In the fourteen years since the The Highlander was created in 1986, the film has attained a loyal base of fans and cult status. Created by director Gregory Widen, the film centers around the exploits of Connor MacLeod of the Clan MacLeod (Christopher Lambert), a Scotsman living in the 15th century. He is "killed" while in battle with a rival clan, only to miraculously and totally recover only hours later. Unfortunately for him however, the superstitious villagers believe his resurrection to be the result of an unholy deal--namely that he has sold his soul to Lucifer. Because of this belief, he is subsequently stoned and exiled from the village. While living in exile, he meets a man named Ramirez, played by Sean Connery, who explains to him why he is still alive. According to Ramirez, Connor is now part of a select few, immortals who do not age or die (unless their heads are cut off) and are unable to have children as a side effect. Ramirez further explains to him that at some point in the future, all the immortals will be drawn to one place on earth to fight until only one of them is left alive and that surviving one will be awarded the mysterious "prize". An entertaining attempt at "epic fantasy" (although opinions vary on whether it is a successful attempt), The Highlander contains elements that make it worth watching for anyone interested in Scotland. For instance, the medieval battle scenes come close to rivalling those in Braveheart and it also contains some wonderful footage of the Scottish coast. There are some ridiculous moments in the film though, mainly relating to Sean Connery's role as Ramirez. One gets the impression that he was cast in the role long after the script was written - the character of Ramirez is supposed to be an Egyptian/Spaniard, a nationality which makes his "James Bond"-ish Scottish brogue seem a little odd. This film also contains a scene where Connery's character utters the question "Haggis, what's that?" and adds, after receiving an explanation, "Ugh, how revolting!" The fact that this movie is partially set in Scotland makes this scene appear all the more absurd. Casting quibbles aside, The Highlander is an enjoyable action-fantasy with some amazing scenery. Since the release of the original film, two sequels have been released (Highlander II: The Quickening and Highlander III: The Sorcerer). A television series of the same title focusing on the exploits of Duncan MacLeod (a cousin of Connor's), a spin-off of the TV series (Highlander: The Raven), an animated series, and even a critically ridiculed game for the now-defunct Atari Jaguar game console. Currently the Highlander: The Raven series is still airing in syndication and there is a fourth film (originally titled Highlander: World Without End, now renamed to Endgame) in the works from Dimension Films. Shooting was set to begin in October, in locations as diverse as New York, Paris, Romania, and of course Scotland. Details of the film's plot haven't been leaked yet, but the cast is said to be comprised of the movie's star Christopher Lambert and the star of the TV series, Adrian Paul. For more information on the upcoming film, please see the links below. SBB, January 2000 Links: Famous Scot Sean Connery Clan MacLeod Profile on GOTC The Highlander Official Site Highlander 4 sneak peek Adrian Paul Fan club