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Prize Magazine #14

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THE PRIZE

Newsletter of the Watchers Of CIS

FEBRUARY, 1592

ISSUE #14: A CANDLE

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NOTES FROM THE EDITOR'S CAGE

AQUARIUS (January 21 -- February 19): "The Waterbearer". Uninhibited,
eclectic,
progressive, imaginative, cold, scattered, given to grand causes and playing
in
traffic. Aquarians born in the Chinese year of the Rooster (1/23/93 --
2/9/94)
will be even more so. In the year ahead you will probably be moving house.

THE PRIZE officially celebrates its first birthday on February the Seventh,
1995, and no one is more surprised by that than I am. In one year's time this
newsletter has served as the collective memory to a most amazing event: the
forging of a group of widely disparate people from all sides of the world
itself
into a family. We may not "know" each other in the common sense, but we have
gotten to know each other quite well, and I'd like to think that having
something of permanance to point to at the end of the day has helped.

The average member of our family, we have learned, is female, "older than
Adrian", works in a computer-related field, and has a respiratory condition.
Or
at any rate, the menfolks are an awfully quiet lot. Although opinions and
temperaments of all stripes have been seen in the Forum, the one trait we all
seem to share is a remarkably tolerant outlook; I do believe Dawson would be
proud to have such Watchers under his charge.

News and announcements, of which there are not many this month having been
drowned out by the hoopla over the film:

Peter Davis and William Panzer have finally graced us with the honor of their
presence, in a live conference in the Time-Warner Lifestyles Forum here on
CIS.
If I have to tell you who these people are, you haven't been paying
attention.
In theory, a transcript of this event should eventually surface. These
luminaries have come to promote the Director's Cut of HIGHLANDER II: THE
QUICKENING, which is scheduled for release in mid-February. Our undying
gratitude to Wayne Chang for arranging this field trip; let him hereby be
awarded the Virtual Medal of Sword Polisher First Class.

In this issue:

Taking advantage of the fact that the virtual newsletter has no need to hang
about at the printshop, drinking too much bad complimentary coffee and
looking
nervously at its watch, we devote this issue to the North American release,
on
January 27th, of the eagerly awaited HIGHLANDER: THE FINAL DIMENSION.
According
to USA Today, the opening weekend's box office estimates put H3 at number two
for the weekend, grossing $5.7 million.

Next month: These are the preliminary reviews; coming for March, unless I get
a
better idea, the *dissections* of HIGHLANDER: THE FINAL DIMENSION...

-- Samantha Lynn, 73524,43

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YOU CAN'T GO HOME AGAIN

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Reaction to the third installment of the saga of Connor MacLeod has been
mixed.
The reader is left to judge whether the game was worth the candle...

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Elaine Nicol -- [on the UK version] Highlander III : The Sorcerer

The film opens with Connor talking about who he is. There are flashback
scenes to Scotland. He talks about [how] after Heather died he travelled the
earth to find a reason. He ends up in Japan.
The action moves to Japan. We see him watch a sword being made. He also
learns about illusion. A lot of this is reminiscent of Ramirez's original
lessons. Then we see Kane coming. He has a bit of mayhem on the way just so
you know who he is. Burns a village. Connor is told to leave; of course he
doesn't at first, then he does, the sorcerer then fights Kane and loses, but
tells Kane the Prize will never be his. The mountain then falls in.
We then move back to the present day. An archaeologist arrives in Japan
to look at the cave which they have found. Of course Kane and his two
companions escape. He sends one to find Connor; the other he beheads and
takes
his Quickening.
We move back and forward a lot now. Next we see Connor riding across the
desert with a boy (his adopted son John). We see lightning in the sky, we
know
it's a Quickening. Connor can't understand it, after all he thought he was
the
only one. (We are in '94 folks, so it must be the alternate universe).
Connor leaves and goes to New York. He is mugged, and is taken to a
hospital where they think he is dead. He comes to and starts to fight, so
they
haul him off to the psychiatric ward, where he is locked up. He wakes up
(they
sedated him), and finds himself in the bed next to a guy who thinks he is
Napoleon. Connor pretends to be his most loyal soldier and the guy helps to
get
him out by causing a diversion. As he leaves Kane's companion finds him in
the
laundry; they fight [and] the other guy loses his head. When the police
attend,
the detective remembers the murders of '86 and remembers Russell Nash.
When Connor returns to the antique store the detective is waiting for him
(no, Rachel is not there). He watches an item on the news about what they
have
found in Japan. While doing this he goes into a flashback about Sarah,
someone
he loved at the time of the French Revolution. We find Connor in danger of
losing his head to the Guillotine. Sarah and Alex are the same person.
In Japan they have found a piece of tartan, MacLeod of course, and Alex
connects it to the story of Connor MacLeod. She goes back to New York to
find
him. She is first approached by Kane; he doesn't tell her anything, but
frightens her.
She goes to find Nash. He is leaving and goes to the Japanese spiritual
centre, where we see him practice. Alex speaks to him as he is leaving. She
says she is looking for Connor MacLeod; he tells her to try the Phone book.
Kane turns up and challenges Connor. Connor tells him it's holy ground,
Kane says he'll decide that. They fight. The upshot is that Connor's sword
is
broken. I think because it's holy ground, there is almost a Quickening even
although no one is killed. Connor tells Alex to stay away from him. Does
she,
of course not.
Connor goes back to Scotland, flies into Glasgow (nice). We then see him
try to make a new sword. Meanwhile Alex has piece of metal she found in the
cave. She takes it to him. There is a nice flashback sequence here about
Heather, and his time there. Alex watches him making the new sword. There
follows a sequence which is a play on the original when Ramirez was teaching
him
to fight. It is done to a nice song; very haunting melody.
Connor phones his friend in Morocco who calls back to say his son is on
his way to the US. Connor realises Kane has done this and flies back (the
flight number is the same as the one I had going to the Convention). Connor
is
grabbed by the police and Kane gets John. He takes John on a car ride
similar
to Brenda's [in H1 -- SL].
They let Connor go and he goes after Kane, [and] we have the big fight
scene. Must be seen. We are also told that Brenda died seven years earlier
in
Scotland (scraped off the road).
Afterwards Connor, Alex and John all head off to Scotland. Connor says he
has come home. In four hundred years he has never found any place like it.
(I'd
agree with that, but I'm biased).

