Gregory Widen on the Kurgan and Clancy Brown
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- čas přidán 28. 08. 2024
- Widen is the creator of Highlander, writer of the original unused script, "Shadow Clan." The Kurgan was referred to as "The Knight" in Shadow Clan and is described by Widen as a much more "serious" and sympathetic villain who was not obsessed with the Prize or power. Clancy Brown preferred Widen's version of the character.
Kurgan by Clancy Brown was the best thing about Highlander. The voice was unbelievable. His physical presence and character composition is fascinating. It's incredible to know he didn't like the part.
Because of him I delved into the history of ancient civilizations of Europe.
jaba borg I would kinda like to see the Kurgan in the opposite way just to be able to sympathize with him but at the same time some villians just need to be totally ridiculous and look like they actually enjoy who they are lol
The Kurgan is one of the greatest movie villians of all time, built like a tank an intimidating sword to match and an absolutely massive i don't give a fu#k attitude. Supremely confident.
describes my ex wife...
What gets the Kurgan out of bed each day is crushing his enemies, seeing them driven before him, and hearing the lamentations of their women. And yes, like other sociopaths throughout history, he actually enjoys it.I think it makes perfect sense and fits the character more than just moping around like a McLeod clone. And, by the way, it lightens up the movie and adds a lot of the fun.
Clancy probably played the most intimidating movie villain I've ever seen in my life. The outfit, the voice... sounds like he drank petroleum and ate sandpaper for years on end. Constantly. I was a 10 when this movie came out and when you see a badass character like that, at that age... it blows your mind.
The Kurgan's about the baddest baddy I've seen. Clancy Brown masterfully brought him to life...
It hink the movie version was perfect. One of the best movie villains ever, very memorable, you can't forget him. Clancy was great and the Kurgan just cracks me up..MOM hahaha
I think what the movie was going for was to have Connor and Kurgan to be polar opposites of each other. Connor doesn't see his immortality as a blessing, but rather a curse. He's bitter and spends a great deal of screen-time brooding over his past (The flashbacks). The Kurgan sees immortals as superior to the rest of mankind and has a complete disregard for mortal life. Obtaining The Prize would be the ultimate accomplishment if already gave himself the title of "The Strongest Immortal".
Kind of surprised to hear Clancy Brown hated the part. He looked like he was having the time of his life. I can understand the desire for the challenge of portraying the character as having a bit more depth, but sometimes it has to be nice to have a character where you can completely cut loose and get as over the top as you want.
No one said he didn't like that part, he just didn't like how the character was used for cheap laughs at times.
Clancy said later that what pissed him off was that he kept asking for directions and he would get none. He took the part seriously and it wasn't meant to be taken seriously. At one point, for kicks, he just made up the "I have something to say..." line on the spot. The director liked it and put it in the final cut. That was life on the set of Highlander.
The character's version in the movie was perfect ! I mean, the Kurgan wouldn't be "the Kurgan" anymore without all this psychotic and deranged parts !
Absolutely. And actually, the qualities of The Knight that Gregory Widen talks about are present in the movie, but it's just beneath the surface and more subtle. Kurgan DOES care passionately about The Game and he actually will not violate any of its rules or traditions; in a deleted scene, he even declares to another mortal that the game is, "All we have!"
"Remember our deal Murdock, the boy is mine." Pure menace from start to finish.
"The endless killing has driven him mad!"
I'm glad Clancy was made to play Kurgan this way... sadistic, deranged. I think that's what makes him the most likeable villain of any movie I've ever seen. What would the Highlander movie be like without the classic "Mom!" scene? Or the church scene? I for one am glad Kurgan wasn't portrayed as a sulking, self-loathing villain. If the Highlander is ever re-made, I would love to see Kurgan win the prize... Now THAT would be worthy of a sequel, "Mankind would suffer an eternity of darkness." What can I say? I'm evil! :)
If it is ever remade, to me there is only one choice for the part: Glenn Jacobs, pro wrestler, political activist, and actor. He looks the part to the T and I think he could be a worthy successor to Brown.
The more likely scenario would be that the Kurgan would forge Mankind into a galactic empire, humanity would become a hyper-fascistic and expansionist species hell bent on exterminating all xenos and conquering all of the known/reachable universe before the whole thing goes cold.
@@Manintoga I fucking love this idea. Maybe a couple of millennia of pure insane anarchy and horror followed by pure selfish need to spread dominance across the cosmos.
This is fueling my brain I can feel the power of the intergalactic space fairing race of barbarian blood coursing through my veins....either that or i just think your idea is sick😎👌
@@johnandy2587don't they already have Klingons for that?
Very good analysis of the character. I have to agree with you. The immortals dwindled down to two-Connor and Kurgan, so he just went off the wall. I did think the baldness was funny in showing centuries of dents and blows to the head. At least it appeared that way to me, I guess because it's the HEAD. Something all immortals must protect. Their most vulnerable part.
