There can be only one

Luke, Westy and John tell the story behind Russell Mulcahy’s 1986 cult classic Highlander. It’s the sword-swinging fantasy that sends Christopher Lambert’s Connor MacLeod from 16th-century Scotland to 1980s New York, with a seven-foot maniac in a studded leather jacket never far behind. It’s Westy’s pick, so expect plenty of passion, and some much-needed balance from John.

Our deep dive runs from Gregory Widen’s UCLA class assignment, to a $19 million production that dragged its cast through one of the worst British summers in memory. We get into Mulcahy casting Christopher Lambert from a magazine photo without realising he barely spoke English, Sean Connery pocketing $1 million for a single week as Ramírez, Queen writing a song apiece, and Clancy Brown’s terrifying Kurgan improvising his most famous line on the spot. Whether you’re here for the swordplay, the soundtrack or the sheer audacity of it all, this is the meticulously researched, laugh-packed, opinion-heavy story of how a box office disappointment became an immortal cult classic.
html
Listen to the full episode above, or find All The Right Movies wherever you get your podcasts.
Please subscribe on YouTube, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and Google Podcasts.