"Shogun" (1980) TV mini-series 1980-

Director:

Jerry London

Writers:

James Clavell (novel)
Eric Bercovici

Seasons:

1

Release Date:

15 September 1980 (USA)

Genre:

Adventure | Drama | History | War

Plot:

A English navigator becomes both a player and pawn in the complex political games in feudal Japan.

Plot Keywords:

Japan | Shogun | 17th Century | Power | Hidden Agenda

Awards:

Won 3 Golden Globes. Another 5 wins & 13 nominations

Cast

Richard Chamberlain	...	Anjin-san / ... (5 episodes, 1980)
Toshirô Mifune	...	Lord Yoshi Toranaga (5 episodes, 1980)
Yôko Shimada	...	Lady Toda Buntaro - Mariko (5 episodes, 1980)

Series Directed by
Jerry London		(unknown episodes)

Series Writing credits
Eric Bercovici		(unknown episodes)
James Clavell		(unknown episodes)

Series Produced by
Eric Bercovici	....	producer (unknown episodes)
Ben Chapman	....	associate producer (unknown episodes)
James Clavell	....	executive producer (unknown episodes)
Kerry Feltham	....	associate producer (unknown episodes)

Series Original Music by
Maurice Jarre		(unknown episodes)

Series Cinematography by
Andrew Laszlo		(unknown episodes)

Series Film Editing by
James T. Heckert		(unknown episodes)
Bill Luciano		(unknown episodes)
Donald R. Rode		(unknown episodes)
Benjamin A. Weissman		(unknown episodes)
Jerry Young		(unknown episodes)

Series Casting by
Tatsuhiko Kuroiwa		(unknown episodes)
Maude Spector		(unknown episodes)

Series Production Design by
Joseph R. Jennings		(unknown episodes)

Series Set Decoration by
Tom Pedigo		(unknown episodes)

Series Costume Design by
Shin Nishida		(unknown episodes)

Series Makeup Department
Masato Abe	....	makeup artist: Japan (unknown episodes)

Series Production Management
Ben Chapman	....	unit production manager (unknown episodes)
Shinji Nakagawa	....	unit production manager: Japan (unknown episodes)
Keisuke Shinodo	....	unit production manager: Japan (unknown episodes)
Kazuo Shizukawa	....	unit production manager: Japan (unknown episodes)
Wallace Worsley Jr.	....	unit production manager (unknown episodes)

Series Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Phil Cook	....	first assistant director (unknown episodes)
Masahiko Okumura	....	assistant director: Japan (unknown episodes)
Charles Ziarko	....	first assistant director (unknown episodes)

Series Art Department
Ed Charnock	....	painter (unknown episodes)
Al DeGaetano	....	construction coordinator (unknown episodes)
Yoshinobu Nishioka	....	art director: Japan (unknown episodes)
Marty Wunderlich	....	property master (unknown episodes)
Shoichi Yasuda	....	set decorator: Japan (unknown episodes)
Hideo Yoshioka	....	construction department: Japan (unknown episodes)

Series Sound Department
William M. Andrews	....	sound editor (unknown episodes)
Howard Beals	....	sound editor (unknown episodes)
Leonard Corso	....	sound editor (unknown episodes)
Denis Dutton	....	sound editor (unknown episodes)
Jack A. Finlay	....	sound editor (unknown episodes)
John Glascock	....	sound mixer (unknown episodes)
Robert Gutknecht	....	sound editor (unknown episodes)
Sean Hanley	....	sound editor (unknown episodes)
Pierre Jalbert	....	sound editor (unknown episodes)
Jack Keath	....	sound editor (unknown episodes)
Alan L. Nineberg	....	sound editor (unknown episodes)
Lee Osborne	....	sound editor (unknown episodes)
Stanley Paul	....	supervising sound editor (unknown episodes)
Tally Paulos	....	sound editor (unknown episodes)

Series Special Effects by
Bob Dawson	....	special effects (unknown episodes)

Series Stunts
Shinpachi Miyama	....	stunt coordinator: Japan (unknown episodes)
Glenn R. Wilder	....	stunt coordinator (unknown episodes)

Series Camera and Electrical Department
Chuy Elizondo	....	camera operator (unknown episodes)
Kenneth Johnston	....	key grip (unknown episodes)
Vern Matthews	....	key grip (unknown episodes)
Sal Orefice	....	gaffer (unknown episodes)

