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SHOGUN
Feb 27, 2024 16:20:04 GMT
Post by momrek06 on Feb 27, 2024 16:20:04 GMT
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Post by Kao on Feb 27, 2024 20:30:00 GMT
Will be watching. I've heard nothing about good things about it (including the fact that they're going in a different story direction than the original series) which is only a good thing.
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Post by Imperfect1 on Feb 27, 2024 20:55:09 GMT
I LOVED the original Shogun! It was one of my all time favorites! And Richard Chamberlain was both tender and strong in the 1980 series! I'll probably have very mixed feelings watching this new version.
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Post by Kao on Mar 3, 2024 4:53:39 GMT
Watched the first episode and I'm enjoying it very much. You can tell a lot of love and money went into this, because every scene is beautifully shot and wonderfully lit; even the night scenes. I'm so tired of shows movies that are so dark you have to turn on high contrast on the computer to see things. As opposed to "one man's viewpoint of a foreign situation" this is very much an ensemble cast full of intrigue on all ends, and I apreciate that they're staying away from the "White savior who can fix everything" tropes so far. Hiroyuki Sanada always lends a certain regal quality in every role he plays, and his depiction of Toranaga is no different; surrounded by "friends" who would slit his throat at any opportunity, he has to think of clever ways to stay abreast of things. I'm also enjoying Cosmos Jarvis as fish-out-of-water John Blackthorne whose ship "accidentally" lands in Japan, and everything that happens afterwards. As usual, Tadanobu Asano is playing the Lord of Izu, and I have my suspicions that he's somewhat shady, lol. Even the supporting characters are interesting; I have a feeling that despite being a woman Mariko is going to be a heavy player in the intrigue as she's tasked to be Toranaga's personal Portuguese translator for “the barbarian Blackthorne who could turn the tide" and I'm really enjoying Néstor Carbonell as the Spanish pilot Rodrigues (who might or might not be an ally to Blackthorne when he's not busting his chops). Japan in 1600 was a very rough era to be in, and I'm glad that this series doesn't shy away from that as there's a certain plotline involving a baby that's quite disturbing.
Overall: A+, will watch the second episode tomorrow.
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SHOGUN
Mar 3, 2024 7:08:44 GMT
Post by momrek06 on Mar 3, 2024 7:08:44 GMT
Yeah Kao , thanks for your review. My schedule has been crazy so I have not started it yet. Now I an excited.
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SHOGUN
Mar 6, 2024 1:17:21 GMT
Post by Kao on Mar 6, 2024 1:17:21 GMT
Episode 2: Servants of Two Masters
Never has an episode title been more apt, but the beginning backtracks a bit to a year ago when the Old Leader who united Japan was on his deathbed, and all of the warlords have gathered at his side to pay their respects. The Leader (sensing the vultures at the gate) requests a private audience with Toranaga, and then outlines his plan to have a Council of Regents. He has selected five rival warlords (with Toranaga as the lead), who will rule together until the Old Leader's son Yaechiyo comes of age. As Toranaga is fostering the child it now makes sense why the other warlords want Toranaga out of the way now; they can then kill the son, and grab power for themselves.
I'm not going to give anything else away, but there is a lot of intrigue in this episode, and people aren't what they seem. Every group here has a secret motive they're playing close to their chest; the Jesuits, the warlords, Toranaga himself (who is playing this like a game of chess in trying to keep himself and his people safe) and unfortunately poor Blackthorn is right in the middle of it all because he's the key to sowing distrust amongst the various groups. The Jesuits want him dead because as a Protestant he knows about their various schemes. The warlords (who are endebted to the Portuguese for all the money and riches they're getting from them) want Blackthorne dead just on general purpose, but the trick is, all five Lords have to agree on both Toranaga getting impeached...and three of the Lords won't agree unless Blackthorne is first executed.
Suffice to say, the rest of the episode is fantastic with some old dude explaining everything to Blackthorne (and the viewer) while in jail, a bunch of backstabbing, Yabushige (Asano Tadanobu) looking fine as hell and playing both factions (is he a friend, enemy, or does his loyalty take him where the wind goes....who knows, but this time it's working in Blackthorne's favor?) a daring escape, and an assassination attempt by a female warrior, all against the beautiful backdrop of 1600s Japan; whatever they are paying their set designers/location scouts it should be MORE. So glad I decided to start watching this!
