Highlander

There can only be one!

A few days ago my wife asked for a re watch of one of her all time favorite films, 1986's Highlander, a film I recall watching several times when I was a kid and then some more times once I grew up to afford the DVD release. Now, what makes this film so special to many and yet so lame to many others at the same time? Gee, answering that it's like finding the universal mathematical formula Stephen Hawking has spent his life searching for. 

Back then in the 80's I remember my friends and I spending long afternoons pretending to be either, immortals or terminators. Not that anyone cares but, those two films really stuck within some of my most treasured childhood memories. Today, I realized I never reviewed it here, and since it's one of my wife's favorites, I owe this entry to her with love.

I am Connor Macleod of the clan Macleod.

I am Russel Nash of New York.

I don't really have a detailed set of memories from when I first saw this movie, I was a kid and all the sword fighting between immortals was all I seemed to care at that time. Nevertheless, as the film did stick with me for several years to come (until this very day I might add) I realized the struggle of being immortal (a matter of most importance to my wife, since every time we watch it, the subject shows up almost instantly and utterly inevitably)
 

From the kid point of view I had, this movie was a monumental blockbuster. Years later I realized it didn't do well despite all the 80's cliches the film relied on (Cyber punk, urban fights, Queen, 80's stars, etc) If you visit IMDB for reviews of the film you will find huge lots of people saying it poorly aged, and that it was a childish stupid story disguised as an adult action film. There are very few reviewers who think it was a great piece of art (My wife & I are two of those) it may not aged like wine but I humbly think it is a fair exercise in  pursuing an original fantasy story in a time where everything looked and sounded the same.

Victor Kruger, The Kurgan.

There can only be one.

It is always interesting to see different viewpoints, especially when they are completely contrary to your own. But for me, this movie was perfect. The premise was intriguing, the story was beautifully told, the joy and pathos of an immortal amongst mortals revealed with great skill. There was great action, romance, the tragedy of love lost – and the baddest of bad guys to overcome.

The casting was excellent, as was the acting. Sean Connery's contribution was exactly as it should have been, a fine gentleman playing Juan Sánchez Villalobos Ramirez a fine swordsman with 3 surnames! (in Spanish culture there are two family names, one is from daddy and the other from mommy, so having this character named with three surnames is a mistake). Clancy Brown's performance as Victor Kruger, The Kurgan was joyfully terrifying, he clearly resembles a cold hearted murderer ,very much like The Terminator. Christopher Lambert well, I think he was born to be Connor Macleod.

Who wants to live forever?

Heather's boobs.

The screenplay was excellent, as was the script. I was especially impressed with the way that flashbacks were interwoven with the ongoing story. In fact, this is the only flashback movie I have ever liked.

I was also thoroughly impressed with the action sequences. Unlike so many recent movies, none of the action involved the physically impossible (with the obvious exception of the fact that the immortals were immortal, of course). This added enormously to the appeal, in direct contrast to so many movies made in the last decade. I despair when I watch movies where people perform the impossible. Even the classic scene `Oh, I'm falling – but it's OK, I can just grab this rope/branch/flagpole/whatever, and even though I have fallen 30 feet and am traveling at 20 mph, I can just stretch out my hand and arrest my fall as though I was no heavier than a feather' destroys all credibility in the action. I know, this is a fantasy movie anyway, so what does it matter? Well, realistic action is even more important in fantasy movies; it helps the audience to willingly suspend disbelief. This is very difficult to do when you are busy giggling at the latest fantastical feat you have witnessed. No such concerns in this movie – the action was perfectly judged to reflect the prowess gained from centuries of experience, whilst avoiding the impossible and the ridiculous.

Don't lose your head!

Now, moving on into the Soundtrack, Queen was probably the greatest British act in the 80's. I know there were many more playing their part but these guys were the flag of what was going on in UK's pop scene at that time. Personally, I think Queen is a rock band for people who have no idea about what rock music truly is. Nevertheless, "Princess Of The Universe", "It's A Kind Of Magic" and specially "Who Wants To Live Forever?" are tailored pieces made to fit this movie. Each song offers the viewer an extended experience in the most intense moments of the movie.

I also understand why the accents in the movie (Christopher Lambert's and Sean Connery's) are a problem for some. However, I was happy with Lambert's accent; it was Scottish enough for the Highland scenes, and suitably indefinable for the modern settings. Sean Connery was, of course, Sean Connery – he never adopts any accent other than his own. But that's OK – it doesn't detract from the film, any more than it detracts from any of his films (such as Red October). I tend to agree with his point that accents don't matter – emotions are the same, regardless of nationality.

By the Power of Greyskull!

I used to work in the Knight foundation.

Inevitably the film did well enough as to pursue a franchise career in the Highlander world. The first one was the 1991 sequel Highlander II, The Quickening. Despite the efforts of trying to bring new elements to a story that was already finished, the film failed miserably even with the presence of Sean Connery (didn't he die in the first one?), Queen music, futuristic looks & environmental issues. Somehow, producers wouldn't let Highlander rest in peace and the next year we were presented with a brand new Macleod: Duncan Macleod in Highlander, The Series. The show ran six seasons and I was actually quite fond of it for some time. Then, the inevitable happened again: Highlander III The Final Dimension, a 1994 film sequel that completely ignored what happened in the second film in an effort to bring the franchise back to life. Unfortunately, it failed but, since the series wasn't doing that bad they filmed another sequel in the year 2000: Highlander IV Endgame. This film would be the final episode in the series as it promised the ultimate battle between Connor Macleod & Duncan Macleod, but wait, there's more!!!! a 1998 spin off series Highlander The Raven, another film in 2007: Highlander The Source, and there's currently a remake movie in the talks but take my advice, there can only be one Highlander film, and that is the original movie. 

Still, if you have the guts to watch the sequels, just think of them as being entirely separate stories from the original. If you haven't already seen them, be prepared for a decidedly tepid experience.

But Highlander itself – ah, there's a real movie. Sit back and enjoy!

 Here's the film trailer:

Now let's move on to the soundtrack section, courtesy of Queen:

Princess Of The Universe.

It's A Kind Of Magic.

And last but not least, the song my wife enjoys the most as it drives her to think about love and eternity: 

Who Wants To Live Forever?