Peter-Spotting
      Card #3

 
       ______________________________

      
       ______________________________

    
    "I'm very fortunate
      because there are
      six immortalized
      swordsmen in this
      picture, and I'm
      one of them!"

              - Peter Diamond on set with
                Adam Pirani "Starlog" #104


    "Russell (Mulcahy) looked
      at me, put his hand across
      the top of my forehead,
      because I've got a bald
      head, and said, 'Yes, we
      could put a blonde wig
      on him. Okay, you play
      the part!'"

              - Peter Diamond talking to
                Wayne Kinsey "The House
                That Hammer Built" #15

1986

HIGHLANDER

Davis-Panzer Productions
directed by Russell Mulcahy
starring Christopher Lambert,
Sean Connery, Clancy Brown
_______________________________________

Connor McLeod is The Highlander, one of
the last Immortals, dueling for the ultimate
prize...

Filming took place from April to August 1985,
utilising locations in England, Scotland and
New York.

Peter was employed as the stunt co-ordinator,
with his old pal Bob Anderson on board
as fencing master.

The film is chock-full of battles, brawls and
sword duels and Peter found himself doubling
for the actors in three Immortal fights,
including a sizeable sequence that never
made the finished film.

And then there was Fasil...
_______________________________________





Peter plays the Immortal IMAN FASIL who
duels with Connor McLeod at the start of the
film, in a car park beneath Madison Square
Gardens...

There can be only one!

Fasil swings a rapier, and McLeod sports
a kaitana. It's a lengthy, roving swordfight
that sees them running and fighting on top
of the parked cars and setting off the
sprinklers as they thrust and parry.
Fasil makes a trademark series of
acrobatic backflips inbetween each
confrontation, as the Immortals stalk
and pursue each other.

The confrontation ends with Fasil having
his head cut off (!), and McLeod revelling
in the supernatural effect of The Quickening
that consumes him.

Peter was only chosen for the role after
much debate. The production team had
struggled to find a suitable actor, because
the sequence involved so much sword
fighting!


_______________________________________

Stunt tricks

• Of course, Peter did all the swordfighting
   action, but that's a stunt double performing
   those Flic-Flacs, as Fasil takes flight.

• And those sparking sword effects were
   created  in camera by wiring the performers
   up to car batteries. But the sword handles
   could get hot, rather quickly!

_______________________________________

Did you know?

• Although the fight is supposed to take place
   in New York, Fasil and McLeod actually
   duelled in a London car park.

• The Highlander wiki gives Fasil a huge,
   expanded backstory, beginning with his
   birth in the year 1145 in Savoie France.

• Peter returned to work with the Immortals
   on the Highlander TV series. He was the
   scond unit director and stunt co-ordinator
   on series one and two, in Paris.