Queen put out the album A Kind of Magic which has most of the songs from the movie. It's missing A dozen red roses for my darling, since that was an instrumental,, and New York New York since that was just a partial cover, but its got everything else. But yeah that it doesn't have a complete soundtrack is dumb. Flash Gordon managed to have everything and that was also just treated as a straight up Queen album despite all the audio clips.
The song who wants to live forever is haunting and becomes even more haunting when you know that It's a Kinda Magic was the last album Queen released before Freddie was diagnosed with Aids.
Out of ALL the people from Hollywood I've wanted to talk to, Gregory Widen is the one person I find fascinating. Made a one off film about a Scottish Immortal and it's paid his rent for the last 40 years.
you have: a French guy playing a Scotsman. a Scottish guy playing an Egyptian with a Spanish name and look and finally a guy from California playing a Russian warlord and none of them are even attempting an appropriate accent. still wouldn't change the casting for any kind of reason.
My all time favourite movie. I remember seeing the poster on the tube in London thinking it was a horror film. I remember fondly, hiring the film from the video shop, sticking the VHS in, watching the trailers and then Seans voice sets the tone. Queen, wrestling, strange man in crowd. The carpark......sword fight decapitation and a quickening...i was blown away.
I use this opening as one of many examples in my editing lectures. As a biproduct a lot of zoomers now know it, and in extention the movie, as well. ^^
I feel like at the very least “Prince of The Universe” and “Who Wants To Live Forever?” Are as intrinsic to Highlanders identity as anything else. Also praise must be given to the training montage piece by Kamen.
Adrian Paul would be a better choice. He’s at the right age now and personally I think he has somewhat of a resemblance to Sean Connery when the Highlander was filmed.
I have loved this film since I first saw it as a child. I still think about different aspects of Highlander from time to time. So believe me when I say I am excited to learn more about the film that started this legendary series. I recently saw this argument on FB. People were saying how they loved Highlander, but thought Christopher Lambert was a terrible actor. They even included Adrian Paul (again arguing he was a terrible actor). Now while I disagree with them on points, the fact this argument happened in this day was what struck me...Highlander still has impact.
One of cinema's great coincidences, Brenda just happening to be an expert metallurgist on the side, specializing in swords, no less. Then when they show her book the back cover is laid out like a Danielle Steele novel, with a glossy glamour shot of the author on the back. You know, as is the case with all academic works on metallurgy. 😅
This movie holds up so well. The sequels were awful, for sure, but the original (and a good chunk of the series) are as immortal as the characters. So many quotes, amazing set pieces, iconic songs...
The series was suprisingly good, built out the world a little, added some nice relationships im/mortal. Once they found there footings, couple offseason in, became must-watch-TV. Let's not discuss the later, or even mention the last, seasons.
@@wifflemonkey The Four Horsemen two parter in Season Five was the series at its prime. I think everything went downhill from there. But there was no going back after Richie’s death. Which was also a great way to show how much Richie improved after Season 1. His death was the Jump the Shark moment!
It doesn't surprise me that the critical response was like it was. It's taken decades for critical review to actually develop an appreciation of genre movies.
Not to be a conceited dick, but I actually did come up with a workable sequel for Highlander at one point. Basically, Connor wins the game and acquires the prize, but he's not the only one. Immortals are born and die in spurts throughout history, with only one of them emerging definitively as the champion, but then that champion is supposed to live and die to make way for the next generation, but one managed to find a way to game the system, an immortal older than Conner and far more adept at using the 'source'. A ghost who lives through all, is a part of all, and all he needs is do take Conner's body to live again.
Hey, it has it's problems.. but it sure beats Zeist! And speaking of the Source, if you like to experience physical pain watching your favorite franchises burn, go watch the 'Highlander: The Source' movie. Warning: The laughter and cringe combination may be hazardous.
@@wifflemonkey I was actually imagining more of a Faustian Bargain kinda thing, because they're both champions then Conner has to 'let him in'. So he can possess his wife, his kids, harass him through mirrors and so on, adding a level of psychological warfare to the conflict.
There was an original version of the movie that must have been quite different to that we all know, as there was an early review in the UK Gaming magazine White Dwarf, which slated it - then a month or two later, they ran a second review which stated the re-edited version that reached the UK cinemas (ie the version we all know) was much, much better than that they'd originally watched and reviewed. I've never seen anyone else mention this fact and wonder to this day, what was that original, clearly different, version really like? What did they change?
