Name: Highlander
Language: English/American
Date: 1986
Certificate: 15 (in UK)
Soundtrack: all by Queen! (ppl who id 'bohemian rhapsody')
Some Actors you might know: Sean connery smile [as Ramierez]
DT's Rating: 7/10
Origional Trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ytLksBTyZIM
Best quotes:
Quote:
Ramirez: [singing] B-A-L-A-N-C-E, balance...
Connor MacLeod: I don't like boats, I don't like water. I'm a man, not a fish.
Ramirez: So you complain endlessly.
Connor MacLeod: You look like a woman you stupid 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!
[Ramirez sneezes]
Connor MacLeod: Be still for God's sake! You'll tip us over.
Ramirez: So?
Connor MacLeod: I cannot swim you Spanish peacock.
Ramirez: I'm not Spanish, I'm Egyptian.
Connor MacLeod: You said you were from Spain! You're a liar!
Ramirez: You have the manners of a goat. And you smell like a dung-heap! And you have no knowledge whatsoever of your potential! Now.
[shouts]
Ramirez: Get out!
[rocks the boat, sending MacLeod into the lake]
Connor MacLeod: [as Ramirez rows away] Help me, I'm drowning!
Ramirez: You can't drown, you fool, you're immortal!
[continues rowing]
Plot (from Wikipedia) CONTAINS SPOILERS
Quote:
Connor MacLeod (Christopher Lambert) was born in the year 1518 "in the village of Glenfinnan on the shores of Loch Shiel." In 1536, his clan is in conflict with the Clan Fraser, and Connor rides along into his first battle. The Frasers are working with a towering monster of a man known as The Kurgan (Clancy Brown), who has recognized that Connor is a fellow Immortal and hopes to use the battle to kill Connor before he becomes aware of his abilities. On the battlefield, Connor wonders why none of the Fraser's forces will attack him, until he comes across the Kurgan and is struck by an odd pain (from sensing the proximity of another immortal, though he doesn't know it at the time). This leaves him open to attack.
The Kurgan mortally wounds Connor and prepares to decapitate him, but the MacLeod kinsmen intervene just before this occurs, with the Kurgan vowing to return. The clan mourn Connor, but he miraculously revives shortly after his "death." Accusing him of witchcraft, Connor's clansmen beat him and prepare to burn him, but his cousin Angus (James Cosmo) persuades them to exile Connor instead. He escapes with his life but is banished forever from his clan and birthplace.
MacLeod eventually becomes a blacksmith in Glencoe, where he marries Heather (Beatie Edney). In 1541, he is located by a much older Immortal, who introduces himself as Juan Sánchez Villa-Lobos Ramírez (Sean Connery). He explains that the pain he feels in the Kurgan's and Ramírez's presence is "The Quickening," which compels Immortals to battle each other. Ramírez appoints himself MacLeod's tutor in the ways of being Immortal, their pursuit of The Prize, and the rules of an age-old "Game," which will end when the few who remain participate in "The Gathering," noting that "in the end, there can be only one." Immortals can only die by decapitation and can only avoid battle on holy ground.
Ramírez later explains that his own name is just his current alias, being Egyptian by birth. He adopted it while serving as Chief Metallurgist for Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor (also King of Spain between 1516-1556). His sword is a katana he received in Japan in 593 B.C., made by his (then) father-in-law Masamune. Masamune, a genius far ahead of his time in the forging of swords, was the father of Princess Shakiko, Ramírez's third wife. Ramírez also takes it upon himself to improve MacLeod's swordsmanship, which he declares is "no better than that of a clumsy child."
Connor MacLeod
Ramírez warns MacLeod to leave his wife or face heartbreak, explaining that "I was born 2,437 years ago. In that time, I've had three wives. The last was Shakiko, a Japanese princess... When Shakiko died, I was shattered. I would save you that pain. Please, let Heather go." He also explains that Immortals are incapable of having children.
