40 Years Later, 'Highlander' Remains the Best of Its Sword-Wielding Kind
The 1986 fantasy action film 'Highlander' celebrates its 40th anniversary, cementing its status as the definitive entry in the immortal swordsmen saga.
Four decades after its initial release, Highlander continues to stand tall as the quintessential sword-and-sorcery fantasy action film. Directed by Russell Mulcahy and starring Christopher Lambert as an immortal Scotsman engaged in a centuries-old battle for survival, the 1986 cult classic has spawned a vast multimedia franchise, including two direct sequels, two TV series, and a long-gestating reboot.
The origins of Highlander can be traced back to screenwriter Gregory Widen, who penned the first draft while still a college student at UCLA. Inspired by Ridley Scott's 1977 film The Duelists and Widen's own visits to Scotland and the Tower of London, the script - originally titled Shadow Clan - centered on the immortal swordsmen secretly living among us. Widen's original draft sold for $200,000, and after a few revisions, the film was ready for production.
Source: Ars Technica