I enjoyed the movie. I thought the flashbacks were good, they established
the
film firmly as a sequel to One. The only real problem I had was that Kane is
too much like the Kurgan, but I didn't think Kane was played as well. The
overall impression is breathtaking. The scenery is beautiful and if you like
quickenings you'll love the ones in this. Visually it could not be better.
There were a lot of touches I liked. The end sequence where he goes to
Heather's grave and puts a candle on it was one of my favourite moments. The
film has its faults but I will go back and see it again. Overall I think
most
Highlander fans will like it, but they will probably all like different bits.

One other note the love scenes don't really work in my opinion; they were
very
like Duncan and Tessa's scene, but didn't come across the same. I don't
think
anyone need worry about it being another 2. I just hope they do make a 4.

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Cathryn Bauer-Kahn -- [F]or me the film was one fascinating visual after
another
-- going too far a couple of times -- but not too much more.

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Janine Shahinian -- <pant, pant> Just got home from seeing HL3; 12:35 pm
showing
(Eastern) and there were over 40 people in the theater with me. Quiet bunch,
though. Mostly men. I was the only unaccompanied woman.

*Anyway*, I thought the movie was great. Spoilers definitely take out some of
the suspense, and "The Highlander Saga" on the Sci-Fi Channel really clinched
it, but, alas, that was my choice. There was still a lot to savor and cherish
as
a devoted fan and, in that respect, I think most other fans will really be
pleased.

I *am* POed, though, about the *big* cut. That PG-13 rating obviously did in
the
nude scene. Gad, the *series* gives us more flesh! Along with that went the
scene mentioned in STARLOG -- the one where Kane is looking into a sex shop
window. I also didn't see him almost draw a sword on a man carrying a ghetto
blaster. It's a shame we missed this deeper look into Kane's sinister
character.

Elaine (I think it was) also mentioned that John saw Connor receiving the
Quickening and seeming to take it rather matter-of-factly. I saw nothing to
match that description. There was just John coming down to Connor after it
was
all over and looking concerned and saying, "Dad?"

I'll be interested in Sheri's opinion on whether we got all of those
panoramic
sweeps of Connor practicing with his sword standing on that jutting-out hill.
Those scenes looked all chopped up: Connor swinging sword, running, rowing
the
boat, etc. I wouldn't have been able to comment on his awkwardness or
stiffness
as the European folks did -- there just didn't seem to be a whole piece to
make
that kind of judgement. I'll look again tonight.

I absolutely *loved* that there were flashbacks of HL1. Now that's how you
respect the fans! I can see that this a deliberate attempt to please the fans
and make up to us. It's not really a stand-alone film. It was that approach
that
earned my respect for the film, despite its shortcomings. I also loved the
peek
at Connor's mementos and the chuckle that the audience got from them.

Thanks to the European folks for not revealing the last zap to the MacLeod
sword. A definite counter to Connor's "This is the end." :)

[Editor's note: A few comments are needed here on the noted differences
between
versions released in various countries:]

Elaine Nicol -- [having seen the UK version] <<(I think it was) also
mentioned
that John saw Connor receiving the Quickening and seeming to take it rather
matter-of-factly.>>

Paul actually said this. If I remember. I think John should have reacted a
bit
more. He was there for all of the fight... Remember Kane had kidnapped
him...

<<Those scenes looked all chopped up: Connor swinging sword, running, rowing
the
boat, etc>>

They were here too, I suppose to give the illusion of time passing, I found
them
very flowing though, so maybe there is a difference, it would be difficult to
tell. I can see the con this year is going to be fun.

Barb Galler-Smith -- [having seen the Canadian version] >>That PG-13 rating
obviously did in the nude scene.<<

They didn't cut them here! We saw stuff that would embarrass me if I was on a
date and stuff that would have me beating off my husband with a stick! Did
you
see the removal of her undies? And of course the skin that went all the way
down. <I'm still blushing> I think this is geared for the young male... there
wasn't very much of CL to look at! <pout> (GAWD! Did *I* say that?!)

