FAQ

The wrestling match scene was set at MSG but shot at Brendan Byrne Arena, next to Giants Stadium in New Jersey. So, perhaps "Jersey" references were mistakes, derived from the shooting location. However, there was another killing that is not shown, Vassilek was the victim, a Polish national killed in New Jersey the week before, either by Fasil or McCloud.

A burning cross is a potent religious symbol, the McClouds are Christians going up against the "heathen" Frasers and this is to invoke god's favour to them.

-The burning cross was used as a war declaration in Scotland, and the use of it as a racist symbol in the U.S. originates with Scottish immigrants. However, there is no real indication in the film that the battle depicted at the start of the movie is a religious conflict. By the 16th century, when this takes place, everyone in Scotland had been Christian for quite some time.

People can live through some pretty extreme injuries, more than most people would expect, especially if they can be given prompt medical attention. Obviously he was rushed to hospital and straight into surgery. Also, The Kurgan didn't stab him in the chest, but in the belly. Gut wounds like that can take days to kill someone, and it usually isn't the wound itself but things from your intestines leaking into places they're not supposed to be. With modern (at the time) medical care, it's entirely likely he survived and recovered.

Two possible interpretations

1) Perhaps he wasn't sure of the blow. The Kurgan was at a disadvantage, yes, but perhaps Ramirez hesitated too long because he wanted to be certain of a killing stroke.

2) The Kurgan was a legend among Immortals, the most evil, the purist warrior. Perhaps Ramirez was too uncertain of himself after having heard the legends about the Kurgan, and didn't truly believe that the Kurgan could be defeated.

Two possibilities:

1.) It does not look like it belongs to any specific animal. Given that the Kurgan's people were terrifying to fight, it would make sense for them to make their helmets resemble skulls to induce fear into whoever they were fighting.

2.) Maybe it was some extinct beast that the Kurgan found his travels and killed in some remote part of the world. It was the last of its kind, and was never discovered by naturalists. L

In the series at least, it's clear that mentoring young immortals is just something that older immortals do, like the Holy Ground ban. Even the evil ones, like Xavier St. Cloud, will have their own protegees. Plus a few mistakes during his final fight show that while smart, he's not as smart as he could be. Also, he's something of an idealist who wants a good person to win the prize rather than someone like The Kurgan. Training new immortals is probably what he does. If they're the decent sort he lets them play the game, but if it turns out they're just murderous immorals he probably takes their head right then and there. Moreover, it's clear from his appearance that Ramirez must've been middle-aged when he died his first death. No matter how skilled his millennia of experience might make him as a swordsman, he's still got the physique of someone who's a bit past his prime, and knows he won't be able to beat a rival like the Kurgan, who's every bit as skillful, but whose age was arrested at the height of his strength and agility. Better to pass on those techniques to someone who's basically a good guy, and whose body is locked at its physical peak. This question always got the impression that the good immortals were waiting for the Gathering, while the less scrupulous ones wanted to jump the gun. Thus, the good immortals would fight immortals they didn't like but had no problems making friends and such with other immortals. Then when the Gathering came, it was understood that they'd have to fight and kill each other, but the Gathering was a long way off. the impression in this film is that Connor, at the very least, is tired of life (which is why, when he gets the Prize, he also gets mortality). So even if it came down to several good people at the end, they would duel by mutual agreement in a "let's get this over with" sort of way. In the end there can be only one. They know that eventually they will be drawn irresistably to a far away land to battle to the last, but until that time they are free to do whatever. There's nothing forcing them to fight each other before The Gathering, and nothing preventing them from being friends, teaching each other, etc. It's only the evil villain sorts that are actively head-hunting before The Gathering, trying to stack the deck in their favor, while the generally good sorts are typically just defending themselves while trying to do their own thing.

