QUEST OF THE DELTA KNIGHTS

James Dodson 1993

Starring: David Warner, Corbin Allred, David Kriegel, Olivia Hussey

I really hope Quest of the Delta Knights is not going to be my last movie of the year, but if it is, so be it. At least it stars David Warner. I know I said I was only going to write about 1980s sword and sorcery movies, but when I heard about this film and the lost treasures of Archimedes, I knew it had to be my one exception. This is also less a sword and sorcery romp and more a medieval knight-fantasy flick, but close enough. It is also unapologetically from the early ‘90s.

A young boy named Tee joins up with Baydool, who is secretly a knight of the Delta order and recognizes Tee from a prophecy. Baydool and Tee set off on a quest to find the Lost Storehouse of Archimedes. The treasures and knowledge therein will help them defeat an evil queen (the Mannerjay) and the sinister Lord Vultare. Tee is also helped by a princess and a young man named Leonardo. For some bizarre reason -- perhaps the abysmally low budget -- David Warner plays the narrator, the aged knight Baydool, and Lord Vultare. Interestingly, he is introduced to us when he throws a chamberpot full of piss on someone. How he thought he could live that down for the rest of the film, I don’t know. 

Director James Dodson (responsible for nothing I can recommend to you) hasn’t made a terrible film with Delta Knights, but I certainly can’t claim it’s any good. With some weird Enya-like flute music mixed in with almost midi-sounding “medieval” themes, that should be your first clue that this would be better off as a spoof than what I think is trying to be a serious movie. The acting doesn’t do it any favors. Other than Warner, we have Corbin Allred (Robin Hood: Men in Tights, actually a medieval spoof) playing the young knight’s apprentice, though for some reason he looks like a girl for most of the film. Olivia Hussey (Black Christmas) makes a brief appearance as the Mannerjay. The rest of the cast is forgettable. The funny thing is that it’s not a triple whammy of bad acting/bad dialogue/bad delivery. It’s some mystery mix of badness that only really appeared in the early ‘90s. Think Xena and Hercules even more so. 

The plot was apparently ripped off of Robert Heinlein’s Citizens of the Galaxy, which I haven’t read, but it does borrow many typical fantasy tropes. The theme song is also stolen from Battle Beyond the Stars (1980). In my opinion, other than many moments of sheer boredom, Delta Knight's worst offense is its awful sort of Renaissance Faire anachronism. There are elements from medieval England, Renaissance Italy and Viking culture. A good reason for this is that it was actually filmed at a Ren Faire in California, something equally impressive and horrifying.  

If you plan to watch Quest of the Delta Knights, I recommend you do so on the Mystery Science Theater 3000 episode. It will be less painful. “Prince? Better than being captured by Morris Day, I guess.” Otherwise, it is available online, but is still unreleased on DVD. 

WIZARDS OF THE DEMON SWORD

Fred Olen Ray, 1991

Starring: Lyle Waggoner, Russ Tamblyn, Blake Bahner, Heidi Paine

What an awful movie. I’m not really a Troma fan, so I sort of expected to dislike this, but I at least had a little faith in director Fred Olen Ray, the man responsible for such delightful trash as Hollywood Chainsaw Hookers (1988). That, apparently, was his high point, whereas this is what you would get if you remade Deathstalker II and took all the whimsy and enjoyment out of it. Melina’s father, Ulric, keeper of the mystical Sword of Aktar, is kidnapped and she is hunted by the guards of the evil Lord Khoura. She is rescued by the famous (in his mind anyway) swordsman Thane. He agrees to help her on her quest to retrieve the blade - which contains power to summon a terrible demon - and save her father. On the way they meet whores, a seer, some dinosaurs and another master swordsman. 

This movie is almost irredeemable. It is slow, utterly stupid and has some of the worst dialogue ever put on film. Short of quoting the movie, words cannot express how bad the combination of script and delivery are. And unlike the aforementioned Deathstalker II, it simply lacks the fun and charm that could have made it so-bad-it’s-good. I can’t think of a reason why anyone would have/want to watch Wizards of the Demon Sword. Come to think of it, isn’t a sword at all, it’s more like a dagger made out of plastic. There are also no wizards, only one would-be possessor of the “sword’s” magic, Lord Khoura, though he does deliver some great lines about how the titular blade allows the user to worship all evil, and things of that nature. Promising as that sounds, this is more the kind of film you want to turn into a drinking game than something you can actually sit down and enjoy. 

