MovieChat Forums > Highlander (1986) Discussion > Cult status

Cult status

posted 9 years ago by mistermagpie2001
14 replies | jump to latest

Okay I realize that people enjoy this movie for various reasons. This is not to bash it. I just don't see why people like this movie so much. I have tried to watch it several times, but the acting, production values, etc just kill it for me. Was it a long awaited live action version for these fans? Or maybe it just appealed to some folks on a level that just satisfied their entertainment level. I just don't understand how it has held the fascination of a generation of people all this time. It really is bad. I'm in my late 30's so it was made in the prime of my childhood. But even compared to sci-fi of that era it is rubbish. I have no shame in admitting that I personally enjoy some terrible tragedies of movie purgatory. Actually many films from my adolescence are horrid in retrospect. Please enlighten me as to why it garnered such a loyal fan base. I'm lost.

[–] andy-g85 9 years ago

It has an very definite charm I have never been able to quite pin down. But it's there. It hasn't faded through time either.
On a technical level it's not the best, and hasn't aged well. But it has something about it that transcends all that

[–] mistermagpie2001 9 years ago

Well a definite miss for my taste. I just never got on the Christopher Lambert train, anyway. I mean did you see the mockery he made of Raiden? Connery was just hamming it up for the paycheck. No way he was taking any of this drivel seriously. I feel like he saw Alec Guinness succeed as Obi-Wan and thought he had the new hot ticket. Just a crap film that hit a nerve with some people.

[–] andy-g85 9 years ago

That's it, it does just grab certain people. I didn't make me get on any Lambert train though. Certainly not

[–] destroyaaahhh 9 years ago

I saw this when I was 8 years old: I saw decapitations, prostitutes and a scary villain.

It was enough for me back then. It has not aged as well as I thought it would, I must admit that watching it as an adult I was a bit disappointed but it's still way better than 99% of the garbage I saw in the past 10 years (worst decade in cinema history IMO).

So for me it works because of nostalgia and the utter disgust I have towards modern movies

[–] psmithyyyyy 8 years ago

everyone was great in this, it had humor, great battles, a little cheesy and great 80's effects at the end. nothing beats that scene where he is getting all the power, glass shatters, ghosts surround him, just sweet.

[–] tb-sch 8 years ago

It tells a story. Which movie does that today?

[–] 8 years ago

[deleted]

[–] tb-sch 8 years ago

And of course: Clancy Brown. Of course one remembers Christopher Lambert, but when it comes to quote an actual scene or piece of dialogue, it most likely will be one with Clancy Brown in it.

[–] mrjbaptist 8 years ago

It was a cool movie with great lines, good action sequences, interesting characters, humor, and used flashbacks - which confudsed people who "look at" rather than "watch" films, so there was a certain amount of eliminating the "riff raff" right off the bat.

It created an interesting - if unlikely - mythology of the chosen immortal warriors, battling through the ages for "the prize".

Based on where they went with the sequels, it seems that the studio was unsure of what made teh first film work.

[–] CptHowdy87 7 years ago

Okay I realize that people enjoy this movie for various reasons. This is not to bash it.

*Proceeds to do nothing but bash the movie and it's fan-base. 

Why do you even care to begin with? Lot's of not-so-great movies have cult fan-bases. For whatever reasons they are, certain movies just resonate with people.

Highlander has some obvious flaws and by today's annoying super-serious standards is silly and over the top. Those things add to the charm of Highlander for alot of its fans.

I think it's amazing what the makers of this movie were able to do with a budget of under 20 million back 30 years ago. The story is entirely original and unique. Christopher Lambert despite his limited acting ability has always been a very charismatic and likable actor. Clancy Brown as the Kurrgan is one of my and many other's favorite movie villains. The soundtrack by Queen and Michael Kamen is absolutely awesome. I love the locations and set-pieces. There's plenty to like about this movie. No fan of the movie thinks it's perfect, not by a long shot but there's enough we like about it to overlook it's flaws and enjoy everything else about it.

[–] jstang411 7 years ago

I think it's amazing what the makers of this movie were able to do with a budget of under 20 million back 30 years ago. The story is entirely original and unique. Christopher Lambert despite his limited acting ability has always been a very charismatic and likable actor. Clancy Brown as the Kurrgan is one of my and many other's favorite movie villains. The soundtrack by Queen and Michael Kamen is absolutely awesome. I love the locations and set-pieces. There's plenty to like about this movie. No fan of the movie thinks it's perfect, not by a long shot but there's enough we like about it to overlook it's flaws and enjoy everything else about it.

Obviously movies like this are like comedy....a most personal taste, but what an awesome summary of what is too like about this movie.

Flick had a unique and thoughtful storyline, awesome action sequences, impressive cinematography, good production values (for the time at least), relatable characters, and overall POP.

Own it -- but time to watch it again. And after that Terminator (the only version that counts of course....just like Highlander).