So in prep for LA Noire, James informed me that I should watch Chinatown. Realizing that I had never actually seen the entire film, I was quick to oblige. This is a classic film that really deserves to been seen by anyone claiming to be a fan of movies, myself included.
Chinatown is set in the 1930’s LA (not unlike LA Noire) and revolves around a woman trying to see if her husband is having an affair, and who with. Turns out that the woman that hired Jake wasn’t actually who she claimed she was. Now the man he was hired to tail turns up dead. Evelyn Mulwray (Faye Dunaway) hires Jake Gittes (Jack Nicholson) to try and help figure out what is going on, and who murdered her husband. That is only truly the surface of the myriad of issues that face Jake and doesn’t touch the questions that he uncovers in his investigation.
Chinatown was filmed in 1974 and directed by Roman Polanski (pre-legal issues). With stars like Jack Nicholson and Faye Dunaway headlining your movie, it’s hard not to make a gem. Polanski nailed the neo-noir feel of mid-to-late 30’s LA and feel of the time period in general. It’s a wonderful film from start to finish. Much like other story-driven movies around the same time the characters, story, and the setting are the real stars here. No flashy special effects. No high-speed car chases. No bloody shoot-outs (save one, I guess). It’s all about the crime, detective work, and the resolution. Wonderful film.
As far as watching this to prepare myself for my impending play through of LA Noire, it couldn’t have done better. Though not a true “detective” anymore Jake is a PI and relies on his wit and his gut to get him through investigating the goings on.
Nominated for eleven academy awards and seven golden globes of which it won one and four respectively. Chinatown is also listed in a number of categories of AFI’s Top 100 lists, including but not limited to; Top 100 Movies, Top 100 Thrills, and Top 100 Film Scores. The screenplay itself has been said by many to be the best ever written.
I have yet to see the sequel that was made called “Two Jakes” that came out in the ’90s. This was apparently the second in a purposed trilogy about Jake Gittes, based in the 1940s about oil. The third was to have been about land but due to the lack of enthusiasm for the “Two Jakes,” it was never made.
Critically, Chinatown is/was a sure thing. Having never seen it in its entirety myself, I was enthralled in the plot and exposition. Even going into it knowing the basic plot and how it would turn out, I still found myself wrapped up in the story. It was the video equivalent of a book you can’t put down. I just couldn’t stop watching. If you have never seen the film before, I can honestly say this is one not to pass up.
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