A Kind of Magic

Making the Original Highlander

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by Jonathan Melville

Type: Stories
Subject: One Film > Highlander
Keywords: Russell Mulcahy, medieval, Scotland
Publishing date: 2022
1st publishing: 2020
Publisher: Polaris
Language: English

Relative size

Physical desc.

Paperback • 336 pages
5 x 8 inches (13 x 20 cm)

ISBN

978-1-913538-44-6

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Book Presentation:
The story of an immortal Scottish warrior battling evil down through the centuries, Highlander fused a high-concept idea with the kinetic energy of a pop promo pioneer and Queen’s explosive soundtrack to become a cult classic.

When two American producers took a chance on a college student’s script, they set in motion a chain of events involving an imploding British film studio, an experimental music video director still finding his filmmaking feet, a former James Bond with a spiralling salary, and the unexpected arrival of low-budget production company, Cannon Films.

Author Jonathan Melville looks back at the creation of Highlander with the help of more than 60 cast and crew, as they talk candidly about the gruelling shoot that took them from the back alleys of London, to the far reaches of the Scottish Highlands, and onto the mean streets of 1980s New York City. With insights from Queen’s Brian May and Roger Taylor on the film’s iconic music, exclusive screenwriter commentary on unmade scripts, never-before-seen photos from private collections, and a glimpse into the promotional campaign that never was.

If there can be only one book on Highlander then this is it!

Press Reviews:
"An engrossing read with plenty of on-set anecdotes' 4 out of 5 stars."
Total Film

"A definitive history...which every fan should read."
Starburst

"As well as being the story of the Highlander film itself, it’s a fascinating look at the film-making process...Jonathan Melville's A Kind of Magic - Making the Original Highlander is an absolute joy to read and an absolutely essential purchase for any Highlander fan."
We Are Cult

"There really can only be one Highlander… and you’re highly unlikely to find a better account of it. 9/10"
Sci-Fi Bulletin

"Jonathan Melville rounds up an impressive number of the key players… and mixes new interviews with plenty of material from the archives."
SFX

"At over 300 pages, this is literally Everything You Wanted To Know About Highlander But Were Afraid To Ask. An epic with a cast of thousands."
The Dobermann Always Rings Twice

"A Kind of Magic: Making the Original Highlander tracks down an astonishing number of the film's cast and crew to give an unparalleled account of its creation... if you’re one of the film’s many fans this is the perfect companion."
The Courier, Book of the Week, 9/10