The Movie
Much of the power of a movie like Chinatown lies in its ability to educate viewers about a topic they might know little or nothing about--in this case the development of modern Los Angeles--a more difficult task in today's era of 24-hour documentary channels and, of course, the internet. But it is also one of the best mysteries to ever grace the big screen, as 1930s private investigator J.J. Gittes (Jack Nicholson) takes yet another job to get the goods on a cheating husband, or so he thinks.
Almost immediately he begins stripping away layer upon layer of deceit, butting against tough customers who will beat up, maim or simply kill anyone who gets in the way. But eventually Gittes uncovers a much bigger truth about the city's Department of Water and Power, and an ugly family secret.
Screenwriter Robert Towne deftly utilizes every tool in his kit to weave this original, entertaining tale, filled with wit, compelling characters and a fascinating chapter of L.A. history.
The Picture
As with To Catch a Thief , also from Paramount, a new transfer is not mentioned in the packaging but the 2.35:1 presentation here is clearly recent and quite strong. Beautifully photographed with lots of warm, inviting colors, the image displays an exquisite clarity down to the texture of the lovely period costumes. We can even read along in the many newspapers and such, as text is extremely crisp. Some video noise and film grain intrude, and the blacks can be a little severe, but overall this one is a pleasant step up to HD.
The Sound
Composed in only nine days, Jerry Goldsmith's brassy musical score is beautiful and engaging, if a little thin in some of the high strings. Remixed for 5.1 channels and offered here in high resolution Dolby TrueHD, the track displays an enjoyable, enveloping spread around the home theater, with tweeting birds and little incidental effects but without ever showing off. A few jarring gunshots hit hard. The restored original mono is also available in a Dolby TrueHD 2.0 configuration, a classy touch.
The Extras
All of the bonus features are ported from the 2009 "Centennial Collection" DVD, including those created for the 2007 "Special Collector's Edition" DVD. The audio commentary is by Robert Towne, joined by Social Network director David Fincher: two incredible talents jovially discussing one of the great films of the '70s, from insider and admirer perspectives.
The three-part Water and Power is an intriguing documentary about the environmental impact of L.A.'s ongoing demands for water (78 minutes total). And four featurettes ranging from about ten to 26 minutes take us in-depth on the movie, built around on-camera interviews from all of the key figures: Nicholson, Towne, director Roman Polanski and producer Robert Evans. All of these extras are in SD.
Final Thoughts
A movie so well-crafted and intelligent that it is used extensively in film schools, Chinatown (the word comes to represent the futility of good intentions) is highly recommended viewing, even more so on such a handsome Blu-ray.
Product Details
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