Production
A $1 million television advertising campaign was run for the release of the movie. The sets of Highlander II have been compared to those of Ridley Scott, particularly those of Blade Runner. Lambert and Ironside both suffered injuries during the filming, according to the St. Petersburg Times: "Lambert chipped one of Ironside's teeth during a fight scene, while Ironside inadvertently chopped off part of Lambert's finger during a swordfight scene. Both men recovered from their injuries, but Ironside said precision thrusts and parries were impossible when wielding a 22-pound broadsword."
John C. McGinley made his character’s voice as deep as possible in an effort to sound like Orson Welles. He has since admitted that this was a bad idea. Michael Ironside's makeup accentuates a real scar the actor has on his left temple. Clancy Brown was contacted about reprising his role in the sequel in a cameo, but declined.
The original screenplay featured several alternate sequences and more detailed exposition. For instance, three assassins confronted MacLeod, not two. They arrived during an elaborate wine-tasting sequence. Also, the Kurgan (the first film's antagonist) was revealed to be a henchman of Katana sent to Earth to prevent MacLeod and Ramirez from winning the Prize. Ramirez and Connor were seen reincarnated as their Earth identities, in Egypt and Scotland, respectively. One Zeist day was equal to one Earth century. When above the Shield, Ramirez's katana is magically returned to Connor.
According to the documentary Highlander II: Seduced by Argentina, the film’s apparent poor performance is partially a result of the bonding company’s interference with the work of director Russell Mulcahy, as well as economic problems within Argentina itself, the location where the movie was filmed. Mulcahy reportedly hated the final product so much he walked out of the film’s world premiere after viewing its first 15 minutes. For similar reasons, Christopher Lambert threatened to walk out of the project when it was nearing fruition. However, he did not, due to contract obligations.
A once lost alternate ending, commonly known as “The Fairytale Ending,” was shown only in some European theaters and has never been shown in any of the American cuts. The ending shows Connor magically returning to planet Zeist, taking Louise along with him, while Ramirez’ voice is heard in the background. An early version of this ending is shown on the Special Edition. However, it also includes footage of Virginia Madsen as Louise Marcus speaking to Christopher Lambert as Connor MacLeod. Madsen is on location while Lambert is suspended by wires in front of a blue screen. After a brief exchange where Connor asks Louise to come with him, the theatrical ending is shown where the two embrace in front of a field of stars, then transform into light streaks and fly off into space.
This ending is sometimes seen in televised broadcasts of Highlander II: The Quickening. The VHS version simply cuts off after Connor looks up at the starry sky and smiles, after the smoke from the explosion of the December Installation clears.
Read more about this topic: Highlander II: The Quickening
Famous quotes containing the word production:
“Just as modern mass production requires the standardization of commodities, so the social process requires standardization of man, and this standardization is called equality.”
—Erich Fromm (1900–1980)
“To expect to increase prices and then to maintain them at a higher level by means of a plan which must of necessity increase production while decreasing consumption is to fly in the face of an economic law as well established as any law of nature.”
—Calvin Coolidge (1872–1933)
“The growing of food and the growing of children are both vital to the family’s survival.... Who would dare make the judgment that holding your youngest baby on your lap is less important than weeding a few more yards in the maize field? Yet this is the judgment our society makes constantly. Production of autos, canned soup, advertising copy is important. Housework—cleaning, feeding, and caring—is unimportant.”
—Debbie Taylor (20th century)