Customer Reviews

Shogun

5 star:		(63)
4 star:		(21)
3 star:		(11)
2 star:		(4)
1 star:		(4)

 

 

Shogun is an excellent mini-series. Good acting for the most part; some corny dialogue and a wierd tendency to have the main characters speak in thees and thous. Also, I must say that the Anjin character (Richard Chamberlain) is hard to sympathize with since he is such a d*** when it comes to the Catholic characters. My biggest issue - the series has been cut down from perhaps 12 hours to 9 or 10 or so. Some key scenes are removed such as the entire back story of the prostitute and her manager and their financial dealings with Toranaga or the bonding with Omia nd Anjin. All you get is suddenly Toranaga announcing that he owns her and he gives her to Anjin who gives her to Omi. The exchange come soff weak without the back stories. I can't figure why, on DVD, they would cut out important content - it seems so weird to me. They had a disc full fo extras, less extras and keep the total content would have been a better mix.

I have waited for years to get my hands on a DVD version of Shogun. I wanted the VHS set, but it was toooo pricy and so I waited. With much joy I managed to save enough money to get the mini-series on DVD and watched it immediately.
Imagine my dismay when I sat wondering where whole scenes were. Please bear in mind that I watched this series ONE time, when it first aired, and it stuck with me in many ways in spite of the fact that I was only 10 years old. So much is missing that it really upset me. What has been cut, you ask? Well, there was a scene where Blackthorne talks to Alveto about wearing Orange instead of Black garb, a scene where we learn that Anjin does not mean "pilot", but Captain, and that he'd better let them think himself to be the captain, and the great love scene complete with nudity (YES, in case you don't believe me my local television station DID air the version with nudity. I recall it very vividly as it was the first time I had seen a naked lady, and my grandmother, whom I was staying with, pitched a fit that they'd show stuff like that on TV.). There are other small scenes missing, but those were the ones that really struck me. Also, there is a very distinct lack of special features for a 5th disc. I would have liked to see the variant scenes they filmed for the trimmed down version.

Overall the tale is a great one, and I reccomend the series, but as DVD sets go this one is a major let down for me.

Truly an entertaing and very informative mini series. The story is captivating and even though the Japanese speak in their own language one is not lost but is held bound as the saga unfolds. A love story and war/power struggle wrapped into one package guaranteed to deliver satisfaction.

Extraordinary mini series about japan that was shot in japan with japanese actors and, somewhat frustratingly (but intentionally so), with lots of real japanese dialog. Chamberlain is the only reasons this piece is not one of televisions best moments ever. He is so outclassed by the rest of the fantastic cast that it really takes away from the series. One gets the impression of a terrible actor walking around feudal japan.
The series' depiction of the culture of the time is accurate and in a way can save you feudal japan 101. The constant suicides everywhere might seem overdone or even silly, but are actually quite in keeping with the times depicted. Visit one of the actual castles in japan and you will find a rediculous selfslaughterfest among some of its regal inhabitants (if a lord kills himself a good dozen woman around him do the same and there are many "goodbye" poems on display, ah there is so much our culture could learn...). I found this knowledged made the series more enjoyable to watch, knowing that this was very real and giving some insights into the origins of this behaviour.
So much has been said about the movie I only want to add that this is a shortened version of the original 12.5 hour piece. This is very frustrating, because having additional material never shown on tv (the great american fear of nipples)seems ideal for dvd releases. If ever there was an opportunity for added value dvd this was it. That is why I gave only 3 stars, well and Chamberlain.

The actual movie is great, however the reproduction to DVD was done very poorly. The "set-up" menu has a subtitle selection for English. Sounds great, but it only subtitles the English dialogue, not the Japanese dialogue. Brilliant!!! While many think this is to put you in Blackthorne shoes, it isn't. It's a major flaw in the reproduction that ruins the movie. Unless, of course, you speak Japanese.

I don't know what's wrong with me, because most people seem to like this miniseries. I love miniseries, but I found this one really boring. Maybe it's because I'm a girl, and there are hardly any women in this series. Also, the first 4 hours were interminable because everyone was speaking Japanese, and there are no subtitles! I guess that's supposed to show you how scary and unsettling it is to be in a foreign land, but it seemed overdone to me. In general, the plot moved way too slowly to keep my attention.

Well packaged. True to the original. Respectful of the author's work and the story flow is very user friendly. Worth it!

Good DVD, clear, good sound a pleasure to watch. Is the full version. I enjoyed it again just as when it first cam out on TV.

I've seen this serie in the 80's . I really enjoyed watching it back. There is also interesting retroback interviews.

I remember reading the book a couple of years back but can't seem to recall the actual ending ...was there a great battle
between TORANAGA and ISHIDO's forces leading to the climactic finale of TORANAGA being SHOGUN ?

If you are to see this film for the first time , then surely you'd be at the edge of your seat ( in anticipation of a huge and climactic battle) . The first 3 discs , yes ! But as soon as you see the fourth disc winding down to the last few minutes of the last chapter , I would not be surprised if you end up asking yourself ..."Is that it ?" , "What happened ?" "Where's the rest of the stuff , damn , I think I got ripped off by 'em DVD store". Probably , I got used to watching all those big WAR films , I kinda expected too much from this one.

The makers of the film intended to tell the story from Blackthorne's view (thus the lack of english subtitle for those japanese dialogues). This I find confusing really , the fact that they focused to much on Blackthorne's character rather than the actual story of the book which really is about the imminent war between the ruling warlords of Japan during that time ,and an eventual winnner ,thus the title SHOGUN. Blackthorne's character ( I believe) ,was more of a coincidental witness to that eventful era in Ancient Japan. His character should have been more of a storyteller , rather than his character ,being the
beginning and the ending story. This should have allowed the film makers to come up with a complete film. You get this feeling
that there really was no ending .

Nevertheless, the historical value of the film cannot be discounted .The film was successfull in conveying Japan's
regard for honor and dignity. This film was a window to an ancient past , and we are a lucky generation to have been a witness to such a classic film.

Overall, I would give it a 3 star rating . This is one film that deserves a remake , one that should be shown in the
big screen. This should give the (overrated) Lord of the Rings a run for it's money.