When it pays to keep your head

Press, 25 August 1986, Page 7

When it pays to keep your head

AT THE CINEMA

Hans Petrovic

HIGHLANDER Directed by

Russell Mulcahy - Screenplay by Gregory Widen, Peter Bellwood and Larry Ferguson

“Highlander” (Avon) offers gritty fantasy and violence, but manages to set itself a cut above most recent sword-and-sorcery movies, like the “Conan” epics and "Flesh and Blood,” by presenting it with great atmosphere and photography, good acting and a reasonable storyline.

The bizarre settings and heavy-rock music soon make it apparent that the director, Russell (“Razorhead”) Mulcahy, has some solid experience in the field of pop video, and has, in fact, provided video-promotional work for the likes of Duran

Duran, Elton John and the Rolling Stones. The music of Queen and the punk-influenced stylisation also indicate that this film is basically designed for the teen-age audience. Nevertheless, “Highlander” has sufficient going for it to be favourably compared with “The Terminator” and “Blade Runner.” As in “The Terminator,” the leading protagonist is an unkillable, timetravelling superhero, seemingly devoid of emotions, and with only one grotesque aim in life — involving a lot of mass slayings. The Terminator travelled backwards, from the future, to reach his goal, but the Highlander is an immortal, doomed to live forever, travelling on and on into the future until he reaches his destiny. In 1536, Connor MacLeod (Christopher Lambert), a Scottish clansman, is mortally wounded in battle by. a terrifying warrior, the Kurgan (Clancy Brown). Miraculously his wounds heal. Five years later, Ramirez (Sean Connery), a flamboyant Spanish nobleman, seeks him out, revealing that he and MacLeod, like the Kurgan, are immortals, a unique breed of men who can die only by being decapitated. Ramirez explains that they are fated to duel down the ages to a distant time called the Gathering. The remaining immortals will battle for the Prize — power beyond imagination. The evil Kurgan must never possess it.

The distant time is now, the place, New York. Headless corpses are discovered. A reign of terror grips the city. The police are baffled. Then, the

Highlander and the Kurgan come together for the final confrontation.

This is heady stuff, presented at a break-neck pace, with scenes alternating between grimy New York and the lush, green hills of Scotland, with scenes that can be both bizarre and beautiful.

The French actor, Lambert, is already known for his portrayal of Tarzan in “Greystoke,” and his yel-low-haired punk role in "Subway,” which was seen at the recent film festival. His heavy features and dark brooding eyes seem to make him ideal for such out-of-the-way roles. Connery adds a touch oi life and humour to an otherwise somber film as the charming Spanish immortal; but it is Brown as the horrible Kurgan, displaying modern punk affectations with a badly shaved head and a big scar on his throat held together with safety pins, who adds terrifying hilarity to the film.

One of the best scenes is a pre-battie meeting between the main antagonists in a large church, with Kurgan ranting and raving like someone out of hell.

Mulcahy also handles the pyrotechnics with flair, managing to present splendid lightning effects and explosions at all the crucial moments.

Unfortunately, the film lacks satisfactory explanation of the immortals’ motivation, or of how they ever managed to attain their state of un-death in the first place.

This does not seem to bother most of the audience, however, and I am sure that the Highlander will be back to continue his battle against any more lurking Kurgans.

For a film which bases so much of its effect on the hard-hitting soundtrack of Queen, it is a pity that “Highlander” is being screened at the Avon instead of the Regent, with its full Dolby sound system.