Why Chinatown Matters | Paramount Presents 4K Review | The Two Jakes

CHINATOWN is not only a seminal neo-noir masterpiece, it's also a snapshot of Hollywood filmmaking right before the birth of the modern blockbuster. In this review, we'll discuss the impact and legacy of the film and how it fares on 4K as part of the Paramount Presents line.
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[@stevemoody13]

I love this movie and ordered the 4k the day I heard it was coming. Now I think I need to grab that book, as well. Thanks for an awesome look at what I'm getting.

[@antoniobronx4955]

I saw Chinatown in 1974 when I was in college in upstate New York at a small local theater. When the lights came up at the end of the film, I said to myself “0hh- I’m at a movie”. I had been obsessed with movies since I was a kid but this was the first time that I was so immersed in a film that I completely forgot about my surroundings or analyzing the movie in my mind but was totally swept up in the experience. Thanks Paramount for finally releasing on 4K and thank you for a great review and discussion of the importance of the film. I appreciate your recommendation of the Wasson book as well- I immediately borrowed it on my Libby app. Great video!

[@HuntersCinema]

I haven't watched Chinatown before so it'll cool to watch it for the first time in 4K. Thank you for providing historical context around the movie and some of your own opinions as well. It feels like an intro on TCM.

[@SciFiMovieFemmes]

Props for including the Two Jakes on the disc. It's a underrated movie.

[@slave_to_cinema]

The picture quality is always an important aspect to discuss in a format media release. It matters. I wouldnt worry about what other channels do. You do you.

[@slate49]

I don’t know how I missed this review when it first dropped! Great review..I used the link provided to order it 🎉 It’s back in stock

[@roberthealey526]

Have this one on pre-order due in next week. It’s back story is the water grab by Los Angeles from the Owen’s Valley

[@punkronn3624]

Love Chinatown. Just pre-ordered my copy. Haven’t owned this since the DVD and I didn’t realize it came with the two Jakes until I watched your review.

[@GlenHallstrom]

I'm happy to see Paramount carried over the Water and Power documentary chronicling the real story that inspired Robert Towne to write the screenplay. It is fascinating.

[@444chroma]

Nicholson did The Last Detail around this same time. Another good movie

[@Asoleimani1989]

I’ve already seen the digital 4K version and it looked really good. Already preordered the disc.

[@sonofacheron]

I’m glad that I found this channel. Cereal produces some interesting commentary (historical, cultural insights) and he’s not wrong: Chinatown is a fantastic movie. Gotta get my hands on that 📕!

[@lock67ca]

We really need a new pushback, similar to what we got in the late sixties and early seventies, that gave us films like Chinatown and The Godfather. We still have a few great visionaries like Nolan, Villeneuve, Eggers and Aster, but they're the exception. And Clueless studio execs are so out of touch, that it's killing the art.

[@anthonygerardcondon7870]

fantastic review and insight into its history (would make a great movie on its own) always been a fan of Polanski as a filmmaker, Chinatown is a perfect film and ill be getting it here also. One funny story, when Roman asked Jack to be in PIRATES, Nicholson said no, when Polanski asked how much he wanted to be in the film, Jacks response was 'More'

[@bartserneels6398]

Heath, your talking about films has become inspiring. Only here - you bloody forgot the brilliant music, the unique, maybe even the best score of Jerry Goldsmith - the soundtrack. Unparalleled. Chinatow is for me also one of the best movies but also one of the greatest scores.

[@JonnyFlash80]

I agree. If it looks better, that's good enough. People need to stop complaining and enjoy the film.

[@brunomachado7279]

I've reached the "constant update burn out". Concerning money, space and mental exhaustion. I'm keeping the blu ray here and in the majority of cases.

[@u77750]

Thanks Heath. I just watched my 2012 Blu-ray last week. Despite the “Nasty Reputation” of the Dreaded Paramount DNR guy. I expect it to be an upgrade and will purchase it! Pardon me borrowing John Huston’s line from when he meets Jake. I completely agree with the idea that this ended the studio system. It was Bob Evan’s first movie as an independent producer. Evans was a genius I think.

[@Malvito]

I know that this is completely out of the blue, but, since you are talking about movies of a particular era, I would love to hear what you had to say about Dennis Hopper's THE LAST MOVIE. No good reason for this request, other than the fact that the sort of Avant filmmaking of that particular era is my jam; it would just be wonderful to see a video on Groovy Movies. We once watched CHINATOWN and TWO JAKES via streaming; must confess to not being that taken by TWO JAKES, but I really need to give it another looksee because CHINATOWN is a really difficult follow-up.

[@jayvalentine2046]

First thing that comes to memory when someone mentions this film is the bandage

[@RichardLopez-yy3oc]

I might pick this up for “The Two Jakes,” which I haven’t seen in ages, but I might pass if most of the supplements are on the 4K disc only. “Chinatown”’s one of my all-time favorites, but I’m not interested in rewatching it on digital since that ain’t my bag. To twist a quote from your t-shirts and direct it to Paramount, “Why no Blu-Ray?”

[@KirkRedgate]

Great film. I've ordered the 50th Anniversary Limited Collector's Edition, but it doesn’t come with The Two Jakes. Is it worth buying separately on Blu-ray? I've never seen it.

[@pete49327]

Excellent, thank you!

[@retrofun41]

It's just a movie Heath. remember it's all about the packaging. keep it sealed so it won't get dusty.....ok two bucks for trolling.😇

[@gbgary]

there's nothing controversial about this 4k. it's great! (and it's on a 100 gig disc)

[@RYANLOWEMPLS]

John Huston - Terrifying.

[@Daniel_B_23]

Awesome! 👏🏻

[@jasonprice4219]

This is the prototype review

[@soylentgreendip]

You failed to mention the main reason the movie looks, sounds and projects the way it does. Roman Polanski. You only mention him to try not to mention him.

[@CerealAtMidnight]

No clue what you're on about. I have discussed Polanski at length here on the channel. I'm not afraid of him.

[@modestyblaise4167]

Paramount can’t leave things alone though, can they? I don’t doubt that the 4K is now the best version but that doesn’t say much considering the Blu-ray is clearly scrubbed and edge enhanced. Yes I’ll get it but it’ll be put in the wait for sale pile - especially with Paramount’s new pricing model.

[@jacobroberts2764]

What's their pricing model?

[@modestyblaise4167]

@@jacobroberts2764 Here in the UK, Paramount have continued to increase their 4K prices over the last year. Recently their latest shenanigans involves no standard edition but only release tat editions for £40 or more. We’re not talking nicely researched essays and interviews for books (like boutique releases) but postcards, keyrings and other trinkets like what you’d find on Margate seafront. Regarding Chinatown specifically, we don’t even get The Two Jakes included here.

[@kinotek]

I'm just glad they included the special features. The fact that Warner doesn't on its big anniversary releases continues to be a deal-killer. Also: What, no Blu-ray? ;-)

[@hollyshippy7417]

Here's the thing. The viewing experience at home and the viewing experience at the local cinema are two entirely different viewing experiences. At the local cineplex, the film is projected onto a screen that has no pixels. The image simply bounces off the screen and is projected to our eyes. At home, on a flat screen, the TV acts as its own projector, eliminating any rear projector, unless having a rear projector is our set-up. Flat screens are not Movie screens. It's a totally different technology and has to be understood as totally different. We have been happy with all of our 4Ks, because they take advantage of the incredibly great, large flat-screen technology available.. We still go to the movie theater, but we love our Cinema Room set-up. Anyone who insists that what I'm experiencing at home on my flat screen is identical to what I'm experiencing at the local cineplex ... should have their head examined. They are not identical. Thanks for posting. We pre-ordered "China Town," when it was announced.

[@OuterGalaxyLounge]

Yeah, I pretty much try to bring this up a lot, having seen hundreds of the classics on the big screen and, admittedly, many more of them at home due to the obvious access and convenience ... but another aspect that people forget is that the audience picks up on small gestures and comments and it creates a frisson of sorts in the collective audience; it can trigger laughter, gasps, even applause. Nothing like this watching alone at home. It's especially true of the very old classics, where a wry turn of an eyebrow of Humphrey Bogart is enough to make an audience laugh in recognition. Unless you have a large number of people gathered around your home screen, that's not happening.

[@jamied1579]

This is one of the points I always bring up when people say, "the 4k release needs to reflect the 'director's vision' as much as possible", when the films from this era were made to be appreciated on giant cinema screens of the time. Later of course they might enjoy a run on low-def 4:3 tv screens of varying broadcast quality, super-saturated to make up for deficiencies of the format, and which also goes for the the VHS/Beta era later on, but definitely nowhere near the same as the original cinema experience. But watching on film on a huge 4k flat screen capable of giving us unparalleled picture quality with the capacity to show up every little fault in both the production quality of the film, as well as it's presented transfer, is also not the same as the cinema experience. I think the 4k, and even Blu-ray versions need to reflect that, and I feel that for the most part they do, but not all the time. I don't always agree with Heath, but I respect his passion and knowledge and I agree with him here when he says that at the end of the day, a 4k should at least look better than previous iterations, however that's applied

[@cad2046]

Love your thoughtful review(s) as always -- and can't wait to pick this one up -- but it's worth mentioning that a running theme from reviews of the original run of this film mention the "orange" hues of the color scheme repeatedly (something that was said to be producer Bob Evans's suggestion to Polanski) so I'll be interested to see what this release looks like. The original theatrical version of Chinatown decidedly did not have a "neutral" color scheme.

[@CerealAtMidnight]

The oranges are there. I'm talking about how the Blu-ray era was dominated by either a teal push or a gold push. Color timing like that didn't even exist in 1974.

[@444chroma]

I must have missed the controversy that follows Sony, Arrow, Second Sight, Lionsgate, Criterion etc. Paramount has earned their reputation with plenty of stinkers and it's wise to be cautious now. Edit: went back to hear your thoughts on Once Upon a Time in the West. As expected. You hide behind "everything is controversial" as a way of downplaying a real issue and being unwilling to take a stand and say enough. Then you go on to mention that "young people don't like grain" because somehow that's very relevant here.... do you think Paramount is playing 4d chess by making a bonafide classic from 50+ years fall in line with the preferences of teenagers? That release should have been SLAMMED because it was no better than a digital stream served up on disc. You'll always get what you tolerate.