>>I think John should have reacted a bit more.<<

In my version... I didn't notice any scene with him in it until the very end
when he comes down the stairs and says "Dad?" Do you mean they cut the kid
and
left the pubic hairs? <head shaking>

>><<Those scenes looked all chopped up: Connor swinging sword, running,
rowing
the boat, etc>><<

I didn't notice. They seemed only choppy a little bit. And I did notice CL
hit
the ground kinda hard when he jumped from the rock onto the beach.

>>[To Barbara Johnson, not shown] What's the Canadian rating system like?<<

H3 is rated Mature. That means there's lots of breasts and butts. But we
have
never been uptight about breasts. It was the first major difference I
noticed
in US vs Canadian TV; in 1969 I saw a CBC show with total top half nudity.
We
now see everything except *bottom fronts* and it's no big deal -- although as
more Americans try to take over our country... I am now hearing about how
vile
all the sex is. <GD&r>

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Matthew Packwood -- I think the problem is the photography and the music. In
the first film the scenes in Scotland are accompanied by great music (you can
hear a smidgen if you listen to the "the sensation you are experiencing is
the
quickening" WAV. file in the library). H3 was musically flat. Also compare
the
final fight in H1 to the one in H3. H3 looks like it was shot in a closet!

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Thomas Jeffrey -- Three Stars

I guess I'll be a little more critical than you guys, but I am not in the
least
disappointed with the movie. I thought the flashback scenes were patronizing
and unnecessary. I thought they felt they had to overexplain things to the
audience, without acknowledging the fact the 99% of us watching most
undoubtedly
had seen the first two and the series. A few plot gaps I felt should have
been
tighter:

Brenda (come on, two sentences just explain her away)

French revolution (call me a hopeful romantic, but I always liked to
believe that Brenda was Connor's first after Heather - hadn't found anyone
after
all those years. <tear>

He never was mortal (this could have been explained with the "arrival" of
Kane back into the world by a sort of re-immie-ization that could have taken
place with Connor with his son on horseback)

That's enough for now I guess. I will be seeing it again and I honestly did
like the movie.

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Melanie Ogle -- Okay, I downloaded all these messages yesterday before I left
to
go see the movie. Didn't read them, 'cause I wanted it all to be fresh in my
mind. 2.5 hours before I left, I popped HL1 in the video and sat down and
watched it again. Now I'm sorry I did.
Pulled on my long jeans, got my boots out of the closet, pulled a loose
sweater over my head, tied my hair back and away I went. (Having just seen
the
first movie, I will admit I was driving like a graduate of the Kurgan School
of
Road Handling. Over the limit and changing lanes right and left)
Got to theatre, pulled on long black coat and headed out to get my ticket.
As the lights dimmed there was me (doing my Duncan imitation), 5 kids, two
couples on a date and a daughter and her mother. The latter all grey and
prune-
ish and the former had a couple of years on me. We watched the coming
attraction (which was of CL BTW in something called the Hunter. Damn near
LOL'ed at him. There he is, holding a katana and with a bandage around his
neck. I remember thinking, 'CL, boy. You are in a rut. And it looks like
somebody got REAL close.') But Momma and Daughter caught my attention when
Momma
announced to the screen that she was "Looking forward to seeing that tall
dark-
haired man with the pony-tail and the coats." Thought to myself, Lady, are
you
in for a disappointment!
Okay, got started. CL set the plot line for me and away we go to Japan.
After a while, I was wondering just 'why' Connor was in Japan anyway. He
wasn't
there to learn the art of illusion and the fighting training was minimal
compared to what he had gotten before. So I chalked that up to "Because" and
kept watching.
Our bad guys are stupid bad guys. I've been a game master for years.
I've created many a baddie and my thoughts on Kane don't bear repeating.
This
was a Kurgan wannabe. He wasn't as frightening. He was too much a 'thinking
animal' to be frightening for his randomness, and too wasteful to be a terror
because of his 'mastermind/leader' bad buy qualities. The voice, the fantasy
armor, the ring in his nose -- give me a break. I've seen him in a thousand
story lines. I'm surprised that at some point Connor didn't pull that ring.
I
would have!!
Okay, for the sake of the story, I'll buy the terrible trio locked in the
cave for 400 years. But I've got a question or two. 1) If immies stay
'dead'
until conditions are right for them to revive, then Kane and his buddies
should
have been 'dead' until discovered. And 2) If they weren't 'killed' by the
cave
collapse, they've had 400 years to dig themselves out. What have they been
doing all this time, knitting?
And what the h*ll was Connor doing in Morocco anyway? It really doesn't
seem like his kinda place.
I'll skip over the 'how did the henchling find Connor anyway?' stuff,
'cause others have posted it. But, damn, didn't henchling set off any metal
detectors between Japan and NYC?
I was disappointed by the movie. Very much so. Instead of laying to rest
the dozen of questions which were left open by HL1, this only opened up more.
And it got seriously chopped down here.
Kane must have been a hell of a student to get English that fast with no
teachers! The car scene was simply not needed at all and was just a waste of
film. It was the Kurgan and Brenda all over again.
The blatant sex -- removed
The black underwear -- not in this version
The prostitute and Kane -- He must practice celibacy, 'cause it didn't
happen in my theatre.
My biggest arguments are with the fight scenes. PAH-LEEZZE, what is a
trapeze doing outside the shrine? And who is going to be stupid enough to
try
to swing on it and wield a sword? (Guess we all know the answer to that one
now!) I've heard of the Highland games before, but Highland 'trapeze' games?
Gods and little fishes! Who dreamed up these scenes?
I'm just too disgusted to even think about most of it. The editing of the
final fight was so 'cut from here to there' that I began to think that few
actual strokes were used and we were being bounced about so that we wouldn't
notice it.
Okay, we get to the end. Connor is going to take Kane's head. From
BEHIND? Did I blink and miss the beheading stroke? All I remember seeing was
Connor playing 'Mark of Zorro' on Kane's back. What was he doing? Carving
'Macleod was here'?
And the kid!!! Daddy's on the floor, cut and bruised and ragged out,
there is a dead body not 5 steps away, the whole place was just full of
sparks
and flames and all he can say is, "Dad?" Sounded like he was asking for his
allowance.
And you want to know a real nasty. I was just keeping my mouth shut.
Damn near shouted "Use the Force, Connor! Use the force!" at the fruit
slicing
scene. And Brenda dies in a car accident, and our final look a the 'happy
family' is driving down the road, Connor at the wheel. I actually muttered,
"Hope your driving skills have improved" at the screen.
Now just so that you don't think that I hated all the movie, I will admit,
Connor lighting the candle at the sword got me to cry. But the best part of
the
whole movie (for me) was in the psych ward, where Connor is tied down and
convinces 'Napoleon' to help him. I laughed and laughed at that!! High
point
of the film as far as I am concerned.
All I can really say is, Connor, if you are at peace, good for you, I hope
you're happy. 'Cause I'm sure not.

