The ending to Chinatown has been parodied so many times over the years it may be impossible for someone seeing it for the first time now to appreciate the impact this film had on audiences of 32 years ago.
Among other things, the film ushered in a new respect for classic film noir amongst cineastes in this country (the genre was always popular in Europe) that has lasted to this day.
Dunaway's performance is in my estimation her best, but, yes, Polanski's direction, superb as it was, was somewhat emotionally distant as is typical of the director. You can say the same thing about Knife in the Water, Replusion, Rosemary's Baby, Tess and especially The Tenant. Even his recent version of Oliver Twist threw out Dickens' classic sentimental ending in which Oliver's benefactor turns out to be his grandfather.
Chinatown
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OscarGuy
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Well, I caught this film and I'm really teetering on the edge of giving it only *** 1/2. I know I'm about to hear some flack on this, but there are two major reasons for this:
I thought Faye Dunaway had some great scenes, but she also had some very bad, almost cheesy scenes. I didn't get Nicholson's love for her and even in the closing shots when he's staring in shock that she's been shot, I didn't really feel any pangs of remorse. Much of this, I can blame on Polanski I think. I had the same emotional engagement issues with The Pianist, so I'm beginning to think it's his style.
I think the movie, otherwise, is quite brilliant and hence the hesitance for giving it a lowered rating. The style is so much like the classic detective film noirs that I really felt transported. I thought the plotting was interesting and I never thought a film about damming up reserve water could be so involving.
But, I'm still thinking on it despite having watched it middle of last week. I just kinda wanted to get thoughts from others on it, maybe someone else has a perspective that I've missed that can elevate the film for me...I'm not often on the fence about movies, I can generally give them pretty solid opinions, and I have to an extent, but I want so much more to like the movie than, perhaps because of Dunaway, I do. Nicholson is great except for that last scene...
I thought Faye Dunaway had some great scenes, but she also had some very bad, almost cheesy scenes. I didn't get Nicholson's love for her and even in the closing shots when he's staring in shock that she's been shot, I didn't really feel any pangs of remorse. Much of this, I can blame on Polanski I think. I had the same emotional engagement issues with The Pianist, so I'm beginning to think it's his style.
I think the movie, otherwise, is quite brilliant and hence the hesitance for giving it a lowered rating. The style is so much like the classic detective film noirs that I really felt transported. I thought the plotting was interesting and I never thought a film about damming up reserve water could be so involving.
But, I'm still thinking on it despite having watched it middle of last week. I just kinda wanted to get thoughts from others on it, maybe someone else has a perspective that I've missed that can elevate the film for me...I'm not often on the fence about movies, I can generally give them pretty solid opinions, and I have to an extent, but I want so much more to like the movie than, perhaps because of Dunaway, I do. Nicholson is great except for that last scene...
Wesley Lovell
"Any society that would give up a little liberty to gain a little security will deserve neither and lose both." - Benjamin Franklin
"Any society that would give up a little liberty to gain a little security will deserve neither and lose both." - Benjamin Franklin