Perhaps there's some force that compels them - psychologically, mentally, physically even - not to fight on holy ground, even the truly evil ones like the Kurgan, A force that can, in extreme cases, possibly be resisted but some kind of force nonetheless, It might have something to do with the Quickening. Plus, the Kurgan at that point wants to mock and torment Macleod when they're inside the church. He wants to make Macleod suffer so that his eventual triumph will be all the sweeter, and to psych him out so that he's off his game. Remember, it's Macleod who gets his blood up in the church, and the Kurgan who tauntingly reminds him that they're on holy ground. Also, some immortals who don't care about the rules of a game will still follow them to prove that they don't need to cheat to win. The Kurgan seems more like that sort. A lot of Immortals are way older than modern people, and likely come from a time when "Wrath of Gods/God" was something much more present in people's lives. Even if you take a purely atheist stance, to a people who didn't understand weather patterns, germ theory, plate tectonics, and so on, any kind of natural occurrence a modern person would explain scientifically had to be the wrath of a vengeful deity. And in a setting with beings who live forever and steal each other's power by decapitation, it's not that much of a stretch to imagine that there is some kind of divine force at work. Even The Kurgan might be terrified of the potential consequences of violating that rule. The fact that there may well be dire consequences for fighting holy ground are alluded to both in the Pompeii story from the TV series and the bit in Highlander 3 where Kane and Connor are fighting in a Buddist shrine. When Connor's sword breaks, a glass pane shatters at the same time for absolutely no reason, revealing a Budda statue, incense, and so on. That could have been the cosmic equivalent of a warning shot, a divine force as if it's saying "Knock it off, guys, or something really nasty is about to happen." Note that Kane backs down immediately after this. There's also pragmatic villainy to consider. Even The Kurgan might need a place to rest and recharge for a few years, or just flee to if a fight goes south on him. If it gets out that Kurgan doesn't respect Holy Ground, then no one else will in regards to him either, and he's just lost his only safety net.

The eyes dilate in response to adrenaline. For an immortal like Kurgan who didn't care about anyone else wasn't in danger of death for thousands of years, it's probably the first fear, and adrenaline he's felt in millennia.

From the novelization and the stance that his body assumes right before toppling, I think it was meant to indicate that the Kurgan was so hard to kill it was all a delayed reaction to death. He simply doesn't want to finally die, and hadn't realized what happened to him. The novel describes it as For one moment, Macleod was not sure that the cut had been deep enough. Then the head lolled backwards. The cut was almost along the same line as the Ramirez wound. But this time it was deeper. Much deeper. The spinal cord had been severed. Only a thin strip of skin prevented the head from falling to the floor. It hung there: dangled from the cord of flesh. Yet the Kurgan was still not dead. The mouth flapped, though no sound came out. From the open neck, the exposed stump, energy gushed forth. The body danced and jerked, as if on live strings. The wound coruscated, like electrified glass. The Kurgan dropped to his knees. Macleod was amazed at the tenacity of the man. Still he clung on to life. Still he fought against death. His head flopped on the narrow bridge of skin, yet the body fought to stay upright. The strength of will behind such action was phenomenal. The hands opened and closed. Macleod thought that his enemy was going to reach up and replace the severed head on its stump. But the final gush of energy died. The body collapsed. It lay twitching at Macleod's feet.

Because the police had a sketch of the killer they where looking for, and it is of the Kurgan. So he tried to change his looks by shaving his head.

Following a wrestling match at Madison Square Garden in New York City, Connor MacLeod (Christopher Lambert) is attacked by a man carrying a sword, but MacLeod uses his own sword to kill his attacker by decapitating him. Due to lack of evidence, Connor is released, but police detective Brenda Wyatt (Roxanne Hart), an expert in metallurgy, is intrigued by the antiquity of the swords involved and continues the investigation. As the story unfolds, it is learned that Connor is immortal, born in the year 1518. Trained by another immortal, Juan Sanchez Villa-Lobos Ramirez (Sean Connery), Connor is one of a race of immortals who can only be killed by beheading, until the last immortal stands, after which he will win "The Prize". Currently, there are only three immortals left, and The Kurgen (Clancy Brown) is out for Connor's head, because there can be only one.

Highlander is based on a story and screenplay by screenwriters Gregory Widen, Peter Bellwood, and Larry Ferguson. It was followed by four full-length movies, Highlander II: The Quickening (1991), Highlander: The Final Dimension (1994), Highlander: Endgame (2000), and Highlander: The Source (2007), a long-running TV series that included Highlander (1992) and Highlander: The Raven (1998), as well as numerous animated features, novelizations, comic books, and video games. A sixth Highlander movie, Highlander, said to be a remake of the original Highlander, is in production with no release date.

Technically, "Highlander" refers to anyone born in the Highlands of Scotland. In the context of this film, however, the Highlander is Connor MacLeod, an immortal swordsman from the clan MacLeod in the Northern Highlands of Scotland. His true origin is unclear, and his immortality is not evident until after his first death, when he doesn't actually die from wounds he received from the Kurgan. There are other Immortals, not all Highlanders, who cannot be killed except by decapitation but who can gain power by decapitating other Immortals. Consequently, Connor must always be ready to do battle with Immortals who are seeking to remove his head from his body with their swords.

Connor MacLeod was born in the year 1518 in the village of Glenfinnan on the shores of Loch Shiel in Northern Scotland.

