Highlander: The Series Sinominutes*
Highlander: The Series Sinominutes*
Transcribed by Maggie
Most viewers of H:TS are aware that there are multiple versions broadcast. Those who claim to know tell us that first a 44 minute version is made for the domestic (US) market. Then 4 more minutes are added for broadcast in Europe (because they don't allow as many commercials). By some reports, there is also a Canadian version that is somewhere between the two. If you're watching the reruns on USA, you may see even less than 44 minutes, since they may add more commercials or cut the ending to start wrestling or something. What many do not know is that there is still another version prepared for the Asian market. H:TS is 50 minutes long in most of those markets. I call the added minutes sinominutes. It's the sinominutes that often smooth out the transitions, add important character relationship development, and - most often - explain the motivations behind sudden movements.
Eyewitness
I can't get over how many questions about the Highlander universe are answered in the sinominutes. Here again is basic information that we desperately need to answer some of our questions.
First sinominute: After Duncan is shot as he and Tessa come back into the shop from their visit to Ann Wheeler's house, Tessa and Richie rush to his aid. He warns them back and says they have to wait a minute. He flexes and the bullets hurtle out on to the floor.
The scene shifts to a flashback: We see Duncan that snowy June day at Waterloo. He's so cute in his red uniform. A fusillade of bullets catches him full across the chest and he falls to the ground dead. His compatriots, Latke, Manny, and Carroll, of the Highland Fusilliers, bend over him in sorrow, mourning their fallen comrade. They sing Scottish ballads and linger so long that Duncan starts to awaken before their very eyes. In horror, Duncan tries to catch his breath and warn them away, but instead they all lean over him in curiosity, sensing that they are about to witness a miracle. As Duncan lurches with the full breath of immortal life, the bullets in his chest are expelled with such force that all three of his comrades are shot to death and fall in a heap upon him. Duncan is so horrified by the deaths of his comrades in arms that he vows never to allow anyone to die again from projectiles escaping from his immortal body.
For Evil's Sake
There's an extra flashback that we are not shown. When Duncan enters the warehouse, there is a flashback to the early 1900s, and Duncan is wearing the wig from Richard Redstone. Duncan stares for a moment at the mannequins.... One of them dissolves into Amanda with very short hair. It seems that Duncan and Amanda briefly had a job in the 1960s as mannequins in department store windows. They are shown dressed first in flapper era garb - Amanda with long gloves and a hat with a long feather sticking straight up and Duncan in a tux. Next they are shown in 60s outfits. Amanda is wearing a psychedelic plastic shift and Courreges white boots. She seems to be wearing the wig from 870. Duncan is wearing lime green bell bottoms and a vest with no shirt. He's got his lovely ponytail. Both are wearing love beads. In both scenes, they stand motionless and make no eye contact with each other or with the window gazers staring at them. After a few moments, they shift position. The fade-out on this flashback is the attack from Kuyler.
I can't find any other additions to this episode.
Homeland
First sinominute: watching carefully, there are two pieces of this intercut with each other. The first one is of Duncan in his room, trying different hairties as he fixes his hair for the battle with Kanwulf. The second is of Duncan sharpening the Claymore. The nuances of Duncan's expression as he reveals the deep concern he has with preserving his tradition are truly awe inspiring. The hairtie scene has Duncan facing slightly to the right, so that his left eyebrow waggles a bit in the
mirror reflection. The sword-sharpening scene has Duncan facing slightly to the left, so that as the scenes cut back and forth, we can see Duncan facing himself. His modern-day self faces his youthful, clan self. The four hundred years of Duncan's journey weigh on his arms as he carefully
prepares his father's sword - the sword that was to be his. We are able to see that in the present day, Duncan fulfills his father's plans for him and thus fulfills his own destiny in reconnecting with his heritage. All this shows in his facial acting.
Second sinominute: This is one for the Joe fans. Rachel is sleeping on the couch waiting for Duncan when Joe comes in from watching the battle between DM and Kanwulf. In his usual discreet manner, Joe has watched from the shadows and slipped away so as not to disturb Duncan (and probably to avoid having to help dispose of the body). Joe slips back into the inn in the dark and stumbles against the couch, waking Rachel. They engage in deep, heartfelt, but oblique conversation about Duncan. This conversation foreshadows Methos' request for Rachel's help in
Deliverance, as Rachel learns how devoted Duncan's friends are to him.
This is really a sinosecond: We see Duncan blunting the Claymore against some rocks as he once again buries Kanwulf's ax in his father's grave.
Third sinominute: This is a wonderful tag. We see Duncan and Joe bonding on their vacation in Scotland, now that the serious business is completed. First they are seen in a shoe store buying Joe some hiking boots. Then we see them at sheep trials. There's one dog that is just precious and Joe and Duncan talk about how much they would like to have pets if they didn't have to travel so much. Finally, we see them in a bar where Laura Creamer sings all the verses of Bonny Portmore and collects from the patrons for reforestation. It perfectly sets up the friendly air between them that we see at the beginning of Brothers in Arms.
