cwalker-04551

Yes I read the book. Yes I watched the 80's tv version with Richard Chamberlain. What I find fascinating is that it is true that the female samurai were held to the same standard and duty as the men, while wielding no real power. The samurai men could decree that they would sacrifice their lives and their children and their wife as their lord decreed. I'm at episode 9, and I know Toranaga's true goal is to become Shogun, military leader of Japan, while the young heir becomes old enough to rule. Sometimes I think that we in the Western world think we are great for having a few centuries of history, when civilizations much older than ours have customs, duty and wisdom that should be respected. It's a good show, worth watching.

Back in the day there was this actor named Patrick Swayze. He brought a kind of zen versus violence atmosphere to Roadhouse the original. I'm not finding any sense of that here. I'm not hating on the cast. Love Jake Jillenhaul, (sic?) the actor. I'm getting the sense that movie producers want to show more violence to their audiences and that helps no one. Except the advertisers and big corporations. Fake violence where nobody really gets hurt, and stunt actors who perform get well paid for their work. Script writers could have taken it down a notch, before some kid fakes his parents login and watches yet again another bunch of adults beating themselves up and learns that fake violence doesn't hurt anyone.

I'm halfway through the first episode. What struck me favorably was the script writing and Kate Winslet's performance. Quirky business, rather than Risky Business or business as usual. This isn't going to be a mainstream hit. What it is, I feel, is just the right kind of streaming series that I will enjoy to the end and watch again. It's not the kind of series that you want on the big screen or the major networks. It's just right for home viewing. The set decorating is outstanding also. Just enough of the real and the fantastic. Ms. Winslet's character is kinda like a blend of a crazy Margaret Thatcher and Queen Elizabeth II. This is going to be fun to watch.