Fifty years on from its release, Chinatown is a film that remains both iconic and controversial. Widely lauded as a ‘film to watch before you die', and celebrated with 11 Oscar nominations upon its release in 1974 (including a win for Best Original Screenplay), it has become marred in years since, largely due to the director behind it, whose name has become synonymous with his crimes and the corruption of the industry that continued to celebrate him. However, this new 4k Ultra HD collector's edition is a reminder of just how painstakingly crafted a film this is, and when contextualised through the lens of Polanski's prolific abuse, becomes all the more haunting and poignant as its final frames roll.

Set in 1930s L.A. in the midst of a drought, Chinatown follows private investigator J.J. – Jake – Gittes (Jack Nicholson, in a BAFTA/Golden Globe winning role), who is approached by Evelyn Mulwray to investigate whether her husband is having an affair. The husband in question, happens to be Hollis Mulwray (Darrell Zwerling), Chief Engineer of the Water department. When the investigation into Mulwray leads to suspicion regarding water irrigation in the city, Gittes finds himself drawn into a web of deception, intrigue and power play. When it comes to light that the real Mrs Evelyn Mulwray (Faye Dunaway) isn't the one who hired him, things only get more confusing, as Jake must play all sides to try and bring the truth to life. Now hired by the real Evelyn, Jake is set on uncovering the corruption within the local government. However, upon encountering Noah Cross (John Huston), Evelyn's father, he is faced with the reality of just how much power one man can hold, and just how much evil is enacted by the men who hold that power.

As a noir, it functions perfectly, Robert Towne's screenplay serving as a masterclass in tension as it drip feeds information to us in minimal amounts. Despite having a plot that centres around a certain level of bureaucracy, it somehow never feels dry, with the mystery being genuinely fascinating as it lulls viewers in. Its dramatic reveals are largely saved for the film's final act: while the pacing should feel off as such, the abrupt nature of the fall-out of the reveals, only makes them hit that much harder. The editing and direction massively helps with this; Chinatown is a film that is always willing to take its time. Whether this is through long takes, through scenes without dialogue, or just through the narrative blocking, the viewer is always forced to sit in moments and fully take them in. It's a film that sinks into your bones the more it goes on, leaving a uncomfortable aftertaste by the time it reaches its conclusion.

Another huge factor in creating this tension, and encouraging this emotive reflection throughout, is Jerry Goldsmith's stunning score. When the music swells, it's romantic and epic, its jazz stylings helping to contribute to the film's essence of coolness. At other times, its heavy usage of low plunking piano keys in contrast with delicately plucked strings, creates a sordid tension and a gradual crescendo that bears reminiscence to classic horror scores. The score's deployment in the film is also fascinating – the first half of the film uses non-diegetic sound more sparingly, again forcing us to sit with what is unfolding on our screens in relative silence. In the latter half of the film, the score kicks in to full effect, only serving to further the increasing speed in pacing as the film crashes into its abrupt climax.

This newer restoration, in glorious high definition, at times only serves to age the movie, with the grain of the film being emphasised in the lower-lit scenes. However, when that L.A. sun hits underneath the soft, warm colour-grading, the higher quality makes every bead of sweat feel more earned, creating an uncomfortable heat that engulfs the viewer as well as the characters. John A. Alonzo's cinematography shoots L.A. as a desert wasteland, there is a vastness to the landscape, even as there is a close intimacy in how characters are shot. Watching it in 2024, the lighting of the night-time scenes feels particularly impressive, not only does the viewer never have to squint to see what's happening, but the usage of colour in the darker scenes remains rich and vibrant.

Jack Nicholson and Faye Dunaway in the lead roles are both mesmerising on screen, but in opposite directions. Despite there being a level of danger to him, mainly in how little we know of his life, Nicholson is effortlessly charming and cool as Gittes. He has a charisma that leads you to trust him, in the same way that those around him in Chinatown all seem to trust him. Against this, Dunaway's Evelyn is a much colder character and as such, she delivers a measured performance, where each moment is reserved and deliberate – it is only as the truth of her situation is revealed that Dunaway is given the opportunity to lean in to the intense emotions the narrative provokes.

Much has been said of the ending, but it truly does reframe the whole film, making everything seem much more bleak than when initially watching it play out. However, when viewed with the cultural knowledge of what Polanski has done in real life, it is all the more haunting. John Huston's character delivers the line, “most people never have to face the fact that at the right time and the right place, they're capable of anything,” and with the context of its director, it overcasts the film with a deeply set underlying current of evil. As unsettling as it is, it is this portrayal of the darkness and corruption of the human heart, and the way in which corruption of systems enables it, that makes Chinatown as memorable and lasting as it is.

“Forget about it, Jake. It's Chinatown.” The problem is, Jake can't forget, and neither can we, long after those final credits roll and our hero walks away from a mess he could not untangle.

Special Features include:

Original film posters and reversible film photocards
‘A State of Mind' – a new interview with author Sam Wasson
Commentary by screenwriter Robert Townes with David Fincher
Chinatown Memories and a number of other featurettes about the making of the film

The 50th Anniversary Collector's Edition of Chinatown is available to buy now on 4K Ultra HD + Blu-Ray.