Review of Chinatown (1974) by The Phantom C — 18 Jan 2013

Inspired in style and composition by the lush charm of the classic film noirs. Polanski seems in perfect control of every artistic aspect of the film, showing great craftsmanship from the sinisterly elegant cinematography to the handling of the deep dark and personal themes dealt with by Robert Towne, responsible for one of the most perfect scripts ever brought to the big screen, a private detective story that unravels from the disappearance of a man to a strange personal involvement that leads to a tragic and memorable finale.

Jack Nicholson and Faye Dunaway, with their compelling performances, have become a symbol of a sexually charged revisionist type of cinema.