Shogun

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."

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.

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.

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.

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.