One word..... Wow!

Rating: 10/10 (29 June 2008)

1974 the year of The Godfather's 2nd instalment which pretty much was the greatest film of that year but....... Also in the running for best picture that year was Polanski's finest moment in film history, Chinatown. Noir had pretty much had its run in the late 40's and 50's, the 60's decade was the decade of Disney's invasion of seminal kids films but the 1970's which i regard has the greatest decade in Hollywood history we where brought within that decade, Jaws, The first two (and best) Godfather films, Dog Day Afternoon,Taxi Driver, A Clockwork Orange,Star Wars, Dirty Harry, this was the decade of the blockbuster. Noir had no place in this decade but Roman Polanski defied what the audience were seeking by bringing them his most memorable film. Jack Nicholson played Jake Gittes, a private investigator hired by a one Mrs Mulwray to spy on her husband who she suspects is having an affair, on taking on this case Gittes begins to delve into a dark secret behind LA's unexplainable draught which he traces back to a deal made within the city's Water and Power. This dark and beautifully shot film created a tone of intensity between its actors and its audience Polanski was able to give his audience the sense that we knew what Gittes was after before delivering us the shocking twist at the end which for if you haven't seen this film i will not mention. Nicholson shines in this dark film which is up there with his greatest work such as One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest and The Shining and a memorable role for acting legend John Huston as the retired owner of water and power Noah Cross. Masterfully shot, beautifully written, terrifically acted and shocking until the closing credits by far one of the greatest surviving films of the 70's and gave the dying noir genre a shot in the arm.
10/10