Search - Shogun's Shadow: The Sonny Chiba Collection on DVD


Shogun's Shadow: The Sonny Chiba Collection
Shogun's Shadow The Sonny Chiba Collection
Actors: Sonny Chiba, Ken Ogata, Tetsuro Tamba, Hiroki Matsukata, Shinichi Chiba
Director: Yasuo Furuhata
Genres: Action & Adventure, Indie & Art House
UR     2005     1hr 51min


     
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Movie Details

Actors: Sonny Chiba, Ken Ogata, Tetsuro Tamba, Hiroki Matsukata, Shinichi Chiba
Director: Yasuo Furuhata
Genres: Action & Adventure, Indie & Art House
Sub-Genres: Martial Arts, Indie & Art House
Studio: Adness
Format: DVD - Color,Widescreen - Subtitled
DVD Release Date: 07/26/2005
Release Year: 2005
Run Time: 1hr 51min
Screens: Color,Widescreen
Number of Discs: 1
SwapaDVD Credits: 1
Total Copies: 0
Members Wishing: 2
MPAA Rating: Unrated
Languages: Japanese
Subtitles: English
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Movie Reviews

Excellent!!!
Taijiguy | Kangzhou, Meiguo | 09/13/2005
(5 out of 5 stars)

"Originally titled "Geki Totsu: The Insanity of Emperor Iemitsu Gekitosu", "Shogun's Shadow" is a non-stop action film featuring Kyokushinkai master Sonny Chiba. This film is based on the true story of a shogun who sends his army, led by an assassin (played by Chiba), to kill his eldest son and make way for his younger son to be the next shogun.

Ogata Ken is the hero who leads a band of renegade ronin who escort the shogun's son to a meeting at Edo castle. His swordsmanship is a certainly match for Chiba's and the duel between them is very exciting to watch. Both are quick and skillful.

The incorporation of Chinese martial arts in this Japanese film adds another dimension, thanks to Hu Jianqiang, who plays the mute guide. A former all-around national champion of China, Hu also did some of the choreography, performed by members of Chiba's Japan Action Club. Generally, Japanese martial artists don't have much respect for Chinese martial artists, but Hu is an exception and is highly regarded by the Japanese martial arts community because of his strong gongfu.

As in most Asian martial arts films from the 70's and 80's, the cast performed their own stunts; some of them quite death-defying.

This film is probably not good for children as several horses are injured and possible killed during the making of it."
Terrible...
mark twain | ramakandraazanionipot, thai | 08/24/2005
(1 out of 5 stars)

"the film starts out ok, as a saturday-morning action flick which is decent. unfortunately about halfway through the film i guess they said the heck with it and just went full-blown into full-on cheesiness. horrible pop music, horrible special effects, really it goes from an average period/action film to just unwatchable. first half of movie- 2 and a half stars
second half- 0 stars"
Kage No Gundan on Steroids
Steven Fujita | Long Beach, CA | 10/18/2009
(4 out of 5 stars)

"Shogun's Shadow might be an example of too much action in a film. It's just overwhelming. But for those of us who miss the classic chambara films and tv shows from the 70's and 80's, it's a great watch. If you have seen an episode of any of the Kage No Gundan or Yagyu Clan television shows, this movie is kind of like watching a long episode of those with longer and more graphic (bloody) action scenes.

As in many of Sonny Chiba's films, the story takes place at the time of the third Tokugawa Shogun, Iemitsu. This time, Iemitsu's eldest son, Tachechiyo is targeted for assassination. The plot is to have the young Tachechiyo killed on a journey to Edo, which much be completed within 5 days. A band of ronin lead by Igo Gyobu (Ken Ogata) is hired to protect the child. Sonny Chiba, in a departure from his usual role, plays the vassal, Iba Shoemon, assigned to kill the heir. He is told to utilize the clans along the route to Edo to help him accomplish his goals.

So, in effect, this group of seven must protect the child from the armies of all the diaymos territory they pass. They are outnumbered like around 100 to 1. Classic chambara. Just when they think they've come pretty close and reach a town, Iba Shoemon and his group of warriors is waiting. He demands that they hand over the child. Igo Gyobu then challenges Iba to a duel. This leads to a great one on one sword fight between the two men.

The movie is filled with action. You have the impossible seven against hundreds fights, a couple of one on one fights, impossible escapes, and the melodramatic ending where the plot is resolved. It's got this pop music soundtrack during one of the battles that just seems out of place in a period drama. Sonny Chiba directed the action scenes and utilized greatly the talents of his Japan Action Club - if you like exaggerated chambara action scenes, then this is a movie for you.

