle
Laura l'immortelle
Laura l'immortelle is a novel by Marie-Pier Côté, a Québécois Canadian author. The book was published by Les Éditions des Intouchables on January 17, 2007....
. On March 13, 2007 the French-language newspaper La Presse
La Presse (Canada)
La Presse, founded in 1884, is a French-language Monday-Saturday newspaper published in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. It is owned today by Groupe Gesca, a subsidiary of Power Corporation of Canada. The Sunday version was dropped in 2009.-Description:...
published an article noting a list of similarities between Laura l'immortelle and Highlander. Côté later admitted that the story was a plagiarized Highlander fan fiction originally written by a Frenchman.
Remake
On March 2008, Summit EntertainmentSummit Entertainment
Summit Entertainment LLC is an independent film studio headquartered in Santa Monica, California with international offices in London.-History:...
announced that it had bought the film rights to the Highlander franchise and is remaking the 1986 original movie. Originally Iron Man
Iron Man (film)
Iron Man is a 2008 American superhero film based on the Marvel Comics character of the same name. Directed by Jon Favreau, the film stars Robert Downey, Jr. as Tony Stark, an industrialist and master engineer who builds a powered exoskeleton and becomes the technologically advanced superhero, Iron...
writers Art Marcum and Matt Holloway were writing the script, but Summit Entertainment turned to Melissa Rosenberg
Melissa Rosenberg
Melissa Anne Rosenberg is an American screenwriter. She has worked in both film and television and has been nominated for two Emmy Awards, and two Writers Guild of America Awards. She won a Peabody Award...
to write it instead, with release scheduled for 2011. In September 2009, Fast & Furious director Justin Lin
Justin Lin
Justin Lin is a Taiwanese American film director, best known for his work on Better Luck Tomorrow, The Fast and the Furious franchise and the television show, Community.-Life and career:...
was announced as director of the film while Neal H. Moritz
Neal H. Moritz
Neal H. Moritz is an American film producer. He is the founder of Original Film.-Life and career:He has over 70 films to his credit...
will co-produce. As of 2011, release has been pushed back to 2014.