Highlander

Highlander is a series of fantasy movies featuring Connor MacLeod (Christopher Lambert), the Highlander of the title. Born in Scotland in the 16th century, MacLeod is an Immortal: he cannot die unless he is decapitated. When only one Immortal is left, he or she will gain "The Prize", the precise nature of which is left open for the viewer to speculate on. This leads to a series of sword-fights between Immortals. When the one cuts off the other's head, he gains all the other's powers and abilities.

Typical of the series is the use of flashbacks from previous events in the Highlander's long life.

The films:

• Highlander (1986): In 20th century New York, Connor MacLeod battles the Kurgan (Clancy Brown[?]), another Immortal, defeats him, and apparently wins The Prize. Flashbacks show Connor being expelled from his village when he recovers from a fatal wound, meeting a much older Immortal (Sean Connery) who explains the situation and aids him in his first encounter with the Kurgan, etc.
• Highlander II: The Quickening (1991): Set in the early 21st century, this film veers towards science fiction. (A later re-release reconstructed the film as it was supposed to be made before the suits took over, for instance eliminating all references to the Immortals being aliens from another planet.)

• Highlander III: The Sorcerer (1994): Apparently a prequel to Highlander II, it sees MacLeod defeat a wizard with hypnotic abilities.

• Highlander Endgame (2000): This film introduces characters and situations from the Highlander television series. In order to defeat a superior Immortal, Duncan MacLeod kills Connor MacLeod and thereby absorbs all his power.

The Highlander films and the television series that were spun off from it have attracted a devoted following and led to the creation of a great deal of fan fiction, much of it available on the Internet.

A 1990s television series using the same basic ideas as the films centres on Connor MacLeod's much younger Immortal "kinsman" Duncan MacLeod (Adrian Paul). Connor (Christopher Lambert) makes only a few guest appearances to ensure continuity. Half of each year's production was shot in Canada, the other half in France, requiring considerable plot machination to get all the main characters to migrate back and forth regularly.

A 1994 animated series, Highlander: The Animated Series, was set in the far future, and featured the character of Quentin MacLeod, voiced by Miklos Perlus[?].

Highlander: The Raven was a television series that took one of the characters in the previous series, Amanda (Elizabeth Gracen), as its central character. She was accompanied by former police officer Nick Wolfe (Paul Johansson[?]).