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Highlander

Ok so we all know that at £20 a pop DVD's are a rip off. But prices are starting to come down and many shops are doing deals on relatively recent films, for instance we got "Shooting Fish" and "Evolution" the other day for £20.00 the pair. But with so much back catalogue to work with you'd think they'd cut us some slack. Not so. In the same shop "Get Carter" was £9.99 ditto any thing by Norman Wisdom who our youngest thinks is great and that's in black & white for gawds sake. But you can find good value if you look hard enough. For Fathers day one of my offspring  presented me with "Highlander" bought for £7.99 from our local supermarket [ they make sure you know these details in our house].

"Highlander" was originally released in 1986 it stared Christopher Lambert and Sean Connery and was directed by Russel Mulcahy.  Before we go any further I have to warn you the acting is not what makes this a good film, save perhaps for the performance of Connery who is such a natural that the only way he could put in a stinker was if he was playing the part of a rotten actor in the first place. Even then I think he'd struggle to pull it off. So what makes this a good film then? Not the plot that's for sure but we'll come to that later. The film is very well shot. Some of the special effects and fights scenes are outstanding. The pace varies from an almost rock video style in many scenes through to love story , and pantomime in others. Coupled with that the film flows well from medieval Scotland to 20th century New York. The story is allowed to unfold gradually which keeps you involved.  Add to that a great soundtrack by Queen and the good guy takes on bad guy and gets the girl plot and you have a good Saturday night film.

To the plot then. Lambert plays the central character Connor Macleod , so if your a sixteen to eighteen year old called Connor you now know where your parents got the name. Macleod was born in Medieval Scotland he wakes up one morning when he should be dead after being cut down in battle. Soon he runs in to Connery who for once is in the same country as his accent although he is playing a 2400 year old Egyptian. Connery explains that they are members of a group of immortals who roam the world awaiting the call to the gathering where there will be a bit of a set to. At the end of it all there will be a great prize. It's a kind of a winner takes all deal. Quite why Connor should be born later that the rest is never explained But hey lets not worry about that they didn't when they made Highlander 11 so why should we. There's now a whole generation who have never seen "Highlander" so for their enjoyment I'll leave the plot there.

If you enjoyed "Highlander" then cherish that warm memory don't be tempted by any of it's off spring as they say often enough in the film "There can only be one".

As for the DVD itself don't expect to many special features this is a pre DVD film after all. You do get some trailers but don't watch them till afterwards as one of them practically walks you right through the film. You get some posters and some pictures from the film [ why bother] and an interview with Christopher Lambert who does little more than insult the Scottish nation by accusing us of all being drunks. Hey I can handle that it's your accent in the film I have the problem with.

A great world cup escape for only £7.99

8/10

Steve Boyle

Picture from http://www.highlander-official.com/