Legend of Highlander
M-FRANQ
Legend of Highlander?.
What the legendary origin of the Highlander set is?.
Could one find some historic information in connection with some
immortals?.
Does there have t it had in the history of the immortals who formed a
society secretes?.
Excuse me for my bad english... I am french...
Jerri LaPoint
M-FRANQ <m.f...@wanadoo.fr> wrote in article
<01bc6561$dc456620$LocalHost@fti/tu258g6>...
I don't really think the series is based upon a legend of a particular
Highlander, but rather upon the reputation of Highland warriors in general.
According to romance novelists, the Highlanders were fierce warriors and
great lovers, and the clan relationships are of supreme importance. In its
simplest terms, Highlander: the Series is a romance. Duncan MacLeod is the
tragic hero, surrounded and loved by ladies, protecting the helpless,
fighting against evil.
I'm not too sure about secret societies and such. Maybe someone else will
join in.
Jerri
Jerri LaPoint
<<<<oops...sorry...did not mean to make it look like M-FRANQ wrote the
reply to his own note. Jerri>>>>
Jerri LaPoint <jlap...@swbell.net> wrote in article
<01bc658e$f5e1ab20$4d00c1cf@default>...
Monkysquat
In article <01bc6600$9d9a4ea0$04fc2299@michaels>, "Jen_Shien"
<Jen_...@MSN.com> writes:
> A friend of mine thought Highlander One was Macleod tapping into the
>collective unconcous. I see a lot of Eastern Religion similarities in
>Highlander. Taoism has immortals and lightening. Tibet has Kalachakra
>meditation which can make you immortal. And so on. A lot of Japanese
>similarities too. Like Tengu.
Actually HL 1 is rooted more in mythology than religion but there is
a tad of Christianity and mysticism thrown in. In the original movie
the immortals' "Quickening" power was nothing more than psychic
energy.
Tim
Cynthia Tirado
In <19970528143...@ladder02.news.aol.com> monky...@aol.com
(Monkysquat) writes:
>In article <01bc658e$f5e1ab20$4d00c1cf@default>, "Jerri LaPoint"
><jlap...@swbell.net> writes:
>M-FRANQ <m.f...@wanadoo.fr> wrote in article
>><01bc6561$dc456620$LocalHost@fti/tu258g6>...
>>the Highlanders were fierce warriors and great lovers, and the clan
>relationships are of supreme importance.
>>The legend and basis of Highlander is at least partially based on the
>legend of the Macleod's Faerie flag. The movie was also supposedly
>based on an old black and white movie titled "The Scottish Ghost".
>Tim
Hey, my name's Tim too,
The Highlanders of Scotland (as well as, Irish and Welsh peoples) were
Celts. The Celts were feared as fierce warriors and were a large thorn
in the side of Imperial Rome. Between About 250 B.C. and the first
century C.E., the Celts raided south into the Empire, pillaging and
destroying Roman soldiers in battle. Eventually, the Roman's superior
resources, numbers, and strategy were enough to push the Celts off of
the continent (Julius Caesar: The Conquest of Gaul) and into England,
Scotland, Wales, and Ireland. The Roman Wall in the north of England
called Hadrian's Wall (after Emperor Hadrian) was built as a defense
against the Celts. As the Romans moved into Britain the Celts were
pushed out. For hundreds of years Celtic culture flourished relatively
undisturbed, until the Monks came and Christianized the Celts. Ever
since, Wales, Ireland, and to a lesser degree, Scotland have been
resource satellite states for England. Much like Poand and Hungary to
the old USSR or Central and South America to the US.
This will interest most Highlander fans. The origin of the Celts is
uncertain. However, they are believed to have descended from the
Kurgan culture, which inhabited the Russian steppes. They migrated
west to the Danube river valley and further. Next thing you know,
Polybius is writing about them.
The Celts were said to be huge, muscular, imposing, brutal, warriors.
Reportedly standing a good foot taller than their Roman counterparts
and were afraid of nothing, many soldiers turned and ran rather than
face these seemingly invincible opponents, who incidently, painted
themselves blue before going (naked) into battle, all the while
screaming like crazed beasts.
Long post. Is this bad, or does anybody
even care? hello? Bueller? Bueller?
t.
"Where did you learn that?"
