Shogun Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		4.0
Video		4.5
Audio		4.0
Extras		3.0
Overall		4.0

Shogun Blu-ray Movie Review

“Only by living at the edge of death can you understand the indescribable joy of life.”

Reviewed by Kenneth Brown July 21, 2014

After largely lying dormant for the better part of a decade, the television miniseries is making its comeback. In the 1970s, though, in the earliest stages of the miniseries' popularity, it was a different story. The National Dream (1974), Rich Man, Poor Man (1976), Jesus of Nazareth (1977) and, most notably, Roots (1977) swept a hungry viewing public by storm, paving the way for grander spectacles and more sprawling adventures released throughout the '80s and '90s. Which brings us to one of the most influential of the miniseries' second generation: director Jerry London and producer James Clavell's Shōgun, a sweeping 17th century epic originally broadcast in five parts that not only earned widespread acclaim and commanding ratings, but numerous Golden Globe and Emmy nominations and wins, among them Best TV Series and Outstanding Limited Series. Shot entirely on location in Japan, Shōgun boasted then- unparalleled production values and cinematic flourish, changing the way networks would approach the format for years to come.

Even today, some thirty-four years later, the series retains a surprising amount of power. It isn't nearly as stunning, groundbreaking or engrossing as it once was, mind you -- particularly when swords are drawn or warriors charge into battle -- and some of its performances, Richard Chamberlain's in particular, haven't withstood the test of time as well as others. Yet Shōgun remains a TV milestone worth preserving and revisiting; one Paramount has made that much easier to experience and enjoy, even savor, thanks to this excellent 3-disc Blu-ray release.

From best-selling author James Clavell ("King Rat," "Noble House") comes the sweeping award-winning story of love and war, set against the spectacular background of feudal Japan at the beginning of the 17th Century. Richard Chamberlain (TV's "Dr. Kildare," "The Thorn Birds") stars as John Blackthorne, an English navigator shipwrecked off the coast of Japan. Rescued, he becomes a witness to a deadly struggle involving Tornaga (Toshira Mifune, Rashomon), a feuding warlord intent on becoming Shogun, the Supreme Military Dictator. At the same time Blackthorne is drawn into the turmoil, he finds himself vying to become the first-ever Gai- Jin (foreigner) to be a made a samurai warrior, an honor he seeks with the help of the beautiful Lady Mariko (Yôko Shimada, Crying Freeman).

Chamberlain's delivery relies a bit too much on pomp and melodramatic stagecraft than his Japanese co-stars, chief among them the disarming Shimada, who holds such sway over her audience that her presence becomes a crucial component to the miniseries' impact and resonance. It's effective, positioning Blackthorne as an even more obvious fish out of water, but a few too many dramatic beats are overplayed. Shimada inadvertently steals entire scenes from Chamberlain, and it's hard not to see her as an equal player for the majority of the miniseries. Mifune is a terrific addition to the cast too, effortlessly conveying an authority and unspoken intensity essential to almost everything that defines Blackthorne's growth and journey. Shimada and Mifune are so engaging, in fact, that the lack of subtitles, though thematically and narratively justifiable at the beginning of the story, proves a tad more frustrating than it's meant to. (While London and Clavell specifically chose to forego subtitles to place viewers squarely in Blackthorne's English-speaking shoes, it proves problematic in later scenes, when Blackthorne has learned the language. Why the subtitles remain MIA, and why Orson Welles' narration is subsequently used to provide exposition and illumination, continue to be points of contention, even among fans.)

The story itself is no less compelling, though, and the boldness of some of these more unorthodox moves -- the lack of subtitles is jarring today; imagine it in 1980 -- continues to make Blackthorne's experiences and encounters more immersive from the outset than they might otherwise be. Clavell, London and screenwriter Eric Bercovici's vision of the sometimes tenuous shift from feudal to Edo-era Japan unfolds with such deliberate sincerity and captivating hints of romanticism that any pacing problems are quickly forgotten as cultures clash, merge and clash again in unexpected and unexpectedly satisfying ways. Blackthorne is all at once an alien and a bastard son, and it's in these moments where internal crises of conscience conflict with external collisions of culture that the miniseries gains momentum and exudes potency and poignance. Yes, Shōgun made a bigger splash in 1980 than it could ever make today. It's a bitter pill, but one that needs swallowed. That said, it's weathered its thirty-four years better than many other miniseries of the era and offers a heartier meal than most newcomers will assume. On the one hand, it's most definitely a product of its time. On the other, its story is more timeless than its weaker trappings suggest. There's an epic worth exploring, despite its age, and a journey worth taking, despite its flaws.