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Post by Gutmutter on Mar 7, 2024 12:29:02 GMT
Hiroyuki Sanada is my hardcore celebrity crush. That is all. 😁
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Post by Kao on Mar 7, 2024 14:29:53 GMT
Hiroyuki Sanada is my hardcore celebrity crush. That is all. 😁 Amen to that. That's one delicious looking man, lol. Asano is hot too, but has a more "naughty" appeal.
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Post by Kao on Mar 15, 2024 16:14:16 GMT
Episode 3: Tomorrow Is Tomorrow
After that assassination attempt on {someone} Toranaga decides it's best to get his people out of Osaka (Blackthorne, Mariko, his wife, the tragic Fuji, and others) and appeals to Yabushige's shady ass for shelter in his village, promising him more land for his fiefdom. This episode is full of hijinks as they escape, an amazing battle scene where even the ladies of the court know their way around a sword, the friendly sailors from the first episode making a reappearance to help, and poor Mariko's husband holding off the enemy so others can escape, even though he knows it will probably cost him his life. We also get a tense chase sequence. There are many scenes that are framed beautifully in this episode, including well-lit night scenes (a delight), and a wonderful overhead shot of the city’s grid as torches flood the streets in straight lines, an extremely effective visualization of the mighty force pursuing them.
Keeping it deliberately vague so people can be surprised at the twists and turns. Is anyone else watching?
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Post by Kao on Mar 23, 2024 18:01:12 GMT
Episode 4: "The Eightfold Fence"
Once again, I'm going to be kinda vague about this so not to spoil people who haven't seen this episode, so...
• It's really nice how Yabushige's village is really going all out to welcome him (and his guests) to the village
• While he got a great response from Yabushige's military troops, Toranaga is smart to not trust him completely and leaves for Edo as soon as possible.
• Oh, no. This dude again?
• Fujisama is badass! Loving the women on this show
• Despite not experience in war Blackthorne is wise to share his experience in naval warfare
• Love (or lust ) it's a beautiful thing
• Holy crap at the last five minutes!
For those who want some background information or are history buffs, I strongly encourage you to visit the Shogun FX site, as it goes into great detail about the historical attention to detail this series has and also has a synopsis of every episode.
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Post by springmaiden27 on Mar 23, 2024 19:00:27 GMT
I have to watch the episodes more than once, and I don’t mind. The pride in the work that went into this project is so evident.
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SHOGUN
Mar 29, 2024 14:15:19 GMT
Post by Kao on Mar 29, 2024 14:15:19 GMT
I have to watch the episodes more than once, and I don’t mind. The pride in the work that went into this project is so evident. I don't watch more than once, but can see why people would. This is a show that you can't just put on as a mindless background distraction while doing other things, you have to pay close attention. So much is said (and unsaid) through body language and gestures. I'm an episode behind because I want to watch at times where I can give it my full attention.
Episode 5: Broken to the Fist
(I love the titles of the episodes and how they relate to what’s going on. In this episode, it’s a metaphor for someone being used to do someone else’s dirty work. “Broken to another man’s fist. Like a falcon, but without the beauty.”)
Another brief (and vague) recap:
• Toranaga’s actions in the last episode has unexpected consequences for the Council of Regents.
• What the hell at that smelly, rotten, fly encrusted pheasant? Did they really prepare food in Britain that way in the 1600s?
• Someone rises from the dead, and a severed head gets a homecoming.
• This is the episode where everyone got told, lol. Whether it was someone three steps ahead in knowing about another character’s duplicity (and letting them know), someone losing their rank, someone getting chastised for being an upstart, someone being insulting to their host, someone setting boundaries, or (in the case of Mariko and Fuji) the importance in what is left unsaid as well as what is spoken, the cards are on the table now for many of the players.
• Some people just shouldn’t drink…ever.
• Blackthorne finds out that words have meaning in Japan in a way he never intended.
• Someone is not what they seem, as one man’s death becomes another man’s “get out of jail free” card.