Double Jeopardy
First sinominute: In Inspector Dufay's office, Duncan is brushing off him and Renee Delaney. Politely but dismissively, he says: "I'm sorry, I can't help. Now, is there anything else?" Dufay and Renee glance at one another, but say nothing. "Good, then I'll be going. Inspector Dufay. *Agent* Delaney. It's been so nice seeing you again." He heads out the door. At that point, the inspector says: "One more moment, please, M. MacLeod. There is someone else here who knows you." Another blonde woman enters the room, saying: "Mr. MacLeod, it's been so long! How nice to see you again."
Duncan rolls his eyes, curls his lip, and stares into the face of Randi McFarland, erstwhile reporter from Seacouver. We are as surprised as Duncan. We haven't seen Randi since first season.
Inspector Dufay explains: "Mlle. McFarland came to us about a book that she is writing on international jewel thieves. It seems that you know her as well." Duncan looks back and forth between the two blondes, and then he shrugs and says: "Yes" as he goes out the door.
Randi calls after him: "Wait, Mr. MacLeod. Wait!" Renee looks at Dufay, then follows him out.
Second sinominute: This is after the confrontation with Morgan d'Estaing. As Duncan returns to the barge, there he sees Randi, sitting on the edge of the barge. Duncan walks right past her to go inside. It is clear that she was expecting him to stop and greet her. "Wait! Aren't you going to say hello? How have you been? What do you know about this jewel thief? I got a job with the network. Did you see me on Dateline? Wait! Talk to me, please. Please." Duncan takes pity on her, stops at the door, and turns to her with great forbearance and deliberation, waiting. "Well," Randi says, "what do you know?" Duncan responds: "I can't help you." As he turns to go, Randi says: "I always knew the real story was you, Duncan MacLeod." Duncan retorts: "I'm not a story." He goes inside, leaving her swinging her ankle in rumination.
Third sinominute: Randi and Renee are seated at a sidewalk cafe with the remains of lunch on the table. Renee says: "So you never, uh, were involved with Duncan, Mr. MacLeod?" Randi looks startled: "No." Renee goes on: "What do you know about him?" Randi tells Renee about Tessa - I forget all the dialogue - and Duncan showing up in her cases. I will watch it again and get the lines down. Randi segues into asking Renee: "You work for who? CIA? State Dept.? And Duncan MacLeod works in the same organization? Or is he MI5? NATO? UNESCO? IMF?" Renee says that as far as she knows Duncan is an antique dealer, and she's just a bureaucrat who has to go to a meeting.
Fourth sinominute: Duncan is in the barge on the phone. We catch just the end of his conversation: "Yes, Charles, she's very competent and just needs a break. She's wasting her time here. Yes, I'll fund the position through my foundation. Just keep my name out of it. And don't assign her to Paris. Yes, Randi McFarland. That's right. Randi with an "i". I know she did some work for Dateline. Yes, three years guaranteed. 'Same arrangement as last time. Wonderful, Charles. Give my love to Jennifer." He hangs up and moves toward the door to go up on deck where he encounters Morgan.
Fifth sinominute: In the jail, after discovering that Morgan has hanged himself. Renee is upset about it. The domestic version cuts away after she says: "I guess he didn't need a lawyer after all." In the sinoversion, she looks at the cop and asks: "Where's that reporter who was trying to interview him? She'll have a field day with this." The cop answers: "Oh, didn't you hear? She got some big job offer and left town. I think she's going to take over 48 Hours from Dan Rather or something."
Till Death
There is a series of sinominutes in this episode that explains a great deal about the immortals. It is unbelievable to me that these scenes were cut from the domestic and the european versions! Before Gina breaks the vase to needle Robert, there is another argument between them. Gina is reminding him that they have to have special plans to prevent more than six but fewer than ten immortals being together at the same time. It seems that six is the maximum that can be present in the same space without causing a disturbance. At the first anniversary wedding party, nobody yet knew this (immortal parties being a rarity) and there were some unfortunate incidents and the house had to be completely remodeled. Ten immortals together cancel out the effect.
What happens is a little hard to understand, but the evidence, as I can piece it together, is this: The buzz that the immortals hear in their heads becomes so loud that actual sound waves are emitted from their heads when more than six of them are together. The sound waves break glass and cause walls to ripple and collapse. Most striking, the immortals experience major vertigo and lurch about unable to keep their balance and control their gait. One of the immortals (fortunately, for my heart, one we don't know) is seen writhing on the floor unable to tell which end is up. Immortals are shrieking and holding their heads. Duncan's eyes bulge in and out as badly as during the Dark Quickening. It is a terrifying scene. You should see the expression on Sean Burns' face when he arrives at the door and witnesses the destruction before him. He thinks at first of some kind of group psychosis, because all nine of the people there gradually come back to normal once he enters the room. Fitz thinks it is Sean's magical healing powers, but Duncan is suspicious.
