Chinatown (1974)
Product Information
Product Details: Chinatown (1974)
- Edition:
- DVD . See other editions
- MPAA Rating:
- R
- Release Date:
- 11/06/2007
- UPC:
- 097361224442
- Directed by:
- Roman Polanski
- Featuring:
- Jack Nicholson, Faye Dunaway, John Huston. See all cast
Synopsis: Chinatown (1974)
Synopis: "Forget it, Jake -- it's Chinatown." The opaque shrug that ends this 1970s classic embodies the film's world-weary depiction of people who are never what they seem and dark motives that dwell deep below the surface. Like the water that drives the plot, secrets in Chinatown have a way of bubbling up in the most unexpected places, as detective Jake Gittes (Nicholson) discovers when he takes on Evelyn Mulwray (Dunaway) as a client. Not so much a recreation of the classic-era Chandler and Hammett private-eye stories as an outright celebration of the depravity they only hinted at. A stunning achievement for both Polanski and Towne. Followed by Nicholson's direction of THE TWO JAKES in 1990.Features: Chinatown (1974)
Features: DVD Features:Region 1
Keep Case
Full Frame - 1.33
Audio:
Dolby Digital Surround 5.1 Mono - English, French, Portuguese, Spanish
Subtitled - English, French, Portuguese, Spanish
Additional Release Material:
Featurette - 1. CHINATOWN: THE BEGINNING AND THE END! 2. CHINATOWN: FILMING 3.CHINATOWN: THE LEGACY 4.CHINATOWN: THE CLASSIC
Trailers - Theatrical Trailer
Awards: Chinatown (1974)
- Academy Awards
- Best Original Screenplay:
- Robert Towne
User Reviews: Chinatown
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Chinatown - Best noir ever?
, February 25, 2005Reviewer: Mark Pawelek - See all Mark Pawelek's reviews -
Chinatown
, July 17, 2003Reviewer: Lydia - See all Lydia's reviewsOn first glances, you get the feel that the movie is going to be quite slow. But, the plot unwinds fast. It is amazing how the whole story unfolds and closes with a great ending. There are many plot surprises along the way. Jack Nicholson is simply brilliant (as always). He brings the story to life. Jack plays his usual role - The womanizing fighter. Overall, the movie is simply great! Well worth a watch! ...
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Pros: Best noir ever?
Cons: Best noir ever?
Chinatown - Best noir ever?
OK, I can already hear my critics. Chinatown was made 20 years too late for consideration. It's in colour, all those nasty camera angles and deep shades that noir stole from '30's German expressionism are missing. There's nothing particularly novel in the film (eg. the flashback of Out of the Past, or point-of-view of Lady of the Lake are missing, etc.) In short, Chinatown isn't a REAL noir.
Well you've got it wrong: the inversion of the usual character of the detective (Nicholson's smarmy divorce specialist); the use of the classic noir period to tell the story; the slow uncovering of a deeper plot through dogged investigation. This is much more than mere homage because Chinatown is noir to the core.
The central feature of noir is, as we're constantly told, the way nothing is as it seems. This element is central to Chinatown too and Polanski tells a story that would never have been allowed back in the '50's or '40's. [It would never have got support from the producers] The final everything isn't as it seems is another inversion. Who are the BAD guys - they're the good guys. Why does the John Huston character do wrong - because he wants to be good - he wants to influence history - as he tells us. [definitely a preview of 21st century millennium themes (Iraq-WMDs-Blair)]. But this central plot which is slowly uncovered throughout the film is itself overturned in the ending because the REAL plot of the film is how we betray those we love. As in the end, when Jack Nicholson's character betrays the Faye Dunnaway character. Not so much a betrayal of one we love as a betrayal of love itself.
Nothing is as it seems. ...