• A new player has entered the chat! The mother of the Heir is back and badder than ever, and this could have unfortunate consequences for Toranaga.
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Post by Bearcata on Apr 8, 2024 14:39:47 GMT
I just started watching Shogun this weekend and completed episode 1 thru 3.
I have watched the original Shogun with Richard Chamberlain and have read the book. I know for Shogun 1980 that is was one of the first miniseries events brought to TV it was a huge event. The book is huge over a 1000 pages how do you bring that to the screen and still remain authentic. The writers solved the problem by ripping out all of the scenes from the Japanese point of view. The story still worked. It took 40 years but they did a reboot and it is nice to see more of the different POV incorporated into the story.
While I have the episode recorded from FX, I also have Hulu. One of my friends complained about all the subtitle and I noticed that Hulu had an English (dub) and I am watching that. There is still a little Japanese and a few subtitles but all of the actors can do their lines in English so the voices don't sound really off like they do with some of the Korean dramas I have watched on Netflix.
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SHOGUN
Apr 8, 2024 14:55:43 GMT
Post by Bearcata on Apr 8, 2024 14:55:43 GMT
Watched the first episode and I'm enjoying it very much. You can tell a lot of love and money went into this, because every scene is beautifully shot and wonderfully lit; even the night scenes. I'm so tired of shows movies that are so dark you have to turn on high contrast on the computer to see things. As opposed to "one man's viewpoint of a foreign situation" this is very much an ensemble cast full of intrigue on all ends, and I apreciate that they're staying away from the "White savior who can fix everything" tropes so far. Hiroyuki Sanada always lends a certain regal quality in every role he plays, and his depiction of Toranaga is no different; surrounded by "friends" who would slit his throat at any opportunity, he has to think of clever ways to stay abreast of things. I'm also enjoying Cosmos Jarvis as fish-out-of-water John Blackthorne whose ship "accidentally" lands in Japan, and everything that happens afterwards. As usual, Tadanobu Asano is playing the Lord of Izu, and I have my suspicions that he's somewhat shady, lol. Even the supporting characters are interesting; I have a feeling that despite being a woman Mariko is going to be a heavy player in the intrigue as she's tasked to be Toranaga's personal Portuguese translator for “the barbarian Blackthorne who could turn the tide" and I'm really enjoying Néstor Carbonell as the Spanish pilot Rodrigues (who might or might not be an ally to Blackthorne when he's not busting his chops). Japan in 1600 was a very rough era to be in, and I'm glad that this series doesn't shy away from that as there's a certain plotline involving a baby that's quite disturbing. Overall: A+, will watch the second episode tomorrow. I hate this phrase. Authors write from their point of view, since we are mainly a white culture, American/English/Europe the majority of stories are about white people because we are white people. In Africa the stories are about black people written about black people etc... If you are Chinese you are writing about the Chinese savior, if you are Indian you are writing about the Indian savior. The point is the hero shows up and does fix things that is what heroes do no matter the culture.
Blackthorne was never the "white savior" he was one shipwrecked sailor trying to survive in Japan that was extremely xenophobic and isolationist at the time and restricted access to their country by foreigners. The point that Blackthorne is quiet helpless is driven home very quickly in the first episode by a beheading and a boiling alive I do like that the whole story is very layered with multiple people with multiple motivations just trying to survive. Just luv the absolute hatred between the Protestants and Catholics and the manipulations of the church and crown.
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SHOGUN
Apr 8, 2024 15:02:27 GMT
Post by Bearcata on Apr 8, 2024 15:02:27 GMT
The Hulu and FX historical drama series was shot in the following locations: Ucluelet, British Columbia, Canada. Port Moody, British Columbia, Canada. London, England.
I know they had originally planned to film in Ireland and Japan but they production got delayed due to script issues.
