h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Queen did the soundtrack for the 1986 film Highlander, and it's sequel Highlander II. Tracks include 'Princes of the Universe, It's a kind of Magic, and, of course, 'Who wants to live Forever!'

And there's the little known-about battle between Freddie and Christopher Lambert:

http://eva.aws-it.at/pics5/freddie_christopherl.jpg

Katana v. microphone stand!

And don't forget the soundtrack for Flash Gordon!

One of the sayings Brian Blessed (who played Prince Vultan) is most known for is the line used in the title song "Flash's Theme"...

"Gordon's alive!"

Isn't saying they did the soundtrack for Highlander II a bit of an overstatement? As far as I'm aware, it contained about three lines of 'A Kind Of Magic', and even that was written for the first film.

I think it's also worth mentioning that they did a lot (although not all, I think) of the score for Highlander.

I could be totally wrong, of course, 3rd, 4th and 5th opinions welcome.

And yes, I concur with the rememberance of Flash Gordon. In fact, wasn't that the entire film score, rather than just the soundtrack?

TK[1]

From "A Kind Of Magic", the following songs featured in Highlander:

A Kind Of Magic
One Year Of Love
Who Wants To Live Forever
Princes Of The Universe
Gimme The Prize
Don't Lose Your Head

So, pretty well the whole album.

Also featured was Hammer To Fall, from The Works.

RF

'One Vision' from the 'A Kind of Magic' album was used in the film 'Iron Eagle'. I don't think Queen had anything more to do with the soundtrack, though...

I love the soundtract from Flash Gordon...

It's all rocked out and over the top. We would play it when we mopped the floors and cleaned up our restaurant for the night at the local theme park.

It was so campy that it was a hoot!

John Deacon and the Immortals did the sound track to the 1986 film Biggles.

Will see how much relevant, interesting Queen stuff I can drag out of the head rather than Geeky stuff i.e. not details on the building of the Red Special.

"and it's sequel Highlander II."

Please no bad language on this thread *that* film amongst my friends is called 'the Scottish Movie' it was so bad it cannot be mentioned by it proper name shame they haven't brought out the directors cut of it which would have been more acceptable.

Ooooh... just had my memory jogged by nothing in particular... Brian worked with Eddie Van Halen and another guy on the theme tune to a japanese cartoon which was favoured by his kids. I don't know if it was actually ever /used/ as the actual theme tune, but it's a good mini-LP anyway. I'll look out the record later if I have time, unless anyone else has the info closer to hand...

TK[1]

Is that the 'Starfleet Project'? I've heard it once - a lot of endless guitar solos..!

Yeah, I think that's Starfleet Project. I don't think it was actually used as the theme tune, rather, they took the theme tune and jazzed it up a bit. I note it's not listed at queenonline - probably long since deleted (and probably a good thing too! )

RF

Yeah, that's the one.

I managed to get a copy off ebay. While the theme itself is good enough, the reason I wanted it was for the 12- minute blues jam that masde them decide to release the whole thing as a mini-LP in the first place. It's a bloody good session, and certainly worth a listen.

TK[1]

"Yeah, I think that's Starfleet Project. I don't think it was actually used as the theme tune, rather, they took the theme tune and jazzed it up a bit. I note it's not listed at queenonline - probably long since deleted (and probably a good thing too! )"

Hey, Starfleet is an excellent Jap Sci-fi series and May's version is rocking.

And the b-side as mentioned above is just oozing with Guitar-Godness.

I thought Hammer to Fall was Queen, it is on their Greates Hits cd. And there is a Renegade version of Highlander II. And referring to a play/movie by a nickname is also used in good plays, it's just actor superstition.

I forgot all about Queen doing Flash, but as Flash is not one of my favourite songs, and I never saw the movie, it kinda slipped my mind.

Yeah, Hammer To Fall is a Queen number, but it wasn't written /for/ Highlander, and so wasn't on the Magic album- it was from The Works.

TK[1]

Oh, the ALBUM the works.


You're right: Highlander II music isn't Queen, but you do hear it's a kind of magic, and you also hear a little bit of who wants to live forever.

In the film 'The Hotel New Hampshire' (starring Rob Lowe and Jodie Foster) they use the phrase "just keep passing the open window" which is the title of a song on The Works. I read somewhere that Queen were asked to contribute songs to the film and they came up with that one but in the end it was decided to not feature it in the film at all.

It is odd considering the other films they contributed to fall into the action/fantasy genre that The Hotel New Hampshire is very much the opposite of these being a highly intelligent thought provoking work. Although having said that the song they did for it is very untypical of their work in general and therefore woudl have suited maybe accompanying the titles or heard briefly coming out of a radio in a scene.

Also didn't Freddie contribute to Gorgio Mordoers soundtrack to Metroplis?