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Barbara Johnson -- There were only 23 people in my theatre... 2:10 showing
(cheap seats <g>). I also was the only unaccompanied woman.

I loved it of course, but some of the weaknesses nagged at me as I drove
home...
through unusual KS fog. (how appropriate) MVP was good, but was TOO close of
a
parallel to the Kurgan. The heavy-metal outfit, menacing guys on the street.
Gosh, sometimes quiet evil is much more menacing than the in-your-face stuff.
And apparently, they left even more of that sort of thing on the cutting room
floor. And don't you think he assimilated awfully fast? When the fax came
across and he grabbed it, I thought, "I'm going to be really disappointed if
he
can read it"... and I was. And didn't you think the car scene was a little
much?
I got antsy, thinking... okay, been there, done that. Get on with it.

About the cuts... I just read over some discussion between Elaine and Brian
from
November, and holy cats, there seems to be quite a bit of difference between
the
European and American versions. Blatant sex? Black underwear for Alex?
prostitution scene with Kane? the kid seeing the quickening? Nope, not in
ours.
No underwear, and only about 30 sec of fooling around. No prostitute scene
for
Kane, ala Candy and the Kurgan. No guy on the street with a boom box. And
perhaps the final fight and Q were different too. Was there a part in the
fight
where CL stood a-top a falling elevator? That scene was shown on a tv
program
about making HL3, but not in the movie I saw. [This scene is actually from
HIGHLANDER II: THE QUICKENING. -- SL]

And about the kid seeing the final Q. They didn't show him seeing it, in our
version, and it's my opinion that he didn't. Sure, as someone (maybe
[Elaine])
said, "he was there for all the fight. Kane had kidnapped him." I agree he
had
him kidnapped, but with his magic, I think the kid was wrapped up tight
somewhere out of range, and was released only with Kane's death.

One other thing... I loved that the movie touched on several themes we've
discussed here in the past.... how long can an immie last without food or
water
(in the cave, apparently at least 400 years), and the use of a guillotine as
a
suicide device for an immie.

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John Jewtuch -- Highlander 1--> Three Thumbs Up (if I had a third)
Highlander 2--> Heh? What's that, there was a sequel? nah...
Highlander 3--> Coulda been a contenda. If they could have gotten the
writers
from the highlander series to script the movie, then it might have been
better.

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Sheri Richardson -- Well.... <taking a deep breath>

Overall, I'd call HL3 a keeper. It certainly made me think, which I'm sure
I'll
do more of in the next few days. This is gonna be all over the place, and
certainly NOT complete, so bear with me. :j

The supposedly steamy love scenes are gone. >Snip!< A few kisses and maybe
cut
to snuggling afterwards. The prostitute scene is completely gone.

On the plus side, the PG-13 rating meant I could take Jenny (now 11). She did
grab my hat at one point to cover her face, but handed it right back because
they leaped into the next scene.

So, has Connor been mortal since the gathering of '85? No. My take is that
the
Kurgan just took a *lot* of heads. It was great to see Clancy Brown in HL3,
even
if only in footage cut straight from HL1.

What happens when you break the rule about fighting on holy ground? Kane
tries
to do just that, stating "I'll be the judge of that" when Connor warns him
they're at a buddhist shrine. At a critical strike "something" causes
Connor's
sword to shatter (breaks and then flies to dust/glitter; nice effect in
slo-mo,
BTW) and then windows shatter, etc. I've always held that what would happen
would be the world turning inside-out so I feel somewhat vindicated, if only
in
my own feeble mind. ;j (Someone here, my apologies for not remembering who,
suggested that not fighting on holy ground could be likened to gravity -- a
force of nature.)