While I'm very optimistic about the proposed remake, since this film does have flaws that could be ironed out to make it really sing, one point I don't know if you could recapture is the music, and Queen's influence on it. You might say "Well, there are bands today just as good as Queen." I would say that one, that's factually false, and two, it's not just Queen's talent that makes this soundtrack what it is. They way the band all fell in love with the movie, all contributed songs that fit perfectly with individual pieces of the film's themes and tones, but are also just amazing songs in their own right, I don't think that kind of alchemy could be repeated. Using the original songs could work, or updated versions, but I'm not sure how I'd feel about Taylor Swift's "Who Wants To Live Forever" and Tool's "Gimme The Prize" and so on. Hiring a big name band to do the soundtrack is fine, but I don't know that you'd get a band that *loves* the film doing the soundtrack, or just one taking a job.
Is it, though? I _like_ Queen, but even so the heavy (one might say "overwhelming") use of their music in the soundtrack makes this film feel extremely dated - in a way that, for example, _Conan the Barbarian_ with its gorgeous Basil Poledouris score does not.
@@Philistine47 Yes, it is. Other movies could only benefit from having more Queen. Conan the Barbarian, would be better with Queen. Star Wars, better with Queen. Flash Gordon, better with more Queen. Highlander, better with more Queen.
@@Philistine47 _Highlander_ is an 80s film. The one-dimensional over-the-top villain, the music video cinematography, the katana fetishization, the Vietnam vet turned vigilante, the male and female leads tumbling into bed at the drop of a hat--all signposts of the decade. The movie is a snapshot of its era and can be appreciated as such. _Conan_ is set in a fictional prehistoric era, and even almost a century ago when Howard first wrote his stories, he was intentionally harkening back to a mythologized, pre-civilized time. It's not really fair to compare them on that level. Even as I'm eternally grateful Milius rejected De Laurentiis' desire for a modern pop score and tapped Pouledouris instead.
Mid gritty 1980's New York is as much a character in the original movie as much as the actors. One of the main reasons why it can't really be remade. Even the pretty successful TV show wasn't the same without NY. You just can't sub Vancouver for the Apple in Decay.
I both want and do not want a remake, because I feel like we could expand on the themes of the franchise, but I also don't trust modern Hollywood to ruin it in one of many ways.
and many many years later the highlander stole a spaceship and travelled through time sometimes he had to change his face but would often keep his scottish accent
I love your work, Chuck, but one thing: You cannot complain about Star Trek constantly using "ancient" to describe anything before the development of Faster Than Light-Travel, and then use the word "ancient" yourself to show late middle age/renaissance European armour. Armour that only pre-dates the modern era by mere decades. (1:00)
16:45 Thatcher had just plunged millions of Brits into poverty, so not surprising that they were burning an effigy of her, even if it has nothing to do with the movie.
A Frenchman playing a Scotsman that eventually pretends to be American, and a Scotsman playing an Egyptian pretending to be Spanish. This film's very weird.
The fact that Highlander contains so many great songs yet still lacks a complete soundtrack album, is cruelty worthy of the Kurgan.
A Kind of Magic by Queen.
Not exactly a soundtrack, but close.
Queen put out the album A Kind of Magic which has most of the songs from the movie. It's missing A dozen red roses for my darling, since that was an instrumental,, and New York New York since that was just a partial cover, but its got everything else.
But yeah that it doesn't have a complete soundtrack is dumb. Flash Gordon managed to have everything and that was also just treated as a straight up Queen album despite all the audio clips.
@robbybevard8034 - It's also missing "Hammer To Fall", which was on their prior album, The Works.
The song who wants to live forever is haunting and becomes even more haunting when you know that It's a Kinda Magic was the last album Queen released before Freddie was diagnosed with Aids.
Out of ALL the people from Hollywood I've wanted to talk to, Gregory Widen is the one person I find fascinating. Made a one off film about a Scottish Immortal and it's paid his rent for the last 40 years.
"Better to burn out than to fade away!"
One of the three or four best lines in the film.
“Yes Mr Krabs.”
Just THINKING about this movie is enough to get Queen stuck in my head all day. “Heeeeere we aaaaaare”
you have:
a French guy playing a Scotsman.
a Scottish guy playing an Egyptian with a Spanish name and look
and finally a guy from California playing a Russian warlord
and none of them are even attempting an appropriate accent.
still wouldn't change the casting for any kind of reason.
