Swords of the Highlander Films and Series

Back in the 1980's, the film Highlander becameconsidered to be the best follow-up to the original
hugely popular, with cult film fans, featuringmovie and attracted a large cult following, with
numerous exciting sword fights, a great villain andthings eventually coming full circle with a film that
a spectacular piece of miscasting with Frenchman,united Duncan and Connor.
Christopher Lambert playing a Scotsman (ConnorLike Connor's Katana, there are a number of
McLeod), and the very Scottish Sean Connerymass-produced unlicensed replicas available of
playing Juan Sanchez Vlla-Lobos Ramirez! DespiteDuncan's Sword, although for copyright reasons
the quirky accents, the film gained cult status, innone is an exact replica. Fortunately, collectors can
large part thanks to the excellent sword fights,now buy an officially licensed version made by
with fans and collectors soon seeking out replicasUnited Cutlery, manufactured to the same high
of the many weapons used in the film.standards as their reproduction of Connor's
At the start of the film story, Connor MacLeodsword, and also an exact copy of the prop
wields a single-handed broadsword. Although noversions used on the show. This is definitely the
official replica exists, there are numerousversion collectors should go for, as it uses a
unlicensed versions available to buy, mostly ofhigher-quality full carbon blade, and the intricate
decent quality although none are 100% accurateivory dragon-head is replicated exactly using a
to the movie prop.weathered single piece resin casting that replicates
Later in the film Connor MacLeod wields anthe original exactly.
ancient Japanese Katana that once belonged to hisThere are numerous other memorable swords
mentor, Ramirez. Previously collectors have beenused in the movies and series, such as the
forced to put up with unofficial replicas, oftenKurgan's multi-part blade, but there are very few
badly sculpted, and rarely accurate to the originalreplicas of these available to buy, other than a
film. Excitingly, United Cutlery have recentlyfew very limited editions.
release a new, officially licensed version, thatThe fate of the Highlander series is now unknown.
accurately matches the film versions intricatelyThe series has now finished, and recent films,
carved dragon-head handle, and featured awhile they have their loyal fans, were not
hand-forged carbon-steel blade. Serious collectorsparticularly big commercial successes. Given the
should spend the extra money and get this, as itmoney earned by other recent sword-filled
is a huge improvement over previous versions.fantasy films such as 300, The Lord of the Rings
After the first highlander film, there were severaland the Pirates of the Caribbean movies, it's not
sequels, but none that were as memorable orsurprising that there is talk of re-booting the
entertaining as the first. During the 1990's afranchise with a re-make of the original. Whatever
Highlander TV spinoff show was created thatthe eventual result of this, with the recent United
followed the adventures of another MacLeodCutlery releases, fans of Highlander can at least
family member, Duncan. Like Connor he alsoown true replica's of the most iconic swords from
wielded a dragon-head katana, although of athe Highlander franchise.
slightly different design. The show is generally