The best thing I can say about it is that it’s incredibly light-hearted and might please a trashy movie lover in the right sort of mood. There’s some amusing banter between Thane and another master swordsmen he meets along the way and some other things are unintentionally very funny. Like the fact that Russ Tamblyn (Twin Peaks) is Ulric, the supposedly venerable guardian of the sword, as well as the absurd claymation dinosaurs that come out of nowhere... twice. There is another useless scene in a brothel that at least affords us a few moments of belly dancing, which is about all the sexiness in this movie. Fred Olen Ray, what were you thinking? 

If you do watch it, keep your eyes peeled for a great scene where Thane punches Melina in the face after she tries to have sex with him. It’s justified, I promise. Also keep a look out for a cameo from Michael Berryman, who just can’t keep away from late ‘80s sword and sorcery movies. The acting is horrific. Lyle Waggoner (Lord Khoura) is really a sight to behold, but a sight you might only want to witness while intoxicated. 

Should you decide to subject yourself to Wizards of the Demon Sword, it is out on DVD from Troma. There is the usual intro from Uncle Lloyd, who goes on an amusing rant, but otherwise doesn’t take up much of our time. You know what? It’s New Year’s Eve, one of my least favorite days of the year, but still an excuse to drink whiskey. Which will hopefully erase the majority of Wizards of the Demon Sword from my brain. 

GOR

Fritz Kiersch, 1987

Starring: Oliver Reed, Urbano Barberini, Rebecca Feratti

I feel like sword and sorcery month is inevitably going out on kind of a bad note, but as I’ve moved chronologically through the ‘80s, there’s really no way to avoid that. Which brings us to Gor. Based on the first novel of John Norman’s Tarnsman of Gor series (now 25+ books), this is a sort of a bland, low budget cross between Edgar Rice Burroughs’ A Princess of Mars novel and Deathstalker by way of Ator the Fighting Eagle. 

An awkward history professor, Tarl Cabot, is accidentally transported - via a magic ring passed down through his family - to the troubled planet Gor. The evil King Sarm is decimating the countryside in search of the Home Stone, a device that creates passageways between different dimensions, namely between Gor and Earth. Cabot accidentally kills Sarm’s son and is rescued by a barbarian tribe. Cabot accompanies their princess, Talena, in search of her father, who is being held in Sarm’s prison, and the Home Stone. 

The only real reason to watch this film is the participation of the great Oliver Reed. He embraces the role of Sarm with a real scenery-chewing gusto and seems to have had a lot of fun, even though this might be the lowest point of his career. The rest of the acting is abominable. I expected more from Urbano Barnerini, but I don’t really know why. He was good in Argento’s Opera as the creepy serial killer, but basically does no real acting in Demons other than yelling and running around. Here he is just inept, but certainly fits in with the rest of the cast. Though Jack Palance is given high billing, he only appears at the very end of the film, setting it up for a sequel. There’s also a surprise appearance from a young Arnold Vosloo (Stephen Sommers’ The Mummy), who I always enjoy. June 1986 Playmate of the Month Rebecca Ferratti is almost better than the rest of the cast, but for some reason keeps her clothes on throughout the film. 

The lack of sex or nudity is especially odd, because Norman’s series is known for its female slave fetishism, which has apparently become popular over the years within BDSM culture. There is some depiction of women as slaves in Gor, such as a slave girl auction scene, but it’s so cheesy that it doesn’t even really register on an exploitation level. 

Director Fritz Kiersch (Children of the Corn) doesn’t seem to know what he’s doing and honestly not a lot happens. I wish I had better things to say about a film produced by the wonderful Harry Alan Towers, but Gor will likely only appeal to sword and sorcery completists or Oliver Reed fanatics. As I am both of those, I suffered through till the end. This U.S./South African production is so low budget that it can’t boast much in terms of special effects, but there are some great costume designs, namely for Sarm and his henchmen, like those helmets... Though apparently they couldn’t afford pants for anyone. 

I can’t really recommend Gor. If you feel the need to watch it there is no DVD, but it’s floating around online. There’s also a sequel, Outlaw of Gor, in which Jack Palance has a much larger role. I couldn't bring myself to watch that one, though someone more motivated than I am could really make some fun drinking games out of both these films. 