"Princes of the Universe" was sorely missed from the opening. No matter the
cost
or red-tape, it SHOULD have been there. IMHO, of course.

On the score in general, it was innocuous overall which a good score *should*
be. If it draws your attention away from the content, it's showboating. Which
is
exactly how I'd describe the modern piece blaring over the final fight. I was
suddenly back in GUNMEN, "Did they let Mario exec-prod the music here?" It
didn't fit.

The gem, however, WAS Loreena McKennitt's rendition of "Bonnie Portmore" in
the
Scotland montage (spelling may be off, I didn't attempt notes on my first
viewing). This haunting melody truly heightened the scenes. Like an idiot, I
sat
there with tears streaming -- streaming! -- down my face.

BTW, there was an exchange about the finer points of Connor's form during the
kata. What I saw was that he was certainly stiff (I didn't notice if it got
less
pronounced as he reached his ROCKY conclusion), but that it was attributable
to
Connor's having laid off ALL sword work -- for the first time in his life! --
since the gathering of '85.

The pacing of HL3 left me feeling like I was crashing from a sugar rush.
Everything seemed rushed. The fights could have used Melanie's help and
slowed
down so the audience could enjoy the action. The final fight was engaged and
ended before I knew it. This may be the closest thing to a real-time
swordfight
in a film!

I enjoyed seeing the loft again, though knowing the round room was beyond
those
double doors made it infuriating that they didn't show it. (I understand this
though; it would have been worse if they botched reassembling everything.)

I found it interesting that Connor had to return to the site of the gathering
of
'85. One of my odder theories is that there isn't just one gathering, but
perhaps "regional" events that subsequently lead up to a final showdown.
Seeing
as no one has yet been the only one, which is the prize (I'll get to that
momentarily), how can any immortal be sure?

Still no prize. There still isn't only one. The tag scene, that *does* leave
an
opening for further explorations of the mythos, for now only reminds you --
rather rudely! -- of HL2, waiting like a T-Rex in 2024.

LOL! Thinking of that Dune/Blade Runner crossover (HL2) reminds me of one of
my
favorite *little* bits. While training, Nakano tosses a blind-folded Connor
papayas to try to sever with sword. Did ANYONE else feel an overwhelming urge
to
yell at the screen? "Use the Force, Luke!" [Result of this informal poll was
unanimous agreement -- SL] This harkened back to Ben training Luke aboard the
Falcon, en route to Alderaan.

Wrap Up....

HL3 is a sentimental sequel to the original film, an hour and forty minutes
spent with a photo album basking in fond memories.

I very much liked Connor's parting words about there being nowhere, in his
nearly 500 years, any place like the Highlands.

Not much is wholly new. And not enough of the Power of Illusion is given to
lend
it much definition. Or at least it will take more time pondering it than I
have
energy for right now.

Where IS that blasted sugar bowl anyway?!? ;j

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Lynn Fernandez -- For the first 1/2 hour I kept hearing echo's to HL1. So we
have a Japanese Ramirez, this time. When he warns about Kane it was almost
word
for word what Ramirez says about the Kurgan. And yes, I did think "Luke, use
the
force" during the blindfolded Connor and fruit scene. I miss Queen's music.
They should have kept looking for another excellent group (REM?) who could
provide music that could have shaded the whole soundtrack. But I do like
McKennitt's songs. That is off of her recording titled THE VISIT.

Okay, so he's adopted a child. Did he adopt this son before or after Brenda
was
killed? How old is he? And yes, I think any child who saw that fight and
quickening was *not* going to be as calm as John was.

I loved the scene in Scotland with "Bonny Portmore" lilting in the
background.
But I felt it was more like a love note, or scenic postcard. The choppy
editing
works well with the fight scenes, because it give action without graphic
violence, but it doesn't lend itself well to the panorama of Scotland. And I
never really got a feel for the passage of time in this scene.

My friend thought it was a little unbelievable, that after several hundred
years, Connor didn't need a metal detector to find his anvil.

And what about the Tartan? Who can comment on this? Historically did clans
modify tartans at will?

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Olivia Gaffney -- Our theatre in an upscale part of town was about 1/4 full
at
the 8pm showing. Mostly males. The audience laughed three times during the
film, but briefly. The print that we got was of poor quality.
I thought the editing of the film left a lot to be desired. Kane was
definitely a Kurgan wannabe. I like Mario van Peebles but I agree he would
have
been so much more sinister played like Alan Rickman in DIE HARD I. The
sinister
laugh was pure "Perils of Pauline". The use of the stunt double was so
blatant
that I could clearly see his face when he was used.
I went with another HL fan and two people who had seen a couple of HL
episodes but not the movies. I thought the film did not explain anything of
the
ethos of the HL story and I kept waiting for an explanation. Then we got a
couple of sentences, a couple of flashbacks and we were off again. I would
love
to have known why MacLeod was in the desert.
When he returned to NY his trophy room seemed to have disappeared and lo
and behold his electricity and phone were still operational after 8 years.
What
was the deal with the photographs of CL on the walls. In this day and age
they
could have looked far more realistic. It just looked like a kid had cut CL's
face out and pasted it on the photographs. The audience guffawed at that.
The fax and other 20th Century appliances that Kane was able to use I just
put down to *magic*. I did like the fact that the police had put two and two
together on the headless bodies but it went nowhere. The lieutenant was
overplayed. The scene in the psycho ward was cute. Did anyone else want to
grab the makeup artist and hairdresser and have them work on Alex?
I did start crying over the scenes in Scotland. I liked the pub scene and
would have liked more scenes in Scotland. I noticed the pace of the movie
picked up after his return from Scotland. It was almost like another
director
took over. I REALLY missed Queen's music. I liked the Loreena McKennitt
song
and was not impressed by the end credit music.

