Shogun (1980 TV Movie) User Reviews

Not very good if you've seen the miniseries.

[pshukis · 8/10 · 31 January 2001]

Basically, trying to fit a Clavell epic into a 2-hour movie is like trying to fit the entire Sears catalog into a single 30-second ad. While the miniseries is a masterful adaptation, covering all of the essential plotlines and perhaps even adding to the understanding for Mariko's and Blackthorne's relationship, the 2-hour cut is piece-meal and poorly edited. in short, it doesn't make sense, and it doesn't do justice to Clavel's greatest epic.

It is also a great read, by the way.

DVD Review

[mekias · 9/10 · 9 December 2003]

I recently got the DVD collection and sat down to watch this great mini-series again. Even after several viewings over the years, it's hard to believe that I can still get so caught up in this world of honor and brutality. Never has 9 hours went by so fast.

Obviously, things weren't perfect. This was made over 20 years ago with only a moderate budget. The extra DVD in this set was actually pretty good (better than most DVD "extras"). It told of the many cultural and communication problems involved with filming a movie in Japan with many non-English speaking Japanese actors. What I found particularly interesting was that Yôko Shimada, who played Mariko, didn't speak a word of English. She was a last minute (somewhat desperate) casting choice who pretty much only got the part because she faked the English language well. It was also quite funny to hear stories told by Richard Chamberlain and John Rhys-Davies about Toshirô Mifune trying to get into his Toranaga character. How he would grunt and growl to everyone who came near him.

Speaking of these two, I've always liked John Rhys-Davies and always perked up a little when his character was on the screen. He brought so much power and energy to the role that it was hard to take your eyes off his performance.

And Chamberlain actually became Blackthorne to me. Maybe he was over the top at times but I just accepted that as part of Blackthorne's character. This part was originally slated for Sean Connery but, while I like Connery a lot, I don't think it would have been possible for him to give a better performance than Chamberlain. So while I've never really liked Chamberlain in anything else he's done, he was the perfect Blackthorne in my eyes.

So many little things were done right in Shogun. The intracasies of the sets and costumes, the viewing of the Japanese culture through Blackthornes eyes, and the graceful use of a narrator (Orson Wells) instead of clunky subtitles to let us know what was being said in Japanese. In particular, the Tea Ceremony was entirely in Japanese yet, even without knowing the language, the actors facial expressions conveyed so much that we almost knew what was happening, even before the narrator filled us in.

The only thing I have left to say is that Shogun is an experience you won't forget. They don't do TV like this anymore.

Coming soon to DVD!

[Phil_H · 7/10 · 14 July 2003]

Yep, on September 23, 2003, Shogun will be released as a 5-disc DVD set. Hop on over to Amazon and preorder it. It is by FAR the greatest mini-series ever made for television. I think it's better than Roots (which was amazing as well). This is how TV was supposed to be. Now (finally) you can have the whole thing on DVD--and it's far cheaper than the VHS copies, which were selling in some places upwards of $200 USD.

This movie rocks

[kakashi420 · 24 October 2004]

This movie should not be compressed into 2 hours. The 80 dollar DVD box set that I bought is totally worth it. 9 hours, on five discs, its a great film, and you should watch it all at once. The narrator does a great job of, well, narrating, but the voice is perfect for the setting, and so is the music. The film is very convincing of the surroundings and of the times. I am very pleased with the balance of fiction and historical accuracy portrayed in this film. The book should also be read, if you've the time or patience. The film "The Last Samurai" is reminiscent of James Clavell's work, I suggest you see that movie also. The portrayal of a Dutch crew and their captain first reaching Japan, while fiction, the reactions and manner in which Blackthorne is received could be torn from the pages of history.

Easy to lose yourself in the Series.

[MadBadMovieman · 10/10 · 2 April 2003]

What an excellent Mini-Series! After reading the book then seeing it come to life on TV, you can lose yourself in the Series. The Casting, Cinematography, Sets, Costumes and Acting were nothing less than Perfect.