THE BARBARIANS

Ruggero Deodato, 1987

Starring: Peter Paul, David Paul, Richard Lynch, Eva La Rue, George Eastman

So far out of every sword and sorcery film I’ve watched and reviewed this month, this is my unexpected favorite. It’s not my ultimate favorite in the genre (Beastmaster), but it’s one of the films I expected to like the least and wound up loving. It’s also another sword and sorcery movie that would make an excellent double feature with Jack Hill’s Sorceress (1982) and in this case both films star twins. 

A nomadic tribe of magical circus performers (how could I make this up) is accosted by the evil Kadar, who lusts after a magical ruby in the possession of the tribe’s queen, Canary. She hides the jewel and though many of her people are killed, she pleads for the lives of two young twin boys she has taken in. While Canary is sent to Kadar’s private harem, the twins, Gore and Kutchek, are raised apart to be gladiators. When they are adults, they are set to fight against each other, but recognize one another and escape, with plans to free Canary. They rescue a young woman, who promises to help them find weapons, and set off to free Canary and locate the hidden ruby, which will restore their tribe to power and help defeat Kadar once and for all. 

I cannot stress how much I loved this film. Sure, it is utterly ridiculous. It was directed by Ruggero Deodato (Cannibal Holocaust, House on the Edge of the Park), which probably doesn’t win it any favors, but he made an entertaining, fast paced movie that embraces genre stereotypes whole heartedly. I can’t pretend that the twins - bodybuilders Peter and David Paul - are good actors, but they have a certain fun rapport that lends a lot to the film’s likability. Richard Lynch basically reprised his diabolical role from The Sword and the Sorcerer and chews scenery with abandon. Television actress Eva La Rue is better than the normal token female co-star as the fiery, clever girl who helps the twins locate the ruby and keeps them from descending into utter stupidity. There are also some welcome appearances from the wonderful (and insanely tall, which is illustrated in this film) George Eastman and Michael Berryman. 

Deodato makes the best of the low, low budget and emphasizes the fantasy angle as much as possible. There’s even a sad attempt at a dragon, as well as a lovely, creepy swamp set for the final showdown with some weird aquatic zombie creatures. The creature design is effective overall and the cinematography is decent, even if the film quality is poor. Deodato also contributes a healthy dose of gore, though this film has less sex and nudity than most sword and sorcery movies. The eye candy here is apparently the Paul Brothers. There’s also a fun score from Brian de Palm contributor Pino Donaggio, though I’m not quite sure how he wound up working on this film. 

The Barbarians comes with the highest recommendation I could possibly give it. There is no U.S. DVD release of the film, but it is available on the internet for the resourceful. I can't fathom someone watching this film and not having a great time, but if you hate sword and sorcery movies, avoid it. 

MASTERS OF THE UNIVERSE

Gary Goddard, 1987

Starring: Dolph Lundgren, Frank Langella, Meg Foster, Chelsea Field, Courtney Cox

It might not be the greatest ‘80s action/fantasy movie, but I have a very soft spot in my heart for Masters of the Universe. This live action adaptation of He-Man and the Masters of the Universe is one in name only. It uses key characters like He-Man, Skeletor, Evil-Lyn, Man-At-Arms, Teela, and a few others, but this is basically a completely new story. On Eternia, Skeletor has taken command of Castle Greyskull and the Sorceress. Only a few rebels stand against him, including He-Man, Man-At-Arms and his daughter Teela. They discover a small inventor, Gwildor, who has created a “Cosmic Key” to open portals throughout the universe. Skeletor used it to enter Greyskull, but Gwildor uses a second to help He-Man and the rebels escape. 

In a move that probably inspired Beastmaster 2: Through the Portals of Time (1991), He-Man and co. are transported to suburban California in 1987. They lose the Cosmic Key during landing and spread out to look for it, but a teenage girl, Julie, and her boyfriend Kevin find it. Kevin, a musician, thinks it is some kind of fancy Japanese synthesizer. After he plays around with it, Skeletor’s second in command, Evil-Lyn, is able to trace and follow the signal. She sends a team that includes Beastman to retrieve the key. Julie has an accidental run in with them, but is saved by He-Man. Julie and He-Man search for Kevin, who has the key, while Evil-Lyn and Skeletor are closing in. 

