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Shogun, and other announcements
May. 28th, 2004 07:04 pmI'm in the middle of travel preparations, as I'll be going to Africa on Sunday morning (where I'll stay until the 17th of June). Unless something really makes me want to spill my thoughts on the unsuspecting public tomorrow, this is probably my last post before the holidays. Since this vacation will take place mostly in the middle of the Serengeti, there won't be any email access. Once I'm back, I'd appreciate the edited highlights of lj occurings.
In other news, I've started rewatching Shogun, which together with I, Claudius has to be on top of the 70s' TV series based on novels. Sadly, I don't think it would be made in today's TV. Certainly not in the way it was then; deciding to render the Japanese dialogue actually in Japanese and not to subtitle it was a brilliant idea on the part of the producers. The novel gives us multiple povs and far more information that Blackthorne processes, because we actually know what the Japanese characters are saying and thinking. Which is fine for a novel. By choosing to let the audience understand only what Blackthorne does (with a very few exceptions, such as some scenes involving Pater Alvito and of course the final monologue by Toranaga), the "stranger in a strange land" element is strengthened, and one learns along with the main character about a customs (not to mention a smattering of Japanese expressions).
It's odd to see John Rhys Davies as Rodriguez and recognise him this time around - I truly hadn't realised it had been him before, but then I originally saw Shogun in German, so the voice wasn't a clue.*g*
Also, I was still in school when Shogun was first broadcast, so I can be excused for having seen those fabulous Kurosawa movies with Toshiro Mifune in them afterwards. I still was impressed by him as Toranaga. Am even more so now with all the Kurosawa associations.
Lastly, what I always appreciated about Shogun, both book and TV series: No cheap clichéd villains. The Jesuits are the enemies from Blackthorne's pov, but they're not characterised as Evil!Priests out of a bad horror movie. (Let's not forget, it's Dell'Aqua who actually saves Blackthorne near the end, and Pater Alvito remains fair and polite throughout.) Similarily, Omi and Yabu get introduced to Blackthorne and the audience as antagonists; we see Omi behead a villager just because he can and because the man didn't show enough respect. He also humiliates Blackthorne when Blackthorne curses at him. In many a novel and many a film, this would mean Omi and Blackthorne were headed for a duel near the end. No such thing in Shogun; they end up at the same side. Yabu's betrayal in Osaka comes as a shock precisely because his actions since his original introduction have lured the audience into liking him, but they're not the result of Yabu being a one dimensional villain; he's making political guess, and guesses wrongly.
Before I hurry back to the Elizabethan in Japan, one fanfic rec: "Revision" is a fantastic story about Bilbo. There aren't many Bilbo stories around anyway, which is a pity, but even if there were a thousand, this one would still stand out. Especially if you have a thing for LotR and Hobbit background...
In other news, I've started rewatching Shogun, which together with I, Claudius has to be on top of the 70s' TV series based on novels. Sadly, I don't think it would be made in today's TV. Certainly not in the way it was then; deciding to render the Japanese dialogue actually in Japanese and not to subtitle it was a brilliant idea on the part of the producers. The novel gives us multiple povs and far more information that Blackthorne processes, because we actually know what the Japanese characters are saying and thinking. Which is fine for a novel. By choosing to let the audience understand only what Blackthorne does (with a very few exceptions, such as some scenes involving Pater Alvito and of course the final monologue by Toranaga), the "stranger in a strange land" element is strengthened, and one learns along with the main character about a customs (not to mention a smattering of Japanese expressions).
It's odd to see John Rhys Davies as Rodriguez and recognise him this time around - I truly hadn't realised it had been him before, but then I originally saw Shogun in German, so the voice wasn't a clue.*g*
Also, I was still in school when Shogun was first broadcast, so I can be excused for having seen those fabulous Kurosawa movies with Toshiro Mifune in them afterwards. I still was impressed by him as Toranaga. Am even more so now with all the Kurosawa associations.
Lastly, what I always appreciated about Shogun, both book and TV series: No cheap clichéd villains. The Jesuits are the enemies from Blackthorne's pov, but they're not characterised as Evil!Priests out of a bad horror movie. (Let's not forget, it's Dell'Aqua who actually saves Blackthorne near the end, and Pater Alvito remains fair and polite throughout.) Similarily, Omi and Yabu get introduced to Blackthorne and the audience as antagonists; we see Omi behead a villager just because he can and because the man didn't show enough respect. He also humiliates Blackthorne when Blackthorne curses at him. In many a novel and many a film, this would mean Omi and Blackthorne were headed for a duel near the end. No such thing in Shogun; they end up at the same side. Yabu's betrayal in Osaka comes as a shock precisely because his actions since his original introduction have lured the audience into liking him, but they're not the result of Yabu being a one dimensional villain; he's making political guess, and guesses wrongly.
Before I hurry back to the Elizabethan in Japan, one fanfic rec: "Revision" is a fantastic story about Bilbo. There aren't many Bilbo stories around anyway, which is a pity, but even if there were a thousand, this one would still stand out. Especially if you have a thing for LotR and Hobbit background...
