Shogun TV series

[rauer]

I was surprised to find no threads about this gem.

I just finished watching this 1980 series on R2 DVD. I had seen it as a kid on TV but not since. I remembered it as an interesting one back then but didn't really know what to expect in 2008.

It seems the series remains surprisingly fresh. The plot is centered more on the love story than I remembered but I guess a 15 year old focuses on different things from a 40 years old wreck of a human being. While the image contains many kinds of imperfections, on the whole it was fairly good. So I assume it was originally on film and not video. Another main theme was learning about the Japanese language and culture. I remember learning "wakarimasu ka" type stuff back then but didn't remember so large portion of the Japanese in the series wasn't translated at all.

On the whole, a TV classic well worth seeing still in 2008.

Mariko-san.:love: :love: :love: ;)

[Steve Hoffman]

Saw it when it was first broadcast. Was it 1979? That was the version with long stretches in Japanese. For the rebroadcast they dubbed in Orson Welles to instruct us stupid Americans as to what was happening.

Loved the show in either case.

[yasujiro]

Saw it when it was first broadcast. Was it 1979? That was the version with long stretches in Japanese. For the rebroadcast they dubbed in Orson Welles to instruct us stupid Americans as to what was happening.

Loved the show in either case.

Orson Wells meets Toshiro Mifune? ;)

[Winter Hugohalter]

I remember it well. I was 17, it was broadcast October, 1980.

[wayneklein]

It's amazing how some TV mini-series have aged extremely well. I'm still waiting for one of my favs (don't know how it holds up but had a marvelous performance by a young Anthony Hopkins) QB VII to show up.

[JerolW]

The cool thing about the miniseries was that it was faithful to the book.

jerol

[rauer]

I'm now watching the 5th DVD which contains extras. It seems that prior to choosing Richard Chamberlain for the role, their first option was Sean Connery but he didn't want to do TV. I have to say I think he might have been much better.

It also seems that the makers experienced quite a culture shock in Japan, though perhaps in the style of a bull in the china shop. I didn't much appreciate the attitude the interviews revealed between the lines.

The acting and filming sets were rather varying, from silly and clumsy to brilliant.

[Mr. Winston]

The cool thing about the miniseries was that it was faithful to the book.jerol
Minus much of the graphic sex and violence.

[Nico]

Saw it when it was first broadcast. Was it 1979? That was the version with long stretches in Japanese. For the rebroadcast they dubbed in Orson Welles to instruct us stupid Americans as to what was happening.

Loved the show in either case.

Ah, that is why I was surprised by the voice-over on the beach scene. I have now the DVD and the voice-over is there. My memory of the TV broadcast (I also remember it was 1979 or so) was telling me that it was without voice-over.