I really wanted to love this movie but I was disappointed. I can only hope
that
a better film was left on the cutting room floor and we will get to see it as
a
Director's Cut. As we were walking out to the car we all just looked at each
other and shrugged. No one seemed to want to discuss it. I listened to the
audience as we were leaving and no was discussing the movie. On the car ride
home, I asked the two non-fans if they liked the movie and they both said
they
were Mario van Peebles fans and he was very versatile. In other words, no
comment. The other HL fan said she was disappointed but that it was better
than
HL2.

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Joseph Campanella -- I thought it was a worthy sequel to the first! I liked
the
way they added little hints towards the series, and the flashbacks to the
first.
I think that Kane's character was a little bit too much like the Kurgan, but
I
still liked his character. Overall I think it was a great movie and will
probably continue (hopefully) with others. :)

p.s. I think Friday was the first time I ever saw so many people with
trenchcoats on in one place. (Including myself... but I usually wear it when
I
go out anyway.)

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David Sattar -- [having seen the French version] Well, I place it between HL1
and HL2. Much, much closer to HL1 than to HL2, but still flawed, lacking the
near perfection of HL1.

For a start I didn't like the music. Not simply that it wasn't Queen, but it
just didn't work. Some music fits so perfectly you just let it sweep you
into
itself. The music for DRAGON (about Bruce Lee's life) is the best example I
can
come up with. The Robert Redford produced film, A RIVER RUNS THROUGH IT,
also
had wonderful music, as did STAR WARS. The training in the glens, standing
in
the helicopter's downwash on rocky headlands, with, get this, scottish
operatic
singing. I can see what the producers were trying for, but they didn't quite
make it, at least not for me. And we had too many shots of rocky highlands
with
Connor swinging a sword.

Mako was good, reprising his role from CONAN THE BARBARIAN ([the version
with]
Arnold Schwartzenegger). I loved the design of the cave -- whoever did that
had
some good ideas. I didn't believe Mario Van Peebles' voice was that deep.
From
the Kurgan, yes, utterly convincing. Kane though, just didn't sound right
with
that deep gravelly voice. I loved the illusion with the cards and how he
took
the dark glasses! I also liked the scene in the modern era dojo which also
established that Connor has a real life. He obviously knew his sparring
partner, and that helped establish the reality of the story. Washing his
face,
calling up a memory of Nakano's cave, all good stuff.

Swinging on ropes though ? Naaahh, I just didn't believe it.

OK now, the *real* plot hole, um, perhaps I should say, gaping void from
which
sniggers are echoing.... OK, you're a real bad*ss immortal with 2 lesser
immortal sidekicks, last conscious in a rock-filled cave somewhere in the
foothills of a Japanese mountain range. 400 odd years later you revive, and
send one of your side kicks to 'find' MacLeod. The time scale is
established,
because within, say, a couple of weeks max, we see the archaeologist being
interviewed on TV. That same day, near enough, the sidekick shows up in New
York. He can't read English, he can't drive a car, he doesn't know what a
telephone is, an airplane is a flying dragon, etc. So how does he get to NY
within a week or two?

There's more - I can't see the average cop in NY *not* stopping a guy wearing
antique armour and a 'don't mess with me expression' especially if he's
carrying
a 3-foot sword! I know NY's tolerant, but not *that* tolerant! Later, Kane
knows how to drive (albeit not too well <g>), and understands how to use an
answering machine and a telephone, etc.

An excellent idea was the whole idea of Connor returning to his roots to
prepare
for a battle he never expected to have to fight. His delight at finding his
abandoned blacksmithing tools (again a continuity link with HL1 in which he
was
a blacksmith at that place), his no longer tragic but simply fond memories of
Heather, and the modern era relationship between Connor and the
archaeologist.
Although I *do* think it was reaching, for her to somehow figure out what he
was
doing, what this strange chunk of metal was, and that he'd have a need for
it.

I also liked very much that the film was brave enough to deal with a question
that the TV series ignores -- all these bodies, same MO and this guy Nash is
always skulking around. The detective *remembers*. This adds continuity
between HL1 and 3.

The idea of finding Connor with a son at the start was excellent, and the
whole
interplay of Kane and side kicks in the past on horseback (*lots* of
similarities to the start of CONAN 1 here) cut in with Connor in the present
was
very clever. Effective in confusing the viewer as to what time we were in,
and
was Connor now mortal or an immortal still.

