MovieChat Forums > Chinatown (1974) Discussion > Why do I not care about this movie?

Why do I not care about this movie?

posted 8 years ago by smashtheelder
12 replies | jump to latest

Chinatown is a movie that I've been mad keen to see for ages. But it was so long between being excited for it and then getting around to watching it that I had become suspicious of it, suspecting it wouldn't be worth the anticipation. And I have watched it. And it was just uninspiring. I didn't hate it, I didn't love it, I didn't even like or dislike it. I feel only indifference.

As a person, I despise Roman Polanski. I don't care that the judge was corrupt. You don't get convicted of a crime, run away to escape the sentence and expect to still be a big hero. I don't want to start a discussion about his personal life, but suffice to say that I tried to avoid letting that influence my opinion of it.

I haven't seen many Polanski films. The only other one I've seen was The Fearless Vampire Killers, which I found similarly uninteresting. Judging by those two films, he's not a great director. It seems that he doesn't deserve any kind of notice, let alone wide acclaim.

Am I missing something? I've seen heaps of other movies. You can look at my ratings to see my taste in films. I'm pretty sure I'm not a dummy, but Polanski has just left me cold. There's nothing bad about his films, as far as I've seen, but what's good about this one?

[–] Doghouse-6 8 years ago

That just happens sometimes. I feel pretty much the same way about most of Martin Scorcese's work. While I recognize and acknowledge the craftsmanship that goes into them, his films don't do much for me.

And where Polanski's work is concerned, I feel strongly only about Rosemary's Baby and Chinatown.

There's probably a certain futility in one viewer who considers a given film a masterwork telling their reasons to another who doesn't, but if you honestly wish to hear the reasons I rate Chinatown so highly, I'll be happy to go into them, although it may get lengthy. Just lemme know.

Poe! You are...avenged!

[–] CalibMcBolts 8 years ago

Maybe you have to see it again.

The first time i saw Chinatown i didnt like it either, thought it was boring and uninteresting.

Then i decided to watch it again, and then i fell inlove with it. The second time i watched it, i watched Chinatown 5 times, in that week. It's now my 4th favorite film of all time.

If you need explinations as to why i adore it, or on plot points, feel free to ask, i'm happy to oblige

Favorite films of all time list
http://www.imdb.com/list/ls031708001

[–] smashtheelder 8 years ago

Thank you both for your replies. I'd love for both of you to explain why you love it! Even if it doesn't make me love it myself, I'll feel better to know why other people do. Don't worry about going on for too long; I'm a patient reader.

I think I will rewatch Chinatown sometime soon. If nothing else, I'll watch it with my brothers and friends and get their opinions. I don't know if I'll change my opinion, since the main time I had a turnaround in my view of a film was Taxi Driver, and that movie left me uncertain, rather than bored, the first time, but if I go in knowing what's supposed to be good, I'll at least understand my own feelings better.

[–] chninlp 8 years ago

For me, it's the score. I didn't think the score was a big deal the first few times I watched it.

But when you start re-watching the film after maybe about the fifth time, it becomes very apparent that Goldsmith, with each and every distinctive cue, is easily telling the story as much as Polanski, Towne, Nicholson and the rest of the cast, or anyone else.

The only other score like it is Vertigo, but while the score to Vertigo needs 73 minutes to tell its story, the score to Chinatown does it in under 24 minutes while still probably being more diverse and dynamic than Vertigo as well.

[–] kurt7825 8 years ago

to many people like certain movies because they are told by critics and others that they are supposed to like them

if you didn't like the movie its okay. i didn't think it was anything special. at least we don't just say its good because it has a high rating like most people

[–] Maniac_In_Black 8 years ago

Side note, you should for sure watch Rosemary's Baby if you haven't.

[–] espdemon-18077 8 years ago

Polanski has made some questionable choices in his private life but boy can he direct. One of my all time favorite directors. Knife in the Water is terrific.. as is Repulsion and Macbeth. I also saw the Tenant before I saw Chinatown and Rosemary's Baby. The Tenant is incredible film making and Rosemary's Baby, I mean, what can you say.

That aside.. this thread is an interesting one. it's funny.. I didn't like Vertigo much the first time I saw it. I thought it was a heavily flawed film which was plagued by annoyances and a contrived story. The first time through, it seems as if Kim Novak is phoning it in big time. Then I saw it again and many of my criticisms were handled. There are a few issues that I still have with the story and acting (in spots) but as a whole.. Vertigo is a very good film that does get stronger with repeated viewings. Chinatown on the other hand is a yarn of the first order. Over the years, it has become my favorite film of all time. The acting, the characters, the story, the score, the pacing & direction.. not to mention the ending is pure Film Noir. I have seen countless golden age Noirs.. and even though Chinatown is in color it trumps them all. Noir is my favorite genre and an insatiable obsession.

Some other good films that I consider to be Neo Noirs..

The Conversation
LA Confidential
The French Connection
Blood Simple
Night Moves
The Long Goodbye
Fargo

[–] kleinfrankenheim 8 years ago

Don't mean to turn this into a Vertigo board, but I agree with you that it gets better with repeated viewings. I've seen it 4 or 5 times, most recently at a Hitchcock retrospective, and it certainly seemed like his most emotionally affecting work (along with Notorious). I know that some people love Vertigo as a kind of rumination about memory and obsession, so I think I just need to get past the plot.

[–] espdemon-18077 8 years ago

Vertigo is strong.. no doubt about it. As far as Hitchcock's most emotionally affecting work, I will have to disagree with you regarding Notorious. Hitchcock is probably my all time favorite director and the film that put him over the top was Rebecca.

Putting that aside, whenever I decide to re watch Chinatown, it never fails to still be fresh, poignant, profound and shocking. Chinatown rewards repeated viewings in spades. Nicholson channels confusion, rage, frustration, wit, fear and humor. Throw in John Huston and Faye Dunaway... an absolutely perfect score, Polanski direction, and noir ending.. it just doesn't get any better for me. The sound of the horn at the end is like an alarm that wakes up the golden age of Hollywood and gives it a run for its money.

[–] Robbmonster 8 years ago

You were a victim of your own heightened expectations.

It's a rather common syndrome these days - people get themselves so hyped up to see something that when they finally do, there is no way it can live up to the expectations built around it.

Never defend crap with 'It's just a movie'
http://www.youtube.com/user/BigGreenProds

[–] roreyking (607) 3 years ago

Why would anyone care why you don't care about this movie?

[–] Information-Police (4890) 3 years ago

I love this movie but I can understand why somebody would not enjoy it on first viewing. It's slow, the plot is confusing and seems to keep changing. All understandable barriers to appreciating it.

There are many reasons I love it from the crisp writing to the acting to the haunting cornet theme. I actually love the complex plot because it chages focus many times.

As I watched it more I saw it as about more that this plot. Its about power and greed abd corruption and our inability to do anything about it because the directs are so big and powerful.

It has struck me as I've driven around LA and the Southwest when I come to a suburb in the middle of nowhere- what went on behind the scenes to out this town here - who was paying off whom to supply water, build roads... what people were doing really nasty things in their belief that it was for "the future!"

Whenever I encounter a situating that is complex and tangled in politics I will say, "Forget about it Jake, its Chinatown."