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So do I recommend the film? Absolutely a wholehearted yes, it may look a tad dated in many ways but it is a great story, it is the original Highlander and by far the best, not least because I honestly believe they sacked the continuity man at some point along the way with the other 3. ... Read review
They are immortals destined to live forever. They must duel down the ages until one ... more
remains. Only decapitation can release them from their age-long battle for an incredible prize - power beyond there imagination.From the Scottish HIghlands of the sixte...
The first Highlander cinematic experience sizzles with energy thrilling action sequences ... more
and electrifying sword fights and is played out at a frenetic pace by a renowned cast. Christopher Lambert gives a mesmerising performance in his most famed role as the Scotsman out to fulfil his destiny as an Immortal under the tutelage of the flamboyant Ramirez played for laughs with great panache by the enigmatic Sean Connery. The year is 1536. Scottish Clansman Connor MacLeod (Christopher Lambert) is mortally wounded in battle by a terrifying warrior - The Kurgan (Clancy Brown). When his wounds miraculously heal Connor is cast out by the superstitious villagers to live a life of solitude. Several years later Juan Sanchez Villa-Lobos Ramirez (Sean Connery) a nobleman of Egyptian / Spanish descent teaches him that like he and the Kurgan MacLeod is an immortal who can only die by decapitation. He tells how the immortals are fated to duel down the ages to a mysterious distant time called "The Gathering" when the last few will battle for "The Prize". So begins a romantic action-packed saga spanning four centuries to modern day Manhattan where a reign of terror grips the city and headless corpses baffle the police. The Kurgan has arrived in town as a one-man wrecking crew maddened by aeons of blood lust slaughtering everything in his path searching for his ancient enemy - the Highlander. It all comes to a climax with an earth-shattering showdown between to two old foes against the spectacular New York night sky.... There can be only one!
Postage & Packaging:£0.00 Availability:3-5 working days
Production Year: 2007 - Science Fiction - Director: Francis Lawrence - Original Language: English - Classification: 15 years and over - Starring: Alice Braga, Charlie Tahan, Dash Mihok, Will Smith, Salli Richardson, Willow Smith
...kings’ although for any non highlander fans it is more likely to be ‘Scaramouch, Scaramouch will you do the fandango’ There is something about Freddy‘s voice that completes the theatrical, dramatic atmosphere of the whole film. This worked both ways as Christophe Lambert does turn up in the video of the song with his sword to do battle with Mr Mercury. Other highlights include the ballad ‘Who wants to live forever’ and of course ‘It’s a kind of magic’ ... ...story, it is the original Highlander and by far the best, not least because I honestly believe they sacked the continuity man at some point along the way with the other 3. Does good prevail, does Connor win the prize and does he ever find happiness? If you’re over 15 then go get the film (Amazon price £6.97 for the DVD) to find out.
From the dawn of time we came; moving silently down through the centuries, living many secret lives, struggling to reach the time of the Gathering; when the few who remain will battle to the last. No one has ever known we were among you... until now.
These immortal words were uttered by the sultry voice of Sean Connery at the opening of what is arguably one of the most successful films of the ‘80s.
Connor Macleod (Christophe (r) Lambert) was born in the highlands of Scotland in 1518 and he is still alive for the opening shot of the film, a New York wrestling match in 1986.
The idea behind the plot is simple, there are a seemingly infinite number of immortals running around and the only way they can die is if their head is severed from their body. When one immortal kills another they take their power in the form of quickening so the immortals grow in power until in the end ‘there can be only one’ and that one receives the ultimate prize of absolute power.
Even simplifying it as much as that, you have to admit that it has great potential for a movie or 4 and of course the now obligatory spin off series but even the greatest of ideas has to be well put together and acted so imagine the directors horror when the first day filming arrives and the star of the film turns up fresh from his stint as lord Greystoke, alternatively known as Tarzan, his performance in which landed him the role of Connor Macleod, to find that their star couldn’t actually speak English! Yep me Tarzan, you Jane and a few grunts were all he had to do, and they hadn’t thought to check his vocal skills. However this does possibly cause one endearing feature of the film, Frenchman Christophe copes very well with the language, but the unfamiliarity with it gives his performance a detached, lonely sort of feel, which is perfect for his character.