Agreed. This movie has such a strange feel bc of all the weird casting. that is just part of its appeal!
My all time favourite movie. I remember seeing the poster on the tube in London thinking it was a horror film. I remember fondly, hiring the film from the video shop, sticking the VHS in, watching the trailers and then Seans voice sets the tone. Queen, wrestling, strange man in crowd. The carpark......sword fight decapitation and a quickening...i was blown away.
I use this opening as one of many examples in my editing lectures. As a biproduct a lot of zoomers now know it, and in extention the movie, as well. ^^
I feel like at the very least “Prince of The Universe” and “Who Wants To Live Forever?” Are as intrinsic to Highlanders identity as anything else. Also praise must be given to the training montage piece by Kamen.
Spectacular film on all levels. I loved it when it came, and still do. Watch the DC if you can.
I can never get past that the most Scottish sounding person in the movie is the Spaniard.
Ya know, if they ever succeed in getting that Highlander remake off the ground I'd love to see Lambert cast to play Ramirez.
I hadn’t thought of that, but you have a very good point.
With the advancements in AI you might even get Sean Connery switch roles
Adrian Paul would be a better choice. He’s at the right age now and personally I think he has somewhat of a resemblance to Sean Connery when the Highlander was filmed.
@@kuji-in-deed369 I could see that as well. I could also see either in other significant non-lead roles.
I have loved this film since I first saw it as a child. I still think about different aspects of Highlander from time to time. So believe me when I say I am excited to learn more about the film that started this legendary series.
I recently saw this argument on FB. People were saying how they loved Highlander, but thought Christopher Lambert was a terrible actor. They even included Adrian Paul (again arguing he was a terrible actor). Now while I disagree with them on points, the fact this argument happened in this day was what struck me...Highlander still has impact.
I did not know how badly I needed you to review this film, until I saw the notification.
One of cinema's great coincidences, Brenda just happening to be an expert metallurgist on the side, specializing in swords, no less. Then when they show her book the back cover is laid out like a Danielle Steele novel, with a glossy glamour shot of the author on the back. You know, as is the case with all academic works on metallurgy. 😅
I remember years back you did written reviews of this film and the second and third film (if I remember right). Really looking forward to this one.
This movie holds up so well. The sequels were awful, for sure, but the original (and a good chunk of the series) are as immortal as the characters.
So many quotes, amazing set pieces, iconic songs...
The series was suprisingly good, built out the world a little, added some nice relationships im/mortal. Once they found there footings, couple offseason in, became must-watch-TV. Let's not discuss the later, or even mention the last, seasons.
@@wifflemonkey The Four Horsemen two parter in Season Five was the series at its prime. I think everything went downhill from there. But there was no going back after Richie’s death. Which was also a great way to show how much Richie improved after Season 1. His death was the Jump the Shark moment!
...and camera work , absolutely magnificent!
@@wifflemonkey - Seasons 2-5 were AWESOME!
Watched Highlander for the first time a few weeks ago. I really enjoyed it. Looking forward to the analysis!
When it comes to the Highlander films, there SHOULD'VE BEEN ONLY ONE! Bad joke, I know, but my point still stands.
It doesn't surprise me that the critical response was like it was. It's taken decades for critical review to actually develop an appreciation of genre movies.
There Can Only Be…Many videos about this great movie on this channel, let’s go.
And of course, the irony of Sean Conoray's character is not only ignorant of Haggis but is appalled by the concept of a boiled sheep's stomach.
Stomach……..sheeps stomach.
Corrected@@kuji-in-deed369
I think we should strive to live longer instead of living forever. Also, letting everybody else live longer so they can be there with you.
Not to be a conceited dick, but I actually did come up with a workable sequel for Highlander at one point.
Basically, Connor wins the game and acquires the prize, but he's not the only one. Immortals are born and die in spurts throughout history, with only one of them emerging definitively as the champion, but then that champion is supposed to live and die to make way for the next generation, but one managed to find a way to game the system, an immortal older than Conner and far more adept at using the 'source'. A ghost who lives through all, is a part of all, and all he needs is do take Conner's body to live again.
I'd watch that.
Hey, it has it's problems.. but it sure beats Zeist!
And speaking of the Source, if you like to experience physical pain watching your favorite franchises burn, go watch the 'Highlander: The Source' movie. Warning: The laughter and cringe combination may be hazardous.