The Kurgan in the film remains the best supervillain in film. Tom Hardy cited the caracter as a big influence
The original script's version of the Kurgan was dark, intense and actually scary as opposed to the clown character that was in the re-write. Clancy did great, but I would have loved to have seen him play The Knight as was originally scripted. Someone should shoot that OG script!
he seems more evil in the movie version, wich made the stakes feel higher. "if kurgan wins the prize mankind will suffer an eternity of darkness."
I can see that it would be frustrating that the character isn't as serious as you were hoping... but the Kurgan is basically an avatar of chaos here, and the perfect foil for Connor, having seen civilisations rise and fall and loved ones, enemies, strangers age and die... where Connor doesn't make attachments for fear of losing them, the Kurgan doesn't care about people's mayfly lives. Where Connor doesn't want to be discovered as an immortal and goes to great lengths to live his life in hiding, the Kurgan has no ties to anything and cares nothing for consequences - what can they do to him, after all? Connor befriends the other immortals and sees them as friends to share his life with, the Kurgan kills them and has no life outside of the ritual. The Kurgan is basically the worst possible immortal., and Clancy Brown's performance of him elevates him to iconic.
Kurgan was so badass when you first saw him on the battlefield in the past. Fast forward to New York 1986 and the writers have him shave his head, WTF?
Not till the end of the movie though.
Zap Rowsdower I know, but it was a buzzkill.
OneUltimateWarrior well his excuse was "no one will recognize me" lol like yeah you have no other features that give you away like scar on your neck, height, size, dress style, and general attitude lol.
i loved his long hair..but his changing looks was bad ass
After 3000 years of losing everything, of taking everything so seriously, I think he probably just lost his mind and covered up much of his pain with psychopathic humor and antics. I know the feeling, when you are suffering inside from pain, you mask it with humor and "being over the top" with it. Same with Robin Williams, Jim Carrey, and so many other comedians who were depressed..
I think he’s just evil and he fucking loves it 😂
I don’t know about that last part but you’re definitely right on the rest
Clancy you were great as the Kurgan, your character added that extra dimension
Let's be real: Movie Kurgan is superior to Widen's version. Movie Kurgan essentially makes the case at the subconscious core of the Highlander franchise, that more life is not better. That we do not get better with time but closer to our true selves. Eternity without age means we learn nothing and that life must end.
Daniel Monaco I actually have sympathy for Kurgan in his early years and understand his motivation playing the immortal game if you are gonna be in the game...win anything less isn't good enough but ultimately he just became so manical as the years dragged on
Fuck that I loved the kurgan. He had a twisted sense of humour.
Horatio Huffnagel apparently that thing with the nuns wasn't scripted that was Clancy Brown just doing that outa nowhere. Later he apologized cause he felt terrible
I imagine there was so much more to Kurgan than the movie portrayed. Clancy did his best with what he was given. But seriously, Kurgan was alive for thousands of years, think of everything he may have done with that longevity, all the power and intelligence he could have had. Instead he strutted around like an eighties punk with safety pins. (And why o why did they make him go bald! lol)
There was a TON of stuff different between the highlander movie and script. In the script, the immortals could have children, and were telepathic
People give the kurgan sword a bad rep nowadays. They forget to factor in that these were the actual 80's ... there are very special rules for the 80's, everyone knows this - especially people from the 80's ...
for example: Aside from all the other stuff the Kurgan Sword will cut metal scaffolding, produce pink explosions upon impact and, when wielded correctly as per principles developed upon the ancient steppes of Russia, knock down medieval Scottish castle stone walls, which might otherwise require the use of catapults and ballistas or a squadron of Sherman Tanks.
While this is a sword that will cut the roof of a standard American vehicle and comfortably carry the weight of a well-fed marine, at least at the time you could still bring it as hand luggage on any flight in and out of the US, as long as it was properly disassembled and neatly packaged.
Further it is really good for attracting lightning and it works as a general stabilizer if you have your head cut off. This sword will keep you standing in a cool ominous way for at least 35 seconds, possibly even longer unless hit by a random blast of exploding glass.
Finally it is WAY more affordable than a Toledo-Salamanca, and saves you a lot of unwanted, elaborate gymnastics, that tends to only end in tragedy anyway ...
Word of caution: This sword will NOT however, improve the quality of anyones voice - unlike some equally well regarded flagship Asian models. While generally admissible in public transportation, this sword may NOT be carried in official Catholic establishments.
I like the idea when it comes to the Kurgan that no matter how hard you try you're shaped by your formative years.
He was raised in a civilization that lived through unbelievable hardships and witness incredible horror, it's just a part of who he is, he is the essence of his people and he carries them everywhere through all time.
It's very easy to look at someone through a contemporary lens and even though the Kurgan is evil there's no sympathy for the Devil.
Kurgan: MOM!Old woman: Eugene, get back to sleep!!
See, this actually came across in the movie for me. 20th Century Kurgan didn't strike me as someone who had a big project in mind or was especially interested in geopolitics. He was a driven warrior who believed in "being immortal" and what came along with that. Everything else had been stripped away. He was kind of done, emotionally. Excited for the Gathering, but cynical and angry for a long time.
