Chinatown List Price: $12.98 Our Price: $4.99 Your Save: $ 7.99 ( 62% ) Availability: Manufacturer: Paramount Starring: Richard Bakalyan, Faye Dunaway, Jerry Fujikawa, Bruce Glover, John Hillerman Average Customer Rating: Aspect Ratio: 2.35:1 Audience Rating: R (Restricted) Binding: DVD EAN: 9780792159575 Format: Anamorphic ISBN: 0792159578 Label: Paramount Number Of Items: 1 Publisher: Paramount Region Code: 1 Release Date: 1999-11-23 Running Time: 131 Studio: Paramount Theatrical Release Date: 1974-06-20 Related Items One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest Sunset Boulevard - The Centennial Collection The Two Jakes (Special Collector's Edition) Citizen Kane (Two-Disc Special Edition) L.A. Confidential Spotlight customer reviews: Customer Rating: Summary: CRISP, CRACKLING, AND DARK Comment: CHINATOWN is, to state the obvious, one of the great Hollywood classics, featuring fabulous dialogue, a sensational story, incredible acting from Jack Nicholson and Faye Dunaway ( at the top of their game ), and stiletto-sharp direction from Roman Polanski. This is the kind of dark, steamy, pot-boiler that defined noir, and very few films have ever done it as well- and none better. This is an excellent product with great sound, and a sharp transfer. There are also plenty of extras. An absolute must for Nicholson, or noir fans. Customer Rating: Summary: Can there be anything more noir than that? Comment: This film is a masterpiece because it is nothing but what we expect and we expect something different at every single moment of it, so that we are disappointed and surprised and held breathless every fifteen minutes when one of our expectations goes down the chute. At first we think it is one more private eye's business or investigation in some kind of affair with some married man. But it does not fit at all with the professional dedication of the suspected unfaithful man. He is obviously looking for something fishy in the water supply of Los Angeles he is responsible for. But then he does meet with a girl, doesn't he after all. And yet there is something fishy in that water supply. So it might be a big embezzlement case. Let Los Angeles pay for the water they will never get and then let Los Angeles get to the water where it will be, and let them pay again. The point is it does not explain everything, and especially why the thieving contractor is so keen on getting the hooker his son in law was seeing. Too keen to be honest. Is she a hooker after all? And we go on doubting, hoping, being disappointed and never getting to the truth of the business. Who the killer really is? Who the police really work for? Who the police tries to protect and cover? Why do the police do that unprofessional act? There is just no good enough answer, and even at the end, when the tycoon contracting embezzler gets the last word we know we are off the point and losing all footing in too deep water. That's probably the best part of this film. You just have to accept the situation the way it is and do nothing just because some people are big enough, rich enough or powerful enough to do exactly what they want and everyone else has only one choice, die or say yes-sir-mister-master-sir-boss. Even killing his own child is not a no-go option for such a greedy person. Remember, change we can, but change these tycoons cannot. So better change them than expect them to change. Why not send them on a perpetual vacation in some desert island that has absolutely no connection with the outside world, But dummy, that's just the point, such a place does not exist. So better put them to death, put them to sleep or deep freeze them if you don't want to deep fry them, which stinks a little bit. But any other way will let them go on with their shaggy and dirty business. But gosh it reaps a lot of profit in. Look at Madoff. Dr Jacques COULARDEAU, University Paris Dauphine, University Paris 1 Pantheon Sorbonne & University Versailles Saint Quentin en Yvelines Customer Rating: Summary: Great Noir But Too Bad About the DVD! Comment: "Chinatown" represents an updating of the great noir films of the past such as "Double Indemnity" and especially of "Maltese Falcon" which happens to be together with "Sunset Boulevard" my favourite representatives of the genre although "Chinatown" more closely resembles the "Maltese Falcon". Nicholson parallels Bogart here and Dunaway does Astor and ironically John Huston, the director of the "Maltese Falcon" has an acting role here. "Chinatown" does a great job in bringing the noir genre into the colour-age and does so very well by incorporating the best of the old black and white films into the more modern film making elements of the time. This film has gone on to influence even more modern films like "The Black Dahlia" and "L.A. Confidential" and its theme of corrupt police and their evil rich backers who get away with anything with an