It is baffling that director Gary Goddard (known for his theater direction and attraction designs for Walt Disney and Universal Studios) and screenwriter David Odell (The Dark Crystal) chose to completely ignore the original He-Man story set up in the cartoon, but it’s also kind of bold that they wanted to do something new. There is no Prince Adam and, most upsettingly, no Battle Cat or Orko, but it’s an interesting ‘80s sword and sorcery flick nonetheless. According to Goddard, he was most inspired by Jack Kirby’s New Gods and also Fantastic Four and Doctor Doom. He was given He-Man to work with, but tried his damnedest to make a comic book movie. Even though it is a total cheesefest, I think he mostly succeeded. 

The acting is about what you would expect. Dolph Lundgren is wooden and seems confused for most of the film, but he has little dialogue and so completely looks the part that it doesn’t matter. Plus I would watch Dolph Lundgren in absolutely anything. Though it’s nearly impossible to tell, the wonderful Frank Langella is Skeletor. His make up is nearly perfect and though he wears a full mask, he is still able to facially articulate. Though he threatened to return at the end of the film, there is sadly no Masters of the Universe sequel. Probably for the best, though Lundgren has allegedly promised to reprise the role of He-Man if asked. The rest of the actors are pretty average. Meg Foster is suitably menacing as Evil-Lyn and Courtney Cox (in her first feature length role) and Robert Duncan McNeill (Star Trek: Voyager) are only moderately annoying as the token ‘80s teenagers. 

The set looks great, but was obviously inspired by Star Wars. Skeletor’s soldiers all look like lesser Darth Vaders and, like the Stormtoopers, carry laser guns. I honestly don’t know why this is in the He-Man universe, but the fewer questions you ask, the more you will enjoy this film. I’m not sure if I should recommend it. I have to admit that I’m a big He-Man fan. I played with the toys when I was kid and watched the original cartoon (1983 - 1985) as well as She-Ra: Princess of Power (1985 - 1986), and then later came to love the reboot, He-Man and the Masters of the Universe (2002 - 2004). Actually, if you’ve never seen He-Man, this is a great place to start. If you already love He-Man, keep in mind that this film is not a direct adaptation of the cartoon and changes many things. If you can get past that, it’s pretty fun. Masters of the Universe is available on a basic DVD from Warner, though it includes an audio commentary from Goddard. There is now also a Blu-ray. 

AMAZONS

Alejandro Sessa, 1986

Starring: Penelope Reed, Ty Randolph, Danitza Kingsley, Joseph Whipp

This is the last of the Argentinian sword and sorcery films -- a genre unknown by many but loved by some -- produced by Roger Corman and Héctor Olivera. I expected little from Amazons, but have to admit that I was pleasantly surprised. Sure, it is low budget and practically everything about the film is unforgivably cheesy, but it is also surprisingly entertaining. The closest thing I can compare this to is Jack Hill’s Sorceress (1982), a movie I actually really love, mostly because it is so dumb you can’t help but enjoy it. There is a certain joie de vivre about both films, despite or because of their absolutely stupidity. The Amazons themselves seem to be right off the set of Yor, the Hunter from the Future (1983) or Deathstalker II (1987) and there are a lot of typical sword and sorcery tropes.

Amazons was directed by the competent Alejandro Sessa, who produced a variety of sword and sorcery movies, including Deathstalker (1983), The Warrior and the Sorceress (1984), Wizards of the Lost Kingdom (1985), Barbarian Queen (1985) and even Highlander II: The Quickening (1991), though the latter is probably best ignored. Ozone, I ask you? Anyway, Amazons is about what you would expect. A tribe of scantily clad women warriors are attacked by an evil wizard. One of the Amazons, Dyala, has a vision about a magical sword, which is the only thing that can defeat him. She is sent on a quest with the daughter of a family rival, Tashi, whose mother orders her to kill Dyala and take the sword when their quest is complete. Will Tashi’s family loyalty win out over her love for her tribe?

Written by Charles R. Saunders and based on his story “Agbewe’s Sword,” which was part of a 1979 anthology Amazons! Interestingly, this collection was edited and mostly written by women and features primarily female protagonists, a first for the genre. I don’t think this is still in print, but the editor, Jessica Amanda Salmonson, also edited the interesting looking The Encyclopedia of Amazons: Women Warriors from Antiquity to the Modern Era. 

