Ep. 124: Chinatown (1974) - a podcast by The Twin Geeks

Often proclaimed as the greatest script ever written, the intricate detective plot, thoroughly sketched characters, grand unfolding conspiracy, and riveting narrative developments of Chinatown are undeniably difficult to compare. Adopting all the sensibilities from the highly stylized and sizzling American crime films from the 1940s to the less restricted and more politically astute era of the mid 1970s, Robert Towne's peerless script elevates the conventions of film noir to their most illustrious degree. The typical themes of indifference and cynicism towards an unjust world teeming with crime and corruption are bountiful in Chinatown, perfectly capturing a picturesque version of that romanticized era without polishing away the rotted core at the center of everything. Graham Austin returns to discuss all things Chinatown as well as his recent experience watching the Universal Horror classic Frankenstein (1931) in a uniquely atmospheric cemetery, alongside David's Documentary Discourse returning with a recent festival favorite: Hopper/Welles (2020). All of this and more from your independent resource on classic and contemporary cinema.

Timestamps:

00:00

Beating the Heat in the Pacific Northwest, featuring internet outages and Alfred Hitchcock’s Mr. & Mrs. Smith (1941)

03:58 Graham Goes to the Congressional Cemetery for a screening of Frankenstein (1931)

12:21 David’s Documentary Discourse: Hopper/Welles (2020)

25:55 Chinatown

Further episodes of The Twin Geeks

Further podcasts by The Twin Geeks

Website of The Twin Geeks