Highlander (1986)

Director:

Russell Mulcahy

Writers:

Gregory Widen (story)
Gregory Widen (screenplay) ...

Release Date:

7 March 1986 (USA)

Genre:

Action | Fantasy

Tagline:

He fought his first battle on the Scottish Highlands in 1536. He will fight his greatest battle on the streets of New York City in 1986. His name is Connor MacLeod. He is immortal.

Plot:

An immortal Scottish swordsman must confront the last of his immortal opponent, a murderously brutal barbarian who lusts for the fabled "Prize".

Plot Keywords:

Immortal | New York City | Scottish | Scotland | Sword

Cast

Christopher Lambert	...	Connor 'The Highlander' MacLeod / Russell Edwin Nash
Roxanne Hart	...	Brenda J. Wyatt
Clancy Brown	...	Victor Kruger / The Kurgan
Sean Connery	...	Juan Sanchez Villa-Lobos Ramirez
Beatie Edney	...	Heather MacLeod
Alan North	...	Lieutenant Frank Moran
Jon Polito	...	Det. Walter Bedsoe
Sheila Gish	...	Rachel Ellenstein
Hugh Quarshie	...	Sunda Kastagir
Christopher Malcolm	...	Kirk Matunas
Peter Diamond	...	Aman Fasil
Billy Hartman	...	Dugal MacLeod
James Cosmo	...	Angus MacLeod
Celia Imrie	...	Kate MacLeod
Alistair Findlay	...	Chief Murdoch

MPAA:

Rated R for strong action violence, a scene of sexuality and some language.

Runtime:

116 min | USA:110 min (theatrical version)

Country:

USA | UK

Language:

English

Colour:

Colour (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby | 70 mm 6-Track

Certification:

Germany:12 (cut) | Germany:16 (re-rating) (2007) | Germany:18 | Iceland:14 | Iceland:16 (video rating) | Italy:T | Canada:13+ (Quebec) | Canada:14 (Nova Scotia) (director's cut) (1996) | Canada:R (Nova Scotia) (original rating) | Canada:R (Manitoba/Ontario) | South Korea:15 | New Zealand:M | Brazil:14 | Argentina:Atp | Australia:M | Finland:K-16 | Norway:18 (cut) | Singapore:M18 | Sweden:15 | UK:15 | USA:R | West Germany:18 | Netherlands:16

Filming Locations:

59th Street Bridge, Manhattan, New York City, New York, USA

Company:

Thorn EMI Screen Entertainment

Trivia:

The opening shot sweeping through the stadium was accomplished using a computerized system that held the camera on four wires. The system was invented by the inventor of the Steadicam stabilizing camera system, Garrett Brown.

Goofs:

Revealing mistakes: When Connor decapitates Kurgan the Quickening begins with the large windows behind him blowing out of their frames. When this occurs you can clearly see the primer cord encased in the windows igniting just as the glass shatters.

Quotes:

[after Connor has called Ramirez a "haggis"]
Ramirez: Haggis? What is haggis?
Connor MacLeod: Sheep's stomach, stuffed with meat and barley.
Ramirez: And what do you do with it?
Connor MacLeod: You eat it.
Ramirez: How revolting!

Movie Connections:

Featured in Queen: Greatest Video Hits 2 (2003) (V)

Soundtrack:

A Kind Of Magic

This is still an enjoyable movie.

I saw this movie for the very first time in the late eighties and, for as far as I still can remember of course, I know that I was very impressed by the special effects used in this movie. Of course, when it comes to special effects, much has changed since this movie was created 20 years ago, but it was still nice to watch.

Connor Macleod is the Highlander, an immortal who was born in 1518 and who fought his first battle on the Scottish Highlands in 1536. When he gets mortally wounded, but doesn't die, he is banned by his clan because they fear the Devil's work has made him survive. Five years later he meets Juan Sanchez Villa-Lobos Ramirez, who explains him why he didn't die and what it means to be an immortal. He finds out that he can only die when decapitated by another immortal and that, in the future, he will have to compete in some kind of contest. Only the best will survive and win "The Prize". The contest takes place in 1985, in New York City and he'll have to face Victor Kruger / The Kurgan, a murderously brutal barbarian.

Despite the fact that it sometimes may look a bit dated because of the special effects, this movie is still enjoyable. The story is interesting and the acting was good (personally I loved Clancy Brown the most as The Kurgan). And of course the soundtrack is very good as well, at least when you can appreciate the music by Queen. If not, than this may well be the soundtrack from hell for you, because the only music in it is from Queen. Overall I can say that, despite some minor defects, I had a good time watching this movie. That's why I give it a 7/10.