A Few Words About A few words about...™ Chinatown-- in Blu-ray (1 Viewer)

[david hare]

I think thre's more hope it will get licensed through Criterion. I don't care either way. But I would love to have it in 4K.

 

[PMF]

I'm for all formats; but not for the exclusiveness placed upon those who still enjoy discs.

 

[cda1143]

haines says the Amazon stream looks terrible. Robert Crawford seems to be implying the iTunes stream looks great. Can they both be right? My guess is yes.

Time only moves forward, and with each year, the 4k streams/4kdisc ratio will increase. And we will be needing expert reviews (such as we receive here) to evaluate the quality of streaming releases as well as disc releases.

 

[Robert Crawford]

haines says the Amazon stream looks terrible. Robert Crawford seems to be implying the iTunes stream looks great. Can they both be right? My guess is yes.

Time only moves forward, and with each year, the 4k streams/4kdisc ratio will increase. And we will be needing expert reviews (such as we receive here) to evaluate the quality of streaming releases as well as disc releases.

A stream on iTunes is often not the same stream on Amazon. IMO, Amazon is the worst of the streaming services in comparison to iTunes and Vudu. Too many Amazon streams are SD only. The stream on Amazon is an older version while the stream on iTunes has been updated with a more recent one in 4K/Dolby Vision.

Again, do not assume that a stream of a movie on Amazon is the same stream being used on the other streaming services. Furthermore, this is a Paramount title which means it's not part of MoviesAnywhere. Therefore, I can't watch that Amazon stream without renting or purchasing it as it's not a Prime choice either. If it was a Fox, Warner, Universal, Sony and Disney title I can at least compare the streams between Amazon and iTunes. There are two "Chinatown" listings on Amazon. The one with the updated cover art that is the same on iTunes is unavailable right now on Amazon. The other listing with the older cover art is available to rent or purchase in SD or HD. That must be the one that Bruce is talking about.

 

[Tino]

IMO, Amazon is the worst of the streaming services in comparison to iTunes and Vudu.

Agree 100%

 

[Robert Crawford]

haines says the Amazon stream looks terrible. Robert Crawford seems to be implying the iTunes stream looks great. Can they both be right? My guess is yes.

Time only moves forward, and with each year, the 4k streams/4kdisc ratio will increase. And we will be needing expert reviews (such as we receive here) to evaluate the quality of streaming releases as well as disc releases.

I haven't watched the iTunes stream when I posted my comments yesterday. However, your post and after digging a bit into Amazon's stream I got curious so I sat down this morning and watched the iTunes 4K/Dolby Vision stream to sample it. I got caught up in the movie so I ended up watching all 130 minutes of it. IMO, it looked beautiful! Furthermore, the iTunes stream has all of the Blu-ray bonus material, but I need to check to see if anything new was added. Later today, I'm going to try to compare the 2012 Blu-ray to this 4K stream. No promises as I get easily distracted by other things/movies.

 

[Scott Merryfield]

A stream on iTunes is often not the same stream on Amazon. IMO, Amazon is the worst of the streaming services in comparison to iTunes and Vudu. Too many Amazon streams are SD only. The stream on Amazon is an older version while the stream on iTunes has been updated with a more recent one in 4K/Dolby Vision.

Agreed. The only times I use Amazon streaming is to either (1) rent a film at no cost using digital credits accumulated from their "no rush" shipping option, or (2) watch content made available for free to Prime members. If I am actually paying for a film, it will be either through iTunes or Vudu.

 

[Neil S. Bulk]

Furthermore, the iTunes stream has all of the Blu-ray bonus material...

Does the iTunes version have the original mono audio available as an option?

 

[JPCinema]

I watched the 4K of CHINATOWN on iTunes last night. There is a significant improvement in the PQ and sound.

 

[Worth]

Does the iTunes version have the original mono audio available as an option?

Pretty sure it's the remix only. I don't think any iTunes titles offer multiple audio options.

 

[usrunnr]

Whatever Amazon Prime has is the shittiest this film has ever looked, literally all brown.

This is a shame. I remember the film having incredible color, even Faye Dunaway's lipstick matching her finger nails, and, possibly (memory fails me) the curtains in the room.

 

[Neil S. Bulk]

Pretty sure it's the remix only. I don't think any iTunes titles offer multiple audio options.

2001 does, but the last time I checked the 1968 audio was terribly out of sync.

 

[Josh Steinberg]

2001 does, but the last time I checked the 1968 audio was terribly out of sync.

By coincidence I checked that out last night and it's finally been fixed!

 

[Worth]

2001 does, but the last time I checked the 1968 audio was terribly out of sync.

Right. Forgot about that one.

 

[Josh Steinberg]

I think there a bunch of iTunes movies that include foreign language options, but I think the number of films that include multiple English options is exceedingly low, which to me is a shame. There are some discs I'd otherwise consider parting because of a great digital copy, but feel the need to hold on to because they might include a mono track that I like better than the surround sound remix. That's an area where I feel iTunes could do better, but it's probably also the fault of studios not submitting that material to iTunes in the first place. Though, to be fair, I'd bet most home viewers are more concerned with having the most modern remix that best shows off their system rather than an original mono track, so it's probably not something they're getting a lot of complaints about.

 

[Tino]

Pretty sure it's the remix only. I don't think any iTunes titles offer multiple audio options.

Actually many do.

 

[cda1143]

I haven't watched the iTunes stream when I posted my comments yesterday. However, your post and after digging a bit into Amazon's stream I got curious so I sat down this morning and watched the iTunes 4K/Dolby Vision stream to sample it. I got caught up in the movie so I ended up watching all 130 minutes of it. IMO, it looked beautiful! Furthermore, the iTunes stream has all of the Blu-ray bonus material, but I need to check to see if anything new was added. Later today, I'm going to try to compare the 2012 Blu-ray to this 4K stream. No promises as I get easily distracted by other things/movies.

Thank you very much!

Pip

 

[JoeStemme]

The most brilliant of the 70s neo-noirs, Roman Polanski's CHINATOWN carved out its own special place during the decade. Polanski's cynical European point of view, meshed with Robert Towne's new Hollywood screenplay and Robert Evans was able to preserve the purity of their vision as he guided it through the studio system. Faye Dunaway still at the height of her allure, and, of course, the ascendant Jack Nicholson truly coming into his own as the biggest - and, arguably - the best star in the cinema. John Huston as the malignant ghost hanging over it all. John A. Alonzo's alternately sun-baked and shadowy night cinematography. And, Jerry Goldsmith's classic score setting the ultimate mood (remarkably, a last minute substitution for Philip Lambro).


Towne's tale of corruption in the water industry in Los Angeles, is, if anything, more relevant today than ever. As in classic noir, the 'plot' isn't the thing. It's the emotion. It's Nicholson's Gittes falling for Dunaway's Evelyn. It's how conspiracy, murder and deceit combine to completely alter how the characters view the world. And, it's Chinatown. Not just a place. But, a state of consciousness. Is it real? Does it matter?