We then have a brief scene of the male immortals and the deValicourts' servants doing repairs as Duncan and Sean discuss their discovery and figure out that they must never allow 7-9 immortals to gather again. It's just too dangerous, they conclude.
So the practical problem is how to get ten together at once and to avoid seven to nine. This turns out to be one of the reasons that so many immortals have perfected their tumbling and leaping skills (remember Duncan leaping to behead Canis?). Gina thinks that Sean Burns, Fitz, and Duncan are the most trustworthy to make the simultaneous jump to raise the number from six to ten and insure the success of her party without the destruction of her home, but she doesn't know who the fourth should be. Robert wants Duncan to man the guest book, though, which would place him at the door before the party begins.
Brief sinominute: At the entrance to the chateau, a large sign is written in Latin, French, German, and English: "All weapons must be peace bonded before admittance." An arrow directs all immortals to the weapon room where their swords are checked before they can join the party. Any weapon that is "live" must be left in the weapon room. There a tag with the immortal's current name is attached and the weapon is carefully stored in a locked cabinet. Gina is seen smiling at an immortal who at first balks at giving up his weapon. (This is an immortal we do not know.) Gina coos, "Oh, but we don't want anything to spoil the party."
We are treated to a brief sinominute as the party gets underway. We get an aerial shot of the chateau and its grounds, showing Fitz, Duncan, Sean Burns, and an unknown immortal about 50 yards apart. They are watching for the deValicourts' footman to wave a large red banner, giving them the signal to vault in. As they see the signal, each makes a running start to start his vault. Aha, but Fitz suddenly remembers that he has dropped Gina's scarf and runs back to get it. Duncan sees this out of the corner of his eye, but he can't stop. Consequently, three of the immortals arrive in perfect synchrony, making a group of nine. A quickening-level disturbance starts to shake the china and crystal, and Gina starts to wail. Fortunately, Fitz vaults in just in time to quell the disturbance and the party proceeds just fine. We were not shown how the party ended or how the immortals avoided the problem at the end.
This seems to explain why immortals don't get together in large groups often.
The tag, though, is one of the absolute best scenes in all of Highlander. How they could cut this is beyond me. Duncan, a really gorgeous Japanese-looking immortal we haven't seen before, Gregor (who looks fantastic - it was great to see him again - he smiled all through the party!), and Methos are the four stationed at the four corners of the property. Each is holding a cell phone. After the first four guests arrive, bringing the number to six, Robert makes a conference call, signaling the four to enter simultaneously. In perfect synchrony they drop the phones into their pockets and all start forward with perfect handstand leaps and spins. I wish I had the language to describe some of these moves. It was one of the most exciting and elegant moments in the whole six years! And, yes, there are close-ups of all four. You can tell that some of the moves are really Gregor, but I think they used a double for some of them as well. You can tell it is really Peter Wingfield in every shot, though. It's neat that they used PW's trampoline skills.
Duende
I can see only one full scene missing here. I think there are mainly slight extensions at the beginnings and endings, but the one scene is a doozie. At the beginning of the tag, the cigar scene, we see Duncan working out with the cigar before Richie comes in and they have the great exchange about "duende". The workout with the cigar is the ceremony designed to warm the cigar evenly. I've seen it in fancy European restaurants, and Duncan does a beautiful job with it. In one of the Adrian tapes, he talks about the time and care he put into learning this exercise and the mental discipline associated with it. He expresses real regret that it was cut from the episode that most of us saw. Oh, the dedication of this man!
I'll try to describe the ritual for you, but words won't do it justice. The ritual is a sort of 'dance with cigar'. Duncan takes the cigar in his wide right hand, wrapping his spatulate fingers delicately around the cigar. He rolls the cigar between both hands in front of his diaphragm, then extends his right hand holding the cigar almost like waving it. He dances forward on his right foot, then backward on his left and reaches the cigar behind his back, all the while rolling the cigar between his palms, tipping the cigar back and forth to distribute the air through it. About the closest thing we've seen before was the exercise we saw Duncan do with the staff in Eye of the Beholder. Remember when he was wearing the bandana and Richie wanted to talk about women? (Experts, I don't think that was an escrima, was it? It looked more than 31 inches long.) Just picture something like that, but this time Duncan is in his turtleneck, inside the barge, and there's a cigar in his hands instead of a big clumsy staff. I must say he's as good with 7 inches as he was
with 31 or more.
I've examined the cigar carefully, but I still can't be sure if it is
a robusto grande, a gigante, or a
perfecto or another size/style. Any experts out there who can help me
here? I've read that the
larger the diameter (ring gauge) the richer and fuller the flavor, and
the longer the cigar, the cooler
the smoke. In the world of cigars, it seems, size really matters. Of
course, as with so many things,
the handling and preparation make all the difference in bringing off
the potential.
*Sinominutes do not exist; they are a lame invention of my own,
providing an alternate version of the series that clears up all
confusing transitions and missing
explanations, and they are just plain silly.
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