Today’s movie is a period drama
with a scene that happens on April 21. Watch it tonight and enjoy.
with a scene that happens on April 21. Watch it tonight and enjoy.
SHŌGUN
The Erasmus, a Dutch trading ship under the command of John
Blackthorne, an Englishman, arrives off Japan in a terrible storm on April 21,
1600. [3:40 to 8:53] He wakes up in the village of Anjiro, where he and his
crew face a hostile reception from the local lord, Kasigi Yabu. Blackthorne,
called Anjin by the Japanese is sent to Osaka to meet a regional feudal lord,
Toranaga. On the way Anjin saves the life of Rodriguez, the Portuguese pilot of
the ship he’s on. He meets with Toronaga and meets Mariko Toda for the first
time as she interprets for him. Anjin is jailed briefly, but is released and
tells Toranaga about the Spanish and Portuguese treaties that give Japan to
them. This presumption angers Toranaga
and Capt. Ferreira considers having Toranaga assassinated. Ninjas infiltrate
the castle at Osaka and try to kill Anjin. As his opponent Ishido wants to keep
him hostage, Toranaga smuggles himself out of the castle with the unplanned
assistance of Anjin, who fakes madness diverting attention from Toranaga. They fight their way back to the ship and
Toranaga announces his resignation from the Council of Regents, causing
deadlock as the remaining four must agree on a successor and need five members
to do anything. Ishido’s men have blocked the harbor entrance. Toranage buys
guns from Ferreira to blast through. Ferreria agrees after the Father-visitor
agrees to make him captain of the black ship for the next year also, which the
Father-visitor agrees to after Toranaga agrees to let them build a cathedral. .
The black ships carries all the wealth extracted out Japan by the Portuguese
that year to Macau and its captain gets a share of the profits. Ferreira wants Anjin left as prisoner and
Toranaga agrees, but Rodriguez throws him overboard as a return favor. Anjin is
made a retainer of Toranaga. Anjin is taken back to the village and told if
they can’t teach him Japanese with in six months the entire village will be
killed. This upsets Anjin, who threatens to commit seppaku (ritual suicide) and
has the edict cancelled. Anjin and Mariko begin an affair and tension is high
when her husband visits. Anjin learns a painful lesson about the life and death
power he now has over those in his household. Anjin saves Toranaga in an
earthquake and is made a samuri as a reward. Toranaga is summoned back to Osaka
and has to go. Anjin and Mariko follow and resume their affair. The Portuguese
are upset that Anjin could use his ship to attack the Black Ship and send
Rodriguez to kill him, but he can’t bring himself to do it. Anjin asks Toranaga
to give Mariko a divorce, which annoys Toranaga. In Osaka, Ishido refuses to allow Mariko to leave, so she starts
to commit sepakku, but Ishidio agrees to let her leave at the last second.
Ishido turns Yabu, who kills the head of the Toranaga guards at Osaka castle
and helps ninja infiltrate. Anjin and Mariko get into a secret room, but a
ninja bomb kills her and blinds him.
Brother Michael comes to escort Anjin to a ship, Ferreira want to burn
him, but the Father-visitor protects Anjin with his own body and Brother
Michael kills Ferria to protect the Father-Visitor. Rodriguez made captain of
black ship. The Erasmus has been
destroyed by fire. Yabu’s treachery is discovered and he is forced to commit
seppaku. Anjin gets Anjiro as his fief. He starts building a new ship. Toranaga
becomes Shōgun.
Blackthorne, an Englishman, arrives off Japan in a terrible storm on April 21,
1600. [3:40 to 8:53] He wakes up in the village of Anjiro, where he and his
crew face a hostile reception from the local lord, Kasigi Yabu. Blackthorne,
called Anjin by the Japanese is sent to Osaka to meet a regional feudal lord,
Toranaga. On the way Anjin saves the life of Rodriguez, the Portuguese pilot of
the ship he’s on. He meets with Toronaga and meets Mariko Toda for the first
time as she interprets for him. Anjin is jailed briefly, but is released and
tells Toranaga about the Spanish and Portuguese treaties that give Japan to
them. This presumption angers Toranaga
and Capt. Ferreira considers having Toranaga assassinated. Ninjas infiltrate
the castle at Osaka and try to kill Anjin. As his opponent Ishido wants to keep
him hostage, Toranaga smuggles himself out of the castle with the unplanned
assistance of Anjin, who fakes madness diverting attention from Toranaga. They fight their way back to the ship and
Toranaga announces his resignation from the Council of Regents, causing
deadlock as the remaining four must agree on a successor and need five members
to do anything. Ishido’s men have blocked the harbor entrance. Toranage buys
guns from Ferreira to blast through. Ferreria agrees after the Father-visitor
agrees to make him captain of the black ship for the next year also, which the
Father-visitor agrees to after Toranaga agrees to let them build a cathedral. .
