Highlander 1986 | 80's Movie Guide

Highlander movie storyline. In New York, the owner of a sophisticated antique shop Russell Edwin Nash is challenged to a sword fight in the parking lot of the Madison Square Garden by a man called Iman Fasil that is beheaded by Russell. He hides his sword and is arrested by the police while leaving the stadium. Russell recalls his life in the Sixteenth Century in Scotland, when he is Connor MacLeod and is deadly wounded in a battle against another Clan. However he surprisingly survives and his Clan believes he has a pact with the devil and expels him from their lands. Then he meets Juan Sanchez Villa-Lobos Ramirez that explains that he is immortal unless he is beheaded. Further, the immortals dispute a game killing each other and in the end only one survives receiving a price with the power of the other immortals. Russell is released by the police, but the snoopy forensic agent Brenda J. Wyatt is attracted by the case since she founds fragments of an ancient Katana and follows Russell. Highlander is a 1986 British-American epic adventure action fantasy film directed by Russell Mulcahy and based on a story by Gregory Widen. It stars Christopher Lambert, Sean Connery, Clancy Brown, and Roxanne Hart. The film narrates the climax of an ages-old battle between immortal warriors, depicted through interwoven past and present-day storylines. Christopher Lambert plays swordsman Connor MacLeod from Scottish Highlands, known as the Highlander, one of a number of immortal warriors, who can only be killed by decapitation. After initial training by another highly skilled immortal swordsman, Ramirez (Sean Connery), MacLeod lives on for several centuries, eventually settling in New York City, managing an antiques shop. In 1985, he falls in love with a policewoman named Brenda and finds out that he must face his biggest enemy, Clancy Brown's Kurgan, who wishes to kill MacLeod and to obtain "the Prize"—a special ability which is given to the last living immortal warrior, vast knowledge and the ability to enslave the entire human race. Highlander enjoyed little success on its initial theatrical release, grossing over $12 million worldwide against a production budget of $19 million, and received mixed reviews. Nevertheless, it became a cult film and launched Lambert to stardom. The film inspired a franchise which included film sequels and television spin-offs. Its tagline, "There can be only one", has carried on throughout the franchise, as have the songs provided for the film by the rock band Queen. Highlander (1986) Directed by: Russell Mulcahy Starring: Christopher Lambert, Sean Connery, Clancy Brown, Roxanne Hart, Beatie Edney, Alan North, Jon Polito, Sheila Gish, Christopher Malcolm Screenplay by: Gregory Widen Production Design by: Allan Cameron Cinematography by: Gerry Fisher Film Editing by: Peter Honess Costume Design by: James Acheson Set Decoration by: Ian Whittaker Art Direction by: Martin Atkinson, Tim Hutchinson Music by: Michael Kamen Distributed by: 20th Century Fox Release Date: March 7, 1986 (United States), August 29, 1986 (United Kingdom)