"Shogun" (1980) TV mini-series

Director:

Jerry London

Writers:

James Clavell (novel)
Eric Bercovici (writer)

Seasons:

1

Release Date:

15 September 1980 (USA)

Genre:

Adventure | Drama | History | War

Plot:

A English navigator becomes both a player and pawn in the complex political games in feudal Japan.

Plot Keywords:

Japan | Power | Shogun | Jesuit Priest | Honor

Awards:

Won 3 Golden Globes. Another 5 wins & 13 nominations

Cast

Richard Chamberlain

...

Anjin-san / ... (unknown episodes)

Also Known As:

James Clavell's Shogun

Runtime:

60 min (10 episodes)

Country:

USA | Japan

Language:

English | Japanese

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Australia:M (DVD rating) | Finland:K-15 (DVD rating) | Singapore:PG | UK:15

Filming Locations:

Daiei-Kyoto Studios, Kyoto, Japan

Company:

Asahi National Broadcasting Company

Trivia:

English actors were hired for the entire 6 months that production was going to take. It was not possible to do the same with the Japanese ones, specially 'Toshiro Mifune', so during filming there was a constant negotiation about his availability as shooting schedule depended on it. Apparently at some moments negotiations became very tight and tense

Goofs:

Continuity: When Anjin-san is showing Torunaga a map of the world in some sand, his shoes change between being Geta (Japanese clogs) and Zouri (Japanese sandals).

Quotes:

[after Blackthorne's guard prevented an assassination attempt by Rodrigues]
Pilot-Major John Blackthorne: Captain Yoshinaka was right to search him. Was that your idea?
Lady Toda Buntaro - Mariko: Please excuse me, but I was afraid for you.
Pilot-Major John Blackthorne: Sad, isn't it? Not being able to trust anyone.
Lady Toda Buntaro - Mariko: It is not sad, Anjin-san. It is just one of life's most important rules.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Saturday Night Live: Anjelica Huston and Billy Martin/George Clinton & Parliament-Funkadelic (#11.18)" (1986)

Soundtrack:

BLACKTHORNE'S SHANTY

A forgotten Epic masterpiece

I read this book so many years ago I dread to think. I watched the series on TV when it first released here in the UK and was completely blown away by it. A few years later I noticed a video in the video library and hired it. I was disappointed in that because it had be condensed into a mere 125 it was almost unwatchable, but for fans there were a few changed sequences, not least a full frontal view of Lady Mariko Buntaro (Yoko Shimada) that didn't go amiss.

I bought this DVD when it was recently released and its as fresh today as it was then. A few things grate, the large TV type titles showing locations (OK it was made for TV), the fact that we cannot hope to learn Japanese in only 10 hours (although the major plot lines are narrated by Orson Welles) and so miss much of the political intrique set out in the book and of course Maurice Jarre's music now seems to be a little out of place in such an oriental setting.

Take it from me, these are small criticisms of a piece of work that has well stood the test of time. If you have 10 hours to spare, or chunks of it at a time, it is very much worth watching. You won't be disappointed. The only way it could have been better in the DVD version would be to combine some of the scenes from the 125min video version and to subtitle the Japanese. Mel Gibson has proven that we are adult enough to sit through a movie of subtitles if we are motivated enough and with this we would be.