Highlander (1986)

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

Director:

Russell Mulcahy

Writers:

Gregory Widen (story), Gregory Widen (screenplay)

Stars:

Christopher Lambert, Sean Connery, Clancy Brown

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Christopher Lambert	...	Connor MacLeod
Roxanne Hart	...	Brenda Wyatt
Clancy Brown	...	Kurgan
Sean Connery	...	Ramirez
Beatie Edney	...	Heather (as Beattie Edney)
Alan North	...	Lt. Frank Moran
Sheila Gish	...	Rachel Ellenstein
Jon Polito	...	Det. Walter Bedsoe
Hugh Quarshie	...	Sunda Kastagir
Christopher Malcolm	...	Kirk Matunas
Peter Diamond	...	Fasil
Billy Hartman	...	Dugal MacLeod
James Cosmo	...	Angus MacLeod
Celia Imrie	...	Kate
Alistair Findlay	...	Chief Murdoch

Storyline

In New York, the owner of a sophisticated antique shop Russell Edwin Nash is challenged to a sword fight in the parking lot of the Madison Square Garden by a man called Iman Fasil that is beheaded by Russell. He hides his sword and is arrested by the police while leaving the stadium. Russell recalls his life in the Sixteenth Century in Scotland, when he is Connor MacLeod and is fatally wounded in a battle against another Clan. However he surprisingly survives and his Clan believes he has a pact with the devil and expels him from their lands. Then he meets Juan Sanchez Villa-Lobos Ramirez who explains that he is immortal unless he is beheaded. Further, the immortals dispute a game killing each other and in the end only one survives receiving a prize with the power of the other immortals. Russell is released by the police, but the snoopy forensic agent Brenda J. Wyatt is attracted by the case since she found fragments of an ancient Katana and follows Russell. But the also immortal ...

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Plot Keywords:

immortal | swordsman | scotland | combat | cult film | 

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Taglines:

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.

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Genres:

Action | Adventure | Fantasy

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

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

Details

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Release Date:

7 March 1986 (USA)

Also Known As:

Dark Knight

Filming Locations:

The Storr, Isle of Skye, Highland, Scotland, UK

Box Office

Budget:

$16,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$2,453,021, 9 March 1986

Gross USA:

$5,900,000

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$12,885,193

Company Credits

Production Co:

Thorn EMI Screen Entertainment, Highlander Productions Limited, Davis-Panzer Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

116 min 110 min (theatrical)

Sound Mix:

Dolby Stereo 70 mm 6-Track

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The wrestling match in the beginning scene was between the legendary AWA (American Wrestling Association) tag teams of "The Fabulous Freebirds", consisting of Michael Hayes, Terry Gordy, and Buddy Roberts, and the team of Greg Gagne (son of AWA owner Verne Gagne), Jumping Jim Brunzell (the same Brunzell of the WWF tag team The Killer Bees), and the Tonga Kid (also known as Tama of the WWF tag team The Islanders).

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Goofs

In the establishing flashback to Scottland, a priest announces the year as 1536, but the Gregorian calendar (along with its modern tabulation of years) was not implemented until 1582.

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Quotes

Barman: [Brenda sitting alone in a pub] Hey, Brenda. The usual?
Brenda: Lots of it.
Barman: [Barman pours Brenda's drink into her glass] Say when.
Brenda: When.
Barman: [Connor arrives and sits at the bar] Excuse me a minute, Brenda.
Connor MacLeod: A double Glenmorangie on the rocks.
Barman: Glenmorangie? - Right.
Connor MacLeod: Go to the Garden often?
Brenda: What did you say?
Connor MacLeod: [Connor points at himself] Hmm?
[...]

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Alternate Versions

The European version and later US Director's Cut does not contain a short scene shot from inside Det. Bedsoe's car as he stakes out Brenda's apartment during MacLeod's visit.

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Connections

Referenced in Brooklyn Nine-Nine: The Tagger (2013)

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Soundtracks

A Dozen Red Roses for my Darling
(uncredited)
Performed by Queen
Written by Roger Taylor

User Reviews

A Classic of the 80's

Highlander is perhaps the definitive modern-day, non-horror fantasy adventure. The use of flashbacks within the story is perhaps not unique, but the concept sees its full fruition here. Such integral "flashback storytelling" would later be borrowed by many movies and TV shows (the Highlander series itself, Forever Knight, and Outlaws among the latter). Everyone is well cast, from the major roles (Lambert, Brown, Connery, Hart, and North) to the minor roles (Peter Diamond, Hugh Quarshie, Sheila Gish, and Christopher Malcolm, among others). Of necessity, must be seen in the Director's Cut version. Various web sites also have the further "missing scenes," including the Kurgan's battle with Immortal Yung Dol Kim, and Kastagir and MacLeod actually having that party they mention.