MovieChat Forums > Shogun (2024) Discussion > This turned out to be reasonably good.

This turned out to be reasonably good.

posted 10 months ago by TrentnQuarantino (9443)
7 replies | jump to latest

Hiroyuki Sanada, the guy who played Toronaga was the role of his career, and for once he did not speak constantly in a whisper.

The guy who played Blackthorne was doing his best Richard Burton imitation, of anyone remembers Burton anymore.

It's hard to distinguish the names and faces of all the Japanese characters and who they are. I read the book when it came out and really liked it, but I don't remember it at all.

If anyone liked this book, another book you'd probably like is "River God" a story of ancient Egypt. Amazing epic story.

[–] ShogunofYonkers (78490) 10 months ago

I really liked the novel and the Burton TV mini series was very good. I’m liking this quite a lot too.

There’s something about the ‘stranger in a strange land’ story that’s very appealing.

[–] TrentnQuarantino (9443) 10 months ago

Do you mean Chamberlain? I read the novel when it came out and really liked it. I don't think they really go into the terror of a system where anyone can be killed/beheaded at any time or asked to commit sepukku. That is some Hamas/ISIS BS.

I said Richard Burton because if you listen to any Richard Burton movie, Jarvis' voice is a clone of Burtons. It fits perfectly though.

What do you think:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m_Wpi2TWCVA&list=PLVUkiN7-TOR3Q80ov9wR9XIJE2jgLWqKb

[–] ShogunofYonkers (78490) 10 months ago

Oops, yes, I meant Chamberlain.
They do have a similar tone, good observation.

[–] TrentnQuarantino (9443) 10 months ago

Oh, it is so exact, it cannot be a coincidence.

[–] ShogunofYonkers (78490) 10 months ago

Holy cow!
Dopplegangers are real!

[–] Darren (1455) 10 months ago

It did, but I like the 1980 adaptation better. This one has it's advantages: Mariko, Yabu/Yabishige, and Fujiko/Fuji, were better acted and characterized in this series, IMHO. Toronaga, Ochiba, and Blackthorne were acted about equally, I think. The cinematography was brilliant in this adaptation as well. That said, the 1980 adaptation, running at fourteen hours, instead of just ten, didn't have to leave nearly so much out, and could delve deeper into the intrigue and give each character more screen time. That served the story better, and so, despite the newer versions advantages, I think the 1980 adaptation is the superior one, overall.

[–] TrentnQuarantino (9443) 10 months ago

I was surprised that as much as I liked the book, I never saw the 1980's version. probably that was network broadcast TV and I did not have time to catch it.