The movie Highlander has been "restored" in a 4K format. Don't ask me what that actually means. It will be shown at the Edinburgh Film Festival on 18th June. Clancy Brown, who played the Kurgan, will be in attendence along with other "special guests".
Clancy apparently noted : "It’s taken a while, but I swore to myself that I would return again to Scotland after filming Highlander 30 years ago where I first learned of Robert the Bruce, James Macpherson, The Fortingall Yew and, most blissfully, single-malt scotch whisky."
It's a fairly unusual esoteric combination.
Bruce was of course in charge at the alleged Battle of Bannockburn, the battle that ex Scottish political top-boy, Alex Salmond, claimed was the birthplace of modern Scotland. You can find more on it on the sidebar - mythomorph.
James McPherson translated the Ossian poems from Gaelic "word of mouth" myths and legends concerning ancient history of Scotland and Ireland.
The Fortingall Yew is allegedly the oldest tree (living thing?) in Europe. There's a legend that Pontius Pilate of Bible fame played as a child in it's shade. A book has been written, with claims of Druid worship and even a visit from Jesus. As a yew tree grows, it's branches become heavy and droop to the soil. At that point of contact new roots will often form, and from there over time another trunk. In the case of the Fortingall Yew, the "original" trunk is almost gone, leaving an outer circle of later trunks.
The whisky speaks for itself.
Bearing in mind the myths surrounding Scotland and historical links with Egypt, for example Scotland and Princess Scota, it strikes me that perhaps Clancy is alluding to something more especially given the premise of the film and that Scotsman Sean Connery was cast as an Egyptian immortal.
I'll skip for the moment on the police investigation into grooming of minors by celebrities - codename Operation Yew Tree - which sprouted after the death of Glencoe loving Jimmy Savile, although I have touched on it previously, and before.
cheers
