Chinatown

Roman Polanski has been in the news quite a bit lately, but don't let his off-screen actions get in the way of appreciating his cinematic legacy. Simply put, "Chinatown" is one of the masterpieces of 1970s cinema and one of the great American originals. Jack Nicholson strolls through the role of cynical private eye J.J. Gittes with the sneering confidence of a smart cookie in over his head, and Faye Dunaway brings an echo of tragedy to potential femme fatale Evelyn Mulwray. Polanski transforms Robert Towne's rich, labyrinthine script into a modern film noir of sleek style, milky color, and sad cynicism, putting the corruption, greed, and moral monstrosity of Los Angeles in the 1930s under the crisp light of the California sun.

Filmmaker and unabashed fan David Fincher jumps right in with observations and questions of screenwriter Towne in the thoughtful, considered and introspective commentary recorded for this edition. Also includes the original three-part, 80-minute documentary "Water and Power," which explores the real-life history and politics of the irrigation of California that are at the center of the film, and the new 26-minute featurette "Chinatown: An Appreciation," as well as three previously released retrospective featurettes with interviews with Polanski, Nicholson, Towne, and producer Robert Evans. It's a fine edition, but my question is: When will Paramount give it the Blu-ray treatment?