@@BlazingOwnager Well, you're not wrong.
Interesting take, kinda reminds me of X-Men Apocalypse thou.
@@wifflemonkey I was actually imagining more of a Faustian Bargain kinda thing, because they're both champions then Conner has to 'let him in'. So he can possess his wife, his kids, harass him through mirrors and so on, adding a level of psychological warfare to the conflict.
great recap
There was an original version of the movie that must have been quite different to that we all know, as there was an early review in the UK Gaming magazine White Dwarf, which slated it - then a month or two later, they ran a second review which stated the re-edited version that reached the UK cinemas (ie the version we all know) was much, much better than that they'd originally watched and reviewed.
I've never seen anyone else mention this fact and wonder to this day, what was that original, clearly different, version really like? What did they change?
8:05 - Lambert was the only one... I see what you did there! 😉
Hi I'm Candy.
Of course you are.
CUT
Heeeerrreeee we areeeeee….
Born to be kings...
@@38procentkrytyk We're the Princes of the Universe...
While I'm very optimistic about the proposed remake, since this film does have flaws that could be ironed out to make it really sing, one point I don't know if you could recapture is the music, and Queen's influence on it.
You might say "Well, there are bands today just as good as Queen." I would say that one, that's factually false, and two, it's not just Queen's talent that makes this soundtrack what it is. They way the band all fell in love with the movie, all contributed songs that fit perfectly with individual pieces of the film's themes and tones, but are also just amazing songs in their own right, I don't think that kind of alchemy could be repeated. Using the original songs could work, or updated versions, but I'm not sure how I'd feel about Taylor Swift's "Who Wants To Live Forever" and Tool's "Gimme The Prize" and so on. Hiring a big name band to do the soundtrack is fine, but I don't know that you'd get a band that *loves* the film doing the soundtrack, or just one taking a job.
Has Queen, therefore best soundtrack.
Is it, though? I _like_ Queen, but even so the heavy (one might say "overwhelming") use of their music in the soundtrack makes this film feel extremely dated - in a way that, for example, _Conan the Barbarian_ with its gorgeous Basil Poledouris score does not.
Seconded.
@@Philistine47 Yes, it is. Other movies could only benefit from having more Queen. Conan the Barbarian, would be better with Queen. Star Wars, better with Queen. Flash Gordon, better with more Queen. Highlander, better with more Queen.
@@GrandArchPriestOfTheAlgorithm Well, that's certainly one of the opinions of all time.
@@Philistine47 _Highlander_ is an 80s film. The one-dimensional over-the-top villain, the music video cinematography, the katana fetishization, the Vietnam vet turned vigilante, the male and female leads tumbling into bed at the drop of a hat--all signposts of the decade. The movie is a snapshot of its era and can be appreciated as such. _Conan_ is set in a fictional prehistoric era, and even almost a century ago when Howard first wrote his stories, he was intentionally harkening back to a mythologized, pre-civilized time. It's not really fair to compare them on that level. Even as I'm eternally grateful Milius rejected De Laurentiis' desire for a modern pop score and tapped Pouledouris instead.
Mid gritty 1980's New York is as much a character in the original movie as much as the actors. One of the main reasons why it can't really be remade. Even the pretty successful TV show wasn't the same without NY. You just can't sub Vancouver for the Apple in Decay.
I both want and do not want a remake, because I feel like we could expand on the themes of the franchise, but I also don't trust modern Hollywood to ruin it in one of many ways.
and many many years later the highlander stole a spaceship and travelled through time sometimes he had to change his face but would often keep his scottish accent
I love your work, Chuck, but one thing: You cannot complain about Star Trek constantly using "ancient" to describe anything before the development of Faster Than Light-Travel, and then use the word "ancient" yourself to show late middle age/renaissance European armour. Armour that only pre-dates the modern era by mere decades. (1:00)
(Simpsons Comic Book Nerd.gif)
Great video 😀
16:45 Thatcher had just plunged millions of Brits into poverty, so not surprising that they were burning an effigy of her, even if it has nothing to do with the movie.
That's certainly what the press would have their readers believe. Arguments over how accurate that portrayal was continue. And probably always will.
A Frenchman playing a Scotsman that eventually pretends to be American, and a Scotsman playing an Egyptian pretending to be Spanish.
This film's very weird.
Technically, Christopher Lambert was born in New York.
There can only be one comment
well ok maybee a few more😂
Needs a reboot