MacLeod refuses to leave his wife, though he continues to train under Ramírez, who also explains the origins of the Kurgan and the risk for the world if he wins the Prize. One night, the Kurgan arrives at MacLeod's home while MacLeod himself is absent, though Heather and Ramírez are there. The Kurgan and Ramírez duel, with the frightened Heather their only spectator. After an extended duel, which destroys the house, the Kurgan manages to decapitate Ramírez and proceeds to rape Heather. MacLeod soon returns to find his home in ruins, his mentor killed, and his wife alive but traumatized. She never tells him about the rape, and MacLeod never learns of the event until 1985, when the Kurgan mocks Ramírez's memory.
MacLeod remains with his wife until her death from old age. Dying in MacLeod's arms, she confides that her only regret was not having his children. After burying Heather, MacLeod burns their residence and wanders the world, journeying as far away as Japan, and finally ends up in America. These travels include an 18th century duel on Boston Common (in which a drunken MacLeod is repeatedly run through by a sword, to no effect, by an insulted husband), and killing a Nazi officer during World War II, rescuing young Rachel, a Holocaust survivor, in the process. His experiences over time leave him a bitter, cynical man.
In 1985 New York City, the few surviving Immortals are participating in "The Gathering", a final series of confrontations to determine the winner of "The Prize". Eventually, the last two surviving are MacLeod, under the alias of "Russell Edwin Nash" and the Kurgan, under the alias of "Victor Kruger." Meanwhile, the spike in what appear to be murders by decapitation has drawn the attention of the police, who find MacLeod leaving the scene of an earlier duel and bring him in for questioning. However, as their evidence is circumstantial, they cannot arrest him, though he becomes their prime suspect. Among the investigators of the case is forensic scientist Brenda Wyatt (Roxanne Hart), who is well-versed in the provenance of swords. Samples taken from the crime scene reveal the sword used is more than 2000 years old (MacLeod is now using Ramírez' sword) and she begins investigating him, primarily over interest in the sword.
Eventually, her investigation reveals MacLeod's longevity through the use of different names, and she confronts him about it. He reveals his true nature to her and she finds herself falling in love with him. This does not escape the attention of the Kurgan, who is now hunted by the police as the wanted murderer after being identified by a mortal he stabbed during a recent duel. He abducts Brenda to force MacLeod into a final confrontation. MacLeod battles the Kurgan, finally defeating him (with a little help from Brenda). He wins "The Prize" which is revealed to be mortality, the ability to sire children, and a telepathic/empathic gift described as "you are at one with all living things", and "each man's thoughts and dreams are yours to know". He and Brenda embark on a new life together.
Memorable scenes:
The bad guy and the good guy in the church: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mvnq_W0i3Bs
Training montage: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ev3BbKTsM48
The Review
ok, ok I overdid it with the links and text and whatnot...to the review!
This is one of my dad's absolute favourite films, so I've seen it a good few times. basically it's about immortals that are born and, over time, there comes a day where they kill each other to find ultimate knowledge. The main character if Mcloud, who we learn about his history and who is trying to survive from the bad-guy Kurgen who's been pursuing him since just before he learnt he was immortal, back in scotland in the 1500's.
The movie's a little dated now (to me that adds to its charm), but is still a good 'un and entertaining. To make things better the ENTIRE soundtrack is done by the 80's pop/rock lengends Queen (writers of bohemian rhapsody, its a kind of magic, i want to break free, we will rock you etc). in act, the script even makes a little nod to their songs with the line 'it's a kind of magic'. It just adds a nice topping to the film.
Also the theme song is beautiful and still amkes me cry. lol
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Jtpf8N5IDE
-ahem-
not much else to say heh-heh. like I said it's entertaining and a must for fans of 80s stuff and fantasy that's grounde din real life. genuinely very funny in places (look for the 18thc duelling scene), and eccentric and melodramatic in all the right doses.
Plus Sean Conery plays a 2,000+ year old Egyptian/Spaniard....with a Scottish accent.
lol!
7/10
