Shogun

Any fans of the mini-series Shogun? I've read the novel several times and watched the series even more times.

I think that it has parallels with the Trilogy because it is essentially staged within the context of one man's dominance by whatever means necessary.

I have it on tape, but I look forward to the day when it will be back on tv.

I've said it before on these boards but I'll repeat it now: Lord Toranaga and Vito Corleone are two of my favorite fictional characters (they're very similar in their ways).

I have the DVD collection of "Shogun" and last watched it about six months ago. It was every bit as good as what I remember from when it originally aired on tv in the early 80's.

BTW - You can edit out the "ch" in the thread title (just go in and edit the post).

"I piss on you and your country!"

It was so remarkable to see the low esteem that the Japs had for the Englishmen at the beginning.

I tried editing it but didn't see where I could do that. I'll look again.

I'm looking forward to LETTERS FROM IWO JIMA on dvd, I missed it in the movies.

I just tried and can't either (we used to have that ability on the old boards).

Does the TV series have Richard Chamberlain or was he only in the movie?

The 2 hour tv movie is just a very condensed version of the mini-series starring Richard Chamberlain, kind of like ONCE UPON A TIME IN AMERICA, before it was restored to it's original length.

Don't bother with the two hour version... you're a movie nut enough to sit through the entire 10 or 12 hours.... and its worth it!!

Thanks SC. Looks like I'll add it to the old Blockbuster list

It's my favorite mini-series ever. It's a sweeping epic, on the scale of the trilogy.

I don't wanna sound like a nostalgic old man but that was really a golden age for the mini-series. ROOTS, THE HOLOCAUST, SHOGUN, etc...

They just don't produce them for network television anymore. Don't get me wrong, HBO and SHOWTIME have put out some beauties over the last few years, but there was just something about a big event mini-series on network tv during the "sweeps" weeks of november and february.

Then again, maybe I'm just crazy.

Mini-series were huge in the old Network days because that was the only thing on TV.

After cable arrived, the epic mini-series for TV lost their luster and audiences. Thats why the networks don't bother anymore.

Better yet, what about the Made-For-TV movies that were at times as good as most motion pictures in their heyday?

Take for example a flick I reviewed weeks back...THE DAY AFTER. That nuclear-armaggeddon drama was really good from Nick Meyer, and hell it played well in European/Latin American theatres.

Another example is one that should be on DVD: John Carpenter's 3-hour ELVIS movie with a very young and just post-Disney Kurt Russell. In the first of their many director/star team-ups, they delivered maybe the first Elvis biopic in the wake of The King's death. Besides, ELVIS actually beat out a re-airing of GONE WITH THE WIND in the ratings.

Better yet, remember when movies shown on network TV meant something? Yet with cable TV and HBO, the luster is gone. Thats why the networks rarely play movies, and I think its only ABC now that still does it weekly.

Is the series spead over 5 discs? Just wondering because that's what Blockbuster has

Yup, that's it.

Thanks pizzaboy. It's there on my queue

Don't forget "Rich Man, Poor Man", one of tv's best mini-series.

Any fans of David Carradine in the Kung-Fu series in here?

Only we Grasshoppers.

You're killing me SC. That's a great mini-series. The Jordache brothers are the perfect example, even more than the brothers Corleone, how brothers who are raised in an identical environment can turn out completely different.

BTW - The mini-series was, of course, based on Irwin Shaw's novel, but the novel actually sprang from a short story he wrote for Playboy.

Can you imagine ? A short story evolving into a 12 part mini-series.

Not sure if QBVII was considered a miniseries, but it was amazingly well done. It is one of the most powerful books I've ever read (and based on a lawsuit brought against author Leon Uris), and the series was very well done, with Anthony Hopkins as the doctor accused of war crimes. You definitely should check it out!

How great was Ben Gazzara in that, SB ?

I love him as an actor. So many people just view him as a character actor but he's so much more.

Remember The Killing Of A Chinese Bookie ?

He was the quintessential 70's New York street guy.

Ben Gazzara WAS great!! The whole cast was. One of the few films that lived up to my expectations after reading the book.

Uris is one of my favorite authors. Although Exodus was unbelievably moving and well-written, it is QBVII that stays with me. During the portion of the book that deals with the trial, my brother literally could barely put the book down. He used to even take it in the car so he could read it at red lights.

I never saw The Killing of a Chinese Bookie.

Honestly SB, I've never read either of the two, but on your recommendation I'll be logging onto abebooks very shortly.

Speaking of mini's, remember AD? It was an early Rome.

I had seen it when it was originally aired and loved it but had almost forgotten about it. Our 3rd Stooge was kind enough to send me a copy of it last year and I had a hard time tearing myself away from the tv once I started watching it.

Anything that Nick Nolte did after that was secondary.

Great story, great acting, great mini-series!

(I didn't know that it had come from a short story).

FWIW Roots is coming on the TV1 channel I beleive Easter Sunday.

I bought the DVD some time ago. To me, "Roots" was the best mini-series ever aired. I was blown away by it, especially after reading the book. It got me to start researching my own family's genealogy, a hobby that I still pursue to this day.

I'd love to see the aftermath of "Roots" (in which Alex Haley goes back to Africa and meets his ancestors) again. Its not in the DVD collection (it was only shown on tv many years ago). EXTREMELY touching!

Is the show spread over 4 or 5 discs? Does the 5th disc have any more of the show or is it solely special features? The reason I ask is because at the end of disc 4 the credits rolled but I thought it was a rather odd way to end the series.

I wonder why these minis are not rebroadcast. I believe that Roots and Shogun would be ratings hits.

I used to play with those die-cast-metal Giant-Robot toys called SHOGUN WARRIORS when I was a little kid...

They had rockets and flying axes or swords or they could shoot their fists like a missile or had a detachable-space-ship for a brain...

Them was some fun toys...

And MICRONAUTS... WHOA!!!

RE: KUNG FU the TV Series:

Yeah Boy!!!

Right 'chear!!!

Apparently, from what I have read, David Carradine was taking a lot of psychedelics, like mescaline, when that show was being filmed...

That show flat-out ROCKS!!!

I had a KUNG FU lunch-box when I was in 2nd-grade!!!

Now I just have the 2-hour made-for-TV-movie pilot on DVD!!!

Good stuff!!!

Iused to watch it, but I found myself always

Kung Fu fighting
Those guys were fast as lightening
It was a little bit frightening
So, I stopped.

Hey Olivant,

1975 called, he wants his 8 track tape back.

I'd give it to him, but it's stuck inside my car's track player.

The Compact Disc is the modern-day 8-Track tape...

I believe it's called "planned obsolescence"...

I don't know why I have just now read this thread, but here I am. It's funny because my father has mentioned several times that Shogun was one of the greatest novels he's ever read.

From what I gather in this thread, it was made into a T.V. mini series right? It was never made into a movie released in theaters?

From what my Dad has said about the novel, and what I've read here about the series, I'm going to definitely check it out.

The novel is one of my favorites; the character of Lord Toranaga is one of my favorite fictional characters of all-time. He reminds me a lot of Vito Corleone in his actions (ruthless to get what he wants, and the man "pulling the strings").

I highly recommend the novel, and even though the mini-series didn't come close to capturing the whole essence of the book, I'd recommend that as well.