Publication
Hollywood, CA : Paramount, c1999.
Original publication date
1974-06-20 (U.S. Theatrical Rel.)
2007-11-06 (DVD Rel.)
Collections
Subjects
Awards
Academy Award (Nominee — Best Original Screenplay — 1974)
Golden Globe Award (Winner — 1975)
Writers Guild of America Award (Winner — 1975)
National Film Registry (1991)
AFI's 10 Top 10 (Mystery — 2)
Description
Private eye Jake Gittes, living off the murky moral climate of sunbaked, pre-war Southern California is hired by a beautiful socialite to investigate her husband's extra-marital affair. Gittes is swept into a maelstrom of double dealings and deadly deceits, uncovering a web of personal and political scandals that come crashing together for one, unforgettable night in Chinatown.
User reviews
LibraryThing member comfypants
A private detective gets involved in a conspiracy involving L.A.'s water supply.
Maybe I just didn't understand what they were trying to do? But they go to such great lengths in the first half of the movie to establish a very clear tone and style (that of 1940's Hollywood mystery), only to
Concept: B
Story: D
Characters: C
Dialog: B
Pacing: D
Cinematography: B
Special effects/design: A
Acting: B
Music: D
Enjoyment: C
GPA: 2.3/4
Maybe I just didn't understand what they were trying to do? But they go to such great lengths in the first half of the movie to establish a very clear tone and style (that of 1940's Hollywood mystery), only to
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completely abandon it later, it's not surprising that I didn't get what I expected out of it. In the end it's cynical and bitter beyond the level any classic noir would get anywhere near, and I have to kind of hate that. Why you got to be so grumpy, Polanski? I know you're a bad person and all, but why you got to pretend everyone else sucks as much as you do?Concept: B
Story: D
Characters: C
Dialog: B
Pacing: D
Cinematography: B
Special effects/design: A
Acting: B
Music: D
Enjoyment: C
GPA: 2.3/4
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Language
Original language
English
ISBN
0792156447 / 9780792156444
UPC
097361551678