Jonathan Melville – författare

The official lavishly illustrated coffee table hardback visual retrospective of the cult-classic 1986 fantasy adventure film Highlander, with new interview material and previously unseen imagery.From the Scottish Highlands of the sixteenth century to present-day New York, Highlander follows Connor MacLeod – an immortal warrior who cannot escape his destiny. MacLeod is fated to duel down the ages to a distant time called the Gathering, where the last few will battle for the Prize - power beyond imagination – a power that the evil Kurgan must never possess.The Art & Making of Highlander is the first-of-its-kind coffee table book – specially shrinkwrapped and decorated with spot UV gloss on the cover for that beautiful shine - which delves into the making of the 1986 cult classic movie and celebrates its enduring 40-year legacy. Featuring brand new interviews with cast and creatives alike, this stunning book also features never-before-published concept artwork and behind-the-scenes photography that makes this book the perfect gift and a must-have for any Highlander fan.

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!

'It's not a high concept movie, there's actually no story there really. It’s what happens in between the story that’s important' – Bill ForsythThe story of an American businessman sent to buy the Scottish village of Ferness with the aim of turning it into an oil refinery, Local Hero is one of Scotland’s most beloved, and most misunderstood, films.When Bill Forsyth’s incredible success with the low-budget That Sinking Feeling and Gregory’s Girl found him collaborating with Britain’s best-known film producer, David Puttnam, he soon found his independent ethos clashing with Hollywood’s desire for superstar actors and a happy ending.Jonathan Melville checks into the MacAskill Arms and looks back at Bill Forsyth’s career with the help of new and archive interviews, before spending time with the cast and crew, including stars Peter Riegert and Denis Lawson, who made Local Hero on location in Houston and Scotland in 1982.With access to early drafts of the Local Hero script (including hand-written notes) that reveal more about Mac and mermaids, excerpts from a previously unpublished interview in which Bill Forsyth explains why he refuses to call his film 'feel-good', and a look at long-lost deleted scenes with exclusive commentary from those involved, this is the definitive history of the Scottish classic.‘Genuine fairy tales are rare; so is film-making that is thoroughly original in an unobtrusive way. Bill Forsyth's quirky disarming Local Hero is both . . . it demonstrates Mr. Forsyth's uncanny ability for making an audience sense that something magical is going on, even if that something isn't easily explained’ – Janet Maslin, The New York Times'Local Hero is kind of transcendent. It's poetic in a way that most films can't hope to be' – Frank Cottrell-Boyce'Local Hero is one my favourite films of all time . . .  A timeless masterpiece' – Mark Kermode