Has anyone here ever seen the 1980 miniseries "Shogun"? Worth buying?

Karl Hungus

Because they have it here on play.com for £17.99, whereas on amazon.co.uk it's £33.43, and by all accounts I've heard, it's meant to be very good altogether. Seems to have gotten a very good rating here on imdb.com.

Now I'm not one that takes imdb.com as a be-all-end-all when it comes to the ratings of films, so I'm asking for opinions here where people might be able to recommend it more subjectively to me.

So, worth a purchase at that price?

Flukey

I can remember it being on, but I didn't watch it. I have the book and it is good. It is an epic story. I don't know how close the series is to the book, but if you like epics, then why not? It seems to be at a cheap price, so if you like that kind of thing, then get it. It is your decision of course.

Pigman II

It an ok show. I had a lend of it on a while back and got thru about half of it's 10 or so hours before losing interest and shelving it.

Probably worth a look tho if you're interested in what Japanese culture was (possibly?) like back in the 1700(?)'s and Richard Chamberlains beard is looking very smart throughout!

But like I've pointed out its a pretty long mini-series so the Euros to viewing hours ratio is quite good Also visually it looks great and there's a lot of Japanese dialogue in it so you can pick up a few phrases if your interested. Even I knew how to say 'Domo arigato' by the end due to it being said (what seemed like) 50 times per episode.

ApeXaviour

I've read James Clavell's novel.. twice actually and it's brilliant. Didn't even know about the series! Cheers for that, I'm buyin it..

Karl Hungus

Ok, thanks guys, I ordered it.

gandalf

Err all you needed to see there was "Richard Chamberlain" and that should have told you to keep clear of it Karl :eek:

DapperGent

It's alright.

I'd stick to the book if I was you though. It's an absolute classic.

damien

RTE used to show that every fecking summer when I was a kid. It's actually not so bad, though not seen it in 10 or more years.

Richard Chamberlain was always in those tv mini-series. That and the Thornbirds and the Bourne Identity and all that other stuff.

Raoul Duke

It's not bad. Toshiro Mifune is in it. Kurosawa hated it though and it's false depiction of the Japanese. It does make them out to be fairly savage all right....chopping people heads of instantly for an incorrect salute, boiling people alive and a bit of crucifixation thrown in as well.

Karl Hungus

Aye, I noticed alright that Mifune was in it.
That man has to be possibly one of the greatest actors who's ever lived.