You can actually learn some basic Japanese words and phrases from closely reading the book. James Clevell blended the Language lessons into Pilot's training and familiarization so well, you felt like you learned and felt with him. The Series did it almost as well but you were distracted by seeing living, breathing characters. The life and times were hard. The Barbarian world with the Unhealthy and downright odd beliefs and superstitions. Then the Ancient Culture of Japan, Brutal but with much beauty and creativity. Both full of Scheming, Evil, Honorable, Likeable, and Hateful characters.

I consider this the all-time #1 made for TV movie events. Too bad the voting scale only goes to 10.

Probably the greatest mini-series of our time.

[oldsarge-1 · 10/10 · 27 April 2005]

I won't waste your time on repeating what the others have said, but I will repeat that this is the best of the best when it comes to modern mini-series. What I would like to see instead of all the stupid reality shows that plague T.V., is a series based on the James Clavell books starting with Shogun A.D.1600, then Tai-Pan A.D. 1841, then move to King Rat A.D. 1945, Noble House A.D. 1963, and finish with Whirlwind A.D.1979. The dates are from WhirlWind, the fifth novel in the Asian Saga. Since this will probably never happen, pick-up Shogun, Tai-Pan, and King Rat as they are all available in either DVD or VHS. Richard Chamberlain and Yoko Shimada are truly terrific together. They play their parts so well, that you can't help but to be drawn into their lives. Having lived in Japan for three years, Shogun had special meaning to me, but anyone who loves action and a good romance will not be disappointed. Please check it out. No flaws in this one.

Both for people having read the book and for those who hasn't

[kbilsted · 10/10 · 29 December 2001]

This is absolutely a brilliant interpretation of the 1100 page book by James Clavell. Of course some details are left out, but I reckon only one time in the movie are you in doubt of whats going on (I am referring to the episode where Toranaga tries to escape the Ishido castle).

The movie is very close to the book, which for me, was a positive experience.

The story is well told and good acting is shown through the whole movie. The nature of the movie is, that when having watched an episode it is very hard not to see the following and the following and so on.

Are you into samurai stuff this is clearly a cool movie - note however, that there are not many battle scenes.

The first GREAT Mini

[EdouardBMesert · 10/10 · 17 December 2002]

This is the one, that showed everyone else how to really tell a book in a mini-series. No body had every really got it right before. Very few have gotten it right since. This is for people that love books, told on film. Not a butchered hatchet job.

A Classic.

Excellent! I would like to find the series on tape or disk

[grahamsr · 10/10 · 3 September 2002]

The book and the film are a close match and both were equaly enjoyable.Knowing something of the modern day culture of Japan there are many attitudes still held sacred and the origin of these I believe to have been faithfully portrayed in this mini series. I have also seen the shortened version made for the movies if I had not seen the mini series or read the book first I would not have understood what the author was trying to convey, therefore, mini series seem to be the answer in faithfully, within reason of portraying the authors work. Other enjoyable mini series that have come to life for me are Centennial and Chesapeak again good productions.

A Class of its own

[gordywright · 10/10 · 11 May 2002]

The Shogun, TV Miniseries has to be one of the best pieces of Tv entertainment I have seen.

I have read Clavells books on Many occasions, and it is unputdownable. It is a fabulous piece of literature and when I read it, it transports me to Japan.

The conversion to the small screen, All NINE HOURS! of it is a really good piece of work.

The book is too big to be made into a 2 or 3 hour movie, and would suffer if an attempt to do so were tried.

The mini series stays very close to the book, exploring the country, the characters, and the culture of the time. It does a good job of bringing the characters to life, and when you watch it, having read the book, you get the feeling that you know the characters.

It deals with the Feudal classes in Japan, just over 400 hundred years ago, not long after the Europeans began to trade in Asia, Mostly Spanish and Portugese. The English and Dutch, allies at the time, could not gain a foothold in the lucrative Asian market, and Blackthorne's goal was to find the Japans and initiate trade with them, but as the story unfolds, you find that he met a lot of resistance from the Portugese Priests, who held a lot of power, and were going about their business of converting Japanese to Christian.

The Japanese Empire is in a state of flux, with war looming, The Warlords are quietly aligning themselves, all trying to win, or at least be on the same side as the winner.

Add to that the Portugese and the Jesuit Priests, trying to protect their trade and their church respectfully, and then all of a sudden Blackthorne, who is really a Pirate at heart, comes on the scene.

