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Whylander? The Quickening

post #1 of 32
10/18/07 at 4:36pm
Thread Starter 
This question has been burning in my mind for some time: HOW IN GOD'S NAME DOES THE HIGHLANDER FRANCHISE CONTINUE TO EXIST!!?? Sure, the first movie is somewhat decent, but since then we have been plagued with 3 theatrical sequels*, live action TV show, animated series, anime and now there cometh a Sci Fi channel movie. WHO IS CLAMORING FOR THIS!? Who is keeping the Highlander dream alive!? I mean, the fanbase must exist, but who are they? I have never met a fan of Highlander who was so rabid as to follow all of these incarnations.

*One of which, HIGHLANDER 2 THE QUICKENING has been released on DVD THREE TIMES, the last of which with all new expensive SFX.
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post #2 of 32
10/18/07 at 4:37pm
Highlander is a legitimately bad movie made to look fairly decent by the sheer despair bringing power inbred apocalyptic disasters that followed it.
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post #3 of 32
10/18/07 at 5:08pm
I think the first film is delightfully insane. The second is a huge clusterfuck with a fun Michael Ironside performance. Whether the Immortals are aliens sent to Earth, or from Earth's own past to the far future of 1536, General Katana's (hahaha) line of "I've always wanted to drive one of these" makes no sense. I do like that jolly music that always accompanies Sean in part II.
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post #4 of 32
10/18/07 at 5:12pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Spike Marshall
Highlander is a legitimately bad movie made to look fairly decent by the awesome Queen songs found within.
Fixed.

I liked the first Highlander quite a bit, but I also can't figure out how this franchise deserves 4 sequels, a comic book, an anime, and various other incarnations. I expect a remake to be announced any day now.
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post #5 of 32
10/18/07 at 5:13pm
As someone who watched the tv series and owns the first two movies*, and who saw the third one in theatres; let me assure you I have absolutely given up entirely on any new Highlander projects. They will never get another dime from me. I can't believe anyone (except master Fleed) still follows or enjoys this crap.

*Yes I own the first two on widescreen VHS and yes the "Highlander 2 renegade cut" is much superior to the theatrical cut, it takes a 3/10 movie all the way up to 4/10.

Edited for spelling
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post #6 of 32
10/18/07 at 5:18pm
If Highlander didn't have Clancy Brown it'd be unwatchable, with the combined power of Clancy Brown's Kurgan and the awesome destructive power of the Queen score it's got enough campiness to sustain its runtime, just barely.

I never quite figured out how Christopher Lambert kept getting roles, he's uniformly awful in everything I've seen him in.
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post #7 of 32
10/18/07 at 5:29pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by Spike Marshall

I never quite figured out how Christopher Lambert kept getting roles, he's uniformly awful in everything I've seen him in.
He's got this wimpy, reedy voice that when coupled with his accent makes him about as threatening as a moist towelette.
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post #8 of 32
10/18/07 at 5:35pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by McIrish
As someone who watched the tv series and owns the first two movies*, and who saw the third one in theatres; let me assure you I have absolutely given up entirely on any new Highlander projects. They will never get another dime from me. I can't believe anyone (except master Fleed) still follows or enjoys this crap.
That's sort of my point. Even fans have given up on this franchise. So who keeps resuscitating it?
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post #9 of 32
10/18/07 at 5:37pm
The first Highlander has a few really great scene transitions too, and a couple of great shots.
Clancy Brown is indeed awesome, and most of the present-day stuff without him is fucking terrible. I dig most of the flashback scenes though.
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post #10 of 32
10/18/07 at 5:42pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Aquafresh
That's sort of my point. Even fans have given up on this franchise. So who keeps resuscitating it?
Yes, I was agreeing with you and sharing my befuddlement.
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post #11 of 32
10/18/07 at 6:17pm
What's with the hate? Didn't this movie win the academy award for best movie ever made? Seriously though I can give this a pass solely based on Queen.
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post #12 of 32
10/18/07 at 6:22pm
You know what is fucking great about Highlander? Highlander is a swords-and-scifi epic with Robert Davi as your hero, that's what is fucking great about Highlander.

It's glaringly noticeable in Lambert's "modern day" scenes in the movie. The creepy glare, the $9 haircut, the accent: Lambert is a character actor villain who somehow slipped into the lead role. You watch him and think to yourself "What? He's the Immortal hero? This BEST career move that this guy should be able to hope for is getting roundhouse kicked by Riggs just before taking 2 in the chest from Murtaugh."

It's like watching J.T. Walsh play Alan Quartermain. Fucking great.
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post #13 of 32
10/18/07 at 6:48pm
But seriously, the more I think about the more Lambert is just a supporting actor in that film. Highlander belongs to Connery/Brown, McCloud is just there to ease the transition between the two.
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post #14 of 32
10/18/07 at 7:10pm
There was a theory going around for a while that for all future installments, the director of any Highlander film should just call Micah from the set and ask him what he wants to happen in this one.
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post #15 of 32
10/18/07 at 7:17pm
Like the first movie quite a bit, hate everything that followed. This is one remake that I think could actually amount to something. Cast an actual Scot this time though.
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post #16 of 32
10/18/07 at 7:30pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Straight Edge
Cast an actual Scot to play a Spaniard again, though.
Fixed.

