The story of a shipwrecked English navigator who becomes a samurai during a struggle for power by a Shogun and the Emperor in feudal Japan. Genre: Feature Film-Drama Rating: NR Release Date: 23-SEP-2003 Media Type: DVD
What better way to escape from the onslaught of so-called reality television than to sail away with Richard Chamberlain to "the Japans" for a little samurai action and some discreet "pillowing"? From the golden age of the miniseries comes this television benchmark, the 10-hour, Golden Globe-winning saga based on James Clavell's bestselling epic. In his award-winning performance, Chamberlain stars as John Blackthorne, the 17th-century English navigator on a Dutch trading ship. A storm runs the ship aground off the coast of Japan, a "torn and cruelly divided country" locked in a power struggle between Toranaga (the venerable Toshiro Mifune) and Ishido, two warlords who would be Shogun. Blackthorne gets over his initial culture shock ("I piss on you and your country," he defiantly proclaims to his samurai captors, which to his humiliation turns out to be an unfortunate choice of words) to become a trusted ally of Toranaga and the lover of the beautiful interpreter Lady Mariko (Yoko Shimada). Their forbidden, ill-fated romance--and Blackthorne's total assimilation into Japanese culture--is set against political intrigue as Toranaga prepares for the inevitable showdown with Ishido, and Blackthorne's growing influence threatens the local Jesuits who had built up a lucrative trade monopoly. Shogun was a production blessed with good karma, and it remains an awesome achievement from a bygone era when the miniseries was king. --Donald Liebenson
Customer Reviews:
Avg. Customer Rating: 4.5 / 5.0
Shogun Still an Epic:
James Clavelli's Shogun DVD is outstanding. It feels like I was watching it for the first time. The scenes are really good all around. The story is classic vintage. Stranger in an unknown land surpasses all obstacles to not only become one of the most powerful but to fall in love at the same time. I loved the country side scenes and the presentation of culture of the high Damño. I read the book twice and the DVD follows very closely the story line. It is long but it is worth the wait.
comment:
i received it on time and in very good condition. it was a gift and he said he enjoyed watching it. it does take a long time to watch. he still says the book is better.
Hesitant but happy I got it!:
I read the other reviews that were listed when trying to find this movie. I had never seen it but knew that my husband really liked the movie. He had looked around and been unable to find it. I was hesitant because the reviews said it was shortened from the TV version and parts were missing. I gave it to my husband for Christmas and he loves it! He says it is all there and he has been enjoying it since. I have sat and watched it with him also and have enjoyed the movie. It is worth buying it if you like... more info
The Ageless Shogun Series:
Although the made-for-TV series, "Shogun", came out in 1980, it still holds true to form for the epic it was at that time and still is. The 12-hour series leads one alongside Major Pilot Blackthorn as he comes to discover a whole new culture in the Japans and the complexities of that culture. A very well-made production that I and my wife will view many times over before we set it aside for good.
