When I was eleven and I decided to take Japanese at my soon-to-be middle school, my dad immediately showed me the book "Shogun" by James Clavell. Due to fact that I was an eleven-year-old boy during the summer, I did not get very far past the first chapter. So when my dad suggested we watch the movie, I was skeptical. I didn't really like the book when I read it--too young to understand it I guess--and I wasn't expecting the movie to be much different.
I was wrong.
The movie is a great movie! It made many confusing parts of the book understandable, and was a very suspenseful and (approximatley) accurate representation of Japanese history and culture.
Although the movie drags a bit in the second hour, it is action packed and very interesting. The romance between Blackthorn (anjin-san) and Mariko-san is believable and understandable, and her death and funeral is moving and heartbreaking.
The un-subtitled Japanese was a nice touch, making us as confused as Blackthorn. However, you are still able to understand it due to context and body language, and by the end you will have undoubtedly learned some Japanese.
Definitely worth the watch, especially if you are interested in Japan and Japanese.
(extra note: the movie inspired me to re-read the book which I can now understand and am enjoying.)
I was wrong.
The movie is a great movie! It made many confusing parts of the book understandable, and was a very suspenseful and (approximatley) accurate representation of Japanese history and culture.
Although the movie drags a bit in the second hour, it is action packed and very interesting. The romance between Blackthorn (anjin-san) and Mariko-san is believable and understandable, and her death and funeral is moving and heartbreaking.
The un-subtitled Japanese was a nice touch, making us as confused as Blackthorn. However, you are still able to understand it due to context and body language, and by the end you will have undoubtedly learned some Japanese.
Definitely worth the watch, especially if you are interested in Japan and Japanese.
(extra note: the movie inspired me to re-read the book which I can now understand and am enjoying.)