One of the interesting things about this movie is that Sonny Chiba was nearing 50 years old when he made this film. You can kind of tell he was starting to slow down a bit. Nevertheless, the three one on one fights he is involved in during the film are great, especially the last one with Ken Ogata. Usually his one on one battles are pretty short and it was really pleasing to see him in a long drawn out one.

This isn't one of those sophisticated movies that makes you wonder about the theme. The plot is laid out and you sit back and enjoy the action.
"
NON-Stop Action and an ALL-Star Cast make this a Successful
Woopak | Where Dark Asian Knights Dwell | 12/14/2008
(4 out of 5 stars)

"Chambara films have evolved much through the years since the days of Kurosawa, Kobayashi and Gosha. Yasuo Furuhata's "SHOGUN'S SHADOW" (aka. Shogun Iemitsu No Rashin: Gekitotsu, 1989) is a film quite different from other chambara films because of its rather anime-like, manga-inspired execution that makes it almost like a live-action comic book but somehow, it fits the script written by Hiro Matsuda and Sadao Nakajima perfectly.

An order is given to the young shogun heir, Tachechiyo to embark on a journey to Edo to participate in an initiation ritual that will mark his passage to manhood. A band of seven mercenary swordsmen must protect the heir from an evil minister who seeks to assassinate the boy. The mercenaries headed by Gyobu Igo (Ken Ogata) are charged with the task of delivering the young heir to his destination within 5 days. Along the way, they must fight their way through the army led by Iba Shoemon (Sonny Chiba), an expert swordsman who is a vassal of the ailing Shogun. But is there more to the boy than anyone is telling?

The film has the usual elements of camaraderie, duty, loyalty and honor as with the chambara film produced through the years, but the influences of anime is definitely omnipresent this time around. Hundreds of flying arrows, a corrupt authority, ninjas, blood-splattering swordplay, the high-flying action sequences--all carry a somewhat exaggerated manga-inspired feel but curiously, it doesn't hamper the film from its main premise. The style itself fits it perfectly and what results is an entertaining action-packed chase film. True, they may not be as great in today's CGI-enhanced standards, but it was obvious that this film's action sequences had inspired Ryuhei Kitamura's fantastic Azumi or the end sequence that seems to carry a lot of similarities to "Young Guns". The action sequences prove to be the film's main draw.

The film is riddled with action and stunts, that the film is NEVER boring. What makes it more unique is the fact that each of the mercenaries have their own brand of style of fighting. One uses small daggers, one uses gunpowder, and one even has this monkey-like martial arts style who carries a Bo Staff that looks like a character from "Ninja Scroll". Now, these heroes aren't your well-mannered group of samurai, they are rough and edgy but honorable in their own way. Their character development come from their style of fighting that leaves them rather a bit underdeveloped. The characters of Ken Ogata and Sonny Chiba are a bit cardboard, but both actors do perform admirably well to express the needed emotions.

The film does have its share of an effective twist and the past between Lord Abe and Gyobu is interesting enough to add some zest to the film's simple plot. The film is essentially an action film so the plot is built around the action sequences to build up to its inevitable climax; and what exactly does make this film's climactic fight special? The final encounter between Gyobu and Shoemon (played by Ogata and Chiba) is something to look forward to. The film spends its time building up their skills so the viewer will definitely look forward to the unavoidable swordfight between the two. The swordplay is nicely choreographed by Sonny Chiba; the fight is nicely paced and very exciting.

Despite all the fun factor one can derive from the film, the film does have its flaws. The rock and roll, Japanese style soundtrack may hamper the film a little. A few intense sequences were a little ruined by the film's music, that the end result seemed to be a little out of place. The scene itself is good but the music just destroys its mood completely on some parts of the screenplay.

The film's final act may also prove to be its flaw as it proved to be a little overlong and a little too melodramatic. I commend the director for trying to put everything together but the final act is a out of my place for the film's action-packed pace. I rather wished it would have ended 10 minutes before its final act. The end result is that the film lost its "punch" and settled for a rather predictable finale.

Overall, the film is a good one and proves to be surprisingly smart and fun. The film had enough action to keep one entertained and may well be a good introduction to Sonny Chiba. Recent Western audiences will no doubt know him as "Hattori Hanzo" from "Kill Bill. Well, even though he doesn't play the lead role in this film, Chiba proves a worthy nemesis for Ken Ogata. Pick this movie up when you can; it has a great cast, loads of action and an interesting plot. "Shogun's Shadow" may not rival any of Kurosawa's or Kobayashi's work, but it is a cool ride!!

Recommended! [4- Stars]

The Dvd from Adness sports a nice anamorphic widescreen (1.78 ratio) with 2.0 Dolby Digital Japanese track. The English subtitles are excellent.


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