A Kind of Magic

Making the Original Highlander

Jonathan Melville

$34.99

Hardback

Not in-store but you can order this
How long will it take?

Availability Information

We source books from suppliers in Australia and overseas. For books we don't currently have in stock, the time it takes to get them from our suppliers can vary widely - from a few days to a few months - so we check each book with each supplier to determine the expected time it will take to be supplied to us.

We then advise you accordingly. If the time taken to get any book is too long for you, you can let us know and we will cancel or adjust your order, and refund as required.

To find out the anticipated arrival time for specific items prior to ordering, please contact us by phone or email:

Phone +61 2 9264 3111, or 1800 4 BOOKS (1800 4 26657) if outside Sydney:
option 1 Abbey's Bookshop (Crime, History, Science, Kids & more) • info@abbeys.com.au
option 2 Language Book Centre (ESL & Foreign Languages) • language@abbeys.com.au
option 3 Galaxy Bookshop (Sci-fi, Fantasy, Romance, Graphic Novels) • sf@galaxybooks.com.au

QTY:

English

POLARIS BOOKS
01 November 2020

Films, movies & cinema; Film theory & criticism; Film movie guides & reviews; Film & movie: styles & genres; Film movie production: technical skills; Fiction-related items; Media Reference; Filmography; Other Film, TV & Media; Cultural Period Romance; Magic Paranormal

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!

By: Jonathan Melville
Imprint: POLARIS BOOKS
Country of Publication: United Kingdom
Dimensions: Height: 220mm, Width: 142mm, Spine: 26mm
Weight: 449g
ISBN: 9781913538057
ISBN 10: 1913538052
Pages: 320
Publication Date: 01 November 2020
Audience: General/trade , ELT Advanced
Format: Hardback
Publisher's Status: Active

Jonathan Melville is a freelance arts journalist whose first book, 2015's Seeking Perfection: The Unofficial Guide to Tremors, was called 'Informative, entertaining and, above all, a joy to read - 9/10' by Starburst, while Empire said 'This high-access tell-all...[is] an unexpected treat - 4/5'. He has contributed to The Guardian, The Scotsman, SFX and BBC Radio Scotland. He lives in Edinburgh.

Reviews for A Kind of Magic: Making the Original Highlander

'A Kind of Magic: Making the Original Highlander tracks down an astonishing number of the film's cast and crew to give an unparalleled account of its creation... if you're one of the film's many fans this is the perfect companion' * The Courier, Book of the Week, 9/10 * 'At over 300 pages, this is literally Everything You Wanted To Know About Highlander But Were Afraid To Ask. An epic with a cast of thousands' * The Dobermann Always Rings Twice * 'Jonathan Melville rounds up an impressive number of the key players... and mixes new interviews with plenty of material from the archives' * SFX * 'There really can only be one Highlander... and you're highly unlikely to find a better account of it.' 9/10 * Sci-Fi Bulletin * 'As well as being the story of the Highlander film itself, it's a fascinating look at the film-making process ... Jonathan Melville's A Kind of Magic - Making the Original Highlander is an absolute joy to read and an absolutely essential purchase for any Highlander fan' * We Are Cult * 'A definitive history ... which every fan should read' * Starburst * 'An engrossing read with plenty of on-set anecdotes' 4 out of 5 stars * Total Film *