From: bxp1628@hertz.njit.edu (Brian Perler)
Newsgroups: rec.arts.sf.movies
Subject: Re: Highlander
Date: 10 Nov 92 21:28:01 GMT
Organization: New Jersey Institute of Technology, Newark, N.J.

In article <1992Nov4.115608.23251@cc.tut.fi> k113651@cc.tut.fi (Karhu Jouni) writes:
>   Here are some thoughts of mine about Highlander, probably one of best
>movies ever made (of its kind, and maybe any kind).

Definitely.

>   First, the only thing I find a bit awkward in this movie is the ending.
>With the ending I mean the part in the Highlands, where Connor MacLeod and
>his newfound love have the final conversation. Has anybody else ever thought
>as I do: the ending was added to the film afterwards, and it was not designed
>that way when they were making the movie in the first place? You know, a few
>things keep nagging at me: Ramirez: (speaking of the Kurgan) 'Should he gain
>the Prize, the human kind would be doomed into a time of eternal darkness' 
>(probably not word for word, but the content is there) and in the end, McLeod
>talking about the Prize: '...I can live and grow old...You never prepared me
>for that, you Spanish peacock' meaning that after gaining the Prize the 
>Immortal becomes mortal and eventually dies. Now, had the Kurgan won the Prize,
>he would have died eventually. How then is human kind doomed into a time of
>_ETERNAL_ darkness...?

Note the wording:  Connor CAN grow old.  Not Connor WILL grow old,
just CAN.  Since we know (from his conversation with Heather before her
death) that Connor wanted to grow old, etc., we can conclude that one
part of the Prize was that Connor was able to grow old, if he wanted
to.  Kurgan, on the other hand, probably wouldn't, since he wouldn't
have any desire to.  Plus, Ramirez also didn't seem to know exactly
what the Prize was, so it's also possible that he didn't know what
it would allow it's "winner" to do.

>   Second, a few things I think are wrong in the notorious HL II... (just a
>few of the dozens). First.. Ramirez is called Ramirez on Zeist. McLeod is
>called McLeod on Zeist. Then they are 'beamed' on Earth and are born there...
>AND ACCIDENTALLY ARE NAMED EXACTLY THE SAME AS THEY WERE NAMED ON ZEIST?!?

Well, actually, Ramirez wasn't actually named Ramirez on Earth.  He was
born in Egypt, circa 1000 B.C.  I doubt he was called Ramirez there.
One could almost forgive the fact that he eventually used the name
Ramirez later on in his life (dormant Zeist memory causes him to use
his "real" name upon finding a society where such a name is rather
common).  However, making MacLeod be named MacLeod is VERY poor.

>   And finally third, a few things about the US version of Highlander. I once
>saw that. Boy! Why on Earth was it *SO* cut up??? It missed MANY scenes that
>added depth and insight to the natures of events and characters... and,
>missing the WWII scene completely fails to explain Ms Rachel Ellenstein...
>missing the zoo scene completely fails to explain how was the Kurgan able to
>find Brenda... or even be aware of her existence... The US version is, let's
>face it, quite lame when compared to the full-length version. Try and see it
>if you have only seen the US version (well, must say that I am not completely
>sure about one thing: is the short version the only US version)
>   (and of course, many fights are shortened noticeably :)

Dammit, I want this version!!!!!!  Anyone know where I can get it?
(I mean, anywhere in the US, preferably in northern New Jersey?)

>         Well, that's about all for now except for one thing: I read something
>       about a Highlander tv-series. Somebody claimed to have seen an episode
>       of it. Please E-mail to me and tell me exactly what it is about, what
>       happened, who were playing the main roles etc.. :)

It stinks.  Basically, the main character is another member of the clan
MacLeod.  I guess his name on Zeist was MacLeod as well.  The first
episode stole so much from the original movie, it's not even funny.

*Sigh*  Highlander:  There can be only one.  There should have been
only one.

-- 
Brian Perler			bxp1628@hertz.njit.edu
"I wanna decide who lives and who dies"
	-Crow T. Robot, "Santa Claus Conquers the Martians," MST3K