The plot of Amazons is typically convoluted and makes no sense. For example, why would Tashi’s mother use Tashi to get revenge? She’s the Amazon general and certainly has enough power, authority, and skill to carry it out herself. Instead, she betrays all of the Amazons to make an alliance with the evil wizard. Because that makes sense. The fight scenes aren't all that great, but we’re basically at the end of sword and sorcery month, so what did you expect? I hope the answer is topless ladies, because that’s all you’re going to get, though this isn’t quite as sexy as Deathstalker. There is one softcore sex scene, though there are many boob shots and a fair amount of violence.

There’s also a lot of the expected ridiculousness, including a traveling cage of women slaves, a werelion, a human sacrifice, etc. The acting is absurd, though all the actors take themselves very seriously, which helps with the humor. I have to recommend Amazons, but only to sword and sorcery fanatics. Fortunately there’s a DVD from Concorde/New Horizons, though it’s pretty basic.

HIGHLANDER

Russell Mulcahey, 1986

Starring: Sean Connery, Christopher Lambert, Clancy Brown

I am perhaps not the best person to write objectively about Highlander, as it is one of my favorite films. I also grew up with a major love of the series. What began as one magic film has since developed into novels, comics, four more live action sequels and one animated film, two television series and an animated series, a card game and two video games. If you haven’t lived under a rock for the last 30 years, it is impossible not to at least have heard of Highlander and know that it means immortal swordsmen set about beheading each other left and right because there can be only one. 

Flashing back and forth between the 16th century Scottish Highlands and New York City in the present (the ‘80s), we follow the story of Connon MacLeod. In a parking garage, he sword fights with a man and then beheads him and receives the Quickening - a tremendous burst of energy - which attracts the attention of the police. He is arrested, but they don't have enough evidence to keep him. One of their consultants, Brenda, recognizes the rarity and value of his broadsword. 

We move back to the Highlands, where he is killed in battle by a fearsome warrior known as the Kurgan, who has travelled there specifically to cut off his head. The Kurgan is prevented from doing this, but Connor dies and reawakens to life as an Immortal. He is shunned by his village, who think witchcraft is responsible. He marries a woman named Heather and meets a third Immortal, Juan Sanchez Villa-Lobos Ramirez, who explains Immortal life to him and trains him to defeat the Kurgan in battle. 

Ramirez explains that the last Immortal to remain alive will win the Prize, and if the Kurgan wins this, it will spell doom for humanity. While Connor is away the Kurgan kills Ramirez and rapes Heather. Ultimately Connor and Heather live a long life together and she dies of old age. Back in New York, Connor must face his growing attraction to Brenda and find the Kurgan before the Kurgan finds and beheads him.

For some bizarre reason the film wasn’t well received, but has since become a cult classic. Deservedly so. Though it doesn’t follow the normal trajectory of a sword and sorcery film, it is certainly one of the best ever made and also ranks highly among the heavy output of ‘80s action flicks. It’s hard not to like Highlander. The setting is both medieval and noirish, there are plenty of great fight and training sequences, and Christopher Lambert’s brooding performance is perfectly balanced by Sean Connery’s roguish Spaniard and Clancy’s fantastic Kurgan, who absolutely steals the show. I wish the ending of the film had been ignored (as the sequels all do anyway) and the Kurgan had been given his own spin off series. 

Now would be a great time to mention that we have a Frenchman (Lambert) with a somewhat heavy accent playing a Scotsman pretending to have an American accent. And then we have a real Scotsman (Connery) with a thick Scottish accent playing a Spaniard who is actually an Egyptian. Anything goes. There are certainly some ridiculous elements, particularly from the subpar Roxanne Hart, but most of the film’s flaws just increase its overall charm. And it opens with a pro-wrestling match. This is pure '80s, all the way, and the fact that it is clearly dated should not be a deterrent.

The magic of this film is that it attempts to explore the question of immortality (and thus mortality). Connor is withdrawn, perhaps miserable and, at times, kind of creepy. But despite the film's B movie flaws, he is a compelling character that pulls us along against all odds. The score, by Michael Kamen and with several tracks by Queen, is one of the finest points of the film. Director Mulcahy is mostly known for his numerous music videos and matches up some of Queen’s hits perfectly with the film. I cannot recommend Highlander strongly enough. The film is out on Blu-ray (the director’s cut) from Lion’s Gate. Special features include deleted scenes and an audio commentary from Mulcahy.

