Chinatown is a true tour-de-force of post-modern noir filmmaking.  Not much else can be said about it that has already been said.  It set a new precedence in the film noir genre that was only matched with the release of L.A. Confidential more than twenty years later.  The direction is superb and the performances are first rate, including Jack Nicholson as private investigator Jake Gittes, but it’s the script that truly shines here.  Robert Towne’s award-winning script raise the bar in terms of complexity, provided a freshness to the film noir genre, and has become the subject of many screenwriting courses.  This film has stood the test of time and is still considered one the greatest.  Need I say more?

Now when you hear Special Collector’s Edition, you’re expecting a lot.  And when you hear Chinatown: Special Collector’s Edition, you’re expecting a really fantastic DVD set.  Unfortunately that’s not the case here.  The films itself is presented nicely here; the picture is well maintained and the 5.1 Dolby track is satisfactory.  But there isn’t much in terms of extras.  There are only three retrospective featurettes here, and one of them is not even worth watching.  They do go into considerable detail about the film and its production, but don’t really offer a lot of details beyond that.  A film of this caliber deserves more than this and is really disappointing that it doesn’t offer more.  At least a commentary would have been sufficient.

Though it is nice to see a new DVD release for the excellent Chinatown, it is no major improvement over the previous version and is a bit of a letdown.  This so-called Special Collector’s Edition is only worth getting for the title alone.  If you haven’t seen Chinatown and are into smart, complex, original film noir, this is definitely for you.    Otherwise this is merely a rent.  Let’s just hope someone will come to their senses and release a better collector’s edition for Chinatown.

Review By Chris Emery