Jake Gittes (Nicholson) is a slick private detective in 1930’s Los Angeles. One day, a woman named Evelyn Mulwray (Diane Ladd) comes to his office and hires Jake to spy on her husband Hollis Mulwray whom she believes is having an affair. Initially, Jake hesitates to take the case, explaining she’s better off not knowing. However, Mulwray is insistent and Jake agrees to take the case. Following Mulwray around for several days, Jake discovers he is chief engineer of the Los Angeles water department. There’s a major drought in the city and Mulwray is at the center of a heated debate over an expensive dam project. Nonetheless, Gittes does his job, with his investigation revealing Mulwray’s paramour. But when Hollis Mulwray turns up dead the next day, and a different woman turns up at his office claiming to be the real Evelyn Mulwray (Faye Dunaway), Gittes realizes he’s entangled in a murderous plot.
As Gittes retraces his steps in an effort to uncover the plot, he develops a relationship with the real Evelyn. Smart and good looking, Evelyn has a strange detachment to all the goings-on that intrigues Jake. He decides assist in finding the other woman who was seeing her husband. Jake’s biggest obstacle is that everyone, including Evelyn, seems allergic to the truth. The closer Jake comes to uncovering the truth, the more dangerous things get. When Jake meets Evelyn’s charming, yet sinister father Noah Cross (John Huston) the old man hints at past acts too horrible to ponder. One thing is perfectly clear: Noah Cross who serves Jake a fish with the head still on for lunch, is not a man you want as your enemy.
It seems that Cross, owner of the water company, is planning a scheme to dry up the San Fernando Valley by diverting water away from it, then buy up the land cheaply, and then re-divert the water back to the valley so the property becomes fertile and prices go through the roof. Unfortunately for Hollis Mulwray, he’d figured out the scam and ended up dead. Now, Jake has uncovered the plan too. But the detective still has questions: How does the secretive Evelyn fit into the whole thing? Just who is Mulwray’s mistress?
While there are a few surprises, one that may actually shock first time viewers, the main reason Chinatown succeeds is the originality of its premise. Avoiding any of the long established film noir clichés, viewers are treated one twist after another, right up to the shocking ending that’s like no other, before or since. Chinatown is a film where nothing is as simple as it seems. As is the case with many Roman Polanski films, you have to pay close attention as the various layers of the story are peeled back, each layer more intriguing than the last.
Paramount’s 2.35:1, 1080p transfer is a very solid one. The Technicolor is undeniably vibrant, though faces do look a bit sunburned at times. Definition looks fine for a film released in 1974, but it’s nothing spectacular. A slight grain gives the proceedings a nice filmic texture.
The Dolby TrueHD 5.1 soundtrack does a nice job. Dialogue, effects, and music come across clean and clear throughout. Fronts are well involved in the presentation, offering a nice musical bloom to Jerry Goldsmith’s musical score. However, you’ll find there is very little true surround activity throughout the presentation.
The disc includes English, French, Spanish, and Portuguese subtitles.
While most of the special features were previously released, there is a new audio commentary. A six page booklet is also included in the case.
- Audio Commentary: Screenwriter Robert Towne and Filmmaker David Fincher discuss various aspects of the film, include the opening titles, their first viewing of the movie, the cast, character development, Polanski’s work on the film, set decoration and shooting locales, the importance of wardrobe in shape the characters, the details of the story and themes, research for the script, and more. A must-listen for fans.
- Water and Power (480p, 1:17:50): A three-part feature broken down into The Aqueduct, The Aftermath, and The River & Beyond. Chinatown Screenwriter Robert Towne visits the L.A. Aqueduct for a detailed look at its purpose, history, how it works, the role of the aqueduct in the film, the film’s importance in L.A. period history, the area today, politics, the environmental impact, waste, water conservation, and more.
- Chinatown: An Appreciation (480p, 26:15): Steven Soderbergh, Kimberly Pierce, Roger Deakins, and James Newton Howard give their thoughts on the film.
- Chinatown: The Beginning and the End (480p, 19:28): Roman Polanski, Jack Nicholson, Robert Towne, and Producer Robert Evans discuss the origins of the story, the planned trilogy, the history that shaped the story, the writing the script, getting the movie off the ground, disagreements between the crew, changes to the ending, and more.
- Chinatown: Filming (480p, 25:45): Discussions include shooting in both studios and on-location, filmmaking techniques and visual style, Gittes’ name, Nicholson’s performance, Polanski’s small part in the film, anecdotes from the set, and more.
- Chinatown: The Legacy (480p, 9:37): Polanski, Nicholson, Evans, and Towne share their thoughts on Goldsmith’s score and the picture’s release, success, nominations, and lasting impact.
- Chinatown Theatrical Trailer (1080p, 3:20).
