Chinatown

Outline for the Presentation

Chinatown

Introduction

n      Chinatown is a story that revolves around the drowning of the Los Angeles water commissioner, during a drought. The heavy behind this murderous move to control the city’s water is Noah Cross, who also is the father-in-law of the commissioner.

Characteristics that classified it as a Classic Film Noir

n      Protagonist- J.J “Jake” Gittes, a hard-boiled detective. A wisecracker, who alternates between cracking jokes and politeness. He is a former cop whose involvement in the Mulwray case echoes him back to Chinatown where he worked once as a police officer. Seem to be an impression of classical noir protagonist such as Sam Spade in The Maltese Falcon

n      Femme fatale- Evelyn Cross Molwary, the wife of Hollis Molwary, daughter of Noah Cross. She is not definitely the femme fatale like the heartless Phyllis Nirdlinger in Double Indemnity, a woman with both a secret and a deadly agenda. She had a secret but not a deadly agenda, is a twisted cross between a femme fatale and a doomed victim

n      Antagonist- Noah Cross, father of Evelyn and Katherine. A wealthy well-known man, Cross a sociopath believes that no law, either legal or moral applies to him. His crimes range from incest, to land fraud, to murder. All of which he commits without shame and remorse.

n      Visual styles

n      Low key lighting-Associated with a bleak light/dark contrasts and dramatic shadow patterning.

n      Shadows- The shadows effect of a Venetian blind or a banister rods cast upon, an actor, a wall or an entire set.

n      Camera angle- Here is one camera angle effect. The rearview mirror; is when a wide lens is used and pan in close to give the audience the aspect of what the P.I. is looking at

n       Detective film noir- Hard-boiled private eye, cigarettes effect, a protagonist that functions as a detective figure, a narrative that follows an investigation.

Characteristics that classified it as a Neo-Noir:

n      Thugs, gangster, hoodlums

n      Violence

n       Nudity, Interracial Sex, Incest

Conclusion:

 Chinatown- the dishonesty of authority figures; the corruption of the American Dream; the helplessness of common people in the face of evil. Famous quote, “                                Forget Jake. It’s Chinatown.”

Source One:

Noir as a Genre

Written by Sanil

Quote from the source: In addition, films noirs began to deal with taboo subjects; such as, nudity, homosexuality, interracial sexual activity, incest, rape, abortion, profanity, criminal acts and the use of drugs. American films in the 1920s and 1930s before film noirs barely ever covered these topics. However, due to censorship, many films in the late 1960s and 1970s have less explicitness of all the taboo topics. Therefore, distinguishing the films noirs of the 1940s and 1950s from the neo-films noirs of the 1970s and later.

Significance: I select this quote to explain how classic noir barley covered incest, rape, drugs and… And how the films made in the 70’s had more of an open and direct way. As you will notice in the movie Chinatown, the incest between father and daughter.  

           

Source Two:

Film Studies 205: Chinatown

  By Seo Young Park

Quote from the source: Women characters in film noir were being more ambitious than guy character and have strong personality; however there were some changes after neo-noir came. Evelyn is character who has both of femme fatal and week-hearted sides of her. Even though she had femme fatal character, it’s different from what early film noir have described women character. Because she didn’t attempt to seduce Gittes to achieve her own goal, this scene shows Evelyn’s internal mind statement, herself as a victim, also how strongly or calmly she was dealing with all the problems. Unlike most of other film noir, she ended up as a victim without being any harm to anyone in the movie.

Significance: This quote relates to how Evelyn Molwary was more of a victim in Chinatown and that she brought no harm to anyone. She was not your typical femme fatale as you will see in a classic noir film.