Highlander (1986)

User Rating:

7.2/10   

Director:

Russell Mulcahy

Writers:

Gregory Widen (written by) and
Peter Bellwood (writer) ...

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 | Scottish | Scotland | Sword

US TV Schedule:

Sat. July 18	3:30 PM	AMC
Sun. July 19	1:00 AM	AMC
Tue. July 21	10:15 AM	AMC

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

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby | 70 mm 6-Track

Certification:

Germany:12 (cut) | Germany:16 (cut) | 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:

EMI Films

Trivia:

Sean Connery and Christopher Lambert got along so well during filming that they called each other by their characters' names even when they were not filming and it was at Lambert's insistence that Connery and his character returned for the sequel.

Goofs:

Continuity: The vigilante drives a 1977 Firebird, which soon turns into a 1979 Firebird.

Quotes:

Connor MacLeod: I've been alive for four and a half centuries, and I cannot die.
Brenda: Well, everyone has got their problems

Movie Connections:

Featured in The Making of 'Highlander' I - Eine Legende wird geboren (2007) (V)

Soundtrack:

Hammer To Fall

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.