What makes it different from others?

Although it has its amusing moments, in eneral the plot does not convince.

This is one of the few movies I've ever seen where the whole audience broke into spontaneous, loud applause a third of the way in.

One of the best movies of the year! Incredible from the beginning to the end.

Superb no nonsense entertainment that deserves nine hours of watching time. Richard Chamberlain pulls it off along with an excellent support cast to bring us a good story to tell with history thrown in. Great scenes of the Japanese culture and customs too. This has held up to the tests of time and it is only $20 or less for the whole thing depending on where you shop making it ideal for the home library. Watching this makes...

I find it hard to fault this series. I watched it when it was first shown on British TV in the 80s and since bought the box set which I have now watched more than once. For me they captured the essence of the book (which I have also read more than once) and although Richard Chamberlain was not their first choice, I find it hard to imagine anyone else as Blackthorn now. Apparently Sean Connery was asked but I think he would have been awful. Connery does one act and that is himself. He cannot do accents (remember him as an Irish cop in The Untouchables with a Scottish accent?) Blackthorne was English and Chamberlain's accent is appropriately ambiguous. But for me all the Japanese actors steal this series. Toshirô Mifune is a perfect Lord Toranaga; Yôko Shimada as Miriko is perfect but also many of the lesser characters fill their roles perfectly. Furankî Sakai as Yabu is brilliant as is Yûki Meguro as Omi. Of the non Japanese actors John Rhys-Davies stands out as a perfect portrayal of Rodrigues as does Damien Thomas as Father Alvito. The story is brilliant and James Clavell's insight into Japanese life goes beyond his research. After being a prisoner of war in a Japanese camp during WW2 he set out to 'understand' how the Japanese could treat the western prisoners so wickedly. Shogun is in some ways an explanation of how they could do some pretty evil things. Based on the true story of William Adams a sailor in the 1600s who became the first Western samurai, many aspects of his life Mirror the things we see happen to Blackthorn in Shogun.I am sure that they could remake this story with maybe Henry Cavill as Blackthorn and with modern special effects but I doubt if a remake would ever be as good. Who knows maybe one day they will remake it and I will be pleasantly surprised?

I happened to watch Shogun again on Encore this week. I was shocked when I realized that the original release date was 33 years ago! I was a young 24 years old when I saw it the first time. It made quite an impression on me. I had read the book shortly before and really enjoyed the film I have a suggestion. Shogun should be re-released to a new generation. Here's what should be done to enhance this classic without diminishing or compromising this television classic.1. Do a standard digital remastering similar to other re-releases.2. If possible eliminate the TV "fade-outs to a commercial" that really date this mini-series.3. Re-do the score. The score is the weakest point of the movie. It sounds very 70s and the score sounds like a Rockford Files episode where Jim Rockford visits the Orient. This great classic deserves better.4. Here's the most important one: Add sub-titles. This would bring a whole new dimension to the re-release. Baby-boomers like myself who enjoyed the original three decades ago will be anxious to hear the new dialogue that was not previous translated. I'm not really sure if translating the parts that are already translated by one of the characters (Mariko, Father Alvito for example) would work. Maybe just subtitle other parts.Thirty three years is a long time. Shogun begs for a re-release.

"Shogun" was one of the best mini-series in television history and a HUGE event when it debuted in 1980. It managed to do something very unusual--it taught history while entertaining. This is because James Clavell's novel of the same name took real history of Japan during its pivotal Shogun period and mixes it with wonderful fiction.The series stars Richard Chamberlain as an Englishman who is shipwrecked in Japan in the 16th century. He and his fellow shipmates are taken prisoner--and he alone is eventually released. After release, this man learns everything he can about the country--both through observation and with the help of a beautiful female guide appointed to him by this Shogun. This plot device allows the audience to learn through Chamberlain's eyes--and this works very well. In fact, EVERYTHING works well due to some wonderful performances, wonderful location shooting, a lavish budget and a lovely artistry. This bittersweet tale is compelling from start to finish and should be remembered along with the best of its era such as "Roots", "The Winds of War"/"War and Remembrance" and "Holocaust". A must-see.