The last movie you saw...

[maxpayne2409]

In 1995, Mulcahy made a Director’s Cut version known as Highlander II: The Renegade Version. The film was reconstructed largely from scratch, with certain scenes removed and others added back in, and the entire sequence of events changed. All references to the Immortals being aliens from another planet were eliminated; instead, this cut reveals that the Immortals are from an unspecified, distant past on Earth, banished by priests into random locations in the future to keep the Prize from being won in their lifetime (the option to return to the past is an option offered in addition to the mystical Prize and mortality of the first film). This version is generally considered a major improvement on the theatrical release, and obtained a far more favourable reception. Nevertheless, the events of both versions were generally ignored by the subsequent films and series.

Other new sequences include a battle between MacLeod and Katana atop a moving vehicle after they escape the security facility, and MacLeod and Louise climbing through a mountain tunnel to emerge above the Shield to confirm that the radiation levels are back to normal. The new version also removes a major continuity gaffe from the theatrical version, which had merged two separate swordfights between MacLeod and Katana into one longer climactic battle. The first sequence has MacLeod and Katana fighting in a large abandoned building about halfway through the movie (with MacLeod using a short sword), and the climactic swordfight takes place much later (with MacLeod using his original katana). Since the two sequences are merged, Connor’s sword changes for no apparent reason. The director’s cut version restores them to two separate battles, although it never shows how or when Connor reacquired his katana. The gaffe wherein Katana's sword changes from his giant "spring loaded" broadsword, to the smaller broadsword used by the two punks still exists in the final battle of both versions.

Still not completely satisfied, producers William Panzer and Peter Davis decided to revisit Highlander II once again in 2004. Dubbed the Special Edition, this cut was nearly identical to the Renegade Version, but with a few alterations. The most obvious change is the introduction of new CGI special effects throughout the film, including a now-blue shield as originally intended. Other significant changes include a small piece of voiceover work by Lambert and the inexplicable removal of a short scene near the end of the film in which Louise Marcus holds off a group of TSC guards with a gun. Shots of a crashed space ship where the Zeistian rebels meet in secret 500 years ago is altered so that it appears "A Very Long Time Ago" some rebels meet at an old stone fortress. However, modern looking firearms are still seen briefly in some of the desert battle sequences, as well as the use of explosives and gas masks.

Some time after the 2004 version was released, a handful of fans took scenes from all three officially-released versions, as well as the deleted scenes, and edited together a fourth version of the film that runs nearly two hours, and contains all of the new Director's Cut footage, but retained the Zeist aspect. In addition to the Director's Cut footage and deleted scenes, they also took the so-called "Fairytale Ending," and incorporated it into the ending of the film.

[dinky]

wow. the theatrical was actually the first HIGHLANDER I'd seen way back when (think I was 12?) it was whenever it was in theaters. and all I can think now is, "wow. I...uh...didn't notice any of that. shit. I liked it."

after reading that write-up, I'm also thinking "wow. this has to be one of the most incompetent mainstream theatrical releases of all time."

so you've met my sister? I couldn't agree more.

since you've just watched DK, maybe you could go and watch BB? here's what stands out to me: the scenes with Rachel Dawes don't even fucking fit in BB! it makes my blood boil. they don't fit!

I did, I watched it tuesday (HD-DVD), went to spain wednesday, came back thursday, then watched DK on friday then again.

damn. and you still think rachel dawes works better in BB, huh?

/me sighs

I'll have to wait for the head-to-head comparison. money is in tight supply right now. can't waste it on a second trip to a movie I've already seen. but will def own the BD (hopefully for christmas!).

in the meantime, whatever did you do for an HD display?

[maxpayne2409]

i know spud will try to have me crucified for even daring to compare these 2 films,. but the way the studios fucked around with highlander 2 until it resembled a steaming turd reminds me a bit of the way the studios slaughtered Brazil, only much more hardcore, and to see a decent version you have to watch the dvd

[dinky]

meh. he has to expel gas somehow. that's all it is.

[maxpayne2409]

now he will stroll in with his size 12s and all this FE FI FO FUM, I LOVE SAM NEILL that's my impression of Spud as a giant... who lives on a cloud in a castle, i mean what the fuck, i mean planes cut through cloud with ease, how could one possibly hold a castle? and if he lives in the clouds, what does he eat? i mean Englishmen can't be in ready supply up there, and i imagine it's pretty hard to cultivate crops and vegetables if you live ON TOP of the clouds ABOVE the rain, and let's face it, the air up there must be pretty thin aswell, how the fuck would any animal or a giant survive up there anyway.

Frankly whoever invented that story was a fucking idiot, that's all i'm saying

[dinky]

ERAGON. when I watched it in theaters, I thought george lucas was going to sue someone. that hasn't changed. iunno how you can take something as general as SW and plagiarize, it, but that's basically what happens here. I kinda liked it, actually. it's not great or anything. but I did enjoy it. meh. nuff said. not worth talking about.