I sadly cannot heap as much praise on any of the sequels. Highlander II: The Quickening (1991), the direct sequel to Highlander, is essentially the beginning of the end. Let me say here and now that all the live action sequels are completely lousy, though somehow The Quickening is even worst than the third film, which I will get to in a moment. Highlander director Russell Mulcahy returns, as do Christopher Lambert and Sean Connery. The Earth's ozone is thinning dangerously, killing millions, including Brenda, Connor's wife from the first film. She makes him promise to solve the failing ozone issues. Because he is a scientist all of a sudden. And so he makes an artificial shield to protect the Earth, which plunges the world into darkness after a few years of stability. The Shield has been taken over by an evil company and, naturally, rebels spring up, hoping to take it back. 

You know what? I can’t even continue with a reasonable plot description. I can say that The Quickening involves an opera, a foreign planet, Ramirez (Connery’s character from the first film), Connor using some sly anti-aging tricks, and all sorts of other nonsense. Please don’t watch this movie unless you are incredibly drunk. Allegedly there is a director’s cut that is “better” than the version I’ve seen, but I don’t even know how that could be possible. 

Highlander III: The Sorcerer aka Highlander: The Final Dimension aka Highlander 3: The Final Conflict is another film that no one needs to see. Ever. Connor is back and journeys to Japan during the 16th century to train with a sorcerer, Nakano. Another Immortal, Kane, massacres the villagers and defeats Nakano. The ensuing Quickening traps him inside Nakano’s cave, though Connor is able to escape. There is a brief interlude to revolutionary France, where Connor is almost killed and is forced to leave behind his lover Sarah. In the present day, after the events of the first film, Connor believes the Game to be over. An archaeologist, Alexandra, who resembles his former lover Sarah, accidentally frees Kane. Alexandra tracks down Connor to help him fight Kane. Their showdown will now be the final end to the Game. This at least tries to return to the mythology of the first film, after the disaster of the second, but does so badly. As I said earlier, it's probably stil better than The Quickening. 

Highlander: Endgame (2000) is the fourth sequel in this awful franchise. Someone should have paid heed to the film’s motto: “There can only be one.” Directed by Douglas Aarniokoski and starring Adrian Paul and Christopher Lambert, this is meant to continue Highlander: The Series, which is why it stars both Connor (Lambert) and his younger kinsman Duncan (Paul). 

Connor tries to save his mother from a rabid priest, Jacob, but he is too late and Jacob kills Connor’s mother after charging her with witchcraft. Though Connor kills him, Jacob rises again as an Immortal and swears vengeance against Connor, which apparently takes hundreds of years. Jacob gains a massive amount of strength by breaking the rules of the Game and kills anyone Connor cares about. Connor’s kinsmen Duncan gets involves and teams up with Connor to defeat the now insane Jacob once and for all. To say this film is bad would be too charitable. There’s a lot of sword fighting, but that’s the only positive thing I can say about it. I don't know why they kept making these, particularly when all of the sequels received such negative acclaim. 

The fifth film, Highlander: The Source (2007), is probably the worst of the sequels and fortunately is the last. It might be tied with the second, though that has a certain "so bad it's good" quality. Directed by Brett Leonard (Lawnmower Man) and starring Adrian Paul, this is a spin-off of the television series. It was supposed to be the start a SciFi Channel film trilogy (now offensively named SyFy), but bombed so badly that we were spared the final two films. Some Immortals are trying to find the source of their power, which irritates the protective “Guardians of the Source.” Joe Dawson (Jim Byrnes) and Methos (Peter Wingfield) must find Duncan so that they can all find the Source and prevent it from falling into the wrong hands. Seriously, the less said about this, the better. It's not bad in an Ed Wood kind of way, more in boring, pointless sort of way. 