Shogun Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Clavell's 1980 miniseries looks every bit as good as one might hope, with both a notably faithful remaster and a striking 1080p/AVC-encoded video presentation to match. Colors are rich and beautifully saturated, with lifelike skintones, lavish primaries, deep black levels and wonderfully filmic contrast. White specks and other blink-and-you'll-miss-em print marks appear throughout, dotting the original elements, but more significant damage, scratches and other eyesores are few and far between. (The worst haunt Disc 2, and even those are minimal.) Moreover, any restorative techniques (noise reduction et al) that have been utilized have been employed judiciously and without any glaring side effects. Grain has been carefully preserved, detail is unhindered, edges are crisply defined and clean on the whole, fine textures are commendably well-resolved, and delineation is as revealing as it was meant to be. There are several soft shots and sequences, a small handful of which border on blurry, but each one is a product of cinematographer Andrew Laszlo's photography and the original source, not the studio's remaster or encode. Artifacting and banding are also nowhere to be found, other anomalies are held at bay, and the entire image oozes integrity. It's as if the decades have, in part, melted away. I was impressed.

Shogun Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

Shōgun's DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 surround track isn't as remarkable as its video presentation, but only because the miniseries' sound design isn't as absorbing as its cinematography. Voices are clear and intelligible, prioritization is smartly coordinated and dynamics are strong. There's just an abundance of negligible oddities, from muffled lines to tinny effects to a score that's slightly disjointed from the rest of the soundscape. It's all a product of the miniseries' age, of course -- we're dealing with a television production that hails from 1980, not a feature film from 2014 -- and something most, if not all, viewers will easily and rightfully forgive from the outset. The rear speakers are used sparingly but wisely, with some nice ambient presence that allows swords to ring out and horses to circle convincingly, and LFE output is restrained but able-bodied, making the most of its opportunities. Ultimately, the 5.1 experience clings to its roots while broadening its sonic horizons. There are no miracles to be had here, but no real disappointment either. Just a solid, uncompromising lossless track that capably bolsters a noteworthy AV presentation.

Shogun Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• The Making of Shōgun (Disc 1, SD, 80 minutes): The set's central 13-part production documentary hails from the miniseries' previous DVD release but remains an extensive, insightful and, most importantly, candid overview of the production from start to finish, featuring a wide array of key players, chief among them author/producer James Clavell, director Jerry London, and actors Richard Chamberlain and Yoko Shimada. The only downside? Each chapter ends too quickly. The documentary could have easily ballooned to three hours or more, and it's a shame more/longer interview segments weren't included. Chapters include "A Novel Adventure," "The Cast," "Nagashima," "Toho Studios," "Cultures Collide," "The Art of Shōgun," "The Erasmus and the Galley," "Controversy," "The Earthquake," "Escape from Osaka Castle," "The Blockade," "Post Production" and "Shōgun Makes History."
• Historical Perspective Featurettes (Disc 2, SD, 15 minutes): University of Hawaii professor Dr. Paul Varley and associate professor Dr. Christine R. Yano discuss elements of 17th Century Japanese culture depicted in the miniseries. Featurettes include "The Samurai," "The Tea Ceremony" and "The Geisha."
• Select Scene Audio Commentary (Disc 3, HD, 12 minutes): Director Jerry London provides scene-specific commentary for a handful of sequences. A running commentary over the entire miniseries would have been more ideal, of course, but so it goes. Scenes include "Blackthorne's Arrival at the Castle," "Blackthorne at Ochiba's Party," "The Crazy Dance," "Lord Buntaro Shoots Arrows," "Blasting of the Fishing Boats," "The Arrival of Toranaga" and "Blackthorne Rebuilds His Ship."

Shogun Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

James Clavell's Shōgun isn't television's preeminent miniseries, or even the best miniseries of its era. Nor is it as remarkable today as it was thirty-four years ago. However, it remains an important influence, a powerful clash-of-cultures drama and, above all, an epic that still has the ability to grab hold of an audience. There are gaps in its armor -- pacing and Chamberlain's performance, among others -- but its locations, production design, cinematography, script, story and performances (particularly Shimada and Mifune's) remain compelling enough to make it all worth discovering or revisiting. Paramount's Blu-ray release is excellent as well, with a striking remastered video presentation, solid DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 surround track, and decidedly decent selection of extras. The 3-disc set's initial price may be a bit high, but don't let that stop you from adding Shōgun to your cart or wish list.