excellent plot and great acting by Dunaway, Huston and Nicholson make this a great film to watch. The only problem is with the very poor picture quality which really should have been restored although they did a pretty good job with the sound quality which has been a Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround option. The picture quality have a number of imperfections such as white spots and barely reaches VHS quality. As Roman Polanski is still alive the last I checked, they really should try and do a Director's Cut version with restored and remastered picture and sound quality before it's too late. I'd recommend giving this dvd version of the movie a miss at least until they come up with a much better restored version preferably together with a Director's Cut either on standard or Blu-ray formats. Customer Rating: Summary: Chinatown Comment: Chinatown is a unique film in many ways and is considered a classic. It is generally deemed to be a film noir but i have to admit I had a little trouble seeing it. Many of the plot elements fit the film noir genre but visually it was a little harder for me to see. I enjoyed watching the film but the ending changed my opinion a bit. First of all, the plot and dialogue was very intelligent and I really like that about it. I'm not surprised that script won an academy award; it certainly deserved it. The casting was also very good. Nicholson and Dunaway had a unusual but strong chemistry and the supported cast helped build a believable world around them. Again, as far as considering it a film noir, much of the film didnt feel like one. It had the fairly typical detective plot but so much of the film was shot in bright, outdoor scenes. My major problem with the film was the ending. In a largely objective way, it was okay. I did fit certain themes of the film and brought an odd sort of closure to the plot. But personally, it was too disappointing for me. I just have trouble enjoying a story that ends too negatively. In the end, i think Chinatown was a very intelligent movie that kept my attention but i cant say that i want to watch it many more times. Customer Rating: Summary: Chinatown Comment: What a great movie - and such good acting. Jack Nicolson and Faye Dunaway are superb in this movie. Editorial Reviews: Customer Rating: Summary: CRISP, CRACKLING, AND DARK Comment: CHINATOWN is, to state the obvious, one of the great Hollywood classics, featuring fabulous dialogue, a sensational story, incredible acting from Jack Nicholson and Faye Dunaway ( at the top of their game ), and stiletto-sharp direction from Roman Polanski. This is the kind of dark, steamy, pot-boiler that defined noir, and very few films have ever done it as well- and none better. This is an excellent product with great sound, and a sharp transfer. There are also plenty of extras. An absolute must for Nicholson, or noir fans. Customer Rating: Summary: Can there be anything more noir than that? Comment: This film is a masterpiece because it is nothing but what we expect and we expect something different at every single moment of it, so that we are disappointed and surprised and held breathless every fifteen minutes when one of our expectations goes down the chute. At first we think it is one more private eye's business or investigation in some kind of affair with some married man. But it does not fit at all with the professional dedication of the suspected unfaithful man. He is obviously looking for something fishy in the water supply of Los Angeles he is responsible for. But then he does meet with a girl, doesn't he after all. And yet there is something fishy in that water supply. So it might be a big embezzlement case. Let Los Angeles pay for the water they will never get and then let Los Angeles get to the water where it will be, and let them pay again. The point is it does not explain everything, and especially why the thieving contractor is so keen on getting the hooker his son in law was seeing. Too keen to be honest. Is she a hooker after all? And we go on doubting, hoping, being disappointed and never getting to the truth of the business. Who the killer really is? Who the police really work for? Who the police tries to protect and cover? Why do the police do that unprofessional act? There is just no good enough answer, and even at the end, when the tycoon contracting embezzler gets the last word we know we are off the point and losing all footing in too deep water. That's probably the best part of this film. You just have to accept the situation the way it is and do nothing just because some people are big enough, rich enough or powerful enough to do exactly what they want and everyone else has only one choice, die or say yes-sir-mister-master-sir-boss. Even killing his own child is not a no-go option for such a greedy person. Remember, change we can, but change these tycoons cannot. So better change