Bill Panzer was asked a number of questions and gave a number of answers. Yes, they are looking into releasing the Highlander series on DVD. (Mazeltov, Big John.) But they're not ready yet. They're studying the market for the best time. When the price of DVD players and software has hit a place where the market starts to really build, that's when they'll do it. They're also considering releasing The Raven episodes as well and he said yes, they were considering it and is was more than possible. He was also asked if longtime customers, i.e. those that already own all the tapes, will get a deal on the DVD and he said yes, as they believe in rewarding loyalty.

Bill was also asked if he would consider a Methos series. "Absolutely" he said. But it would depend on if Peter and Jim were available as he seemed to be quite philosophically opposed to recasting other actors in roles of characters that were created by other actors. Whether there is a new series will also depend on the success of the movie. IF it generates interest of a financial kind with the money people and IF they want to finance a Methos show. You can bet all the attention Peter and "Methos" got, to Bill's surprise, at Anaheim has not gone unnoticed. Methos is in the movie. Voilá!( And you thought I was just precogniscient.)

Peter was asked what kind of specialty he would have practiced had he continued in medicine. (Stan quickly answered "Gynecology".) He said that was difficult to say as if he could have made a choice he never would have gone into acting. He speculated in osteopathy, sports medicine or perhaps pediatrics. Which lead to the announcement, with suitable congratulations, that Peter and his wife Carolyn are expecting a baby. Peter said that once and for all it proves he is NOT immortal. He said they've been a bit nomadic, only spending several months in one place, but that now with the baby on the way they'll be settling down. Probably Canada near Carolyn's parents. He also told us a bit about an "Outer Limits" episode he's finished. Regarding Strange World and then Cold Feet Peter joked that casting him in a series was the kiss of death. He repeated his reluctance to be trapped in a series playing the same character episode after episode. He feels that all the creation of character happens in the first episode and then you just repeat the same thing. Very boring. EXCEPT when he talked about Methos. He said the exception was Methos. He never knew from one episode to the next who Methos was, he was always a surprise. He said he thought a Methos and Joe show was possible as it could involve others and not just be about them every week. (Gee.....now where have I heard that before?) Which leads me to believe that if Peter were offered a Methos show that was treated correctly, with the support and creative quality of Highlander, that he would accept it. I got the impression from both Bill and Peter that it would be a Methos and Joe show and that it would be more of an anthology show rather than Joe and Methos being the center of the show week after week. We'll see if my predictions come to pass. But my success rating is pretty high right now.

Stan was asked if he were to do a movie with Peter, what would it be. Peter quickly said "The Odd Couple". Rocky Horror Picture Show was suggested and Stan said he wasn't familiar with it. Peter said there was a part just perfect for him. (No, not Brad.)

Jim was Jim. When Jim, Stan and Peter were asked if they ever envisioned their pictures on T-shirts adorning thousand of women's bodies he simply stated "Yes". That man not only is a great musician but funny as all get-out. And he is a very busy man. His TV show in Canada is getting very good ratings and they're about to do another season. It has been airing on Friday and Saturday nights to some of the highest ratings in Canada. Now they're about to do some new shows for Friday and they're showing re-runs on Saturday. And it looks like it might be picked up in the U.S. Maybe. Possibly. The band is also booked up into next year, but he's hoping to get their appearances on a website after the first of the year.

David Abramowitz is doing "Lost World" but it's no Highlander. He talked about the things that made Highlander so unique. The unusual combination of hero, history and morality. Sort of Talmudic dialogue with ass-kicking. It's hard to plan or predict when a show 'clicks'. He said in television often casting makes of breaks a show.

David Abramowitz talking about the great good fortune of having Adrian Paul as TV's highlander. To loosely quote

"He's a swordsman, a dancer so he moves really well, he has pathos and emotion.......and a really nice ass."

