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 | cult film | combat | 

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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

Mel Gibson, who turned down the part of Connor MacLeod, acted in and directed Braveheart (1995), also set in Scotland. James Cosmo appeared in both films. Coincidentally, Christopher Lambert was considered to play Martin Riggs in Lethal Weapon (1987), but he turned it down, which went to Gibson. Kurt Russell, who also turned down Connor MacLeod, was also considered to play Martin Riggs. Michael Kamen also scored all four Lethal Weapon films.

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Goofs

When the Kurgan and Brenda look at the Silvercup building from the bridge, the sign says "Silvercup Studios." When MacLeod and the Kurgan fight on top of the building, the sign simply says "Silvercup."

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Quotes

Tony the Hotdog Vendor: [as Tony reads a newspaper headlined: Headhunter-3, Cops-Zero] Hey Moran! Have you read what it says in here?
Lieutenant Frank Moran: You kiddin' Tony? You know cops can't read.
Tony the Hotdog Vendor: [Teasingly to Moran] What does 'INCOMPETENT' mean?
Lieutenant Frank Moran: [Speaking to Detective Bedsoe] That mayor, he calls me at 2 o'clock in the morning! I mean I don't even answer the phone anymore!
Tony the Hotdog Vendor: Hey! What does 'BAFFLED' mean? Hee hee hee hee! Ha ha ha ha!
[Moran and Bledsoe give Tony an irritated look]
Tony the Hotdog Vendor: .

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Alternate Versions

In the U.S director's cut the chants "Kill the MacLeod!" are removed at the beginning of the film compared to the original U.S. release.

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Connections

Referenced in Ready Player One (2018)

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Soundtracks

One Year Of Love
(uncredited)
Performed by Queen
Written by John Deacon

User Reviews

A Good Film Whose Reputation Has Been Dragged Down By Poor Sequels

When I first saw this film, I thought it was great. Connery is good, Lambert does passably well, the effects are good, the idea of a bunch of special individuals who had known about each other (and in some cases, liked each other) for centuries being drawn together, knowing that only one could come out alive. The effects were, at the time, good and had not been flogged to death. I even enjoyed the introductory clan-on-clan warfare.

Then came Highlander 2, a film which deserved its place on the Bottom 100 and the nadir of Sean Connery's career. As someone else said about that film: "don't break every rule you set up in the first film." Even the series didn't do that. And the reputation of the first good film suffered.

Separating the first film from the bad sequels, and a series that a lot of people can take or leave, it is still a good film. Unfortunately, a good idea was taken and flogged to death afterward.