There can be only one.
Plot: What’s it about?
It is said that all men face death at some point, but some walk this realm with a special power, one which allows them to roam for thousands of years, even as most of the others around them perish. One such man is Connor Macleod (Christopher Lambert), a Scottish warrior who was banished from his own village, after he was mortally wounded in battle, but survived. His villagers were shocked and assumed it was the work of the devil, since no mortal man could survive the wound, so Macleod was sent out. After five years on his own, he runs into Juan Sanchez Villa-Lobos Ramirez (Sean Connery), a man who not only instructs Connor in the ways of the sword, but also about his special condition. Thus Connor learns he is an immortal, but that he can be killed if his head is cut off and if that is done by another immortal, his powers will be assumed by his killer, who will become even stronger. When there is only immortal left, he will have the power to rule the world and as such, the surviving immortals have gathered in modern New York, to hold battles to decide the fate of them all. Can Connor avenge the death of Ramirez at the hands of Kurgan, or will evil be allowed to win the battle and assume the ultimate power?
This film spawned three sequels, a television series, a successful line of merchandise, and of course, a sizable fanbase that expands with each new installment. None of the films have been as well taken as the original however, and with good reason, as it is the best one in the series and is a lot of fun, the kind of flick I could watch all the time and never be bored. I admit, it has some cheese laden moments, but Highlander has some cool action sequences, a very cool premise, and just a certain atmosphere that keeps fans coming back. So no, Highlander does not qualify as an art picture nor does it contain deep social commentary, but it is a blast to watch, no doubt about it. This new Immortal Edition from Anchor Bay is a terrific package, but if you don’t want to spend the extra cash, at least pick up their standard version, both are worthwhile investments.
Sure, he’s almost blind and has never worked his way into mainstream success, but Christopher Lambert is still a talented performer, if you ask me. No, his work won’t bring in critical praise and loads of small golden statues, but he delivers when he needs to, though he has lost a step or two since Highlander. I think he has the skills to be in larger scale pictures, but the masses don’t seem to support him, so he ends up in low budget or straight to video projects. I think this is a shame, as Lambert is a gifted performer and while not the best action star, he has his moments. His recent efforts have mostly been in direct to video releases, but in Highlander, he proves he could headline and deliver the goods. Other films with Lambert include Mortal Kombat, Mean Guns, The Hunted, Beowulf, and Knight Moves. The cast also includes Sean Connery (Thunderball, Zardoz), Roxanne Hart (The Last Innocent Man, When Secrets Kill), and Clancy Brown (Starship Troopers, The Shawshank Redemption).
Video: How does it look?
Highlander is one of those movies that’s seen all sorts of incarnations on various home video formats. Dare I say that this is the best it’s ever looked? Oh, I dare! There are plenty of “Anniversary Editions” out there that don’t really take advantage of the significance of time passing. Take the recent Aliens: 30th Anniversary disc. It looked and sounded good, they compiled some extras, gave it some new packaging and want the public to buy it again. Now take Highlander. This movie has undergone a new 4K transfer and it shows. I mean it really shows! Granted, this movie won’t ever look as crystal clear as today’s films, but if you were ever “fortunate” enough to see the first DVD of this film (and I use that word in quotes for a reason) then you’ll see how far we’ve come with the way this looks. Most all of the elements of grain are gone, leaving a very clear print. Contrast and colors have been enhanced, all noise is gone. Black levels are smooth and contrast has been improved. It’s like they breathed new life into the film. At the risk of speaking in a cliché, this is the version that fans have been waiting for.
Audio: How does it sound?
Like the video presentation, the audio has also seen some other versions in different editions. At one time it had a Dolby Digital EX mix (remember that?). However this Blu-ray features a newly-remastered DTS HD Master Audio mix that more than does the job. Vocals don’t sound as harsh or hollow as in previous versions, they sound more centered and “present” if you will. And, let’s face it, when you’ve got Queen songs blaring throughout – don’t we want Freddie and the boys to sound their best? I thought so. Keep in mind that this movie is three decades old, so even though the surrounds are used, some of it is a bit limited. Still, given what I’ve experienced in previous editions – they got it right here.
Supplements: What are the extras?
Several new segments have been added for this 30th Anniversary release, though some of these have been parts of various editions in the past.
- The Making of Highlander: This 2-hour documentary isn’t new, but it’s a good basis for those that haven’t seen the films before and it’s pretty encompassing.
- Part I: The Legend Begins – We get some information from the writers as to how they came up with the script, some of the elements that didn’t make it into the film as well as the mainly negative reaction to the film’s sequel.
- Part II: The Visual Style – Director of Photography Gerry Fisher and Set Decorator Allan Cameron give an overview as to the physical look and feel of the film.
- Part III: A Strong Woman – Roxanne Hart speaks about her character in the movie.
- Part IV: The Producer’s Point of View – Producer William N. Panser speaks about the film from his perspective. Odd, considering the subject of the feature, I know.
- Deleted Scenes – Five total, all presented in varying degrees of how they look and sound.
- Interview with Actor Christopher Lambert – One of the new features, actor Christopher Lambert speaks about what led him to the role and some other assorted stories regarding the film!
- Interview with Director Russell Mulcahy – Another new interview, the film’s director Russell Mulcahy speaks about his direction (only his second film), securing Queen to do some of the songs for the film and so forth.
- Archival Interview with Actor Christopher Lambert – A more “vintage” interview with Lambert who speaks in French.
- Audio Commentary – Sadly this isn’t a new commentary track, but it’s nice to have this here. Mulcahy gives some tidbits here and there about the film, some of what inspired it and some various odds and ends during the shoot. It’s not a bad track by any means, but given that they sat him down for a new 20 minute interview, you’d figure he could have taken a few more hours out of his day and recorded a 30th Anniversary track.
- Theatrical Trailer – A newly-restored trailer complete with Queen music. Yeah!
The Bottom Line
The term “cult classic” is thrown around a lot, but if ever there’s a film that fits the definition to a tee – it’s got to be Highlander. This movie has seen highs and lows on DVD, but thankfully with this new restoration, some new features and new audio mix – it’s finally gotten the love it sorely deserves.
