Things I Don't Understand About Highlander

[Greywolf2375]

There's a lot of potential in the Highlander mythology if it were to be rebooted correctly. I think the show handled it mostly really well. Certainly better than Hollywood would have pulled off if they had decided to continue the movie series... good thing they didn't.

Agreed - unlike what they did with the first one they can have the build up to the final battle through multiple movies and with the option of having the flashbacks there is plenty of opportunity for world building Course, we know through any flashback of course our hero lives to the present, but they did that pretty well in the original and in the show.

[Myrddin]

New director has stepped up: Cedric Nicolas-Troyan.

I admit I rolled my eyes when I first read that and checked out IMDB. This will be his first feature, though he's a good cinematographer. But after reading the interview linked above, I feel a little better. He has the same approach/feelings about the entire franchise/mythology as I do.

Let's hope there can be a Highlander in our future we can be proud of...

[Lord O' Bones]

The biggest screwup I see possible is casting a bad Kurgan. Maybe Mario Van Peebles. For example.

Clancy is fantastic, Connery is meh, but an icon, Lambert is just meh.

Really, if they stick to the story and don't cast idiots, the only things they have to attempt to improve on are the special effects and the soundtrack.

Good luck with improving the soundtrack.

[Jon AS]

Good luck with improving the soundtrack.

They'll just get Nickleback. Or, if they're feeling experimental, Justin Bieber.

[Lord O' Bones]

They'll just get Nickleback. Or, if they're feeling experimental, Justin Bieber.

Jesus Christ. You actually want this to suck.

[Jon AS]

Jesus Christ. You actually want this to suck.

I'm working on an alternative power generator that is fueled by fanboy rage, so it wouldn't be entirely unwelcome.:P

[Myrddin]

"Here we are. Born to be boy-band pop-stars! We're the princes of our YouTube videos!

Here we belong. Fighting to survive in a world with the paparazzi. Yah!"

[red snow]

I can't even think of a Queen analogy. Muse sometimes stray into that direction and I could imagine them leaping at the chance to do a soundtrack.

New director has stepped up: Cedric Nicolas-Troyan.

I admit I rolled my eyes when I first read that and checked out IMDB. This will be his first feature, though he's a good cinematographer. But after reading the interview linked above, I feel a little better. He has the same approach/feelings about the entire franchise/mythology as I do.

Let's hope there can be a Highlander in our future we can be proud of...

For one the guy also hates the movie sequels and enjoyed the tv show.

I've been thinking about the reboot and something that sticks out for me is that it will be made with the intention of it being a franchise. As such they can't end it in the same way they did the original film as it's evidently hard to make a sequel. I liked the TV show notion which was that Kurgan was the most powerful and Connor had to stop him before he became utterly unstoppable. Or will the film not end with the killing of Kurgan? They could end it with the death of Ramirez and Connor having to flee and then toughen up. I think playing on the myth of Kurgan as the bogeyman that all the other immortals are shit scared of could be a good approach.

Casting will still be a big part of this film. Maybe they should just get a big name for the Ramirez role although I feel Antonio Banderas should have that role sewn up. I guess Javier Bardem has more stock these days but Banderas would be perfect.

[Rhom]

I can't even think of a Queen analogy. Muse sometimes stray into that direction and I could imagine them leaping at the chance to do a soundtrack.

For one the guy also hates the movie sequels and enjoyed the tv show.

I've been thinking about the reboot and something that sticks out for me is that it will be made with the intention of it being a franchise. As such they can't end it in the same way they did the original film as it's evidently hard to make a sequel. I liked the TV show notion which was that Kurgan was the most powerful and Connor had to stop him before he became utterly unstoppable. Or will the film not end with the killing of Kurgan? They could end it with the death of Ramirez and Connor having to flee and then toughen up. I think playing on the myth of Kurgan as the bogeyman that all the other immortals are shit scared of could be a good approach.

Casting will still be a big part of this film. Maybe they should just get a big name for the Ramirez role although I feel Antonio Banderas should have that role sewn up. I guess Javier Bardem has more stock these days but Banderas would be perfect.

I would be in favor of Bardem for Kurgan actually...

A Kurgan who goes around with a captive bolt pistol to knock them out and then behead them!

[Ahimsa]

(Another big time necro, but this thread deserves it for being so brilliant. Plus it's fun to talk about Highlander.)

In terms of the soundtrack to a possible reboot, surely Muse has to be at the forefront of the wishlist right? Enough like Queen (especially something like United States of Eurasia) but also a rad band in their own right.

I love the idea of Gannicus as Connor. But I also really like the idea of exploring non-Scottish settings. A "Highlander" film set in Viking age Scandinavia would be pretty cool, right? Or what about an Ottoman immortal, who could battle Janissaries throughout Constantinople. Or use the 30 years war as a setting, a plundered and broken Europe with a lone Immortal facing off against the might of the Hapsburgs? History has such a rich tapestry, which is a big part of the appeal of the mythos, in my opinion.

[MoreOrLess]

To resurrect this again Batista was cast as the Kurgan. Not sure thats an amazing sign, he isn't without acting talent but I can't see him having the gleeful menace of Clancy Brown. The idea that the Kurgan wasn't just a thug but a reasonably smart guy who'd become a nihilistic monster as a kind of alternative comment on the world/history compared to Conors humanistic nature gave the original part of its drama for me. As has often been mentioned Rory McCann would be a much better casting in that reguard for me.

 

Lambert as Conor for me worked in the original because he's always had a bit of "odd man out" mystery around him that more than made up for any dodgy Scottish ascent.

 

It never seemed likely with this remake always looking a bit trashy but I'd agree a decent director/writer working on this and just using the framework of the original remade in a different place/time could have been more interesting. The Cursades always struck me as an obvious one, lots of violence of course but also the potential for a moral message that would play into the "holy ground" part of the mythos. Personally I always liked the idea that the mentor character could actually become the antagonist. Have a more bog standard villain as a misdirection and then have a disagreement between mentor and student over use of there gifts and potentially the prize, the mentor wanting to rule men for their own good and the student wanting to help them without controlling them. That would make for an obvious the GoT fan casting route as well with Stephan Dilane being excellent in that mentor/villian role, maybe as a crusader leader in the past and a ruthless businessman/politician inn the present.

[red snow]

There's apparently a new Highlander comic out - that looks and by all accounts is terrible. It's set in 3030 so sounds a bit like a sequel to a film about Highlander in the future (thank god that never happened). I think there was also a cartoon set in the future as well.