them than expect them to change. Why not send them on a perpetual vacation in some desert island that has absolutely no connection with the outside world, But dummy, that's just the point, such a place does not exist. So better put them to death, put them to sleep or deep freeze them if you don't want to deep fry them, which stinks a little bit. But any other way will let them go on with their shaggy and dirty business. But gosh it reaps a lot of profit in. Look at Madoff. Dr Jacques COULARDEAU, University Paris Dauphine, University Paris 1 Pantheon Sorbonne & University Versailles Saint Quentin en Yvelines Customer Rating: Summary: Great Noir But Too Bad About the DVD! Comment: "Chinatown" represents an updating of the great noir films of the past such as "Double Indemnity" and especially of "Maltese Falcon" which happens to be together with "Sunset Boulevard" my favourite representatives of the genre although "Chinatown" more closely resembles the "Maltese Falcon". Nicholson parallels Bogart here and Dunaway does Astor and ironically John Huston, the director of the "Maltese Falcon" has an acting role here. "Chinatown" does a great job in bringing the noir genre into the colour-age and does so very well by incorporating the best of the old black and white films into the more modern film making elements of the time. This film has gone on to influence even more modern films like "The Black Dahlia" and "L.A. Confidential" and its theme of corrupt police and their evil rich backers who get away with anything with an excellent plot and great acting by Dunaway, Huston and Nicholson make this a great film to watch. The only problem is with the very poor picture quality which really should have been restored although they did a pretty good job with the sound quality which has been a Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround option. The picture quality have a number of imperfections such as white spots and barely reaches VHS quality. As Roman Polanski is still alive the last I checked, they really should try and do a Director's Cut version with restored and remastered picture and sound quality before it's too late. I'd recommend giving this dvd version of the movie a miss at least until they come up with a much better restored version preferably together with a Director's Cut either on standard or Blu-ray formats. Customer Rating: Summary: Chinatown Comment: Chinatown is a unique film in many ways and is considered a classic. It is generally deemed to be a film noir but i have to admit I had a little trouble seeing it. Many of the plot elements fit the film noir genre but visually it was a little harder for me to see. I enjoyed watching the film but the ending changed my opinion a bit. First of all, the plot and dialogue was very intelligent and I really like that about it. I'm not surprised that script won an academy award; it certainly deserved it. The casting was also very good. Nicholson and Dunaway had a unusual but strong chemistry and the supported cast helped build a believable world around them. Again, as far as considering it a film noir, much of the film didnt feel like one. It had the fairly typical detective plot but so much of the film was shot in bright, outdoor scenes. My major problem with the film was the ending. In a largely objective way, it was okay. I did fit certain themes of the film and brought an odd sort of closure to the plot. But personally, it was too disappointing for me. I just have trouble enjoying a story that ends too negatively. In the end, i think Chinatown was a very intelligent movie that kept my attention but i cant say that i want to watch it many more times. Customer Rating: Summary: Chinatown Comment: What a great movie - and such good acting. Jack Nicolson and Faye Dunaway are superb in this movie. Roman Polanski's brooding film noir exposes the darkest side of the land of sunshine, the Los Angeles of the 1930s, where power is the only currency--and the only real thing worth buying. Jack Nicholson is J.J. Gittes, a private eye in the Chandler mold, who during a routine straying-spouse investigation finds himself drawn deeper and deeper into a jigsaw puzzle of clues and corruption. The glamorous Evelyn Mulwray (a dazzling Faye Dunaway) and her titanic father, Noah Cross (John Huston), are at the black-hole center of this tale of treachery, incest, and political bribery. The crackling, hard-bitten script by Robert Towne won a well-deserved Oscar, and the muted color cinematography makes the goings-on seem both bleak and impossibly vibrant. Polanski himself has a brief, memorable cameo as the thug who tangles with Nicholson's nose. One of the greatest, most completely satisfying crime films of all time. --Anne Hurley Ask about this healthcare product "Chinatown" in the forum Give review on this healthcare product "Chinatown" in the forum Search related information in the forum