Transferring some film successes to television is not new. Between 1992 and 1998, it was produced directly for syndication in the United States’Highlander‘, a series that adapted to the small screen the film saga that began ‘The Immortals’ (‘Highlander’) in 1986. In case any of you don’t know them, they told the story of Connor McLeod, a normal and ordinary guy who discovers that belonging to a race of immortal beings who live hidden among the population and who fight among themselves until only one remains.
The film’s motto, “There can only be one left,” is what remains most of it; that and that the fights were always with swords, that Sean Connery He looked quite indescribable like Connor’s teacher throughout the story, and that The only way to kill an immortal was to decapitate him.and absorbing their powers.
‘The Immortals’ launched Christopher Lambert to stardom and had three other film sequels, an animated version and a television series whose protagonist, Duncan, focused the last two installments of the saga.
What was ‘Highlander’ about?
Duncan McLeod (Adrian Paul), like Connor, was a Highland Scot who was immortal, and had to face other beings who wanted to kill him. The Serie I was looking for some continuity with the movies also starting in the contemporary era of the program, with Duncan and his girlfriend leading a normal life.
He wants to leave the game behindthe chase continues among all the Immortals to eliminate each other one by one, but the evil Slan Quince and Connor himself drag him back into the wheel.
‘Highlander’ thus showed how Duncan fights with all the Immortals who try to kill him, and how his condition affects his relationship with the people around him. some chapters They also focused on moments from their past lifeallowing the series to jump between the 17th and 20th centuries, the swashbuckling adventures and fights in industrial environments of its time.
What was sought was action and adventureexpanding the world of the films (of which there were only two when the series was released), and adding around Duncan not only his girlfriend but a thief who breaks into his store one night, and discovers Duncan fighting against Slan, and to the narrator of the credits, an observer who helps him although those in his group should not get involved in the Game of the Immortals.
Although ‘Highlander’ had another protagonist, The original idea was to tell new adventures of Connor McLeod. However Christopher Lambert was not interested in doing television. For that same reason, the pilot of the series, which was initially going to be the third installment of the saga, ended up becoming a normal length episode.
An international success
‘Highlander’ is a case of international co-production developed directly for syndication in the United States, such as ‘La femme Nikita’ or ‘Xena, the warrior princess’, which ended up having a great success. It was initially developed by the French production company Gaumont, allied with a Canadian production company, to take advantage of the popularity of films, but their idea was to have Lambert as the protagonist.
When that option was ruled out, Adrian Paul, a virtually unknown British actor for whom ‘Highlander’ was his largest project. In fact, the series’ seasons that the series was on the air allowed him to participate in the last two films of the saga, the last in 2007.
Her styling, very nineties, was one of the most recognizable things in the series, with long shapeless coats, his ponytail, and his katana. ‘Highlander’ were adventures without major pretensionswith a visual aspect in which it was clear that there were no large budgets, but they wanted to tell a very vast mythology such as that of the Immortals and their struggles.
Also The series was intended to refer to the movieseither by the name of its protagonist, or by the appearance in the pilot of Duncan himself, or by using ‘Princes of the Universe‘, one of the songs that the band Queen he composed for ‘Los immortales’.
Curiously, this universe also resists dying. As we said, there was also a series of cartoons, ‘Highlander: Search for vengeance‘, a spin-off titled ‘Highlander: The Raven‘ centered on Amanda (Elizabeth Gracen) and there have also been books and comics about the adventures of the McLeods. It’s a pretty wide world for that cinematic remake that has been in the works for years and that will finally arrive with Henry Cavill in the skin of the protagonist.
It is worth recovering the television adaptation of ‘Highlander’ before the new film, although in Spain we have to resort to the physical format because, unfortunately, it is not on any streaming platform.
In Espinof:
2024-01-13 21:06:25
#Highlander #90s #series #expanded #universe #Immortals #worth #recovering #remake #Henry #Cavill