He is an intelligent , well educated man, and soon realises that to survive, he must fight with his head more than his sword. He is seen by the Portugese as a Protestant Heretic, and they believe he and his crew should be burnt, (This was the time of the inquisition), but as the story pans out, the view realises that he has a friend or two in the ranks of the Jesuits.

The love interest is an advisor to Lord Toranaga, the main Warlord, who is wise enough to see the value of Blackthorne as a Srategic and a Tactical asset, and he throughs them together to allow him to learn the language.

All in all, this is an exceptional movie, with as many plots, sub plots, twists and turns, as a Tom Clancy film.

At 9 hours, it is long, but it does pass quickly, I have watched it over a few nights, and have watched it straight through, both ways are very enjoyable.

The only fault I could point out is the make up. It is very dated now, and I think even then it would have looked a bit odd, the Samurai all have shaven heads with a Queue, a piece of hair sticking up, and it was obvious that a lot of them were wearing rubber headpieces.

It doesn't detract in any way, and this is a great movie

Possibly the worst movie of all-time....

[teegz · 1/10 · 20 April 2003]

I haven't seen the original 10-part, 10-hour mini-series, but the 2 hour condensed version is appaling. How did they think they could chop 10 hours into 2? The plot is impossible to follow; nothing is explained, and all the main events have no discernable meaning. The most ridiculous representation of how this film was cut down, is a scene of the two main characters in bed together, when 5 minutes earlier she explained why they could never be together! The ending involves numerous battles in which the viewer has no idea who is fighting who. A flat-out horrible movie. It's like watching the chopped up version of Once Upon a Time in America but 100 times worse.

Buyer Beware: Either 10 Hours or Nothing

[sharlyfarley · 20 July 2003]

Incomprehensibly, they tried to sell a two-hour version of the 10-hour miniseries, and it's junk. Why anybody went through this (and I pity the poor editor who had an impossible job) is beyond me, except that there must have been a greedy executive somewhere who thought there was money to be made. Skip the 2-hour version, and dive in to another world, another time.

The full-length version of the miniseries is now available on DVD, and it's the best way to see it. There's a first-rate adaptation of Clavell's novel, crisp direction and sterling performances by Richard Chamberlain, Yoko Shimada and Toshiro Mifune. Outstanding support by John Rhys Davies, Damien Thomas and Alan Badel, as well as a host of Japanese actors keeps the atmosphere rich and the action strong. The adventures of an English Pilot (Chief navigator) in 1600 in Japan - the height of the samurai power - are riveting. Blackthorne (Chamberlain) lands in the midst of the mighty struggle for Shogun: military dictator of the country that's had 600 years of civil war. Unlike many another action tale, an educated woman has a pivotal role.

Or read the book. In the words of one reviewer, "It simply will not let the reader go."

Appreciating not only the asian action/drama but also historical contents.

[ReneAdrian Schell · 10/10 · 25 April 2002]

Shogun represented not only top class drama and action. It also showed the world politics of the day by the end of the 1500s early 1600, spreading christian religion and discovery of cultures new to both sides. As Blackthorne landed with his "Erasmus" crew in the middle of feudal Japan. The Japan of the knights / Samurai and military warlords / Shogun. Wonderfully played by all I very much enjoyed the personal notes as well as the difference in Japanese and European customs, especially at that time. Some wonderful unique characters like Frankie Sakai who played Lord Yabu. He does bring a note of comic relief, on the other hand he really is that Japanese Lord. No matter if he did betray his master. Therefore it is always a pleasure to see members of the "Shogun" cast appear elswhere too. (Yôko Shimada also appeared in Crying Freeman and Toshirô Mifune has also been part of some great plays suchas "Red Sun", along with Charles Bronson and Alain Delon). Sadly Toshiro has already passed away. Therefore it is a pity we haven't seen more of the other Shogun cast (Japanese) in "European / Asian" t.v. or film. Well, Shogun amongst a few such series in my opinion are top of the bill ! Of course I have it on video and watch it regularly.

Very good, very long film.

[Heians-Mindworks · 10/10 · 9 November 2002]

This is one of the better movies I have seen regarding Japanese Culture.

