In "Shogun", everyone of us is invited to the tempting and wonderful world of Japan, one of the few nations never conquered by a foreign power...
We are invited to participate in learning the extraneous but fascinating culture of the Orient... 'Japan is rare and unique,' said James Clavell creator of John Blackthorne, 'Anjin' in Japanese, which means 'pilot.'
Blackthorne (Richard Chamberlain) portrays an Englishman, pilot major of a Dutch fleet, who is shipwrecked on the turbulent waters off the 'Land of the Gods.' England's enemies (aristocratic warlords, British colonial, Portuguese traders, Jesuit missionaries) now await him...
He is caught with his crew by Japanese warriors, and forced to listen as to understand the Japanese language and treatment... The audience - like him - struggles to catch what is going on, as no subtitles in the film...
Blackthorne is surrounded by hundreds of warriors all dressed up with Japanese multicolored wardrobes fastened firmly by an obi (a long wide sash that holds the two swords). We are in presence of samurai, where 'physical courage and prowess are at a premium.'
The English navigator starts a new life far from home, a new transformation of way of living, thinking and acting, from an uncivilized primitive prisoner to a man of strength, honor and courage...
In this epic exposition we see:
Filmed in epic proportions, with breathtaking cinematography, super acting, and great special effects (few arrow-in-the-chest scenes; the burning of 'The Erasmus;' the earthquake), this full-length version of "Shogun" is fair to James Clavell's colorful best-seller...
The Jesuits (Friar Domingo, Father Sebastio, Father dell'Aqua, Father Alvito) are interpreters, writers of the first Japanese dictionary, who all share the commerce of silk between Japan and China...
Richard Chamberlain appears fervently with noble ambition, firm and dominate as the Westerner who is taken by force as a prisoner, who hates his captors, but little by little is seduced by their culture...
Toshiro Mifune performs with great dignity a powerful legendary figure who unifies several political factions into one nation under his authority as Japan's first Shogun!
John Rhys-Davies plays Rodrigues, the Portuguese pilot, with a big sense of humor...
Yoko Shimada (Mariko) is the 'perfect vision.' a woman of great beauty and rarity, delicate and fragile, a true precious jewel of the Orient!
We are invited to participate in learning the extraneous but fascinating culture of the Orient... 'Japan is rare and unique,' said James Clavell creator of John Blackthorne, 'Anjin' in Japanese, which means 'pilot.'
Blackthorne (Richard Chamberlain) portrays an Englishman, pilot major of a Dutch fleet, who is shipwrecked on the turbulent waters off the 'Land of the Gods.' England's enemies (aristocratic warlords, British colonial, Portuguese traders, Jesuit missionaries) now await him...
He is caught with his crew by Japanese warriors, and forced to listen as to understand the Japanese language and treatment... The audience - like him - struggles to catch what is going on, as no subtitles in the film...
Blackthorne is surrounded by hundreds of warriors all dressed up with Japanese multicolored wardrobes fastened firmly by an obi (a long wide sash that holds the two swords). We are in presence of samurai, where 'physical courage and prowess are at a premium.'
The English navigator starts a new life far from home, a new transformation of way of living, thinking and acting, from an uncivilized primitive prisoner to a man of strength, honor and courage...
In this epic exposition we see:
- Violent scenes of feudal Japan: Omi (Yuki Meguro) in his first meeting with Blackthorne beheads a man for not bowing in respect to him... Pieterzoon (Edward Peel), a man of Blackthorne's crew, is brought from a pit to be cook alive in a large deep pot... A companion Croocq (Steward MacKenzie) is pulled up from boiling liquid...
- Intricate and complicated political plots: When Ferriera (Vladek Sheybal), a Portuguese trader, in the presence of Father dell'aqua (Alan Badel) gives Toranaga (Toshiro Mifune) and Mariko (Yoko Shimada) protection on the Black ship in return for the Englishman... When Rodrigues (John Rhys-Davies) has been overboarded... When the Ninja warriors attack Osaka Castle...
- Dramatic scenes: Blackthorne's intend to commit seppuku... Mariko's seppuku frightening scene... When a disgraced warrior Yabu (Frankie Sakai) commits instant seppuku (hara-kiri).
- Amusing moments: Blackthorne in his first Japanese bath in Anjiro... When he teach Toranaga the lively steps of the hornpipe... When he begins his 'mad dance' moving up and down in order to permit Toranaga escape from Osaka Castle...
- Cultural exposition of the traditional Japanese woman: Her moods and feelings, her emotions, her reactions... Mariko badly beaten by her husband... Mariko treatments so affectionate, sweet and loving... Mariko's bath scene... Her risky love affair...
- Best moment of the whole mini series: Blackthorne becomes a samurai!
Filmed in epic proportions, with breathtaking cinematography, super acting, and great special effects (few arrow-in-the-chest scenes; the burning of 'The Erasmus;' the earthquake), this full-length version of "Shogun" is fair to James Clavell's colorful best-seller...
The Jesuits (Friar Domingo, Father Sebastio, Father dell'Aqua, Father Alvito) are interpreters, writers of the first Japanese dictionary, who all share the commerce of silk between Japan and China...
Richard Chamberlain appears fervently with noble ambition, firm and dominate as the Westerner who is taken by force as a prisoner, who hates his captors, but little by little is seduced by their culture...
Toshiro Mifune performs with great dignity a powerful legendary figure who unifies several political factions into one nation under his authority as Japan's first Shogun!
John Rhys-Davies plays Rodrigues, the Portuguese pilot, with a big sense of humor...
Yoko Shimada (Mariko) is the 'perfect vision.' a woman of great beauty and rarity, delicate and fragile, a true precious jewel of the Orient!