Connor appears to have died from his stab wound, but his wound later healed and Connor returned to life. The clan believed his resurrection was the result of dark magic or the work of Lucifer so a mob of villagers and members of the clan beat him and demanded to burn him at the stake. Connor's cousin Angus decided instead that Connor was to be banished, never to return.

Ramirez says that he was born 2,437 years ago in Egypt. The novelization of this film gives Ramirez's original name as Tak-Ne, his birth in 896 BC, his first "death" in 851 BC, and his marriage to Shakiko in 593 BC.

In the movie, it is revealed only that the Kurgan was born of ancient people from the Russian Steppes. Other than that, there is no further hints as to his actual date of birth.

Ramirez explains: "Why does the sun come up or are the stars just pin holes in the curtain of night? Who knows?" There is no explanation given in Highlander as to why or how a few people are chosen or even how many there were in the beginning. Viewers must merely accept that a small and dwindling band make it to the gathering in New York City. Highlander 2 does provide an explanation, but it is considered far from canon by fans.

The Gathering is the time when the last remaining Immortals will gather together to fight each other for the ultimate Prize. At the Gathering, the winning Immortal must behead all other Immortals, for there can be only one.

Ramirez explains: From the dawn of time we came, moving silently down through the centuries. Living many secret lives, struggling to reach the time of the gathering, when the few who remain will battle to the last. In short, the Immortals must battle for the Prize, which only one Immortal can claim.

The Prize is actually two concepts: First is the ability to be linked mentally to all people living (knowing their thoughts and feelings, and, being able to help them communicate with one another). Connor attempts to explain this to Brenda at the end of the movie and calls it a "whirlwind" within his head. The second part of the Prize is that Connor is now mortal, can have children and will grow old and die like any mortal human.

When an Immortal wins the Prize and is the last Immortal left standing, she or he (whoever remains standing) undergoes the final Quickening. The winner will regain mortality, grow old, and can have children (as Immortals are infertile).

The Quickening is the sensation that an Immortal experiences when he or she moves into close proximity with another Immortal. We learn this when Ramirez first meets Connor, as he explains, "The sensation you are feeling is the quickening." This "Quickening", we are to believe, acts as an alert, to keep Immortals from sneaking up on each other, and thus maintaining a noble fight. The Quickening is also, apparently, the "shock" an Immortal receives when he has beheaded another Immortal. It is accompanied by flashes of lightning-like energy and the destruction of other items around him. The Quickening also gives the winner the knowledge and wisdom of the person defeated.

SS officer: "You should be dead!"

MacLeod: [in English:] "Move!"

SS officer: "No! First you'll have to shoot me!"

MacLeod: [laughs; in English:] "Whatever you say, Jack. You're the master race." [shoots him]

When Connor left Scotland after the deaths of Ramirez and Heather, he went traveling all over the world, searching for answers. His accent became mixed. When he was interviewed (as Russell Nash) at the police station, the officer Garfield said, "You speak funny, Nash. Where are you from?" Connor answers, "Lots of different places".

On the other hand Christopher Lambert is an American born to French parents, and spent his childhood growing up in Switzerland and France. Hence his accent.

It shows how Connor first met Rachel when she was a little girl and how Rachel learned that Connor is immortal.

During the opening credits: Princes of the Universe, performed by Queen.

During the passing of Connor's life with Heather (Beatie Edney) and when Brenda kisses Connor after learning that he is immortal: Who Wants to Live Forever?, performed by Queen.

During the Kurgan's crazy driving scene: New York, New York and "Don't Lose Your Head", performed by Queen.

The first two songs have gone on to become signature songs for the Highlander series, the first becoming the theme for the movies and TV series and the second becoming the song played whenever the Highlander shares a tender moment with a loved one.

Several different versions were produced of this '80s cult classic featuring different pieces of footage. Years after its first cinematical US run, a Director's Cut was created that features the most complete version including footage from the European versions. In Europe, there's no Director's Cut, because the movie was shown in its longer version overseas. In total, about six minutes were added to the US theatrical version featuring several story extensions like the World War II scenes. In France and the US, only the shortened version of Highlander made it to the movie theaters. The cuts are similar. The only relevant difference is the World War II flashback in the French version, which has been entirely removed for the US version. Moreover, the wrestling match is slightly different. On the other hand, the French version lacks a tiny scene with Bedsow which is exclusively in the US version. The French and US version both started in movie theaters in March 1986 while any other country had to wait a few more months. That's possibly the reason for the different versions. Besides the shortened French version, a French DVD with the uncut European version is also available on DVD. The original French version lacks 16 scenes with a length of 3 minutes and 30 seconds.