Review of Chinatown (1974) by Sergio B — 26 Nov 2011
The genius of CHINATOWN - aside from its classic script, classic direction, and classic acting - is its updating of the cynical film noir genre for a disillusioned time. The criminal gets away this time, and the innocent die.
Jake Gittes is an idealist attempting to take on something he has no business dealing with, and his final failure when he returns to Chinatown has the elements of great tragedy. This was the film that created the neo-noir, adopting the shadows and doom and bringing it from the artifice of Hollywood-land to the messiness and grit of the "real world".
The end result is unforgettable.
This review of Chinatown (1974) was written by Sergio B on 26 Nov 2011.
Chinatown has generally received very positive reviews.
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