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Chinatown (1974) Watch Along (Patreon)

Published:
2024-05-22 16:00:11
Edited:
2024-05-22 16:07:08
Imported:
2026-06
Tags:

Content

#21 on the AFI list!

I really liked this movie. It is a cinematic masterpiece for many aspects - story, direction, tone, and acting—all woven into a captivating narrative. This period piece dazzles with its meticulous attention to detail with perfect costumes, hair, and makeup, while brilliantly reimagining noir in vibrant color. It was done quiet well and I loved seeing it colourized. It stands out to me as one of the finest films, skillfully intertwining societal issues with compelling moral conflicts, and and interesting exploration of human complexity and corruption. The lead actors are outstanding in this, although hard to watch the violence at times, I felt the performances where extremely captivating.

I am excited to chat with you all about this. I wish I could speak more elequently after a reaction, but it’s the raw feelings that come up straight after viewing that brew inside us to be really interesting imho.

Thanks so much for being here!

Xx

ames

Files

Chinatown Watch Along

Comments

Shawn Goforth

My personal Chinatown story: In 2009, Chinatown was featured at the AFI Film Festival in Dallas. I got tickets, because following the screening, the writer, Robert Towne, was being interviewed by Time film critic Richard Schickel, followed by a Q & A. Robert Towne is considered to be one of the few writers with auteur status on par with directors of the time (think Scorsese, Coppola, Spielberg, Lucas, De Palma, Scott, Cameron, Nichols, Friedkin, Altman, etc.). My girlfriend and I take our seats, and Towne and Schickel file into the theatre, as the lights are being lowered, and sit right next to us on the end of the aisle. As the opening credits roll, we hear "Uh oh!" They lean in, whisper something to each other, and a few moments later get up and leave. My gf leans over and says, "He said the print looks terrible, and they're going to the bar. You wanna go?" We had both seen it before, so I said, "Sure." We find them seated at the corner of the bar, and there are still stools on the adjacent side, so we slide in. I buy them the first round. They thanked us, but then picked up the second round. We chatted until it was almost time for them to go back in for the interview/Q&A segment. During the Q&A, I take the mic and tell Robert that I had noticed that the character of Katharine had the same name as his daughter (born 1978). I had read in a book that she had been named after the character and asked if that was really true (It seemed like an erroneous statement to me when I read it). He thought about it for a moment, said "As it happens, she does have the same name, but god no. I hadn't really thought about that." He pauses, then says, "God damn it, Shawn, now that's going to be in my head the rest of the night. You owe me another drink!"

Toc

First! About to start! I remember the first time I saw this, just the Paramount logo and the music, it gave me goosebumps and I actually stopped the movie, rewound it and started it again, just to get into the credits. It still does every time I see it! I get real excited just to start the movie and that's where I'm at now. Well, here we go! See you on the other side, buddies!

Toc

I'm going to really try and not write so many comments, but just in your intro: choosing between Rear Window and Chinatown is a Sophie's Choice. For practically all of us! (Rear Window and Sophie's Choice would be a Sophie's Choice for me too! lol). I'm quite happy to simply let YOU be the tie-breaker. (or me! Whatever I can do to help, Ames! 😄)

Jeffrey Schmidbauer

This movie has another director cameo. The director of "Chinatown", Roman Polanski, plays the hoodlum who slits Jake Gittes' nose.

AJ

Just watched the trailer and pumped for this. First memory of Jack is as Joker and then obsessed with The Shining in my 20s. Can't believe I went to USC and haven't seen this classic LA movie yet.

RFK Fan

This screenplay is considered the gold standard and the Bible to aspiring screenwriters. Author Syd Fields uses CHINATOWN to teach the fundamentals of setting up the first, second and third acts. When you put a screenplay this good in the hands of a master director like Roman Polanski good things will happen..

Toc

Best reaction to Chinatown ever. Holy smokes. Your post-movie commentary is INCREDIBLE. They should put this reaction on the DVD! You got it from beginning to end!!! And this is just the first time! The first time we just learn the mystery! From now on, you can just sit back and enjoy the acting!!!!! You are going to notice so much more in Faye's performance!!! Hey: if you think Faye is strong in this......wait until you Network and Bonnie And Clyde! (And Mommie Dearest and Barfly!). Feel free to change my pick to Network or Bonnie And Clyde if you want!!!! And you get Jack now! THIS is Jack NIcholson!!!! Wait till you see what he did the next year: One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest!

Catchermag

Faye Dunaway is a great actress. Bonnie and Clyde came out before this, in 1967. She’s a stunner. That movie and Network are essential viewing, as is Minnie Dearest if you want to watch her devour the screen playing the actress Joan Crawford. It’s juicy stuff.

Hold Down A

OMG THIS IS BAD I still haven’t looked him Up 🥶🥶🥶🥶

Catchermag

I removed my post. Clearly muddied the point of the watch along and that’s my fault. I shoulda stuck to the script.

Hold Down A

Appreciate ur comments.. what is happening with deleted posts is patreon being crazy ?

JM63

Was so much fun to revisit this classic film with you! (It's been a LONG time since my last watch) This is one of the few films that actually makes me feel like I've been transported in time. Most period pieces get cute and hard-sell you with details screaming "Wow, this really is the year ___". Chinatown does none of that, but through its perfect production details that you mentioned (hair, makeup, clothes, sets, cars) I started to feel like the period on the screen was the real setting of **my** world. Amazing!

JM63

For a tiebreaker, maybe you could try the RottenTomatoes audience score (if the critics' score is the same). If the critics' and audience scores are the same, might as well just do a coinflip.

AJ

Thoughts after first time watching...The story was great. The mom/sister revelation is wow. Jack was off the charts. Chemistry with Dunaway was great and they were on fire in the scene on the bed after sex. Shout out to Curly - Burt Young RIP - was Paulie in the Rocky movies. Exceptional at the details of the 30s from the 70s. Similar to how Dazed captured the 70s from the 90s (not comparing the movies). Definitely LA landscape...the small houses, Ida Sessions apartment building is classic LA...and quick shot of Catalina Island when he goes to meet Cross. Random Artax shout out from ames at the white horse! How do you like them apples...who knew? Overall really enjoyed and I usually have a hard time with pre-1980 movies.

Hold Down A
>>138764268

Artex on my brain cause I just watched TNES 😅😅😅 great insights! I felt like maybe I watched this in UHD? I dunno but I felt the picture was so Crisp!!!!

AJ

Oh...and they're still fighting over water in LA 100 years later. 20 million+ people from LA to SD and it really is a desert with no water source for hundreds of miles.

Tic Toc Melody
>>138764536

I didn't even think of that, all the water problems they still are having there! PS: All those orange groves and desert and the land they're trying to grab....that's what's known as the Valley now, right? As in...."Valley Girl", and malls in the 80s and the famous smog and all that?

daron85

You've probably figured this out by now if you look at film trivia and things like that and since you're watching films on the AFI 100 greatest films list, but "Forget it, Jake. It's Chinatown" is actually one of the AFI 100 greatest movie quotes.