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A Kind of Magic
Making the Original Highlander
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Check link for latest rating. ( 125 ratings, 24 reviews)
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A Kind of Magic
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Book Hero Magic created this recommendation. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! IS THIS YOUR NEXT READ?
Ideal for fans of the Highlander film and cult classics enthusiasts, as well as readers interested in film-making history, soundtrack insights, and behind-the-scenes stories from iconic 1980s cinema.
Author Jonathan Melville looks back at the creation ofHighlanderwith the help of more than 60 cast and crew, including stars Christopher Lambert and Clancy Brown, as they talk candidly about the gruelling shoot that took them from the alleys of London, to the far reaches of the Scottish Highlands, and onto the streets of 1980s New York City.
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Description
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!
Book Hero Magic summarised reviews for this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! HOW HAS THIS BEEN REVIEWED?
Critics praise A Kind of Magic as an engrossing, definitive, and essential read for Highlander fans. Total Film gave it 4 out of 5 stars, calling it rich with on-set anecdotes. Starburst recommended it as a definitive history. We Are Cult called it a joy to read and an essential purchase, while Sci-Fi Bulletin rated it 9/10, highlighting it as one of the best accounts of the film. SFX noted the impressive cast of interviewees and archival material, and The Dobermann Always Rings Twice described it as everything fans wanted to know about Highlander.
Book Details
INFORMATION
ISBN: 9781913538057
Publisher: Polaris Publishing Limited
Format: Hardback
Date Published: 17 September 2020
Country: United Kingdom
Imprint: Polaris Publishing Limited
Illustration: 16pp colour and b/w plates
Audience: General / adult
DIMENSIONS
Spine width: 26.0mm
Width: 142.0mm
Height: 220.0mm
Weight: 449g
Pages: 320
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About the Author
Jonathan Melvilleis a freelance arts journalist whose first book, 2015'sSeeking Perfection: The Unofficial Guide to Tremors, was called 'Informative, entertaining and, above all, a joy to read - 9/10' byStarburst, whileEmpiresaid 'This high-access tell-all...[is] an unexpected treat - 4/5'. He has contributed toThe Guardian, TheScotsman,SFXand BBC Radio Scotland. He lives in Edinburgh.
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