"RRRRAMMIRRREZZZZ!!"
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post #17 of 32
10/18/07 at 7:31pm
Connory and Brown made the first one fun when they were on screen,and the scenes set in 16th Century Scotland were great,but other then that the first was a mediocre Sci Fi thriller with a "hero" who had the charisma of a stalk of celery. And the sequels/TV show are beneath comtempt.
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post #18 of 32
10/19/07 at 8:54am
Loved the first one. Loved the final fight once they've fallen into the warehouse - the way Kurgan stares at Macleoud before the final two clashes is great - as if he knows that centuries of fighting will soon be over and a little respect for his opponent who has made it so far. Or that could be a load of shite and read far too much into it as a teenager.

Went to New York in 2006 and spent forever dragging my girl around the city looking for the church they have the standoff in - couldn't find it. Turns out it was filmed in London.

Also dragged her around Central Park looking for the wooden (Bow) bridge where he meets Kastigir - found it and took a couple of low angle shots like from the film. They look shite.

That was also the day we were propositioned by a 20+ stone fat guy called Arron in Central Park. Didn't take him up on his offer.
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post #19 of 32
10/19/07 at 9:03am
Does anyone have that jolly bagpipe theme from The Quickening?
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post #20 of 32
10/19/07 at 9:29am
nope - but got the great training montage music from the first... bloody great.

Haven't seen The Quickening since the opening night.
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post #21 of 32
10/19/07 at 9:46am
Actually, the TV Series with Adrian Paul wasn't that bad. It was certainly better than Highlander: The Source and The Quickening.

The only bright spots of Endgame was Donnie Yen and the final swordfight. Everything else is a confused mess.
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post #22 of 32
10/20/07 at 11:01pm
I think the concept is sort of strong. It's a cool idea and that's why it survives, although I imagine the reason why no decent material for it exists is because no decent filmmaker will touch it.

Why!? Oh why!?

I still maintain that the original is one of the most watchable movies of the 80's. I stand by this.
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post #23 of 32
10/21/07 at 7:22pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by BrianM
Fixed.

"RRRRAMMIRRREZZZZ!!"
He's obviously Egyptian, not Spanish!
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post #24 of 32
10/28/07 at 1:46pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Xion
I think the concept is sort of strong. It's a cool idea and that's why it survives, although I imagine the reason why no decent material for it exists is because no decent filmmaker will touch it.
I think that really gets to the heart of the issue. The franchise has a really cool high-concept idea powering it* and therefore it can be iterated upon endlessly. The fact that there are fifteen million franchise spin-offs and sequels is a combination of a cool really grokable concept and the fact that the producers in control of the property are incessintly low-rent.

Also, the TV show was the perfect thing to run at 4pm for college age me to watch after class but before the rest of the world was done for the day.

*For example most of the hate for Highlander 2 stems from the abandonment of the concept. Highlander 3 was, in many ways, a worse movie, but no one hates it with quite the same passion.
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post #25 of 32
10/28/07 at 2:27pm
Quote:
*For example most of the hate for Highlander 2 stems from the abandonment of the concept. Highlander 3 was, in many ways, a worse movie, but no one hates it with quite the same passion.
I do. At least H2 tried to do something different. H3 was a blatant retread of the first film.
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post #26 of 32
10/28/07 at 7:20pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Straight Edge
This is one remake that I think could actually amount to something. Cast an actual Scot this time though.
Paging Ewan McGregor...Would Mr. McGregor please report to the front desk.
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post #27 of 32
10/28/07 at 7:24pm
hahaha I would watch that in a second
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post #28 of 32
10/28/07 at 11:12pm
Quote:
Paging Ewan McGregor...Would Mr. McGregor please report to the front desk.
Hah! McGregor wouldn't be caught dead participating in a misguided reboot of a beloved geek franchise!!
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post #29 of 32
10/29/07 at 6:35pm
Yup - Ewan Macgregor would never star in an already estblished scffi/geek franchise as an aging warrior with a sword.

never.
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post #30 of 32
10/29/07 at 9:30pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Yaz
Also, the TV show was the perfect thing to run at 4pm for college age me to watch after class but before the rest of the world was done for the day.
I just realized that some of you might assume from this that I think Highlander is a quality product. It is not.
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post #31 of 32
10/29/07 at 11:19pm
Remaking Highlander will be my first order of business when I am named King of all that is.
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post #32 of 32
10/29/07 at 11:22pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Yaz
I just realized that some of you might assume from this that I think Highlander is a quality product. It is not.
It's miles better than the sequels and spinoffs.

I however wouldn't have changed much in the film except the pacing and some of the plodding scenes.
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