If you like saga-type movies, this is a must-see. However, if you don't have 7 hours to sit down and watch it, don't. You will want to see the movie in it's entirety.

Lady Mariko should not die.

[netangel-2 · 9/10 · 13 September 2004]

I love the inner values the actors represent, all the effort to show that ancient time - it is true that more than one tragedy happened then, and the world has seen enough. Although Lady Marikos death was fact in the novel, I would have burned that part and let her live, in peace and harmony with Blackthorn.

W.A.P.

P.S. In a way, thoughts are reality. Any author should be sentenced for the crimes he commits within his books. Thank you.

long drawn out mini-series

[Baldach · 3/10 · 3 June 2002]

Unfortunately I have never been a fan of fictional drama mini-series. I remember at the time the series first aired several tv personalities commented or did skits about feudal Japanesse culture, Johnny Carson's skit being the most famous. But while the series increased my appreciation of Japanesse culture, I still think the writers borrowed ideas from stories on Marco Polo travels. My recommendation read the 500 plus page novel "Shogun" or books on Japanesse history than watch this mini-series

Extremely well made, but pales when compared to the book

[jaesboxer · 10 March 2003]

James Clavell's Shogun, the first book in his epic asian saga, was a modern masterpiece. It showed completely the culture clashes between two nations at the opposite ends of the world, as Pilot John Blackthorne is thrust into the midst of a Japanese feudal war between Lords Ishido and Toranaga. Whilst in 'the land of the gods', Blackthorne becomes engaged in a passionate and tragic relationship with the married Mariko, while the two obstinate men, Toranaga and Blackthorne learn to respect one another's cultures and ideologies. With this ten-hour miniseries, television comes as close as it possibly can to paralleling the adventure realized so clearly in the pages, yet unfortunately, that's not quite close enough. True this is the first great miniseries, and a excellent work in it's own right. Yet when compared to the book, it simply fails to convey the effect. One noticeable problem is the casting of Richard CHamberlain as John Blackthorne, whose appeaance doesn't suit the ruggedness of the character

Hated it the first time

[phuckracistgop · 1/10 · 12 April 2024]

Just face it, Hollywood cannot write a movie involving a foreign nation without some white guy having sexual relations with a native girl. So tired of the white supremist misogyny that plague the scenes of these ill-contrived flicks.

They could have written this without the gratuitous sex scene and definitely without this woman sullying herself with people who think that they are gods gift to this planet.

Why couldn't these writers written in a white woman onboard who sleeps with ever Japanese man that she meets to even it out? But Nooooo we are stuck with the same manure different day routine that has grown stale in Hollywood.

Negative Review

[Chasuk · 16 September 1999]

Tedium beyond belief. Starring the execrable Richard Chamberlain, equal only to Patrick Wayne or Doug McClure for boredom. Toshiro Mifune is brilliant as always, but nothing redeems this film. I do commend the director for a valiant effort, and the subtitling of the Japanese characters was daring and effective. Still, an overall waste of time. Read the novel for a much more compelling experience.

The ultimate in TV mini-series

[Bluto-11 · 22 June 1999]

This mini-series is awesome. The story runs from tender love to intense brutality. Richard Chamberlain, the king of mini-series plays Pilot Major Blackthorne. Shipwrecked in Japan, he goes from hated outsider to accepted samurai. Toshiro Mifune is great as Lord Toranaga. He's the Japanese version of Patton: warrior, leader, poet. At times the story line does go a bit slow but not for very long. Definite kudos to John Rhys-Davies who plays the roguish Vasco Rodrigues. Find a day when you can sit in front of the TV and relax, because when you start watching, you won't be able to stop until you've seen the whole thing.

A fantastic and heady miniseries

[khoag3-1 · 18 January 2003]

Based on the life of William Adams, I have used this movie in my teaching so that my students can get an image of what they are reading and hearing about. The photography is fantastic and the performances are excellent. John Rhys-Davies is stellar and I cannot picture Blackthorne in any other way other than Chamberlain. The information is historically accurate and follows the book very closely, as expected with the author as exec. producer. The movie leaves you with a good feel of the beginning of the Tokugawa Shogunate, the political intrigues of Feudal Japan as well as the Catholic church. You will leave this series feeling satisfied and educated.