Tying in nicely with Tom Cruise’s new movie The Last Samurai this beautifully packaged new five disc set from Paramount gives us the chance to take a fresh look at Richard Chamberlain’s 1980 mini series Shogun.

Based on the doorstep of a hugely best selling novel by James Clavell the serial is set in the early part of the 17th century and was in part a reworking of the real life experiences of Elizabethan seaman Will Adams, Chamberlain plays English Pilot-Major John Blackthorne who finds himself stranded in Japan following a shipwreck, at first highly resistant to the Japanese way of life Blackthorne finds himself falling under the Samurai spell, becoming friends with feudal warlord Toranaga (played by the great Toshiro Mifune) and taking the name Anjin-San, before long Blackthorne has also begun an affair with the married Lady Mariko (Yoko Shimada).

As time goes on Blackthorne finds himself caught in the political games played by Toranaga and his chief rival Ishido (Nabuo Kaneko) as the pair compete to become Shogun (the supreme Samurai warrior). Blackthorne has to decide where his loyalties and his heart lies.

Shogun more than stands up strongly today, high budget and largely shot on location Shogun is an engrossing watch, exciting and dramatic. Besides Chamberlain and the high profile Japanese cast the serial also includes many well known UK actors (Michael Hordern, Alan Badel, there's even a small role for Sgt Bob Cryer from The Bill) and even Lord of the Rings dwarf John Rhys Davies.

Very popular (deservedly so) the serial swept the boards at the awards (3 Emmys, 3 Golden Globes). A definite must see.

EXTRAS A fifth disc choc full of them from a very indepth 79 minute doco telling the story of the making of the serial, a commentary from director Jerry London on seven of the serial’s key scenes and mini features looking at aspects of Japanese life (the Samurai, the Tea Ceremony and the Geisha). Excellent stuff.