Highlander

Rating:
Summary: Highlander-Directors Cut
Review: I thought that the DVD would be a good version to own of this film, even though I already had the Directors Cut on VHS. I gotta tell you, the VHS is better. The way this movie was made, with a misty, fog like haze overcast through all of the night sequences looked good on VHS, looks grainy on the non-anamorphic DVD. The director's commentary is good..and very interesting during the scenes which were added for the directors cut, however in the commentary they mention a bar scene which would have been nice to show as a deleted scene, but its not there. The title page for the DVD is a bland two color repulic pictures standard page, which is very boring to say the least. And the photo slide show advertised on the package was totally worthless, as the first 500 photos go by in about 3 seconds, so fast that even frame by frame barely catches them all. It seems like this was rushed to market to replace the rare laserdisc version.

Rating:
Summary: Save Your Money...Buy the VHS
Review: Okay, I goofed by not reading the reviews here before I bought this title. Please, don't make the same mistake I did. All of the glowing praise for this film is for the VHS version, if you noticed.

The DVD transfer is, in a word, terrible. Whatever film stock was used for the low-light shots (which is most of the film) was pretty grainy, and the DVD just accentuates that to an ALARMING degree. Add to that the pixelation artifacts, and the way certain backgrounds in shots don't move or change their appearance AT ALL with foreground movement, giving scenes a plastic, cartoonish look. This is a cheap way to cut down on the DVD's data size, but it shows. I've seen indie films shot on 16mm that looked better on a VHS dub than this. Maybe they were shorthanded at the mastering lab that week and let an intern get a "big break", I don't know. The THX certification is definitely NOT deserved, as the mix on the sound is equally bad, with FX stomping on dialog in key places.

Having said that, if you are bound and determined to buy this, Russel Mulcahy's strong grasp of the visual at least doesn't disappoint. Some of the best match dissolves and scene transitions to be found anywhere. The DVD should be shown to aspiring film students:What TO DO with a camera, What NOT TO DO in the mastering lab.

Rating:
Summary: Don't shoot! I'm not a critic
Review: It isn't a waste of time or effort to praise this movie as one of the greatest visions of the last century. I give credit to the writers. This movie has a soul and heart.

Rating:
Summary: THE BOMB
Review: VERY GOOD! Excellent fighting scenes! Good script. Dont mind what Leonard Martin says.Buy it today!

Rating:
Summary: My favorite film -- butchered on DVD
Review: What an absolute atrocity. The picture quality on this DVD is the worst I have *EVER* seen. I'm fortunate to have the same edition on laserdisc, in addition to the original US release on laserdisc, and the quality in both cases is far superior. You'll think something is wrong with your DVD player if you buy this version. If you can't find the LD, go for VHS.

Now, that having been said, the MOVIE is my all-time fave. Love the idea, love the cinematography, and love the performances of all the actors, especially Connery. It's true that the original US cut makes somewhat less sense than the Director's Cut, but that's a two-edged sword. The flow of the original US cut was better, while the Director's cut drags a bit in places. Also, the US cut, while "confusing" is also mysterious in a way that made it fun to watch again and again, because you had to figure out little details that are simply explained in the Director's cut.

Overall, it's a pity this DVD is such a hack job. If it's ever remastered (which it should be), then they should do the same thing they've done with some other DVD titles -- allow you to select whether you want the US release or the Director's Cut. Also, think ANAMORPHIC!

Rating:
Summary: What's the fuss all about?
Review: I recently purchased a USED copy of the 10th Anniversary "Highlander" film. I must concur with the Widescreen Review of the quality. It looks great! I don't know if I bought a remastered version or if my DVD player is great, but the picture was wonderful. I watched the movie with headphones and the sound was great too. I can't understand why this DVD transfer is getting such negative reviews. I have a cheap Panasonic A120 player and everything came out looking spectacular. Perhaps the copy I bought is the exception and not the norm.

Rating:
Summary: Horrible quality on DVD !
Review: I was really amazed that a THX certified DVD could have as bad picture quality as this movie. It is totally grainy throughout + it is non-anamorphic. There is no way I'm buying this version, perhaps if they remaster it.

Rating:
Summary: They are right; Video quality is AWFUL
Review: Well, I watched the DVD. Everyone was right (sigh). The video is so bad, it's literally unbelievable. You spend more time looking at the grains and pixels than the movie, it's that distracting. Very awful transfer, the story is good as it always was, but it is a waste of money.

Rating:
Summary: DO NOT BUY THE DVD, WAIT UNTIL IT'S RE-RELEASED
Review: EVERYONE WHO SAYS THE DVD VERSION IS RUBBISH IS ABSOLUTELY RIGHT. I DON'T KNOW HOW THEY GOT THE PICTURE THIS BAD. IT LOOKS AS IF IT'S BEEN DELIBERATELY AGED. THEY MESSED UP THE SOUNDTRACK AS WELL. I WOULD SEND IT BACK BUT I LIVE IN THE UK - IT'S TOO MUCH HASSLE. DON'T BUY IT, IT'S NOT WORTH THE MONEY. SAYS IT'S GOT A THX CERTIFICATION. I HAVE NO IDEA HOW THEY GOT THAT - IT'S THE WORST QUALITY DVD THAT'S BEEN RELEASED SO FAR.

Rating:
Summary: Enthralling Nonsense
Review: That's about the only way to describe "Highlander." It's a B-movie in every sense yet has enough good in it to make it entertaining to watch. I guess that's why it became such a cult classic.

The story centers on a young Scotsman named Connor MacLeod who resides in New York City under a different name. Connor is actually one of the few men on Earth who have the special gift of immortality. These immortals can be killed if beheaded by another immortal and throughout the ages these elect men have been hunting each other down in the hopes of becoming the last immortal on Earth, which would give him a gift of high enlightenment, a gift that can be dangerous if in the wrong hands. Connor is on the run from an immortal goon, the Kurgan, who has been after him since the 1500's. It eventually comes down to Connor and the Kurgan as to who will be the one that receives the special gift.

Something that certainly doesn't work in favor of "Highlander"(and helps make it B-grade) is the fact that the movie has not aged very well. Compared to the action movies of today, this flick looks corny. The special effects are pretty cheesy and the whole production design feels outdated. The acting was, for the most part, not too memorable. Christopher Lambert doesn't do a good enough job of making his character of Connor MacLeod engaging. He makes for rather uninteresting hero. There were only two noteable performances I saw here. One was Sean Connery, who makes a nice little impression playing Ramirez, the man who first tutors Connor when he discovers that he's an immortal. But Connery only gets about 20 minutes of screen time and this hinders him from making a bigger impact. The other standout I saw was Clancy Brown, who plays the Kurgan. Brown makes his character the perfect bad guy giving him the "qualities" of vile, mean, and creepy. In short, he's a guy you wouldn't want to meet in a dark alley. I have to say that "Highlander" has quite an interesting concept. The idea of immortals hunting each other down to gain an ultimate power is nifty (if somewhat hokey) and director Russel Mulcahy executes it just well enough to make things entertaining, with the swordfights between the immortals becoming the highlight points.

Overall, I really can't say "Highlander" is a great film but at the same time, I can't dissuade you from seeing it either. Who knows? You, like many others, may have that "kind of magic" that will turn you on to this cult classic. The only way to know is to check it out and see what happens.