The quest to be the one, starts in the highlands of Scotland and spans centuries, it is a costume designers dream, or nightmare as the journey to the gathering is shown through various eras from the rugged highlander, forced out of his Clan after a miraculous full recovery from a fatal wound to wander the world to the 18th Century fop in a wig to 1940s Nazis, to modern day New York.
Now producing a film that spans 5 months is not a problem, producing a film where the principal characters life spans 5 centuries could be a recipe for disaster but the story is told along side the finale through a series of flashbacks, these run through the film very smoothly and helps to create the atmosphere of the ruggedness of the highlands and clan battles, the comparison to New York in 1986, and the polite classical era of 18th Century England. There are also some great shots of the glen of weeping which recreates how the highlands must truly have looked during the battles of the clans.
So we have the principle character and as with any testosterone charged films with a load of men running around chopping peoples heads off with swords you need the good versus evil and this comes in the form of the somewhat inarticulate Kurgan (Clancy Brown) who is your stereotypical bad guy, big, ugly and reckless but he does have some great lines, the most famous of which is undeniably ‘I have something to say; it is better to burn out than to fade away’
Now in fairness to Kurgan, his inarticulate nature is not entirely his fault as it is the result of a war wound, watch the film and you’ll find out why. However we have the good guy, the bad guy we need the best friend. At this time in the 80’s a film seemed to earn a certain degree of credibility by including Mr Sean Connery in its cast, and whilst I do not deny that he is a great actor, as long as the role is 007 with a Scottish accent and beard, this phase of supporting and cameo roles always confused me. However he plays the role of Ramirez the best friend and mentor to perfection and always brings humour to a film, but boy does he look ridiculous in that hat!
The special effects in the film are now somewhat dated to say the least and you can guarantee that if it were to be made now it would be done very differently. The main opportunity for effects are in the form of the quickening, ok so the head has left the body there is a surge of power as the power enters the new body. This is done in the form of lightening bolts and strange blue glows but it does give the film a form of cult charm.
And finally to my favourite part of the film, sad that I am it has to be the music. The title of this review precedes what is for me one of the most famous lines of any Queen song ‘I am immortal, I have inside me blood of kings’ although for any non highlander fans it is more likely to be ‘Scaramouch, Scaramouch will you do the fandango’ There is something about Freddy‘s voice that completes the theatrical, dramatic atmosphere of the whole film. This worked both ways as Christophe Lambert does turn up in the video of the song with his sword to do battle with Mr Mercury. Other highlights include the ballad ‘Who wants to live forever’ and of course ‘It’s a kind of magic’ so for any Queen fan the soundtrack is also as impressive as the film.
So do I recommend the film? Absolutely a wholehearted yes, it may look a tad dated in many ways but it is a great story, it is the original Highlander and by far the best, not least because I honestly believe they sacked the continuity man at some point along the way with the other 3. Does good prevail, does Connor win the prize and does he ever find happiness? If you’re over 15 then go get the film (Amazon price £6.97 for the DVD) to find out.
Advantages: Great acting, storyline and scenes Disadvantages: Special effects
Highlander was a hit in the eighties and still is a favourite to many people. It has been said to be one of the top films to see even 20 years on. The film was made in 1986 and is still a must see film.
