Clavell wanted to write a second novel because "that separates the men from the boys".[21] The money from King Rat enabled him to spend two years researching and then writing what became Tai-Pan (1966). It was a huge best-seller, and Clavell sold the film rights for a sizeable amount (although the film would not be made until 1986).[22]
> Clavell’s novel was originally made into a miniseries in 1980, one that went on to earn three Golden Globes, three Emmys, and another 11 Emmy nominations. This new Shogun had big sandals to fill, which it did — and then some.
Not to this viewer, it didn't :)
Re-read the book several times over the years and watched the original TV series (which was produced by Clavell himself, BTW), I was looking forward to enjoying the new show, but stopped watching after 4-5 episodes. To me it feels too one-dimensional and grim, even despite the subject matter. The original had more charismatic characters and was more about culture than gore and action.
Yeah it's pretty easy. I just went to a list of movies from 2001 by box office, number 100 was actually a cult classic now so skip that and I see the Tailor of Panama which is a less popular movie, steaming on Amazon https://www.amazon.com/Tailor-Panama-Pierce-Brosnan/dp/B000XR8ING and i can get a copy on DVD with interlibrary loan. The Shogun miniseries from the 1980s has some renewed interest since the new version and it's not streaming, but you can purchase a DVD on a bunch of places and once again, I can get it through my library.
So I grew up in a(n at that time) socialist country, and boy we had poor TV shows in the eighties. But then Shogun arrived at first in TV form. It was magical compared to those (mostly) Czech TV soaps. Then one day I went to the local bookshop (I was a small town boy, small bookshop, and as you may guess the books that were allowed to be published were not covering the whole sci-fi/fantasy/literature spectrum...). And there was this beauty both in hard- and soft cover.
Luckily, my parents allowed me to buy the softcover version, which soon looked like a really worn out phone-book. I read it like 3-4 times at that time. Then re-bought it later, and re-read. I love it so much.
Shogun, the TV miniseries, is pretty good. It features actual Japanese stars like Toshiro Mifune, and spoken Japanese (without subtitles) during much of the show, which was novel at the time.
I think the other commenter referred to an unrelated TV show with a gang leader calling himself "a Shogun".
It absolutely had entered English vocabulary, if only so far as to refer to Japanese people we were told were obliged to drink at karaoke bars with co-workers every evening.
Probably most Americans' awareness of Japanese words came from a very long James Clavell historical novel amazingly many people read, as was still done back then, called Shōgun.
I recall a very bad movie in which a black gang leader insisted on being called Shōgun, for no apparent reason.
My knowledge of this era is limited to the 80's mini-series "Shogun", based on the book by James Clavell, but wow, I never made that connection before, thanks.
This reminds me of the scene in Shogun (Richard Chamberlain, 1980, etc. Doesn't ring a bell? Do yourself a favor and read the book/watch the film.) where he's in jail and the Spanish Friar tells him: "in Japan, all crimes have only one penalty: Death!"
As an aside, my wife is Japanese (born and raised there) and in her mind, once the police or the authorities say something, it's God's Truth.
It doesn't help that in Japan, the Emperor is believed to be descended from the Gods.
I'm breaking her of that concept, because, let's face it, man is fallible, but it's been an interesting struggle.
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The novel called Taipan, by James Clavell, is quite interesting, IMO. He also wrote the novel Shogun, which I didn't enjoy as much.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tai-Pan_(novel)
Shogun is about Japan in the Samurai period and Taipan is about Hong Kong a few centuries ago.
Both novels are about those periods and about Westerners interacting with those countries at that time.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_Clavell
[
Clavell wanted to write a second novel because "that separates the men from the boys".[21] The money from King Rat enabled him to spend two years researching and then writing what became Tai-Pan (1966). It was a huge best-seller, and Clavell sold the film rights for a sizeable amount (although the film would not be made until 1986).[22]
]
> Clavell’s novel was originally made into a miniseries in 1980, one that went on to earn three Golden Globes, three Emmys, and another 11 Emmy nominations. This new Shogun had big sandals to fill, which it did — and then some.
Not to this viewer, it didn't :)
Re-read the book several times over the years and watched the original TV series (which was produced by Clavell himself, BTW), I was looking forward to enjoying the new show, but stopped watching after 4-5 episodes. To me it feels too one-dimensional and grim, even despite the subject matter. The original had more charismatic characters and was more about culture than gore and action.
Yeah it's pretty easy. I just went to a list of movies from 2001 by box office, number 100 was actually a cult classic now so skip that and I see the Tailor of Panama which is a less popular movie, steaming on Amazon https://www.amazon.com/Tailor-Panama-Pierce-Brosnan/dp/B000XR8ING and i can get a copy on DVD with interlibrary loan. The Shogun miniseries from the 1980s has some renewed interest since the new version and it's not streaming, but you can purchase a DVD on a bunch of places and once again, I can get it through my library.
Try and watch some miniseries from the 70s or 80s. They're terrible. Awful. Shogun is probably the best of the lot, but it hasn't aged well.
Nothing as good as, say, 1883.
So I grew up in a(n at that time) socialist country, and boy we had poor TV shows in the eighties. But then Shogun arrived at first in TV form. It was magical compared to those (mostly) Czech TV soaps. Then one day I went to the local bookshop (I was a small town boy, small bookshop, and as you may guess the books that were allowed to be published were not covering the whole sci-fi/fantasy/literature spectrum...). And there was this beauty both in hard- and soft cover. Luckily, my parents allowed me to buy the softcover version, which soon looked like a really worn out phone-book. I read it like 3-4 times at that time. Then re-bought it later, and re-read. I love it so much.
"The Shogun", as it happened. And, a movie shot on actual film, as was then done, not TV.
Shogun, the TV miniseries, is pretty good. It features actual Japanese stars like Toshiro Mifune, and spoken Japanese (without subtitles) during much of the show, which was novel at the time.
I think the other commenter referred to an unrelated TV show with a gang leader calling himself "a Shogun".
Shogun had been made into a TV miniseries with Richard Chamberlain c. 1980
It absolutely had entered English vocabulary, if only so far as to refer to Japanese people we were told were obliged to drink at karaoke bars with co-workers every evening.
Probably most Americans' awareness of Japanese words came from a very long James Clavell historical novel amazingly many people read, as was still done back then, called Shōgun.
I recall a very bad movie in which a black gang leader insisted on being called Shōgun, for no apparent reason.
My knowledge of this era is limited to the 80's mini-series "Shogun", based on the book by James Clavell, but wow, I never made that connection before, thanks.
This reminds me of the scene in Shogun (Richard Chamberlain, 1980, etc. Doesn't ring a bell? Do yourself a favor and read the book/watch the film.) where he's in jail and the Spanish Friar tells him: "in Japan, all crimes have only one penalty: Death!"
As an aside, my wife is Japanese (born and raised there) and in her mind, once the police or the authorities say something, it's God's Truth.
It doesn't help that in Japan, the Emperor is believed to be descended from the Gods.
I'm breaking her of that concept, because, let's face it, man is fallible, but it's been an interesting struggle.