Highlander

If you don't know the story of this scene, here it is in brief. The Director and Producers decided not to shoot the scene where Conner meets Rachael, to save some money. During editing they changed their minds, and paid, out-of-pocket to set up and shoot that scene. They called back Christopher Lambert and got some child actor and quickly slapped the scene together. With the scene shot they went back to editing and spliced the footage in and decided it looked really bad and took it out again.

Fast forward to the release of the Directors-Cut and the only way to justify a Directors-Cut--by inserting this terrible footage. Now I can't get a DVD version without this awful scene.

If this scene had been done properly (as in budgeted for, and done when Lamberts regular make-up person was there (I keep asking myself if this is what a person looks like on film with no make-up, or just with really really bad make-up), and if Lambert had felt like acting that day ) this could have been a very beneficial scene for the movie--but as it stands it's not.

I give the original release of Highlander 5 stars. The current versions with all its "improvements" I can only give 2 stars.

All I wanted was a decent DVD transfer of the original movie.

Highlander makes little logical sense, but tries to pretend it does with various conflicting explanations that never cover plot holes or explain why competitors would be so helpful and friendly with one another if they knew they might have to face each other in a duel to the death.... But never mind logic.. this is action packed pick out the continuity errors-fun isn't it?

UCLA student Gregory Widen (who went on to write and direct Prophecy and was one of the writers of Backdraft) wrote Highlander, as his senior thesis and attempted to create a fantastical legend about a chosen group of immortals who walk the earth for centuries, preparing for duel to the death sword battles with each other. Mostly set in 1986, it offers the impressive spectacle of swashbuckling sword fights taking place in parking garages, modern streets and rooftops all cut like music videos. There's a couple of flashbacks to merry old England and the Scottish Highlands that are done quite well (yes, that's the same castle used here that's used in Monty Python and the Holy Grail).

My favorite sequence is still the wild ride Kurgan (Clancy Brown) takes Roxane Hart on toward the end of the film. Crazed, evil Clancy is immortal and enjoys terrorizing mortals, driving fast, and causing mayhem. He grabs the film's ingénue and takes her on a wild ride right over poor Mr. Toad that is a pure visceral shot of cinematic adrenalin.

What keeps Highlander enjoyable and explains it's popular loyal cult following is it's matter of fact, somehow this makes sense, don't try to figure out, we're not completely serious tone. It winds up being a very silly, violent, action packed ride. It's not outwardly campy and tongue-in-cheek (except when Brown or Connery are on screen). It's directed and edited like a music video which wasn't the case with every other movie back when this was made by Rusell Mulcahy (who had directed many music videos). The normally dull and wooden Lambert comes across much better than say a heavily accented Chuck Norris, Van Damme type action hero usually does, simply because the film doesn't linger on him a moment longer than it has to. Just when the film starts sagging big time, Sean Connery arrives on the scene playing the kind of high energy Errol Flynn you've always wanted him to play. Things get down-right cartoonish with the proper introduction of an over-the-top bad attitude, bad guy Kurgan (Brown). Suddenly the film feels like a WWF extravaganza with swords instead of folding chairs. And so it goes.

Yes, Highlander is a guilty pleasure film. It's fun, if you let it be. It's got exciting visuals. The sequels are awful, the t.v. series better than you'd think, but the first movie
is well... the One.

Highlander also features three mediocre Queen Songs that are so incongruent and wrong for the film... they fit perfectly.

IMAGE AND SOUND

Highlander was originally thrown onto the marketplace in a Republic DVD release that was one of the worst DVDs ever released. A restored director's cut version was later produced which added about ten minutes of footage to the film, and then came an improved re-mastered version. Previous (to 2002) Anchor Bay releases have been discontinued. This new edition features an Anamorphic widescreen presentation which is superior to former editions. The film was not made on a huge budget and has a slightly softer focus than the crisp images newer films have, but there were all these filters and smoke and various lighting effects going on and then effects were added via computer 1980's style. You won't find much artifacting and the black levels are stronger, but details in the shadows are still lost and some of the darker scenes look pretty muddy.

The audio is where Anchor Bay has gone crazy making a new DD EX mix AND a six-channel DTS mix. Lots of use of the various channels during action sequences. For all the noise and flash the dialogue remains clear and easy to hear. When the film isn't being bombastic and over the top, it's way too quiet and the sudden jumps might be annoying and sound very shrill to the uninitiated. More sensitive viewers will want to have the remote nearby to monitor the volume control. To those knowing it's a cheesy, campy film, this loud re-mix is perfect for the film.

Extra Features:

Well the extras for the ...IMMORTAL package consist of the metal slipcase, a 24 page booklet of production notes and an additional disc that has three Queen songs (Princes of the Universe, One Year of Love and Friends will be Friends). Oh you also get three Queen videos and a couple of mediocre still galleries as well.

If you're a Highlander film fanatic AND a big fan of Queen, it might be worth getting this special collectors package. Otherwise the other Highlander DVD will satisfy you just fine.

Incidentally the interesting Queen version of New York, New York (form the film) remains the only known unreleased Queen song. It is not on the bonus C.D. of this package.<P