Russell Mulcahy directed the film Highlander as well as the second Highlander film. He was born in 23rd June 1953 in Australia. He has also directed the TV series "Queer as Folk". He has also directed many music videos over the years for artists ... ...Connor MacLeod is a Scottish highlander born into the MacLeod clan. They battle against rival clans, which happened a lot in this period in the harsh days in Scotland. Connor soon discovers he is immortal and will come in connect with many other immortals over the next hundreds of years to succeed by getting the best reward ever. The main baddie is The Kurgen who will do anything for this prize in his own vicious way. Connor will need to face The ...
emi_angel 04.06.2006
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of Highlander (DVD)
Advantages: A Truely Captivating Movie Disadvantages: Bonus Features Are A Little Lacking
Connor MacLeod is a clansman living in the Scottish Highlands in the sixteenth century. After surviving what should have been a fatal wound at the hands of a mysterious foreigner during a battle between clans, Connor is banished from his clan under the belief that he is possessed by demons. Living alone in the highlands he is one day found by Juan Villa-Lobos Ramirez, a servant of the king of Spain, who explains to MacLeod that he is immortal, capable ... ...mentor's him in preparation for this future trying to win 'The Prize' - to be the sole surviving immortal, because, in the end, "there can be only one".
Made in 1985, the movie stars Christopher Lambert as Connor MacLeod and Sean Connery as Ramirez. The two actors have a good on screen repore and their exchanges come across as genuine and believable. The relationship of mentor/student is very well played.
Clancy Brown plays an excellent role as ...
BlueMidget 29.09.2006
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of Highlander (DVD)
Advantages: Decent storyline, imaginative, good soundtrack Disadvantages: Special effects are sadly lacking
...a big fan of the Highlander movies, and as a treat I decided to get him the original film on DVD from Amazon with some vouchers that I had earned through taking surveys. If memory serves me correctly I paid somewhere in the region of £4.97, although I would always recommend that you shop around as there are always bargains to be had if you know where to look.
I have to admit to having an ulterior motive for buying the DVD. I will watch absolutely ... ...Run Time - 116 minutes
Rating - 15 (some violence and sex)
Languages - English, Italian, Spanish
Subtitles - French, Dutch
Extra Features - Trailer, Photo/Poster Albums, Chapter Search, Filmographies
***Cast***
Christopher Lambert - Connor MacLeod
Sean Connery - Juan Sanchez Villa-Lobos Ramirez
Clancy Brown - The Kurgan
James Cosmo - Angus MacLeod
Roxanne Hart - Brenda Wyatt
Beatie Edney - Heather MacLeod
***Synopsis***
Connor MacLeod ...
bonsi6337 01.05.2008
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of Highlander (DVD)
Advantages: great action and a good story Disadvantages: does slow down in places
Director: Russell Mulcahy.
Producers: Peter S. Davies William N. Panzer and E.C. Monell
Writers: Gregory Widen, Peter Bellwood and Larry Ferguson.
Stars: Christopher Lambert, Sean Connery, Clancy Brown, and Roxanne Hart.
Soundtrack by Queen. Released in 1986 this film was classed as a action/fantasy and filmed in some fantastically beautiful locations. **THE PLOT** *MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS**
In the beginning of the film the viewer is taken into ... ...was born. Taking you through his first battle where he meets another of 'his kind' who seriously injures MacLeod, but somehow MacLeod manages to survive to the astonishment of his clansmen, who brand him a witch and banish him from his clan.
We follow MacLeod through his life, his marriage in 1540 to Heather (played by Beatie Edney), his meetings with other 'Immortals', like his friend Juan Sanchez Villa-Lobo's Ramirez (played by Sean Connery).
...
blissman70 07.05.2008
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of Highlander (DVD)
Advantages: Good Story Good Actor's good music And Very original Disadvantages: A Little Repetitive with the fights
Highlander the film especially this one I found was the best one out of the 4 of them so if you haven’t watched it but have watched the others you will never really understand the film until you watch this one.
Connor MacLeod is an immortal he fought his first battle in the Scottish Highlands in 1536 and it wont be his last fight, but his greatest battle will be on the streets of new York city in 1998 where he will fight Victor Kruger/the Kurgan ... ...Kombat (1995)
Knight moves (1992)
Highlander 2 (1991)
Highlander 3 Highlander Endgame (2001)
And he was the executive producer for Nine months (1995)
And knights moves.