He scared me hugely as a teen
One of the only movie posters I have ever wanted was one of the kurgan. Not necessarily with the Highlander anywhere to be seen. Any of you who are real fans of the movie know what I'm talking about five or six foot tall poster with him wearing the helmet with the fangs standing the bearskin coat the mohawk giant sword. On top of some desolate hill. I wanted that so bad.
pehaps he shaved his head to avoid the police owoU ... Kurgan is my fav character, and my fav villiain, Clancy Brown was great portraying that character. And I agree, there vas SO MUCH more to Kurgan!!!
@Portolinha Yes, the Kurgan shaves his head midway through the film to throw off the Police. He mentions this to Connor Macleod during the church scene.
"There can only be one!"
Who says that you can't have both, the Kurgan of the movie and the original screenplay version? The screenplay actually explains why he became the way he appears in the movie. Especially,when he spoke to the priest,asking him if God truly cares for mortals. For that very brief moment,he shows there was more inside,than murder. Imagine living a life watching nations rise and fall. War upon war,seeing the deaths of hundreds of thousands and you helped doing so. Yet, while they die, you live. Age after age. You might well wonder
It's funny to me, but I've always seen Connor as the Kurgan's deliverer. He's in it to win but also, there's noone else he would rather face for the Prize. There's depth behind those gravestone eyes and they could've done just so much more with him.
Highlander
The Prophecy
Backdraft
Gregory Widen rocks!
No good Highlander without him
Terminator (1984) and Highlander (1986) are based on biblical truths, thus the protagonists should embody the all the virtues and vices of humankind, the burning fire of love and the cold fire of hate. Contrary to the beliefs of conventional society, we are not animals, we are gods and that's why the highly evolved living souls are misjudged. Ego is the false self, the lie, the enemy within. Life is a powerfully moving song and we write the lyrics ###DontLoseYourHead###ImmortalSoulEmergesFromTheDeepBlueSea###
I want to see Clancy Brown do a crossover on Spongebob, where Mr Krabs merges with the Kurgan.
I think I would have liked the movie even more if the Kurgan were much more sympathetic.
I have to disagree with the description; The Knight certainly WAS obsessed with The Prize. The Knight's pursuit of The Prize was all that kept him going.
I would have loved that version. Would have made the movie better.
Totally agree.
but he was also given zero direction from director...they just ignored him and let him do what he wanted but also treated him like crap...he didn't get paid, was ditched in the middle of nowhere, and ignored by Connery...
But that aside I love the Highlander movie, diffanaly a classic 👌
Have to agree with Widen. Kurgan wasn't really fleshed out as a character in the film.I would have loved Kurgan to have had more dialogue telling us about his experiences of being an immortal. The film portrays him as a crude barbarian. But their had to be more to him than that. Especially with the knowledge that he must of had with various quickening's .It is only Brown's powerhouse performance makes you forget that he is a cardboard cut out villain.But then I suppose the other side of the coin is that you have to work within the constraints of a two hour movie.
Kurgan is me dying
I don't know about the character being sympathetic. The character I do admit was amusing at times. I'm wondering if Clancy Brown problem with the character was maybe he was thinking "the character being as old as he was, possibly wouldn't do some of that off the wall stuff that would bring unnecessary attention to him from others, he should be more low profile, more smarter, more couculating in every move he makes" kind of like alot of the villians depicted in the TV series.
Gonna be met with some real brains
The Mcleod final decision will be more understanding with the Kurgan scrip version.
I thought he came off Pretty well as both .
BEST. SOUNDTRACK. EVER.
(by Brian Maiden, from memory).
UnVision
It's A Kind of Plastic
One Year Off Love
Pain Is A Gross Displeasure
Friends Will Pretend
Who Wants To Drink Forever
Gimme Some Fries
Don't Lose Forehead
Print This Off Or You Rehearse
He wrote Backdraft too.
Fight me In dominion
what's his opinion about H2?
ROVER25X I only know that he was asked by the producers to write the sequel but he turned it down.
He said it was awful
Kurgan ain't shit but gurgling
My least favorite Kurgan scene is probably after he's kidnapped Brenda and driving around causing mayhem, just seems like the cheesiest part besides the first 10/15 minutes. Really disappointed Clancy didn't have a bio in the special features of my director's cut. One for Connery, Lambert, and then the director. I was amazed when I found out he voiced Mr. Crabbs.
What's wrong with a little fun. He might as well enjoy himself while he's waiting for Mcloud.
Horatio Huffnagel I didn't mind it though I thought it was kinda dumb when Kane pulled the same bit in 3 it's like hey that's Kurgan's thing and it's only cool once it can't be done twice
thank god we never got this kurgan
this just sounds like sasuke
Your a sick person .. with the part, that captain was trying. Posess Jamie. Over and over torturing him. Praying for you!
Im glad they didnt do it this way. The sympathetic villiam is ao overdone. Clancy Brown just playing a propper ass was perfect.
Sympathetic bad guy 😂 teach those to break faces.,., bubbles speaking trailer park boys son