He was asked how much ad-libbing the actor's did and how he felt about the actor's changing lines. He said that as long as the intent of the writer's was there it didn't bother him that much. He was also asked if he would like to write a screen play for a feature film or do a novel. He said he likes to write for television and doesn't see himself doing either. He also talked of the difficulty in doing a show shot in Canada and France, but also the positive aspects. Things they wouldn't be able to do on U.S. produced television (like the location shots possible in France) or the freedom from interference the double production companies resulted in.

Bill gave us quite a few tidbits about the movie. Unfortunately no film clips to see. It was just too complicated considering the involvement of Miramax and filming in Romania. Bill says he's seen some footage and it's wonderful. We are looking at possible late spring or early fall release date. He says awesome special effects but that the film will be character/story driven, not special effects shoot-em-up driven. And that the deal with Miramax is that in regards to canon Panzer/Davis has complete control. And they will not be violating canon. At least not major canon. Violating the watcher oath is not considered the breaking of major canon. The "time of the gathering" is being downplayed if not ignored. There seems to be some flexibility in the whole 'winning the prize' thing. Sort of a necessity in making Highlander movie sequels if you think about it. But all the major canon about beheading and buzz and holy ground stays. Bill was a little less sure about an immortals first death. He seemed to feel that it had to be violent. That if a preimmie died a peaceful death of old age that they never became immortal. But the movie will seem a natural progression from HLI to HLIV with a good dose of the six seasons of the series in it. Apparently Bill disliked HLII and HLIII so much they 'didn't happen'.

As for the film....some spoilers. (QUICK! DON'T LOOK!)

Filming will be in Romania, Scotland, New York. They're using the Scottish castle for outside shots but building interiors in Romania. He said where in other films when you build a set they put up flats, in Romania they go into the forest and cut down a tree. Things move very slow. He also mentioned that when he found a restaurant that served decent Italian food he ate pasta there 15 straight days. They're also using a salt mine that's as big as three football fields and a huge building built by the former Romanian regime. Romania has been called 'little Paris' and some of the locations in the city look very much like Paris. While the Romania film industry is in it's fledgling stage and hasn't had much experience with a project of this size, I got the impression that the Romanian's were learning fast.

The main K'Immie will be the same bad guy from "Passenger 57". Both 'Rachel' and 'Heather' will be in the film played by the original actors as well as Christophe Lambert ad Connor MacLeod and Adrian Paul as Duncan MacLeod (short hair in the present and long hair in the flashbacks), Peter Wingfield as Methos and Jim Byrnes as Joe Dawson. Bill said there was never any doubt that Peter would play Methos and Jim play Joe. I got the impression that Bill's philosophy is that the actor that created the character should always play that character, he does not like to recast. Duncan's love interest will be called Faith in the present and Kate in the past. We will be learning things about both Connor and Duncan that we never knew. And while Bill said not everyone walks away from the movie alive, I got the distinct impression he was not referring to any of our main characters but our K'Immies. And possibly we'll be seeing the deaths of Heather and Rachel again. Which Rachel wasn't said but I got the impression it would be Duncan's Rachel. Bill said he came up with the story for the movie but in reading the forum it looks like Gillian Horvath may also have contributed. The actual script is by Joel Soisson and Doug Aarniokoski (aged 28 with hair down to his waist) is directing. Bill seems quite impressed with Doug's ability to be an island of calm in the midst of the occasional chaos of filming in Romania. F. Braun McAsh is doing the sword choreography and it is awesome. But there are mishaps. Apparently the grade of aluminum they're making the blades out of in Romania is inferior and the swords are breaking, giving F. Braun problems. Adrian as been filming for several weeks and "is in the best shape he's ever been", Jim has done some work and will be returning for more, Christophe is scheduled to arrive soon as is Peter. Primary filming should be done by New Year with secondary filming being shot concurrently and into the year 2000. They are looking for a release date in late spring 2000 or early fall 2000.