He also appeared as a guest in WWF Smack down in (1999) as himself and Highlander the program as Connor MacLeod, Duncan MacLead’s finder when he first become immortal.
Roxanne Hart – (Brenda J Wyatt)
She was born in Trenton, New Jersey USA
On the 27th July 1952
She stared ...
MotherMacLean 12.05.2004
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of Highlander (DVD)
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Advantages: Solid Acting, Good Atmosphere Disadvantages: Average Special Effects
I first saw Highlander a couple of years back on late night TV and when I later saw it for a great price on DVD I decided to purchase it. Highlander was never a big hit at the box office but when you watch it on you will see that this will always be a classic. While what few of the special effects in the film are very basic compared to today's standards they are nothing to complain about, and they are never the star of the screen when there is solid performances by Christopher Lambert, Sean Connery and Clancy Brown. The story of the film evolves around Christopher Lambert's character who is an immortal Scottish swordsman who must confront the last of his immortal opponents, a murderously brutal barbarian who lusts for the fabled "Prize"; enough power to rule the earth forever, while this may sound a little cliché it isnt, the film spans ...
Advantages: Some interesting ideas, good fight scenes Disadvantages: Movie fans will probably feel disappointed
performances. Lisa Barbuscia as Kate MacLeod/Faith is particularly notable, although her overall scene time is somewhat limited.
Equally, Beatie Edney?s reprisal of her role as Heather MacLeod, (Connor?s first wife and ?true love?) is something of a pleasant touch that, whilst perhaps trivial to non/new fans, it added to my enjoyment of ?Endgame?.
~~~ The DVD ~~~
The DVD is somewhat surprising since it?s the only Highlander movie disc I own that actually contains a fair amount of bonus material. The Special Features are: -
- Behinds The Scenes Featurette
- Audio Commentary
- Deleted Scenes
- Hidden Special Features
- Interactive Game
- Visual Effects: A Historical Progression
- DVD ROM Features
The ?Behind The Scenes? feature is quite interesting and give you a good insight into the process of making the movie. For me, this gave ...
Advantages: Excellent story and acting, amazing soundtrack Disadvantages: Saw a wire in one of the end scenes!
I have seen bits of this film over the years and from what I saw it looked quite complicated to follow as it goes from the 1980?s back to the 16 century and it looked quite confusing but after sitting and watching it all in one go I found it was the opposite and I did actually enjoy the story.
Connor MacLeod was born in 1518 in the highland and when his village goes to battle he comes up against The Krugan, he means nothing to Connor but the Krugan seems determined to kill him and he mentions during battle that there must be only one.
Back in the present, 1985, Connor is watching a wrestling match when he suddenly gets up to leave and whilst walking across the car park he comes face to face with a man who tried to decapitate him, Connor reveals his sword and the fight ends up with the other man being decapitated.
We then move ...
The immortals are destined to live forever, but there can be only 'One...' From Sixteenth Century Scotland to present-day New York, the fate of mortal man hangs in the balance.
Garth Inns, Bert Luxford, Graham Longhurst, Martin Gutteridge
Costume Designer
James Acheson
Languages
Main Language
English
Dubbed Language
Italian, Spanish
Subtitle Language
Dutch, French
Technical information
Special Features
Trailer, Photo Poster Album, Filmographies, Chapter Search
Aspect Ratio
1.85 Anamorphic Wide Screen
Sound
Dolby Digital 5.1, Dolby Digital 2.0
Dubbing Sound
Dolby Digital 5.1 English Dolby Digital 2.0 Italian Spanish
Professional reviews
Review
"...Entertaining....The picture is beautifully photographed....Outstanding special effects..." (Variety, 12/03/1986)
DVD Description
Russell Mulcahy's original saga of immortal Scotsman Connor Macleod, one of a race of immortals who can only be killed when beheaded with a sword. After living in peace for four centuries, he is challenged by an old enemy named Kurgan.
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