Series Costume and Wardrobe Department
Toshiaki Manki	....	wardrobe: Japan (unknown episodes)

Series Editorial Department
Michael Backauskas	....	assistant editor: NBC promos (unknown episodes)
Hal Cohen	....	editor: NBC promos (unknown episodes)
Ace Edwards	....	editor: NBC promos (unknown episodes)
Steve Ho	....	editor: NBC promos (unknown episodes)

Series Music Department
John La Salandra	....	music editor (unknown episodes)
Garry Ulmer	....	music recordist (unknown episodes)

Series Other crew
Chiho Adachi	....	consultant (unknown episodes)
Chris Bartlett	....	foreign production coordinator (unknown episodes)
Luca Bercovici	....	dialogue coach (unknown episodes)
Frank Cardea	....	production executive (unknown episodes)
Edie Edwards	....	producer: NBC promos (unknown episodes)
Banjuro Hemura	....	consultant / production services (unknown episodes)
Don Henry	....	production accountant (unknown episodes)
J. Steven Hollander	....	auditor (unknown episodes)
Fred Ishimoto	....	special consultant (unknown episodes)
Larry K. Johnson	....	script supervisor (unknown episodes)
Anna Mills	....	assistant: Eric Bercovici (unknown episodes)
Umeo Minamino	....	advisor to Jerry London: Japan (unknown episodes)
Chiyo Miyakoshi	....	script supervisor: Japan (unknown episodes)
Valerie Nelson	....	assistant: James Clavell (unknown episodes)
Phill Norman	....	title designer (unknown episodes)

Production Companies

• Asahi National Broadcasting Company
• Jardine Matheson Co. Ltd.
• National Broadcasting Company (NBC)
• Paramount Television
• Toho Company

Distributors

• National Broadcasting Company (NBC) (1980) (USA) (TV) (original airing)
• British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC)
• Paramount Filmes do Brasil (2004) (Brazil) (DVD)
• Paramount Home Video (2003) (USA) (DVD)
• Paramount Pictures (TV)

Other Companies

• Glen Glenn Sound Company  sound post-production
• Intrada  score album released by (limited edition)
• Westheimer Company  titles and opticals

Also Known As:

"James Clavell's Shogun" - USA (complete title)

Runtime:

60 min (10 episodes)

Country:

USA | Japan

Language:

English | Japanese

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Australia:M | Finland:K-15 (DVD rating) | Singapore:PG | UK:15

Filming Locations:

Daiei-Kyoto Studios, Kyoto, Japan

Company:

Asahi National Broadcasting Company

Trivia:

Nagashima, the filming location for Anjiro, was so remote it was difficult to find accommodation for the whole crew. Due to a misunderstanding the entire crew lost their bookings on the 1st of September, and not the 15th as planned. Changes had to be done in order to be able to finish by September the first but they managed to do it. On the day the shooting ended, a typhoon destroyed the whole set of Anjiro.

Goofs:

Errors made by characters (possibly deliberate errors by the filmmakers): The Portuguese Governor of Macau and captain of the "Black Ship", is named "Ferriera". That name doesn't exist - it is an obvious confusion with "Ferreira", one of the most common Portuguese surnames.

Quotes:

Vasco Rodrigues:Listen to me, you whore-gutted, pock-marked, motherless scum... I need a favor.

Movie Connections:

Featured in The 33rd Annual Emmy Awards (1981) (TV)

Soundtrack:

BLACKTHORNE'S SHANTY

The book is better, but not by too much

I saw Shogun when it first came out in '80. I was blown away by the magnitude of this mini-series. It moved me as I hadn't been moved before by a simple TV program. It immerses you into the story in bitchin' fashion. Although it is fiction, writer James Clavell based it on in-depth historical knowledge of 17th century Japan.

It's a long ride (about 10 hours) but I very seldom got bored. This certainly hits home as a mans movie, with all the inherent violence and war that men do, but it also makes clear that women know men, and how to manipulate them. (Guys, they've had us by the short hairs for ages). I've heard there is a horrible 2 hour version of this floating around. Don't bother with that. Check the full 10 hour series.

I read the book in '82 and found out how much was missing from the series. Fantastic book! I suggest seeing the series before reading the book, as I did. If you read the book first, I'd imagine you'd be disappointed that the series left out so much information. But seeing the series first is a real eye-opener. I highly recommend it.