[maxpayne2409]

been playing lego indiana jones, fun

[dinky]

LICENSE TO WED. More like License to Blow. there have been so many other movies made with almost identical plots that are infinitely better than this that it's really difficult to be kind to this dud. Robin Williams is funny. You'd think him just being himself would at least garner some laughs, but no. In fact, all I could think was, "wow. he sounds a lot like his Genie in ALADDIN voice here." and that's basically the character that he plays, if instead of a magical genie he were a skeezy preacher with no sense of personal privacy. avoid this shit like the plague.

[dinky]

latest WEEDS. it's getting better. this isn't really a complaint but an observation at least that I need to expunge: there's a "17 year old" having sex with the mother of...iunno...at least a 12 year old who also owns her own cheese shoppe. now here's my thing: the woman a) looks incredibly hot, and b) if she ever had a 12-13 year old kid, she'd have had to been pregnant at about age 15. let's just say she's 30. that means she popped her kid out at 17, minimum, right? for a 13 year old kid? now I'm not complaining cuz she's smokin' hot. I'm just sayin'...suspension of disbelief is getting "harder" every ep. yeah. I did.

[maxpayne2409]

watching Batman: the animated series from 92 or whenever it was on, pretty good so far, though batman sounds a bit slow and not as gravelly as you expect him to be

still good though

[dinky]

that's prolly the best superhero cartoon ever made. easily the best of the 90s. and this is coming from someone who really disliked the animation style.

[maxpayne2409]

yes it is good, lots of recognisable voices in it too, it was the animation style that put me off ever watching it til now, along with JL(u)/static shock/superman: the animated series etc, but since downloading and watching and really enjoying JL(u) i thought i'd download bats and supes and give them a try and so far i'm glad i did

[dinky]

yep. those are all bastard children of Batman TAS. the only thing that ever really lived-up to it was the revival: The Batman/Superman Adventures. where they gave a slight update to the batman constumes (and robin had become nightwing so the new robin was much younger - I forget their names in the comics; tim drake was one of them). anyway, it aired every other day with superman airing on the alternate days.

they were very unusual series. a friend of mine's younger step brother was about 4 or 5, and he was a nut for batman. but the weird part was that me, him, and half the football team would also sit in his living room and watch an ep of the show alongside this little kid. iunno. there's a certain quiet dignity to the show. mr freeze has gravitas. the joker and harley quinn are true anarchists. the scarecrow is dark and malevolent. rhas al ghul is cold, deadly, and tragic (ala magneto). and of course kevin conroy's batman combines brilliantly with those eyes that just squint in grisly determination. he doesn't even speak. he just kind of growls without actually uttering a sound and you know...yeah...it's on. you just pissed off the wrong freak in a cape and cowl. I also liked the retro 50esque look/feel to everything. the new live action Batman movies clearly try to immitate it (especially BB).

[maxpayne2409]

yeah the whole "past" theme going on in batman TAS is something i like too, it's like the 50s except batman has loads of computers and related gadgetry lol, but then it's not really based in reality anyway, after all i've only ever seen a real batman climbing bucks palace and demanding the right to see his kids

wasn't the batman/superman adventures bit unofficially called "gotham knights", which ironically is also what the new dc batman movie is called, which reminds me, havent seen it yet

[dinky]

not in the US that I know of. doesn't make a lot of sense since superman is in metropolis anyway. but iunno.

[maxpayne2409]

ah no sorry gotham knights was the unofficial name for the new batman adventures from 1997

Just watched the first 2 episodes of Doctor Who - The Time Meddler, got the dvd today, first ever episode of the classic series to feature another time lord (in this case the monk)

[dinky]

JURASSIC FIGHT CLUB on the History Channel. just one ep. it was decent. all of these shows recycle essentially the same limited information anyway. But I did enjoy their geological segments and wish they'd have spent more time talking about the atmosphere, topography, and morphology of the earth at the time. like "it was a time of drastic change" blah blah. show a picture of lava or a geyser. I mean...c'mmon. other than a super volcano or an asteroid impact, "drastic change" or "fast change" or "X, Y, Z continent continued to drift away" is something that takes millions of years. but they're trying to place it in a context of a quickly changing environment for dinosaurs. iunno. I was more interested in that part of it. maybe cuz I've pretty much heard all the "dino evidence" in a dozen other programs.

[maxpayne2409]

rule 1: you don't talk about jurassic fight club

[dinky]

JURASSIC FIGHT CLUB - T. Rex vs. NanoT
meh. even more repetitive than the previous one, but I hadn't known about the NanoT, so there's a small concentration of better material surrounded by a generally more shallow presenatation/plot. basically, it's an hour long show that should last no more than 30 mins with commercials.

[spudthedestroyer]

The X Files: I Want to Believe (2008)

Enjoyed this. It wasn't as good as vintage X-files, but it was enjoyable. A bit too long in places, but i loved the reveal, like good old freaky x-files.

I'd probably give it a 5 or 6/10 based on the following criticism:

• It fealt too long, probably would have been better as a tv episode
• The scully / child storyline was annoying and would have been better if it was signficantly reduced
• There was too much pandering to old series clichés; it would have been better served as a quick entry and a reinstatement into the FBI with a huge unravelling case.

Overall I liked the story; very isolated and with no conspiracy theory, just like most of the best episode of the X-Files historically.