All good stuff. I found the whole question of illusion magic mildly
irrelevant
though. It gave the special effect team something good to play with but the
kidnap to draw Connor out was more or less irrelevant I thought. The
quickenings are better in the TV series. They went on too long in the film
in
general I think.

I'm sounding pretty negative about all this, but the bits I delighted in were
the poignant echoes from the past -- the interplay between the mortal woman
in
revolutionary France that Connor loved, and how time had passed him by when
he
returns to find her married. The strong echoes he feels for the
archaeologist,
she all unaware of what she evokes in him, all these were delightful. I also
thought the obligatory sex scenes were very well done. All in all I enjoyed
it
a lot, but it wasn't as magically *special* as HL1. Inevitably perhaps,
because
in the first film, as Brenda is introduced to Connor's background, so are we
the
audience. This time round we pretty much know what to expect.

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Martin Higgins -- It was a cold and windy night as I made my way up the line
to
the ticket window, listening to person after person ask for tickets to see
HIGHLANDER. Then into the theater with two of my friends (not quite the
turnout
I had anticipated, but I'm afraid the spectre of the second movie kept many
away). The theatre was about 2/3 full -- not bad for a 9:15 showing on a
Friday
night. We had the good fortune to sit behind people who knew that TWWSNN was
a
product of a bad bit of haggis. <G>
So, as for the movie. I liked it. I've been purposely avoiding _all_ the
spoilers, including the ones about the SFC special, so I don't know what
scenes
were left out from the English release. I thought the soundtrack was very
good,
with the exception of playing the music a bit too loud during the final fight
scene. Debra Unger has a great face. <G> All in all, a well-done movie.
But,
of course, I have a few little quibbles.
The plot was rather thin. I mean, paper thin. The two major story lines,
old evil released on new world, and old girlfriend reborn in new woman, were
weak and overdone. Been there, seen that.
Kane was too much of a Kurgan clone. They could have at least let him
talk with a normal voice.
Sorry, folks, but that wasn't Newark Airport. And anyway, what were NYC
police doing at Newark Airport, anyway? Last time I checked, Newark is in
New
Jersey. <G>
I'm _really_ getting tired of movies that leave an opening for a sequel
with a little something unusual in the final scene. Leave an opening in the
story, a plot thread that wasn't quite tied off. Oh, wait, there wasn't much
plot to begin with....
I'll probably see it again. It kept me entertained for the entire time,
and was visually superb. But, IMHO, There Can Still Be Only One, but at
least
there's a somewhat worthy addendum.

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Barb Galler-Smith -- I did enjoy the film very much for the following
reasons:

1. I avoided HL1 like the plague. 2. I expected nothing. 3. I wanted to like
it.
4. I think CL is cute enough to pay money to see naked. 5. I love the
Highlander
concept.

I did have a few laughs of my own and I hate to say - a few things were just
too
stupid.

Laugh: The efforts of Connor at blacksmithing. Stupid: Kane is cut in half
and
doesn't even fall down. I don't even want to think about that one. Stupid:
Kane
spoke and read very good English in such a short time... He must have learned
it
from previous Immies he killed? Even 400 year-old English is better than
none
at all?

Love most of the music. I was sitting in the theatre humming along, never
even
realizing it was to the very music I was listening to last night -- Canada's
own
Loreena McKennitt.

I think that about covers it. If you want the deep, philosophical treatise on
the film... forget it. <ggg> I'm waiting for a movie with Duncan - where he
wears a yellow waistcoat and dances with someone I can pretend is me <ggg>.

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Joey Parks -- I'll never hear the end of this, I'm sure, but here goes...

The second film: The production rocked. The story sucked.

The third film: I liked the second one better.

I'll stick with the series.

I could say it in twelve different languages, but the point is the same:

There can be only ONE.

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Week of Ep # Title
01/30/95 55 VENDETTA
02/06/95 56 THEY ALSO SERVE
02/13/95 57 BLIND FAITH
02/20/95 58 SONG OF THE EXECUTIONER
02/27/95 59 STAR-CROSSED (with Roger Daltrey)
03/06/95 60 METHOS
03/13/95 Shadows
03/20/95 Blackmail
03/27/95 The Samurai
04/03/95 Line of Fire
04/10/95 The Revolutionary
04/17/95 Cross of St. Antoine
04/24/95 61 TAKE BACK THE NIGHT
05/01/95 62 TESTIMONY
05/08/95 63 MORTAL SINS
05/15/95 64 TBA
05/22/95 65 TBA
05/29/95 66 TBA
06/05/95 Rite of Passage
06/12/95 Courage
06/19/95 The Lamb
06/26/95 Obsession
07/03/95 Vendetta
07/10/95 They Also Serve
07/17/95 Blind Faith
07/24/95 Song of the Executioner
07/31/95 Star-Crossed
08/07/94 Methos
08/14/95 Take Back The Night
08/21/95 Testimony
08/28/95 Mortal Sins

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THE UNCLASSIFIED ADS

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Plans appear to be afoot for THE GATHERING II, a HIGHLANDER convention to be
held in Denver, CO, October 6, 7, and 8, 1995. SASE to THE GATHERING, PO box
123, Aurora, CO 80040-0123, ATTN: con info.

An uncorroborated report states that a Jim Byrnes tape called "I Turned My
Nights Into Days" may be available through Warner Music Canada, #SP501107.