"From the people that invented it."
Cynthia Tirado
Margarita
Sorry I only dropped into this ng to find out about that awful episode I
saw recently - which I find out was the 5th season finale, but I
couldn't let this pass me by - ;-)
In article <5mokta$r...@sjx-ixn6.ix.netcom.com>, Cynthia Tirado
<bl...@ix.netcom.com> writes
>The Highlanders of Scotland (as well as, Irish and Welsh peoples) were
>Celts. The Celts were feared as fierce warriors and were a large thorn
>in the side of Imperial Rome. Between About 250 B.C. and the first
>century C.E., the Celts raided south into the Empire, pillaging and
>destroying Roman soldiers in battle. Eventually, the Roman's superior
>resources, numbers, and strategy were enough to push the Celts off of
>the continent (Julius Caesar: The Conquest of Gaul) and into England,
>Scotland, Wales, and Ireland.
The Celts were in Britain as a whole, long before the Romans started
their campaigning. The Celts carried out the first European trade
between their wide spread peoples. And you forgot about the Picts, who
may or maynot be part of the Celtic race, but the royal descent was down
the maternal line, through the Celtic wives. Kenneth Macalpin the first
Scottish King had a Pictish mother, thereby making king of both.
>The Roman Wall in the north of England
>called Hadrian's Wall (after Emperor Hadrian) was built as a defense
>against the Celts. As the Romans moved into Britain the Celts were
>pushed out.
They weren't 'pushed out', they moved into what is now the 'Celtic
Fringe' AND they were also absorbed into the invading people - race is a
very tenuious thing. And you forgot about Antonine's Wall between
Edinburgh and Glasgow. Romans never had any perminant bases above that,
just a few marching camps and the odd scrimish with the Picts. They
never conquered what was left of the Celts in Scotland.
>For hundreds of years Celtic culture flourished relatively
>undisturbed, until the Monks came and Christianized the Celts.
It florished for a long time after Christainity arrived - the doom of
the celtic culture (in the Highlands atleast) was the post-'46
(Culloden) and the Clearances. (Beyond the Highland Line by Caroline
Bingham & Highlanders by John MacLeod). And tv isn't helping - you know
they have had to start a festival (Doric festival) to teach the children
how to speak their own language up here because of the influence of tv
and the ban on it in schools when I was wee. I was always impressed by
the way Highlander portrayed Scotland, none of the awful cliches. And
Adrian Paul's accent is improving, even if it does slip into Irish from
time to time.
>Ever
>since, Wales, Ireland, and to a lesser degree, Scotland have been
>resource satellite states for England. Much like Poand and Hungary to
>the old USSR or Central and South America to the US.
Never a truer word! Can't wait for the Scottish Parliment. Hey, even
Sean Connery agrees. It is about time that the World (US tv companies in
particular) realise that Scotland is a country in its own right - it
never surrendered *that* to England in that misbegotten bill. Highlander
is one of the few programmes that seemed to accept that.
>This will interest most Highlander fans. The origin of the Celts is
>uncertain. However, they are believed to have descended from the
>Kurgan culture, which inhabited the Russian steppes. They migrated
>west to the Danube river valley and further. Next thing you know,
>Polybius is writing about them.
>The Celts were said to be huge, muscular, imposing, brutal, warriors.
>Reportedly standing a good foot taller than their Roman counterparts
>and were afraid of nothing, many soldiers turned and ran rather than
>face these seemingly invincible opponents, who incidently, painted
>themselves blue before going (naked) into battle, all the while
>screaming like crazed beasts.
That still worked in WWII; the skirl of the pipes..... the flick of the
kilt....
Sorry I will get off my hobby-horse now; but I am a passionate Scot,
what can I say.
--
Margarita
Cynthia / Tim
In <0fmCmAAL...@megsymon.demon.co.uk> Margarita
<Marg...@megsymon.demon.co.uk> writes:
It is about time that the World (US tv companies in
>particular) realise that Scotland is a country in its own right - it
>never surrendered *that* to England in that misbegotten bill.
>Highlander is one of the few programmes that seemed to accept that.
>Sorry I will get off my hobby-horse now; but I am a passionate Scot,
>what can I say.