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SHOGUN
Apr 8, 2024 16:22:44 GMT
Post by Kao on Apr 8, 2024 16:22:44 GMT
Watched the first episode and I'm enjoying it very much. You can tell a lot of love and money went into this, because every scene is beautifully shot and wonderfully lit; even the night scenes. I'm so tired of shows movies that are so dark you have to turn on high contrast on the computer to see things. As opposed to "one man's viewpoint of a foreign situation" this is very much an ensemble cast full of intrigue on all ends, and I apreciate that they're staying away from the "White savior who can fix everything" tropes so far. Hiroyuki Sanada always lends a certain regal quality in every role he plays, and his depiction of Toranaga is no different; surrounded by "friends" who would slit his throat at any opportunity, he has to think of clever ways to stay abreast of things. I'm also enjoying Cosmos Jarvis as fish-out-of-water John Blackthorne whose ship "accidentally" lands in Japan, and everything that happens afterwards. As usual, Tadanobu Asano is playing the Lord of Izu, and I have my suspicions that he's somewhat shady, lol. Even the supporting characters are interesting; I have a feeling that despite being a woman Mariko is going to be a heavy player in the intrigue as she's tasked to be Toranaga's personal Portuguese translator for “the barbarian Blackthorne who could turn the tide" and I'm really enjoying Néstor Carbonell as the Spanish pilot Rodrigues (who might or might not be an ally to Blackthorne when he's not busting his chops). Japan in 1600 was a very rough era to be in, and I'm glad that this series doesn't shy away from that as there's a certain plotline involving a baby that's quite disturbing. Overall: A+, will watch the second episode tomorrow. I hate this phrase. Authors write from their point of view, since we are mainly a white culture, American/English/Europe the majority of stories are about white people because we are white people. In Africa the stories are about black people written about black people etc... If you are Chinese you are writing about the Chinese savior, if you are Indian you are writing about the Indian savior. The point is the hero shows up and does fix things that is what heroes do no matter the culture.
Blackthorne was never the "white savior" he was one shipwrecked sailor trying to survive in Japan that was extremely xenophobic and isolationist at the time and restricted access to their country by foreigners. The point that Blackthorne is quiet helpless is driven home very quickly in the first episode by a beheading and a boiling alive I do like that the whole story is very layered with multiple people with multiple motivations just trying to survive. Just luv the absolute hatred between the Protestants and Catholics and the manipulations of the church and crown.
I think the phrase is appropriate in most Western films that are set in a foreign country that have a White "gatekeeper" character in it that everything revolves around, and it's because studios honestly believe that people wouldn't be interested in/relate to these stories about "foreigners" otherwise. One of the nicer aspects of streaming is that now people have content about pretty much everyone from all around the world with their own point of view. People should not be relegated to being background characters in their own stories.
As you said, Shogun is very much an ensemble show with multiple motivations which is what makes it so enjoyable. I feel like I'm getting a lot of different angles, not just one.
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Post by Imperfect1 on Apr 8, 2024 16:48:04 GMT
I really didn't know how I was going to feel about this new version of Shogun, as I had lovvvvved the Richard Chamberlain version (and had a huge crush on him at the time, as well). But, OMG, this is current version is a really wonderful series. So well produced, so gorgeously shot, so layered and complicated, and just so interesting. I'm so terribly sick of all of the dumbed down tv that most of our television viewing has become, that it is a real pleasure to have something to really sink your teeth into, to understand!
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Post by Bearcata on Apr 8, 2024 20:16:56 GMT
I really didn't know how I was going to feel about this new version of Shogun, as I had lovvvvved the Richard Chamberlain version (and had a huge crush on him at the time, as well). But, OMG, this is current version is a really wonderful series. So well produced, so gorgeously shot, so layered and complicated, and just so interesting. I'm so terribly sick of all of the dumbed down tv that most of our television viewing has become, that it is a real pleasure to have something to really sink your teeth into, to understand! Luv'ed the original Shogun at the time. Richard Chamberlain was John Blackthorne. The entire series was a week long event. It was a bonding moment as I watched with some dear relatives.
I do like that they are showing the current John Blackthorne as a person of his time where the sailors think they are from civilization and that the natives are all savages and animals.
The Networks do treat their audiences as if they are mentally deficient and need to be spoon fed. I only watch network TV for the local news. At times I do want the layered, complicated stories, and there are times I simply want the shoot'em ups.
Smart TV is the best, smart and funny is even better, check out Resident Alien.
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