The black ships carries all the wealth extracted out Japan by the Portuguese
that year to Macau and its captain gets a share of the profits. Ferreira wants Anjin left as prisoner and
Toranaga agrees, but Rodriguez throws him overboard as a return favor. Anjin is
made a retainer of Toranaga. Anjin is taken back to the village and told if
they can’t teach him Japanese with in six months the entire village will be
killed. This upsets Anjin, who threatens to commit seppaku (ritual suicide) and
has the edict cancelled. Anjin and Mariko begin an affair and tension is high
when her husband visits. Anjin learns a painful lesson about the life and death
power he now has over those in his household. Anjin saves Toranaga in an
earthquake and is made a samuri as a reward. Toranaga is summoned back to Osaka
and has to go. Anjin and Mariko follow and resume their affair. The Portuguese
are upset that Anjin could use his ship to attack the Black Ship and send
Rodriguez to kill him, but he can’t bring himself to do it. Anjin asks Toranaga
to give Mariko a divorce, which annoys Toranaga. In Osaka, Ishido refuses to allow Mariko to leave, so she starts
to commit sepakku, but Ishidio agrees to let her leave at the last second.
Ishido turns Yabu, who kills the head of the Toranaga guards at Osaka castle
and helps ninja infiltrate. Anjin and Mariko get into a secret room, but a
ninja bomb kills her and blinds him.
Brother Michael comes to escort Anjin to a ship, Ferreira want to burn
him, but the Father-visitor protects Anjin with his own body and Brother
Michael kills Ferria to protect the Father-Visitor. Rodriguez made captain of
black ship. The Erasmus has been
destroyed by fire. Yabu’s treachery is discovered and he is forced to commit
seppaku. Anjin gets Anjiro as his fief. He starts building a new ship. Toranaga
becomes Shōgun.
A complicated plot so you have to pay attention. An
interesting introduction to Japanese culture. A great ‘political’ story.
interesting introduction to Japanese culture. A great ‘political’ story.
Shōgun by James Clavell (Delacorte Press, New York,
1975) at page 8 gives the date of their arrival in Japan
1975) at page 8 gives the date of their arrival in Japan
Producer - Eric Bercovici and Ben Chapman
Director - Jerry London
Screenplay - Eric Bercovici
Awards - It won the Emmy for
Outstanding Limited Series; Outstanding Costume Design for a Series (episode
5); Outstanding Graphic Design and Title Sequences (episode 1). It was also
nominated for the Emmy for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Limited Series or a
Special (Chamberlain); Outstanding Lead Actor in a Limited Series or a Special
(Mifune); Outstanding Lead Actress in a Limited Series or a Special (Shimada);
Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Limited Series or a Special (Rhys-Davies);
Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Limited Series or a Special (Meguro);
Outstanding Achievement in Film Sound Editing (episode 3), Outstanding Art
Direction for a Limited Series or a Special (episode 5); Outstanding
Cinematography for a Limited Series or a Special (episode 4); Outstanding
Directing in a Limited Series or a Special (episode 5); Outstanding Film
Editing for a Limited Series or a Special (episode 5) and Outstanding Writing
in a Limited Series or a Special (episode 5).
Outstanding Limited Series; Outstanding Costume Design for a Series (episode
5); Outstanding Graphic Design and Title Sequences (episode 1). It was also
nominated for the Emmy for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Limited Series or a
Special (Chamberlain); Outstanding Lead Actor in a Limited Series or a Special
(Mifune); Outstanding Lead Actress in a Limited Series or a Special (Shimada);
Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Limited Series or a Special (Rhys-Davies);
Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Limited Series or a Special (Meguro);
Outstanding Achievement in Film Sound Editing (episode 3), Outstanding Art
Direction for a Limited Series or a Special (episode 5); Outstanding
Cinematography for a Limited Series or a Special (episode 4); Outstanding
Directing in a Limited Series or a Special (episode 5); Outstanding Film
Editing for a Limited Series or a Special (episode 5) and Outstanding Writing
in a Limited Series or a Special (episode 5).
Runtime - 9 hours 7 minutes
Released - September 15, 1980
Starring -
Richard Chamberlain as Pilot-Major John Blackthorne (Anjin-san)
Toshirō Mifune as Yoshi Toranaga, Lord of the Kwanto
Yoko Shimada as Lady Mariko Buntaro-Toda
Damien Thomas as Father Martin Alvito
John Rhys-Davies as Portuguese Pilot Vasco Rodrigues
Michael Hordern as Friar Domingo
Yuki Meguro as Omi, Head Samurai of Anjiro
Frankie Sakai as Lord Kasigi Yabu, Daimyo of Izu
Alan Badel as Father Dell'Aqua
Leon Lissek as Father Sebastio
Vladek Sheybal as Captain Ferreira
Hideo Takamatsu as Lord Buntaro
Nobuo Kaneko as Ishido, Ruler of Osaka Castle
Hiromi Senno as Fujiko
George Innes as Johann Vinck
Hiroshi Hasegawa as Galley Captain
Akira Sera as Old Gardener
Atsuko Sano as Lady Ochiba
Copyright by Ivan Walters in 2015
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