>--
>Margarita
>
Hello Margarita,
My post was written late at night, and off the top of
my head, if I forgot a few things, forgive me. I was just trying to
put a little smattering of Celt propaganda out there. Next time I'll
consult my books before posting. But what about Ireland? I'm Irish
and Welsh and would like to see Ireland free some day. Scotland might
be on the way.
By your abhorrence for my historical generaliztions, I
assume that you are not only a fellow Celt, but a fellow history major.
I could be wrong, but it wouldn't be the first time.
tim.
Words from the Monastery
In article <19970528143...@ladder02.news.aol.com>, Monkysquat stated
oh so eloquently...
>The legend and basis of Highlander is at least partially based on the
>legend of the Macleod's Faerie flag. The movie was also supposedly
>based on an old black and white movie titled "The Scottish Ghost".
Highlander was the idea of that guy whose name is at the beginning of the
credits each ep ... never can remember a name when I need to ... he thought up
Highlander while talking a screenwriting class in college ... there's a bit of
the speil about it in William Froug's ZEN AND THE ART OF SCREENWRITING:
INSIGHTS AND INTERVIEWS ... his idea that sparked it all was basically,
wouldn't be neat if their were immortals living around us ... the actual movie
brought in other's view on the initial concept ...
Helen
For a great look at Celtic backround, you might enjoy "How the Irish
saved Civilization" by Thomas Cahill, Anchor Books ISBN 0-385-41849-3
Best thing I've read in I don't know how long.
Helen
Cynthia / Tim
>Margarita,
>
>Thank you for adding to my understanding of the history of the Celts
>and Scotland. Mention of Hadrian's Wall takes me back to my summer
>in graduate school at the University of Durham and how I used to enjoy
>the sense of history while walking on top of the Wall.
>
>I hope you will "drop into this ng" often. After all, this is all
>about a certain "passionate Scot"...and we can always make room for
>more of you here.
>
>HedDoc...also a Celt, but regrettably not a Scottish one.
>PEACE-APFC
HedDoc,
Irish, Scotish, Welsh, a Celt is a Celt. Just because the Scots
have been more successful in their battle with England, does not make
them superior or "more Celtic than thou". We are all brothers and
sisters. And if the world ever wakes up, we'll see that every living
thing is your relative.
I will ever battle for Irish self-esteem!!!
t.
Maureen Goldman
REMOVEja...@OBVIOUSerols.com (Words from the Monastery) wrote:
>Mythology is just another name for religion ... Greek mythology is classical
>Greek religion ... Christianity is the only one out there that is a religion,
>in fact, if you are not a Christian it's just as accurate to refer to
>Christianity as the Christian mythology. Celtic mythology is Celtic religion.
I believe that the two are actually separate. Mythology plays around
the fringes of religion - it is the relationship of Santa Claus and
the Easter bunny to Christianity.
In ordinary speech, sure, we tend to clump them together.
--
Maureen Goldman
[To reply, please remove {NOSPAM}]
Sally Smith
Someone, I can't figure out from all the headers, wrote:
>>>The legend and basis of Highlander is at least partially based on the
>>legend of the Macleod's Faerie flag. The movie was also supposedly
Do what?! The Flag doesn't have *anything* to do with living forever and
beheading people, and TCBOO, and considering TPTB didn't know till, like, last
year that there IS a Clan MacLeod, I doubt they knew squat about the Flag
(though the original movie writer may have).
The legend of the Fairy Flag [well, all right, it's a piece of medieval Middle
Eastern silk, if you believe those scientist guys :-)] is readable on the web
page in my .sig...
Sally
--
Sally Smith, webmaster for the Clan MacLeod Societies, mac...@best.com
http://www.best.com/~macleod/
Monkysquat
In article <5mseaj$5...@winter.erols.com>,
REMOVEja...@OBVIOUSerols.com (Words from the Monastery) writes:
>In article <19970528143...@ladder02.news.aol.com>, Monkysquat
stated
>
>oh so eloquently...
>
>>Actually HL 1 is rooted more in mythology than religion but there is
>>a tad of Christianity and mysticism thrown in. In the original movie
>>the immortals' "Quickening" power was nothing more than psychic
>>energy.
