For the first time in High Definition, Paramount Home Entertainment is releasing the iconic 1974 classic Chinatown on Blu-ray today.  Directed by Roman Polanski, this is a tightly plotted mystery that follows a private detective (Jack Nicholson) who is hired to investigate an adultery case and uncovers dark secrets tied to the city’s water supply.

Backed up by an excellent supporting cast, Jack Nicholson is brilliant in the leading role and the intricate script is filled with multiple layers.  A definitive film of the 1970s that was nominated for eleven Academy Awards and awarded an Oscar for Best Original Screenplay, Chinatown is a hard boiled mystery and a film noir classic that remains a must see nearly forty years after its initial release.

The Blu-ray includes commentary with screenwriter Robert Towne and David Fincher as well as numerous featurettes on both the meaning behind the film and the lasting legacy that it has.

Chinatown is 130 minutes and rated 14A.

-John C.