From: aodn307@bongo.cc.utexas.edu (Joshua Henry Geurink)
Newsgroups: rec.arts.sf.tv,alt.cult-movies
Subject: Re: Highlander - TV Series (+HL2 *Spoilers* for those who care)
Date: 11 Nov 92 18:58:02 GMT
Followup-To: rec.arts.sf.tv
Organization: The University of Texas at Austin, Austin TX

In article <9211062259.AA13894@snll-arpagw.llnl.gov> rogrif@SNLL-ARPAGW.LLNL.GOV (griffith richard o) writes:
>I greatly enjoyed the original Highlander movie, and managed to avoid
>seeing the second film, Highlander 2: The Sickening based on the extremely
>negative reaction here on the net.

Good for you.  Actually, Highlander II is OK if-and-only-if taken out of
context.  The whole Zeist thing is really, reeeeeaaaaly dumb when compared
to the plot of the first film... The "gift" (or whatever they were fighting
for) actually makes some sense in the second film; by destroying all the 
other "refugees," the final one remaining could return to Zeist ALONE or
choose to die of old age on Earth.  Now, considering how long the Evil
General Katana hung around in the universe, you kinda get the impresion
that Zeistians are simply especially long-lived; the gift/prize simply
accelerated the recipient's aging to a "normal" level.

	Unfortunatley, you've got to put up with Ramirez's return (corny!)
and his Amazing Teleporting Sword(tm).  Yes, first Connor has the sword,
then Ramirez does (somehow), then Connor does, then it's sitting on the 
floor next to Ramirez  when he does that (stupid, IMHO) magick stuff,
and suddenly Connor has the sword in the next combat.

	But just as a straight science-fiction movie, Highlander II wasn't
THAT bad... just when compared to the first...


Slightly off-topic here, but has anyone ever attempted to deduce where the
Prophecy of the Immortals originated (assuming HL2 is discounted)?  How
did they know they'd all be "drawn" to a new city in a far-away land
(or whatever Connery says at the start of Highlander)?  Perhaps the immortals
do answer to someone...  Someone who foresaw the building of New York...

>Perhaps it is the fact that I missed
>the second movie, or perhaps I am merely starved for a continuation of the
>Highlander theme and storyline, but I find myself REALLY liking the series.
>Quick, someone provide a reality check:  is the series actually decent, or
>should I go off and slap myself silly?

The series isn't TOO bad (better in continuity than the second movie), but
it's operating on waaaay too low a budget.  Yeah, SURE Duncan was born in
the Highlands.  Uh-huh.  THIS actor sure can do accents...  Obviously he
was chosen on the criteria:
	
	A)  Gee, you're rather attractive
	B)  Gosh, you can (apparently) wield a sword
and	C)  Golly, you have LONG HAIR!!!

And, yeah, SURE this takes place in New York.  Especially with those Pacific
West telephone booths scattered throughout the city...

>As long as I am writing, *** SPOILERS ***

>Someone just mentioned that in the Joan Jett episode, Duncan lets her keep
>her head at the very end, when he had ample justification to whack it off.

Well, yes, but that "kid sidekick" of Duncan's was quite smitten with the 
girl, and probably wouldn't have spoken to Duncan for quite some time.  In
order to avoid such strife, Duncan lets the girl live.

Besides, he's got all the time in the world to meet her in battle again...

>This gives the impression that he is a "nice" guy.  However, in the "DIE
>HARD 3" episode in the courthouse, he gleefully chops up multiple badguys
>without even atempting to "take them alive".  I wonder if a previous poster
>was on to something:  it's ok to kill MEN, but not to off ladies, no matter
>what the provocation.  If I may widen the discussion, I am having trouble
>thinking of occasions on TV or in movies where a male hero actually kills
>a female villain, rather than defeating her and then having mercy.  Lots
>of female heros kill MALE badguys...  is this some kind of strange reverse
>discrimination in our society?

It's just not macho to kill, shoot, or otherwise strike women unless they're
portrayed as "queen arrogant bitch from hell," and even then it's almost
ALWAYS another female that beats this wench up at the end.

=--=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
King Rat                     |  "You got the power, (Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha!)
aka Josh Geurink             |   You got the might, (No Way!)
aodn307@bongo.cc.utexas.edu  |   Get ready for battle, (Give me your money!)
                  Defeat the Black Knight!"
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