>
>Mythology is just another name for religion ... Greek mythology is
classical
>Greek religion ... Christianity is the only one out there that is a
religion,
>
>in fact, if you are not a Christian it's just as accurate to refer to
>Christianity as the Christian mythology. Celtic mythology is Celtic
religion.
Basically a myth is anything that hasn't been proven. Christianity
IMO has plenty of myth. I would also offer that most myths are
based at least partially in fact.
Tim
WarAngel
I've encountered that book in a mail-order catalog. Can you bullet-point
how the Irish did save civilization? I'm curious as to if it was by
inventions or by music or some aspect of culture, philosophy or thinking.
WarAngel
http://www.angelic.org/highlander
Words from the Monastery
In article <19970602235...@ladder02.news.aol.com>, Monkysquat stated
oh so eloquently...
>Basically a myth is anything that hasn't been proven. Christianity
>IMO has plenty of myth. I would also offer that most myths are
>based at least partially in fact.
That's every religion too ... no proof ... all myths have their creation story,
some have flood stories, how to live, what their deities expect from them ...
etc. I'd like to go as far as saying myths are dead religions, but then Native
American faiths are referred to as myth and they are not necessarily dead
religions yet ...
Monkysquat
In article <5mtsgs$36f$1...@shell4.ba.best.com>, mac...@best.com (Sally
Smith) writes:
>
>Someone, I can't figure out from all the headers, wrote:
>
>>>>The legend and basis of Highlander is at least partially based on the
>>>legend of the Macleod's Faerie flag. The movie was also supposedly
>
>Do what?! The Flag doesn't have *anything* to do with living forever and
>beheading people, and TCBOO, and considering TPTB didn't know till, like,
>last
>year that there IS a Clan MacLeod, I doubt they knew squat about the Flag
>(though the original movie writer may have).
>
>The legend of the Fairy Flag [well, all right, it's a piece of medieval
>Middle
>Eastern silk, if you believe those scientist guys :-)] is readable on the
web
>page in my .sig...
>
>Sally
I wrote it and sorry but most of what you wrote is very wrong.
The Producers knew very well that there was a Clan MacLeod.
Do you honestly think they didn't do extensive research for the
movie and series? Perhaps they just randomly picked a tartan
from a catalogue and it happened to be the MacLeod plaid?
There was lots of research done for HL and more than a
smidgen of creative liscense used as well. As for the flag
having nothing to do with HL!?! The flag supposedly gave
protective powers when it was waved. The MacLeods waved
it twice and were supposedly made invincible, winning battles
where they were outnumbered 10 to 1. Invincibility...immortality...
no! those couldn't possibly be linked! Stories have been
inspired by far less.
Tim
John & Anna Glover
> Well... since the whole mythology-religion topic has been brought up, I
> gotta add my 2 cents. Myth literally means story, and the origins of
> myths is largely debated. Of particular interest, there is a
> "scriptural" theory which suggests that myths are derived from the
> scriptures, but with different names (Hercules=Samson, the serpent
> guarding the golden apples is the serpent that tempted Eve, etc). There
> are a bunch of theories, though. I personally think Myths are
> allegorical. There always seems to be a moral attached. I think the
> "stories" were made to do things from guiding people to expressing their
> fears. I can't lump Christianity as a myth because I don't think it's
> allegorical. I think it's literal. But, I concede that I must be
> making a leap of faith to do this. And so I have (but I got to admit, I
> don't think it needs a big jump) :>
>
> Tia Dana
I'm sorry to burst the bubble of any rally religious Christian, but
myths and legents have existed since before any scriptures. Abraham was
born into the ancient religions (one of the polytheistic/pagan
religions) and when Babylon fell, he basically created Judeism. The
writings from the early Judaism days are *all* transformations of the
pagan myths. The Christians did the same thing, especially with the
Greeks and the Celts, they transformed the old legents into a form that
would portray the pagan beliefs as evil and the only way to do that and
have them accept the new religion is by using whan the people already
know and present it to them in a slightly cxhanged format. The old
religions did the sasme thing. If you read Roman, Greek, Egyptian,
Babylonian, Assyrian, and Summerian myths, there are a lot of
similarities and a lot of the *EXACT* same myths .. the most famous one
being the Deluge/Flood myth, of which the oldest version I'm aware of is
the story of Ut-Napishtim of the Babylonian/SUmerian areas.