From the two weeks shooting so far they've got about 15 min. of footage. I'm assuming that's prior to the final editing.

They're also shooting Making of Highlander IV footage and Maureen may write a companion book.

(Okay...you can look now.)

Bill said the very top brass of Miramax weren't getting it at first, but some interim execs were Highlander fans. Now that some footage is coming in they are all starting to get very excited about the film. When asked what we as fans could do to support him and the movie he said to bombard Miramax with e-mails and tie up the fax machines. To inundate them until they cried "Uncle" and begged Davis/Panzer to call us off. He said they'd update the official site with contact information for the fans.

Of the 42 hours of behind the scenes footage Maureen has edited it down to 3 1/2 hours as well as 13 episodes which were a combination of a USA network poll and a poll at the Official Highlander site. We saw clips from several and Maureen commented and asked questions of Bill and David. (Who both seemed to be enjoying themselves immensely. I get the idea that despite their involvement in Highlander in a professional capacity, they are both what I would call Highlander Fans.)

David described the two parters, Evil Duncan arc and the Horseman arc, as being epic television almost approaching a feature film.

Both David and Bill said they had favorite episodes that didn't make the cut for "The Best" and when asked Bill said he could see doing a Best of Highlander II with maybe six more eps in it. Bill Panzer named "Band of Brothers" as one of his favorite eps that didn't make the cut. I think "The Valkyrie" was also mentioned.

David also pleased a great many of us by singing the same blessing he did in Anaheim. (For those that don't know, he used to be a cantor at his temple. Beautiful voice.)

The sword demo was fabulous. Bob had a large inflatable broadsword that Barbwire had given him the night before. In fact he had carried it with him to the lifeboat drill, claiming it was a 'floatation device'.

Anthony and Bob started with broadswords then moved to rapiers and main gauche and then small swords, Anthony running through the history of sword combat. Early on swords were mainly for bludgeoning your opponent, the one with the best stamina, being the last one standing became the winner. Eventually, by the time dueling progressed to the small sword, size does matter....and you only need to push 3 inches into your opponent and you win. But in some cases both opponents lost...one dying immediately and the 'winner' dying later from infection from his wounds.

They also spoke of societal accommodations to wearing a sword on your left. They said the coat buttons for a man are designed so his sword will not get caught when being drawn (although I've heard other versions), a woman walks on a man's right leaving him free to draw his sword (although I've heard other versions of this too) you mount a horse from the horse's left so as not to encumber your sword or hit the horse with it and spiral staircases descend counterclockwise to allow you a free right hand swing when defending your castle...the ascending attacker encountering the center support. I seem to recall some clockwise spirals in my travels...but those were church bell towers. Not sure how that fits into the theory.

In the middle the ship's engines started to rev and the entire boat was shaking. Anthony made a comment about us also having "magic fingers" in our rooms? (In the privacy of my cabin I referred to the phenomenon in less ladylike expletives.) Bob and Anthony did a little mime of bouncing around with their swords like the figures in a old arcade game. Very funny.

Near the end Bob solicited items from the audience to use in a duel against Anthony. He eventually chose a 'furby', a small stuffed toy. Anthony was using the new Highlander Colichemarde (gratuitious product placement). The rule was that if he could touch Anthony with the furby he could 'kill' him. Bob then had to parry Anthony's very large sharp sword and try to touch him with his little furby. Quite hilarious. And in the end......the furby bit Anthony on the leg. Bob won!

The whip demo at midnight by the pool went off very well. No wind. Also no sound for quite a while. But eventually working mics were found. Anthony gave an informative lecture regarding the history and use of the whip....still a working tool in Australia where the best whips are made. His 12 plaited kangaroo hide whip cost approximately $350. He and Bob did a whip duel, a rather burlesque version of a wild west shootout with very campy dialogue and then did a synchronized whip duet. Anthony makes using a whip almost a dance, he is so graceful. And it looks effortless.