Shogun (TV series)

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Television series
German title Shogun
Original title Shogun
Shogun Logo.jpg
Country of production United States
original language English
year 1980
length 90-110 minutes
Episodes 5
production Eric Bercovici ,
James Clavell
music Maurice Jarre
camera Andrew Laszlo
cut James T. Heckert
First broadcast September 15, 1980 on NBC
German-language
first broadcast		 October 2, 1982 on ZDF
occupation

Shogun is the title of an American television series based on the novel of the same name by the British-American writer James Clavell (1924–1994) from 1975. The historical models for the novel and the series were, among others. a. the experiences of the English navigator William Adams , who reached the coast of Japan in 1600 in the service of a Dutch trade expedition and died as a samurai in 1620 . Clavell also used the records of the Portuguese adventurer Fernao Mendes Pinto and those of the Jesuit missionary Francisco de Xavier (Franz Xavier).

action

In the early 17th century , navigator John Blackthorne's ship hit the Japanese coast in a storm. Blackthorne is able to save himself and is initially imprisoned. However, he was soon able to win the favor of Prince Toranaga, who made him his henchman. Through his service with Toranaga, Blackthorne is drawn into the intrigues of some feudal lords for power in the country.

Differences from the novel

Many narrative strands have been shortened or changed, which can partly be explained by the complexity of the novel and partly by the fact that the series or the film focuses more on the character Blackthorne than on the other characters in the novel. The viewer is kept at almost the same level of knowledge as Blackthorne.

So are missing u. a .:

  • Insights into Prince Toranaga's thoughts - except for a moment at the end - completely, so that the impression arises that one cannot assess this man.
  • Omis and Yabu's conversations with the family, which show, for example, that Omi has much more political skill than his uncle.
  • The conversations between Toranaga and his son Naga and Lady Kiri.
  • The conversations between Fujiko, Blackthorne's companion, and Lord Toranaga.
  • Mura's past as well as his influence as a spy in Anjiro.

Was changed u. a .:

  • a voice-over narrator explains events and Japanese dialogues from time to time.
  • The behavior of the priests. In the original novel they are still the enemies of the navigator, but are not drawn quite as black as is the case in the film adaptation.
  • In the novel, Kiku is asked by Lord Toranaga if she wants to become the wife of Anjin-san. In the film, after Kiku has been awarded to him by Toranaga, Blackthorne presents Omi with the certificate that recognizes Kiku as his "property".
  • In contrast, the couple Kiku and Omi have no happy endings in the novel, it is merely implied that this lady is a gift that must be earned and that Omi has yet to prove himself with regard to the question of where his loyalty is lies.

background

The story is based on the life of William Adams , probably the first European to receive the title of samurai . The historical model of Toranaga and also part of the plot is the work of Tokugawa Ieyasu , who, after a long period of civil war and many intrigues of power, seized power in Japan with the Battle of Sekigahara in 1600 and founded the Tokugawa Shogunate , which continued until the mid-19th century Century lasted.

Remarks

The television series, directed by Jerry London and camera work by Andrew Laszlo , became a classic of the 1980s in Germany and made the renowned Japanese actor Toshirō Mifune (1920–1997) known in German-speaking countries. Other broadcasts were

  • 7 episodes of 60 minutes each ( ZDF , 1986 and 1990)
  • 5 episodes ( GDR television , May 6 to June 3, 1988)
  • 11 episodes of 45 minutes each ( Sat.1 , 1992)
  • Feature film, 142 min. ( ProSieben , 1993 and 1994)
  • 5 episodes, 90–110 min. ( NDR , 2004; Anixe , 2008)
  • 11 episodes of 45 minutes each ( Arte , March / April 2010)

In the orig. English version:

  • 5 episodes = opening episode 3 hours, 3 episodes of 62 min., Last episode 3 hours - USA first broadcast from September 15-19, 1980
  • As a DVD release, 10 episodes of 60 minutes each.

Based on James Clavell's Shogun novel, a Broadway musical of the same name (1990) and several computer games were created.

The mostly Japanese dialogues were not synchronized . Even subtitles are rarely displayed. In this way, the viewer can better empathize with the situation of a foreigner in Japan. In the original version, Orson Welles voiced the explanatory narrator.

In the original version, Blackthorne is addressed as pilot , which means pilot and not navigator as in the German translation .

In 2004 the complete miniseries appeared in a DVD edition on 5 discs. The first 4 contain the series without episode breaks, the fifth contains extras, including a. a longer making-of. Some places have been re-synchronized.

Web links