Fortunately the sequels have been erased from my mind by Highlander the Series (1992 - 1998), one of my first loves growing up. Though Connor briefly appears, the series follows Duncan MacLeod (Adrian Paul), who lives in Vancouver with his girlfriend Tessa, an artist, where they run an antique shop together. An Immortal, Quince, has been hunting Duncan, but is also being pursued by Connor. They have a show down in which Duncan decapitates Quince and gains the Quickening. A young punk and drifter, Richie, witnesses this. Sensing that he is a future Immortal, Duncan takes him in and gives him a job. Throughout the season they encounter other immortals, some bad, some good, including the former warrior, now monk Darius, who has sworn a vow of non-violence. He was Duncan’s teacher and remains his friend, but is being stalked by another Immortal. Season one introduces some of the reoccurring characters, like the beautiful but selfish thief Amanda, as well as the secret society of mortal Watchers that chronicle the history of the Immortals. 

Season two continues to develop the story of the Watchers and introduces the main Watcher, Duncan’s soon to be friend Joe Dawson. Duncan begins training Richie at a dojo and proposes to Tessa. Unfortunately this is interrupted by a group of renegade Watchers who hunt down and kill Immortals. Season three is a little more episodic. Duncan becomes better friends with Joe and finds a new girlfriend. Richie, predictably, gets into trouble. Season four focuses more on Duncan’s relationships with Amanda and my favorite reoccurring character, Methos, the oldest living immortal. The episodic season five moves further away from the Watchers (other than Joe) and is not as good as the previous seasons, though we learn a lot more about Methos. The less said about season six, the better. 

I don’t know if I can recommend it, but I really love this show. It was a staple of my youth and I spent a lot of hours watching it with my grandmother. I didn’t have the most highly developed critical faculties at the time. Regardless, it has received mostly positive reviews. Adrian Paul isn’t that great of an actor, but he brings a certain warmth and charisma to Duncan and has enough range to do exactly what the script demands of him. The strength of the show is that it continues to explore the difficulty of being immortal - of aging and not aging, the trouble of having power and remaining uncorrupted, losing loved ones, etc. Plus there’s a lot of sword fighting. It is by far a better sequel than any of the additional films. 

Seasons two through four are my favorite, though five also has plenty of strong moments. The sixth season is outright bad, partly because the series just went on for too long and Adrian Paul was desperate to finish the show. If you are expecting an extended version of Highlander, you will be disappointed. This has more swashbuckling, adventure and romance. It is also solidly planted in the '90s. It will please fans of historical fiction; because Duncan is 400 years old, many of the episodes cover his past adventures, as well as older characters like Methos and Darius. 

Highlander: The Series was so beloved that it didn’t just stop at the show. There were a lot of spin off novels, audio books and an animated web series focusing on Methos. There was also a further spin-off, Highlander: The Raven (1998 - 1999), which continued after the departure of Duncan MacLeod and followed his friend, sometimes lover and fellow Immortal, Amanda (Elizabeth Gracen). 

During Highlander: The Series, Amanda is introduced as a mostly amoral thief. In The Raven, she has a change of heart after a human police officer dies defending her. The dead officer’s partner is a soon-to-be Immortal and teams up with Amanda to solve some mysteries. This only ran one season and got mixed reviews. I personally disliked it, but the last two seasons of Highlander pretty much drove things into the ground for me and Amanda was one of my least favorite characters. 

The third television series, Highlander: The Animated Series (1994 - 1996), ran for two seasons and loosely followed Connor MacLeod. I’ve never seen this adaptation, probably because it was originally aired in Canada. Connor and the other remaining mortals stop fighting one another after a nuclear catastrophe on Earth. Of course, there is one immortal who refuses to follow this plan and still tries to win the Prize. Connor dies fighting him, but one of his kinsman, Quentin, takes up the charge. Ramirez also appears in the series to train Quentin. 

Because there weren’t already enough Highlander films, Highlander: The Search for Vengeance (2007) was released. I haven’t seen this yet, but I’ve heard good things about it. Directed by Yoshiaki Kawajiri (Ninja Scroll), this anime-Highlander hybrid at least makes a more reasonable return to form that all of the live-action sequels. Colin MacLeod, a Roman Empire-era Immortal, is on a quest for revenge against another Immortal, the solider Marcus Octavius, who killed Colin’s family while trying to create a utopian society. In my opinion, revenge plots never get old, plus the Roman setting (with Stonehenge and druids) is a refreshing take. They also move to post-apocalyptic New York, another one of my favorite settings. 

Because the Highlander series does seem to be immortal, a remake of the original was planned in 2008 and continues to trudge along. I hope to gods this never gets made and, to make matters worse, Ryan Reynolds is currently signed on to play Connor. Watch this instead: