Μύ Chinatown, initially released in 1974, is a quintessentially LA story and it's often cited as "one of the greatest Hollywood movies ever made". Roman Polanski directs Jack Nicholson as Jake Gittes, a world-weary detective who gets in over his head, but it was screenwriter Robert Towne who really impressed the Academy. Out of eleven Oscar nominations, he was the only one to bag a gong.
Big Trouble In Little China
True cinephiles will relish the three-part documentary presented on this Collector's Edition disc. For one thing it boasts a rare appearance from Jack Nicholson 'as himself' reflecting on one of the most important films of his career. "It was one of the biggest learning experiences I had," he says of working with director Roman Polanski. But the project began life as a series of conversations between Nicholson and his old roommate Robert Towne. The latter explains the title (because Chinatown isn't a major location in the plot) and recalls the arguments he had with Polanski over certain passages in the script. In fact they still differ in their accounts about what they originally disagreed about!
Polanski also frequently clashed with leading lady Faye Dunaway. He chuckles about it in the production phase of this documentary, but unfortunately Dunaway isn't around for comment. Apparently, in one of their more heated run-ins, the director plucked a hair out of her head and, as he puts it, "She went insane!" Of course Polanski insists that the unruly strand was interfering with the composition of his shot. Interestingly though, he doesn't refer to a more notorious episode where Dunaway allegedly threw a cup of urine over him.
Going To Town
Nicholson didn't escape the director's wrath either. The star insists he's a "cold professional", but after rushing one scene to catch a basketball game, Polanski flew into a rage and tried to smash his television set. (Apparently, the darned thing just wouldn't break). Nicholson remembers being so angry he ripped off his costume. Of course they can laugh about it now… It's a shame we can't see any of that in a generous smattering of behind-the-scenes snapshots.
Producer Robert Evans (the enfant terrible of Hollywood producers at the time) also participates in this walk down memory lane, which concludes with The Legacy of Chinatown. He reveals how the Paramount execs were "afraid it was too intellectual", and although the film did score well at the box office, it took time before it was recognised as one of the greats. Even Polanski seems a little sceptical of the fuss, insisting that it's only his second favourite achievement after The Pianist. We wouldn't dare argue with such a temperamental director. Suffice to say, this edition of Chinatown is essential to your DVD collection.
EXTRA FEATURES
Chinatown: Collector's Edition DVD is released on Monday 5th November 2007.