[@CerealAtMidnight]

Hey Amadeus, if you expect me to be nasty in my 4K reviews, you're barking up the wrong tree. Criticism can be delivered kindly (as it was in both this review and the Once Upon a Time in The West review), and I shake my head at people who behave like spoiled children over a 4K transfer. It's also a fact that more people tell me they hate grain than those who love it. Are they wrong? Because the people who hate grain think those who love it are out of their mind. Now we're right back in a tribal battle over something that doesn't really matter and comes down to opinion. What a waste of everyone's time and energy.

[@444chroma]

​@@CerealAtMidnight You seem to think everyones opinion is worth equal weight. Do you ask a gardener for medical advice? It was a long time ago but still, many people were involved making the film and they cared. Respecting the genuine look for how it was captured is really not that difficult and many studios are great examples (e.g Sony). Grain haters have no taste and often times they dislike grain because it's overpronounced on their shoddy TV. They would actually need a better display to even be qualified to talk about what it _actually_ looks like. Still want to process the hell out of it? go right ahead and toggle noise reduction LOCALLY. There's no need for studios to bake that crap in and force everyone to sacrifice detail. For me it's a battle worth fighting and I'm surprised you don't feel the same way.

[@alxandermurillo]

@@444chroma You are 100%. The IQ of the younger cinephile audience is either extremely low or nonexistent. Either way, the studios will continue to rip off the casual filmgoer who simply don't know any better and will pay $45 for a subpar product. Keep up the very worthwhile fight while there are some of us left who actually care about the preservation and future of the film industry.

[@rossmcguinn2256]

What is that crazy looking box set to the left of halloween?

[@PM-oq8dg]

I think it's the 1980s She Ra cartoon.

[@jcanada9405]

Is this the first time Paramount Presents has done a new restoration and not offered or included bluray version?

[@RichardLopez-yy3oc]

Super weird move on their part. They’ve misread this one particular non-4K TV owning customer!

[@spaceodds1985]

Got the digital edition of iTunes. Sorry but £3.99 vs £30.99 is a big difference. Really hope a standalone edition comes soon

[@ricardolorrio8228]

possible, after The Godfather... the best film of the 1970s...

[@comiccollex958]

Can you imagine modern Hollywood making a film like this today

[@DemetriosPatsiaris]

Heath is the best!

[@BrianRidgway-u5g]

I think if l had seen this originally in a theater, l would think more highly of it than l do. I think it is good...but great? But l did catch TWO JAKES in the theater, and l think it is a terrific standalone film. It shows the strength of Jack Nicolson as a director.

[@michaelmcgee8543]

Enjoyed!

[@elichilton7031]

Thank you for your thoughts on this classic neo-noir 1970's film, and the recommendation of the book. Found a quote of Robert Towne on screenplay writing, which could reflect on his masterpiece - "What makes screenplays difficult are the things that require the most discipline and care and are just not seen by most people. I'm talking about movement - screenwriting is related to math and music, and if you zig here, you know you have to zag there. It's like the descriptions for a piece of music - you go fast or slow or with feeling. It's the same."

[@MAFion]

For new viewers of Chinatown, do not expect this movie to take place IN Chinatown. There is something much more sublime going on in this classic. And Heath is right, this is a movie to live with, to come back to periodically. I've bought it in every format since the 90s. And because this might be the last time I buy it; I wish the artwork was better. Oh well.

[@gaarongilham8463]

Chinatown is one of my favorite films of all time and Wasson's book is great. I grew up in San Pedro where the screenwriter Robert Towne also grew up, and where a number of scenes were shot.

[@constans4]

Don't make the mistake of purchasing this if you don't have a UHD player. I thought this would include a 4k standard Blu-ray, but it incomprehensibly has the Two Jakes BD which is already available separately. Very disappointing. Paramount made a mistake releasing only the UHD version of Chinatown and not including an upgraded Blu-ray.

[@devonbrooks246]

I am so tired of people complaining about how a 4K looks. If you don’t like it, then watch your old DVD and sell the 4K. Heath I am picking this up from your link. Thanks again. Great movie!

[@slave_to_cinema]

I get tired of people telling me what i cant complain about ;)

[@user-ny5vp9be8v]

Don't give excuses for poorly transferred releases. This is more tuan likely the final physical format for films, these studios are billion dollar studios that with just a little more effort can give us a 10/10 release. The problems and defects, especially with poor grain management, macro-blocking/encoding, and even awful DNR should be noted every time.

[@alxandermurillo]

@@user-ny5vp9be8v Exactly. Asinine to think otherwise.

[@Vicshade]

I have never seen this movie. I’m going to have to check it out

[@samstephens378]

You will not be disappointed

[@Vicshade]

@@samstephens378 I waited to long so I had to buy the UK version. Nice booklet but no Two Jakes. I had no idea how fast these 4Ks sold out.