Even though it was made in 1974, almost 30 years after the noir period in Hollywood could be said to have ended, Chinatown remains as much one of the hallmarks of that classic style as do movies from the golden era themselves.

Chinatown is a superb film noir and one of the landmark films of the 1970s. The script by Robert Towne is justly famous as perhaps the best screenplay ever written in Hollywood. This is not only a superior detective story but one of the most incisive studies of the morality of the American ruling class ever committed to film. Truly, Roman Polanski's best film with great performances by Jack Nicholson, Faye Dunaway, and John Huston in a memorable turn as the face of evil.

Grade - A+

You should really check it out Zing, use that Moviefone deal and rent it. You'll like it, atleast I hope so.

B+


I don't quite buy into the hype of this movie, but that doesn't change the fact that it is a really well made thriller and film noir with an excellent performance by Jack Nicholson (when is he not excellent may I ask?). The movie is slick, well-filmed and edited and the storyline is interesting to follow. I really like the way how the events unfold in it. The twist is well-done and actually believable and the most I enjoyed the shockingly good and most likely realistic downbeat finale. I thought the first half of the movie drags a bit and could have used a bit more suspense or more interesting developments, but the movie really picks up in the second half. I certainly had ablast figuring out the mystery while watching it. I still consider L.A. Confidential to be a far superior movie, even though that one is neo-noir.

A+ The highpoint of the careers of many talents. Dunaway, Polanski, Towne, Nicholson.

One reason modern audiences might not relate to it so much is that we've had it drilled into our heads for 20 years that Auteurs and visionaries are the cause of good movie art. But really movies are a collaborative medium and nothing makes me happier about movies than seeing diverse talents come together and mesh well and turn out a well crafted work.

Who the hell gave a F?

1974, what a year for movies, and this is the best one for me. A.

One of those movies that really deserves the phrase 'classic'. It was fun watching Jack Nicholson and Faye Dunaway in their prime, esp. Dunaway who I've never seen in much of anything. I can see why she was one of the 70's biggest actresses.

Everyone should check this out. While comparisons to L.A. Confidential will be inevitable, I think this is the better movie. My grade: A.

Completely amazing. A

in the yop 20of all time (A+)

edit

A+, just saw this today for the first time and it will be making my all-time top 20. The only problem I have is the overt racism aganst the Chinese, but that just makes Nicholson's character feel more human.

I had an interesting reaction to Chinatown actually, seeing it for the first time in a couple years and with much more tuned in filmglasses.

On one hand, it really is a spectacular exercise in filmmaking. In terms of direction, the long shots, angles, framing of the characters, lighting and shadows... Polanski is simply godly here. If I was looking at this through makeshift goggles, it's an A+ by a mile. The acting is extremely strong, Nicholson, Dunaway, Huston are all at the absolute top of anything they've ever done. The screenplay is very good, though I can't say I agree with half the critics out there calling it one of the, if not the best ever. It didn't strike me THAT strongly. In any case, it's a superb piece of work execution-wise.

But I'm not sure if I liked it more than that, or particularily liked watching it all that much. The plot has gained props for showing a side of corruption and broken morality, however maybe this is just because of my generation, even with the twist it doesn't strike me as something I can't read in most detective novels or see in other films. The good guy bad guy divide is fairly black and white, as monstrous as Huston's performance was, his character didn't amount to much. Finally, the film is a bit slow and too low-key. I normally don't criticize a movie for taking its time, but things are drawn out, conversations go on too long, the movie doesn't build any suspense in its plot and twists.

Gittes is maybe the most interesting part of the film, as a man darkened by seeing things he shouldn't have and now more careful, but the movie doesn't embelish itself enough in that. Nicholson has a lot to do with this, and in particular his expression after that final scene really sells his character.

I think it's a movie I can appreciate for well put-together it is, it's a noir film done well and done extremely classy. I can't say it's in my heart any more than that, though.

B+/B

wtf does that even mean?

Also, was your original post in this thread just a grade, or did it also have a review? did you edit it just because your opinion has changed?

That ending.... depressing as all hell.

***1/2

Yeah my grade had changed, that review was from like Oct. 2005. I had an A grade and a one line review, pretty much just said "Really fun".

Anyways I removed it because two grades back to back like that would just look awkward, and yeah, I'd like this grade and review to stick.

As for makeshift goggles... If I judged it wholely in terms of the direction and how its made, which is... mostly how he reacts to film(not that there's anything wrong with that, just a different way to take the medium in, and he admits all this), it's A+. Polanski owns the camera here. But the movie didn't quite connect with me past that.

I find it very hard to believe that makeshift judges films based on how well they're made, but if he agrees, ok. I do agree that it's pretty much perfectly directed.

Am I the only person who doesn't get the A+/A, A-/B+, B+/B, etc. rating system? Isn't it either an B+ or a B? How can it be both? Or is it just a way of giving a movie a grade between a B+ and a B?

Yes.

I recently watched this for the first time in a while, and I was blown away by it. I don't think I ever realized how terrific it is. In fact, I'd place it behind only L.A. Confidential as far as neo-noirs go. The story is typical of the genre, but the way that it is homaging the classic films of its type as well (from little stuff like the comment about the Venetian blinds to the casting of John Huston) is ingenious. And the way that they weave real history into it as well makes the story that much more intriguing. The mystery is layered and involving and realistic, and the dialogue is fresh and witty without seeming too stylized. It's impeccably directed and there are great performances from everyone involved, plus there's another great Goldsmith score to back everything up. Simply one of the greatest noirs ever put on screen.

It really earned its title as the second most respected [after Citizen Kane] film to not win Best Picture. Polanski added so much brilliance to an already-fantastic script, and Nicholson gave such a spectacular un-Nicholson performance. Not to mention the ending, which was SO different from what people expected out of Hollywood film endings back in the '70s. I really wish they had released this in 1973 instead of 1974, so it wouldn't have had to face Godfather Part II at the Oscars.

A+
(#13 all-time)

The ending was wacked, however after watching so many gritty 1970's films, it was nothing to unusual.

Anyways great epic film that has a great story.

However, I was just waiting for the guy to say "forget it jake, its chinatown", so I did get bored in some parts.

A-