In the Time-Warner Lifestyles Forum [GO TWLIFE], Library #3
(music/movies/arts)
-- HGHLND.SIT: a description of the Director's Cut version of HIGHLANDER 2:
THE
QUICKENING.

In this library [SFMEDIA #12, HIGHLANDER] -- CL0120.TXT: transcript of a live
conference with Christophe Lambert. Uploaded through the gracious cooperation
of
AOL.

In this library -- TRY3.GIF: Graphics Import Format image of St. Julien-le-
Pauvre church in Paris, used by the series as Darius's chapel; provided by
Elaine Nicol.

In this library -- HLTS01.SND: Mac format sound clip from the series, episode
LINE OF FIRE: Duncan hassling the hotel clerk.

In this library -- HITIME.TXT: the most recent version of Helva's Monster
Series
Timeline, re-uploaded due to its unexplained disappearance during the forum
split.

In this library -- CN108A.TXT and CN108E.TXT: transcripts of 1995's first
monthly gathering. Topic: spoilers for HIGHLANDER:THE FINAL DIMENSION.

In this library -- LIB12.NDX: index to the files available in this library,
current as of early January. Also available as a .ZIPped archive in
LIB12.ZIP.

Now taking submissions: THE FIFTH CHRONICLE is looking for Highlander fiction
and start-up funds. Inquiries, submissions, pre-sales and outright donations
may
be addressed to the Editor.

We have negotiated a reciprocal distribution agreement with CLAYMORE, a
Scottish
HIGHLANDER fan club; inquiries to Elaine Nicol, 100425.1552@compuserve.com OR
107 Cairnswell Ave, Halfway, Cambuslang, Glasgow G72 8SP.

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FINE PRINT

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THE PRIZE is a house organ of the Watchers Of CIS. We are not funded by
anybody
or sanctioned by anybody. If we get in trouble, I'm changing my name and
moving
to Mars.

The Watchers of CIS are a floating pool of HIGHLANDER fans on the Compuserve
Information Service. We make no claims to official status or knowledge, but
we
know what we like.

We hereby absolve Compuserve Information Services of all blame for the
content
of this newsletter.

THE PRIZE may be freely distributed in hardcopy form ONLY across the seven
seas
of space so long as no alterations are made to the text thereof, save any
required translations into languages other than the original American
English.
Any violations of this caveat will result in the wrath of the Goddess and
more
importantly the wrath of CIS, so please don't spoil our fun.

The Watchers of CIS exist on the Compuserve Information Service. For info on
the
network and the SF Forum (where the HIGHLANDER message-board section is),
call
1-800-848-8990 and ask for representative 186.

THE PRIZE 1995 is a production of Woodhull & Desmoulins Press.

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Here are the addresses that will accept mail for the series:

Rysher TPE, 3400 Riverside Drive, Suite 600, Burbank, CA 91505
Please write Keith Samples at this address to express your support for the
show.

Davis/Panzer Productions, 8500 Melrose Ave., Suite 202, West Hollywood, CA
90069
The place to direct "canon" & merchandising issues.

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This issue's contributors:

ELAINE NICOL -- 100425,1552
CATHRYN BAUER-KAHN -- 72734,1403
JANINE SHAHINIAN -- 72557,627
BARB GALLER-SMITH -- 73733,1315
MATTHEW PACKWOOD -- 75461,1114
THOMAS JEFFREY -- 74632,1101
MELANIE OGLE -- 75327,3207
BARBARA JOHNSON -- 72650,443
SHERI RICHARDSON -- 70703,2746
LYNN FERNANDEZ -- 74473,2063
OLIVIA GAFFNEY -- 74163,3250
JOSEPH CAMPANELLA -- 75152,3270
DAVID SATTAR -- 100015,652
MARTIN HIGGINS -- 72223,3441
JOEY PARKS -- 76122,2061

and myself, the eternal Goddess Samantha.

E-Mail - 73524.43@compuserve.com OR [email protected]
Snailmail - c/o Woodhull & Desmoulins Press, 25830 Village Green #304,
Harrison
Township MI 48045

Computers by Apple Computer
Birthday cakes by Luigi's Catering
For Entertainment Purposes Only

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HIGHLANDER, for those of you just tuning in (the rest of you could skip this
bit), is a television series based somewhat loosely upon a film of the same
name, concerning a man from 1500's Scotland who discovers that he is
immortal,
and cannot die. There are others like him, he finds, and they are engaged in
a
fight to the last immortal, for the power of the Prize. In the end, there
can
be only one.
The movie and the series diverge at this point: in the film, our man is
Connor
MacLeod (Christopher Lambert), and he lives at the time of the last days, the
Gathering, when all the remaining immortals are coming together for the fight
to
the death.
In the series, however, our immortal hero is Duncan MacLeod (Adrian Paul)--
"Same clan, different vintage" -- and the Gathering is not yet at hand.
Duncan's
task is to keep his head from week to week.
For that is the only way to slay an immortal. From any wound but one, even
unto
death, they will recover -- but "if your head comes away from your neck, it's
over." So says Connor's immortal mentor, Ramirez (Sean Connery).

-- THE PRIZE, Issue #1

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WATCH YOUR HEAD

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