Highlander review

It's a kind of magic - Homophobis in Highlander

As I watched Highlander it struck me that the underlying message was one of repressed homosexuality. The immortals portrayed represent homosexuals who have had to hide their sexuality. The catch phrase “There can be only one” actually means “No one can know”.

In the opening scene we see MacLeod engaged in watching wrestling. Men in their underwear play-fighting inspires the hero with homoerotic desires. MacLeod then leaves and ventures into the car park. The initial fight between immortals represents a homosexual encounter with another male. The sword fighting represents man on man sex, with the sword play representing penis play. The decapitation the end of the sexual encounter represents the need to 'forget' or repress each sexual encounter – No one can know.

The flashback to medieval Scotland represents the highlander's 'coming out' or first homosexual encounter and a realisation that he is a butt pirate. The persona of Victor Kruger represents both MacLeod's first homosexual encounter and his fear of his own repressed sexuality.

MacLeod awakes after what should have been a mortal wound invigorated and in high spirits. He has finally found sexual satisfaction that he could not find in his straight relationship. But he is driven from his tribe because of society's homophobia. He then realises he must find a female partner in an attempt to hide his sexuality and return to 'normality'.

But his repressed desires return in the form of Juan Sanchez Villa-Lobos Ramirez. Where Kruger represents his fear of his own homosexuality Ramirez represents the joy and sexual fulfilment he finds in man on man love. Ramirez tries to persuade MacLeod to abandon his heterosexual relationship with Heather MacLeod as it will inevitably lead to dissatisfaction but MacLeod is fearful.
Fear destroys joy as Kruger destroys Ramirez. MacLeod cannot allow himself to enjoy his sexuality instead his fears overcome him. Throughout the ages Macleod engages in homosexuality in the form of sword fights with other immortals but after each encounter he must remove his partner's head or repress and 'kill' the memory of the encounter - No One Can Know.

On the surface the ending of Highlander appears problematic in the terms of my thesis but on deeper penetration it reinforces it.

Eventually MacLeod enters into a heterosexual relationship with Brenda Wyatt and destroys Kruger. The protagonist has destroyed his fears of homosexuality by finally destroying his homoerotic urges. Rather than being problematic this ending confirms the homophobic elements of the film. The conclusion made is that eventually we can overcome homosexuality and become normal through persistent denial and repression. This of course represents the consensus of many over the ages who have tried to 'cure' homosexuality. This film represents the violent crushing of homosexuality and as such is a homophobic film.

But... as we see in the final shot of MacLeod he is wearing a very gay pink shirt. The repressed will always return - as we see in Highlander part two when Ramirez is resurrected from the dead and Macleod become immortal again.

Also did I mention Freddie Mercury did the soundtrack... (It's a kind of magic)